This guide walks through activating a Bring-Your-Own (BYO) eSIM on a Peplink device. For background on the two flavors of eSIM (BYO eSIM vs. Peplink eSIM), see our article "eSIM Support on Peplink Devices."
Important: eSIM activation is done through InControl2. As of July 2026, you cannot activate an eSIM from the device's Web Admin / local admin interface. You will use Web Admin only after activation to turn the eSIM on as a WAN. If the device isn't in InControl2 yet, see Create a Peplink InControl2 Environment first.
Prerequisites
- A compatible device. Only some Peplink models support eSIM. Check the supported models list on Peplink's eSIM Technology page.
- An active Care Plan. eSIM activation is an InControl feature that requires a valid warranty/Care Plan. Note: once the eSIM profile is loaded, you no longer need the warranty to keep using that specific profile.
- Firmware 8.4.1 or later (8.5.2 or above is preferred).
- The device registered in an InControl2 group you have access to.
- Carrier registration complete. Requirements vary by carrier and often include registering your device EID and verifying your account through the carrier's portal.
Keep the device online on a non-cellular WAN
eSIM provisioning depends on a continuous connection to InControl2 the whole time. The catch is that the router cannot prepare the target cellular modem for the eSIM while that same modem is being used for internet. So bring the router online through a different connection first. Supported options:
- Ethernet WAN, Wi-Fi WAN, or USB WAN (the simplest: an alternate WAN keeps you connected during provisioning).
- Peplink eSIM (its data can be used to activate the BYO eSIM and reach InControl2).
- An existing BYO eSIM already loaded on the device.
- A physical SIM or eSIM on a different (alternate) cellular modem.
Not supported: a physical SIM on the same cellular modem you're activating the eSIM on. Activating the BYO eSIM on that modem interrupts its connectivity, so the profile download fails.
Prepare the target modem
- Make sure the modem you're loading the eSIM onto is not in active use. Ideally set it to the disabled position; at minimum, make sure it is not a Priority 1 active internet source.
- If that modem already has an eSIM profile (most devices ship with a factory Peplink eSIM profile), toggle it on in the modem's details page. This is enough to prepare the profile upload. If there's no existing eSIM profile to toggle, just continue.
Activation steps (in InControl2)
- Log in to InControl2 and navigate to your group (not the organization tab).
- Locate and click the device to open its Device Details page.
- Go to Settings > Device Tools.
- From the Command dropdown, choose eSIM Installation. (Choose eSIM Deletion instead if you need to remove an unwanted profile first.)
- If you have a dual-modem router, select which modem you're installing the eSIM to.
- Choose an installation method:
- Manually input Activation Code (check the "Input Manually" box and paste your activation code)
- QR Code scan (if your carrier provided one)
- eSIM Discovery (requires the device EID to be registered/linked to the carrier's eSIM profile)
- Click Submit. Installation usually takes 1 to 2 minutes. Keep this screen active so you can see the confirmation notification before it disappears.
Final step: turn the eSIM on as a WAN
- From the device page in InControl2, open Settings > Remote Web Admin to reach the device's admin panel (or open Web Admin locally).
- Go to the cellular details for the modem where the plan was activated.
- You'll now see a BYO eSIM profile listed (labeled A for your first, B for the second, and so on). Toggle it on, then Save and Apply.
- Give it up to 15 minutes to connect, then confirm the eSIM WAN is online. Set it as Primary or Secondary WAN as needed.
Troubleshooting tips
- Activation fails partway through? Confirm the device is online on a non-cellular WAN (or an alternate modem), the target modem is disabled/not Priority 1, and InControl2 access is stable.
- eSIM Discovery not working? Make sure your device's EID is registered with the carrier and linked to the eSIM profile.
- No eSIM option available? Check that the device has an active Care Plan, is on firmware 8.4.1+ (8.5.2+ preferred), and is online in InControl2.
- Missed the confirmation? The success message is brief. Re-check the modem's cellular details for the new BYO eSIM profile.
Need help activating an eSIM or sorting out a carrier registration? Reach out to sales[at]llamanetworks[dot]com.