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Written by Michal Hašek, Tuesday 3 March 2026

The physical 5G SA network infrastructure can be divided into several independent virtual networks called network slices. The slices can be dedicated to a single customer or optimized for different use cases, such as real-time machine control, high-quality video transmission, or connecting large numbers of simple sensors.

The APN[1] helps the mobile network decide which slice to use. The SIM card specifies which slices a device is allowed to use, and the user selects an APN. When the device connects to the mobile network, the network determines which permitted slices are available at the current location and routes the traffic through a PDU session associated with the selected slice.

Multiple approaches can be used depending on customer needs. However, at the moment, Advantech routers can connect via one APN at a time (Single Slice option).

Single Slice

A single APN can be used on our 5G routers now, with the mobile network assigning the traffic to a specific slice. Each device can be configured to use a different slice. But just one slice at a time.

Technically, the device gets assigned a single IP address.

~ # gsmat 'AT+CGDCONT?'
+CGDCONT: 1,"IPV4V6","APN1","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
+CGDCONT: 2,"IPV4V6","ims","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
+CGDCONT: 3,"IPV4V6","sos","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,1,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
~ # gsmat 'AT+CGACT?'
+CGACT: 1,1
+CGACT: 2,1
+CGACT: 3,0
~ # gsmat 'AT+CGPADDR'
+CGPADDR: 1,"10.96.0.86"
+CGPADDR: 2,"192.168.4.2","32.1.4.104.48.0.0.1.32.1.4.104.48.0.0.1"
+CGPADDR: 3,"0.0.0.0","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0"
 
Single slice option is already available for ICR-4400, ICR-4100, ICR-4200, and ICR-2400 RedCap series.

Multiple Slices

Devices can connect to multiple APNs in parallel, with each APN mapped to a different network slice. This allows router services and physical or virtual interfaces to be assigned to selected APNs/slices, enabling controlled separation of application traffic and connectivity paths. For example, management traffic can be routed via one slice, while machine control or sensor data uses another slice. Technically, the device gets assigned multiple IP addresses, which enables the device to route traffic from various VLANs to different network slices.

~ # gsmat 'AT+CGDCONT?’

+CGDCONT: 1,"IPV4V6","APN1","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
+CGDCONT: 2,"IPV4V6","ims","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
+CGDCONT: 3,"IPV4V6","sos","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,1,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
+CGDCONT: 4,"IPV4V6","APN2","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
+CGDCONT: 5,"IPV4V6","APN3","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0,,,,,,,,,"",,,,0
~ # gsmat ‘AT+CGACT?’
+CGACT: 1,1
+CGACT: 2,1
+CGACT: 3,0
+CGACT: 4,1
+CGACT: 5,1
~ # gsmat ‘AT+CGPADDR'
+CGPADDR: 1,"10.96.0.86","252.0.0.0.0.0.86.0.252.0.0.0.0.0.86.0"
+CGPADDR: 2,"192.168.4.2","32.1.4.104.48.0.0.1.32.1.4.104.48.0.0.1"
+CGPADDR: 3,"0.0.0.0","0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0"
+CGPADDR: 4,"10.96.6.86","252.0.0.0.0.6.86.0.252.0.0.0.0.6.86.0"
+CGPADDR: 5,"10.96.7.86","252.0.0.0.0.7.86.0.252.0.0.0.0.7.86.0"

Multiple Slice capability is not currently supported by Advantech routers but is to be applied across the current Advantech portfolio of 5G and 5G RedCap routers (ICR-4400, ICR-4100, ICR-4200, and ICR-2400 RedCap series) during 2026 via firmware update with no any additional hardware changes required.

Stay tuned to our news for updates on upcoming firmware releases.

[1] Although in 5G SA the APN is technically a DNN (Data Network Name), we retain the APN terminology as it is commonly used in practice. ↩ Back to text

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