4G Broadband Antenna and Router Selection Questions

hadenoughofit

Hi guys. We're in absence of other credible options in our locale going for 4G mobile broadband - basically because the tethered Eir mobile connection in use since we lost the local Digiweb mast is doing pretty well (around 8Mbps download) - and should improve significantly with a decent touter and external antenna.

The thinking is (a) buy our own unlocked router, that way you can buy a sim with whoever you like to trial the service without being locked into a lomg term contract, (b) buy a good spec router since even if the feed is not fast enough to use to available capability the likelihood is still better and more stable performance, (c) set it up with a separate high mounted antenna to maximise the signal strength.

The router options look like either the 300Mbps Huawei B525 or possibly the more expensive 600Mbps B618.

No antenna yet identified, but the basic choice is between a directional one (which must be pointed line of sight at the mast), or an omnidirectional. Will pay a bit more for good spec in this case too if it's likely to add anything.

Wondering if anybody can help with some questions from experience or solid knowledge:

1. Will any Amazon or other UK spec unlocked 4G router as above accept their SIM and work with all Irish 4G broadband services? That's basically Eir, Vodafone, or Three.

2. Leaning towards a directional antenna on the basis that it's presumably going to deliver a stronger signal than an omnidirectional one if it's working properly - albeit at the expense of making the service dependent on the targeted single mast. Has anybody tried both and formed a view on this?

3. How fussy is a 4G directional antenna about clear line of sight. Do for example tree branches, the roof structure and similar bother it, or is it just big stuff like a hill or a building close by?

4. Will a 4G antenna of either sort offered for UK use work with the above Irish service providers, and does anybody have definitive spec information. eg frequency bands required for an antenna to work on these services in ireland?

5. What cable length is possible from the antenna to the router before significant signal loss occurs?

6. Are antenna cable connection format adaptors readily available? (the B618 uses what may be a less common TS9 connection)

7. Buying from a specialist Irish supplier is all being equal preferred, and would sidestep many of these issues. Does one exist that can supply this sort of equipment at reasonable cost?

Thanks

limktime

You might be better asking here: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//forumdisplay.php?f=1147

Also, there looks to be a thread in there relevant to your questions: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showthread.php?t=2057089101&page=13

ED E

limktime wrote: »

You might be better asking here: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//forumdisplay.php?f=1147

Don't repost, the mods will move.

limktime wrote: »

Also, there looks to be a thread in there relevant to your questions: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showthread.php?t=2057089101&page=13

Yeah, have a read.

mast is doing pretty well (around 8Mbps download) - and should improve significantly with a decent touter and external antenna.

Will it? If signal is your problem it might, if contention is your problem you could set up a 200ft high dish and still receive the same speed.



If tethering a phone you can use that to test. iPhone - Field Test mode, Android get an app. Test where you use it currently, then outside on one side of the building and then the other.

hadenoughofit

Hi Ed, guys. Pardon the delay, i thought i replied yesterday but must have forgotten to post it. Searched but didn't find the 4G broadband thread either - must have been a bad day! : )

The thread seems to be staying put here...

I know that better equipment or an antennna won't improve the situation if the mast is overloaded/there are contention problems, but hadn't realised that there might be an app which could test for this. Good thought!

Skimming the other thread and thinking it through it sounds as though there's a bit of a catch 22 problem with testing.

I may need to buy a short term SIM for whatever network (probably Three all being equal given their uncapped deal) to make the test possible. It seems also that most routers can display this information too, but that too requires buying the kit up front.

My mobile is an Eir Samsung A3 on Android, hopefully it will run the required SIM.

Can you advise a safe choice of reliable network testing app that will permit mast specific testing and ID contention problems and the like?

There's one recommended on the other thread, but a bit of checking suggests that it's not very reliable and is a huge background user of data. Don't want to get lumbered with a load of ads either.

Don't suppose there's a reasonably priced meter that does the same job?

dam099

hadenoughofit wrote: »

Hi Ed, guys. Pardon the delay, i thought i replied yesterday but must have forgotten to post it. Searched but didn't find the 4G broadband thread either - must have been a bad day! : )

The thread seems to be staying put here...

I know that better equipment or an antennna won't improve the situation if the mast is overloaded/there are contention problems, but hadn't realised that there might be an app which could test for this. Good thought!

Skimming the other thread and thinking it through it sounds as though there's a bit of a catch 22 problem with testing.

I may need to buy a short term SIM for whatever network (probably Three all being equal given their uncapped deal) to make the test possible. It seems also that most routers can display this information too, but that too requires buying the kit up front.

My mobile is an Eir Samsung A3 on Android, hopefully it will run the required SIM.

Can you advise a safe choice of reliable network testing app that will permit mast specific testing and ID contention problems and the like?

There's one recommended on the other thread, but a bit of checking suggests that it's not very reliable and is a huge background user of data. Don't want to get lumbered with a load of ads either.

Don't suppose there's a reasonably priced meter that does the same job?

One simple test you can do first is test at 2am (when very few others will be on). If you get say 20Mb but you usually see 8Mb during the day/evening then thats likely contention. Even if better kit can change this 20Mb to 40Mb if the contention is limiting you to 8Mb its probably pointless. Exception might be if better kit can make another less overloaded mast viable.

hadenoughofit

Thanks D.

It was slow on Eir for an hour or two a day for maybe a week several months back. Which I think coincided with people phoning home from the enormous traffic tailbacks at the N7 roadworks. It's seemingly pretty stable actually - more or less the same at all times. Will try it again tonight.

On better quality kit. It's not going to deliver it's rated speed for example, but i've encountered situations before where better equipment was more stable etc as a consequence of using more sophisticated control circuitry/software, and maybe a more effective antenna. Possibly more configuration options and/or functions available too. No idea though if that might be the case with routers.

The Huawei B618 router for example is expensive at around £250, but it does get positive reports along these lines (that it delivered a faster and more stable connection than a previous router) from some buyers on Amazon UK. So maybe yes, maybe no..

Buying fancier kit however makes it more important to do the homework properly in advance - no problem with paying the extra if it delivers a comfortable experience, but it's a bit much to punt on the off chance...