Struggling to set up 4G internet with Google Nest Wifi mesh
Discussion
Like many others, I have been using the Three network 4G with the supplied Huawei B535 router. On the whole, it works pretty well. Last summer, I fitted a Poynting 4G antenna to the top of the house (was getting the roof done) and it made a noticeable improvement. So using internal aerial, about 25 Mbps, with external, about 60 Mbps. I brought the aerial cable in through the wall into the loft, so make a permanet set up later. That solves the 'getting good signal into the house'.
So, I have been using the Huawei B535 with just the internal aerial so far, with a bigger plan. I wanted to use Google Nest Wifi to 'get the signal around the house'.
I bought the Google system, set it up, but noticed a severe drop in speed. i could of course connect to either the Huawei directly (good speed) or the Google (low speed). A call with Google told me of 'double NAT' and that I needed to put the Huawei into bridge mode. This is whete the problem started. The Huawei B535, plus other Huawei 4G LTE routers, do not allow bridge mode. So I was on the lookout for a 4G LTE modem router that could.
I now have a Zyxel LTE3302. Set it up and plugged in the Google Nest Wifi. OK, that works in respect that I can connect to Google. So, now I put the Zyxel into bridge mode (it was a faff, but got there in the end due to rather buried setting), and turned off the wifi. The speed through Google is slow varying from about 4-12 Mbps using the internal aerial. Today I put on the external aerial, and although I can see the Zyxel is pulling in a strong signal, the internet is still 4-12 Mps. It is a disaster. At the moment, In contrast, the Huawei made 60-75 Mbps on the external aerial today (but only 24 Mpbs through the Google - but NO bridge mode).
Clearly there are some issues here. I confess that I did not set up the Google Nest WiFi up again from scratch, just plugged into the LAN sockets of the Huawei/Zyxel.
As you can tell, I am really struggling and not a networking specialist (I rather admire those that do this thing day to day and make it work!).
Does anyone have any advice on setting up the Zyxel with the Google? There is no real information out there except that (as alluded to above), 4G LTE modem routers that have bridge mode are something of a rarity.
Many thanks.
So, I have been using the Huawei B535 with just the internal aerial so far, with a bigger plan. I wanted to use Google Nest Wifi to 'get the signal around the house'.
I bought the Google system, set it up, but noticed a severe drop in speed. i could of course connect to either the Huawei directly (good speed) or the Google (low speed). A call with Google told me of 'double NAT' and that I needed to put the Huawei into bridge mode. This is whete the problem started. The Huawei B535, plus other Huawei 4G LTE routers, do not allow bridge mode. So I was on the lookout for a 4G LTE modem router that could.
I now have a Zyxel LTE3302. Set it up and plugged in the Google Nest Wifi. OK, that works in respect that I can connect to Google. So, now I put the Zyxel into bridge mode (it was a faff, but got there in the end due to rather buried setting), and turned off the wifi. The speed through Google is slow varying from about 4-12 Mbps using the internal aerial. Today I put on the external aerial, and although I can see the Zyxel is pulling in a strong signal, the internet is still 4-12 Mps. It is a disaster. At the moment, In contrast, the Huawei made 60-75 Mbps on the external aerial today (but only 24 Mpbs through the Google - but NO bridge mode).
Clearly there are some issues here. I confess that I did not set up the Google Nest WiFi up again from scratch, just plugged into the LAN sockets of the Huawei/Zyxel.
As you can tell, I am really struggling and not a networking specialist (I rather admire those that do this thing day to day and make it work!).
Does anyone have any advice on setting up the Zyxel with the Google? There is no real information out there except that (as alluded to above), 4G LTE modem routers that have bridge mode are something of a rarity.
Many thanks.
Just thinking - would it better if I get a 'pure' 4G LTE modem (i.e. not a modem-router)? I would need one with double antenna points (and I do not like Netgear - had terrible experience with one of their products that went in the bin at 12 months old, despite having been 'repaired' under warranty!).
Thanks!
Thanks!
What does the google wifi internet speed test report?
If that reports good speed but your devices not so much then that points to an internal wifi issue, maybe try a device wired directly to the google wifi router.
If it reports your internet speed as equally slow my suspicion would be some sort of throttling going on at the isp.
If it looks to be internal with good internet speed reported at the router but doesn't turn out to be a wifi issue and still happens when wired into the router that would be very strange. I'd say with a modem you bought yourself, in bridge mode it would be impossible for the isp to be doing any kind of throttling that could reach inside of your nat and cause this, but mobile networks have a habit of doing some fairly innovative things when it comes to protecting their bandwidth so i wouldn't rule it out completely.
If that reports good speed but your devices not so much then that points to an internal wifi issue, maybe try a device wired directly to the google wifi router.
If it reports your internet speed as equally slow my suspicion would be some sort of throttling going on at the isp.
If it looks to be internal with good internet speed reported at the router but doesn't turn out to be a wifi issue and still happens when wired into the router that would be very strange. I'd say with a modem you bought yourself, in bridge mode it would be impossible for the isp to be doing any kind of throttling that could reach inside of your nat and cause this, but mobile networks have a habit of doing some fairly innovative things when it comes to protecting their bandwidth so i wouldn't rule it out completely.
Speed through the Google mesh is well down on what the Huawei gives. For speed tests I have used Ookla and the Google Home app. They broadly agree. Strangely, it seems to be download speed reduction where the biggest effect it.
I don't believe it is ISP throttling as I can return to 60Mbps if I use the Huawei with external antenna. That combo adding in the Google saw Google report about 12Mbps down then.
I don't believe it is ISP throttling as I can return to 60Mbps if I use the Huawei with external antenna. That combo adding in the Google saw Google report about 12Mbps down then.
That sounds like so sort of throttling to me.
I suspect what is happening is the ISP is applying some device based throttling and it doesn't like that the Google WiFi is not an end user device with potentially unlimited other devices connected to it.
Does the mobile network terms and conditions mention number of devices you can connect? Even just as a recommendation?
Was the Huawei device that gets full speed ISP supplied?
Were you able to get full speed full speed with any device connected to the zyxel at any point? Was it supplied by the ISP or bought directly elsewhere?
If the zyxel is not ISP supplied I would try the zyxel in router mode make sure you can get full speed on an end user device and if yes check if the same thing happens with the Google WiFi with it in router mode.
I suspect what is happening is the ISP is applying some device based throttling and it doesn't like that the Google WiFi is not an end user device with potentially unlimited other devices connected to it.
Does the mobile network terms and conditions mention number of devices you can connect? Even just as a recommendation?
Was the Huawei device that gets full speed ISP supplied?
Were you able to get full speed full speed with any device connected to the zyxel at any point? Was it supplied by the ISP or bought directly elsewhere?
If the zyxel is not ISP supplied I would try the zyxel in router mode make sure you can get full speed on an end user device and if yes check if the same thing happens with the Google WiFi with it in router mode.
Good morning.
The network is Three, with their unlimited mobile broadband. The Huawei router was supplied by them and is locked (and cannot do bridge mode).
I bought a second unlocked Huawei as I was led to believe they are capable of bridge mode. Wrong! It just works the same as the Three supplied one except I can put an EE SIM in there.
You are right about trying the Zyxel out more in router mode first. That was not ISP supplied and is unlocked. I should try and benchmark it as it was out of the box.
The trouble with testing is that the down speed from the ISP varies alot depending on time of day and received signal strength. The Huawei is a good performer. Not so sure about the Zyxel.
The network is Three, with their unlimited mobile broadband. The Huawei router was supplied by them and is locked (and cannot do bridge mode).
I bought a second unlocked Huawei as I was led to believe they are capable of bridge mode. Wrong! It just works the same as the Three supplied one except I can put an EE SIM in there.
You are right about trying the Zyxel out more in router mode first. That was not ISP supplied and is unlocked. I should try and benchmark it as it was out of the box.
The trouble with testing is that the down speed from the ISP varies alot depending on time of day and received signal strength. The Huawei is a good performer. Not so sure about the Zyxel.
CzechItOut said:
When you connect the Google wifi mesh to your Huawei router, do you turn off wifi on the Huawei router?
Good call. You know, I had not actually tried that and it as a setting offered on the Huawei. Just done it, and network seems OK.However, I did have a technical call and they reported from their end that they can detect 'double nat'. Not really sure of the overall consequences of that when all my devices will contact normally to the Huawei and the Goole Nest OK, it was just that the Google network was around 40% slower all the time.
Having turned off the Huawei WiFi, I will do some further testing of the Google side.
FunkyGibbon said:
The Huawei B818 has fantastic reception for Three network and has bridge mode.
I'd swap your zyxel for that.
It's an idea. I am nervous that if I buy yet another router, does it or does it not have bridge mode? When I contacted Huawei recently, they did not believe that any of their current 4g LTE routers have bridge mode. In researching on the web, there are rare reports that my existing B535 has bridge mode if it is an unlocked unbranded router. That was not my experience when I got one.I'd swap your zyxel for that.
Can you swear to me on your cat's life that if I get a B818 from Amazon, it will have the facility to be configured for bridge mode?
Also, I should point out that I have a Poynting external antenna ready to use with whatever router I finally end up with. The thing (as I understand it) about the B818 is that it has 4x4 inbuilt MINO antennae. It has two small antenna ports on the back (that I would I believe have to get SMA to TS9 patch leads) and if I use that, I am dispensing with the internal antennae anyway. Potentially, I could be paying £185 for something when I am using just the 'modem' element of it anyway. I could go that way and take it on the chin, but seems a shame to bypass much of the product's features.
TUS373 said:
Can you swear to me on your cat's life that if I get a B818 from Amazon, it will have the facility to be configured for bridge mode?
Screen shot of my B818 in bridge mode that I purchased from Amazon from this supplier:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08FF37HWM/ref...
With regard to the Poynting aerial, for me it made it made the signal, worse, as it stands with the internal antennae I get RSSI of <52dBm
TUS373 said:
However, I did have a technical call and they reported from their end that they can detect 'double nat'. Not really sure of the overall consequences of that when all my devices will contact normally to the Huawei and the Goole Nest OK, it was just that the Google network was around 40% slower all the time.
Having turned off the Huawei WiFi, I will do some further testing of the Google side.
I am in the same boat as you. Have have a Sky router which doesn't have a bridge mode, but turning off the wifi and using the Google Nest wifi seems to work fine for me.Having turned off the Huawei WiFi, I will do some further testing of the Google side.
From my very limited understanding double NAT is only a problem in certain circumstances, such as when you are using port forwarding. It shouldn't (and certainly hasn't been for me) a problem for normal web browsing, streaming etc.
TUS373 said:
Good call. You know, I had not actually tried that and it as a setting offered on the Huawei. Just done it, and network seems OK.
However, I did have a technical call and they reported from their end that they can detect 'double nat'. Not really sure of the overall consequences of that when all my devices will contact normally to the Huawei and the Goole Nest OK, it was just that the Google network was around 40% slower all the time.
Having turned off the Huawei WiFi, I will do some further testing of the Google side.
Who was the technical call with? Google or 3?However, I did have a technical call and they reported from their end that they can detect 'double nat'. Not really sure of the overall consequences of that when all my devices will contact normally to the Huawei and the Goole Nest OK, it was just that the Google network was around 40% slower all the time.
Having turned off the Huawei WiFi, I will do some further testing of the Google side.
If 3 are mentioning detecting double nat that sounds to me like throttling.
I looked on the website it mentions a limit of 10 devices on mobile broadband and 64 on home broadband. The difference on the face of it seems to be related to the device they supply but I suspect that is not the only factor.
It claims they don't throttle or slow down, but then goes on to mention traffic management which can do exactly that.
FunkyGibbon said:
Screen shot of my B818 in bridge mode that I purchased from Amazon from this supplier:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08FF37HWM/ref...
With regard to the Poynting aerial, for me it made it made the signal, worse, as it stands with the internal antennae I get RSSI of <52dBm
The aerial I used on the B535 was the directional. Does make a noticeable improvement in the speed I get, about 50% more. I live 4km line of sight from the mast so have it firmly locked on. We are in a hilly area so it is just that mast or nothing, hence I went for 'pointy' Poynting rather than the omni.
Interesting to find out whether the same area would be OK on a B818. Thing is, I want to put my router in the loft, hence there is a thick wall in the way. I think in my case that the directional aerial would be better just from the fact it is outside.
Interesting to find out whether the same area would be OK on a B818. Thing is, I want to put my router in the loft, hence there is a thick wall in the way. I think in my case that the directional aerial would be better just from the fact it is outside.
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