Using 4G instead of broadband

[hab1966]

Currently have a broadband package which gives me 20M down and 5M up, if im lucky and i dont think it will get any better.

We use an Openreach modem connected to a mikrotik router and a mikrotik wired access point upstairs, gives good coverage in our house.

Id like to do away with the phone line and therefore broadband if possible and also look to get a faster connection. 4G is available where i live but alas not 5G.

If i were to buy a 4G modem and a capable SIM, would i be able to connect it directly to my mikrtoik router and have the same network functionality ie mikrotik provides wifi, dns, dhcp, firewall etc NOT the 4g modem?

[BigTZ4M]

You don’t really find many 4G modems, only 4G routers. But that’s fine. Make sure you get one with Ethernet LAN ports. Plug one of those into your Mikrotik WAN port. You’ll be double NATd but since 4G uses CGNAT anyway you’d already know if that causes you problems. Your mikrotik can then do everything LAN side as it does today for you.

[Hedgeman]

Netgear do a 4g Modem, the LB2120. You can configure it in Bridge mode to avoid the Double-NAT when plugged into your existing router. I have one as a backup to my regular broadband, connected to a multi-WAN router. It works just fine.

[croyde]

Why not just use the 4g router?

I dropped broadband as the prices were taking the p.

I have an unlimited data sim from Smarty for £16 a month and the router has WiFi as well as ethernet.

Runs my Mac and telly stuff fine as well as numerous other devices.

Router is a TP Link, not sure of the model, cost £70 and took 5 minutes from opening the box to getting it all working.

[Mr Penguin]

I have a 4G router and it's more intermittent than the fixed broadband link, which is slower than yours. The download speed on 4G is also worse but the upload speed is better so we mostly use it for video calls. If you connect to 4G on your phone, you can see the speed you'll get to see if it will help you.

[juggsy]

I did exactly this when I moved to a house with very poor broadband. I used a TP-link 4G router, but just plugged it into my existing Netgear Orbi mesh router and switched off the TP-link Wi-Fi, effectively turning it into a modem. Worked perfectly from the standpoint of being the internet source and not having to reconfigure any devices.

I’d recommend an external aerial (I bought a Poynting omni-directional one), and looked up where our nearest mast was for our network carrier to ensure best line of sight possible. I will also say it wasn’t as stable as a normal broadband line, I was getting between 30-40mb down on good days.

[paddy1970]

I will echo the issue regarding the stability of the 4g speed. It can drop and go up for no apparent reasons. On Saturday morning I got 20mb, then suddenly 1mb for 30mn, then back to 20mb...

[megaphone]

Mikrotik do their SXT range of directional external 4G antennas with built in SIM, modem and router board.

https://mikrotik.com/product/sxt_lte_kit

https://mikrotik.com/product/sxt_lte6_kit

You really want the LTE6 version, I have the standard LTE version and have had good speeds, 70mbs down 40 up.

Note they have a 100MB ethernet port so that limits overall speed.

Edited by megaphone on Monday 25th April 08:24

[Murph7355]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[beko1987]

I've been on 3's 4g for a few years now. It's been a bit crappy recently though, but still just about on the OK side of things for the price I pay.

I have the B535 sat in my loft with the wifi and DHCP turned off, then a LAN cable going off to a switch. My piHole does the DHCP and it's perfectly happy, then a wireless access point in a more central part of the house.