Three UK - 4G Home Broadband - any users here?

[CorradoTDI]

beko1987 said:

My 4g connection has remained rock solid for the last few years now but I'm struggling with the hardware. I have a pihole running, and the huawei B535 does not allow the user to set another DNS address. There's a hack to unlock the hidden fields on the page and set there, but the change never saves.

Got around that by setting up another wireless ap on the network, with it's own DHCP server as it has to have in order to not just use the Huawei routers settings. This has created a split in my network, with 2 IP address ranges... Wasn't much of an issue until this year when I started playing with Home Assistant, and now it's a bit of a pain. No way I've found to put the B535 into dumb/modem mode either.

Been researching alternative 4g routers but it's such a minefield, I want to get something modern and decent with (is it LTE12) modern 4g support, not a 7 year old router that's still being flogged today. Or I sack the whole thing off and try ADSL again, or fibre, but both seem a bit silly when im happy with the price and service from 3, it's just the crap hardware! Any suggestions on kit that isn't huawei/ZTE, and allows the user to set a DNS server, and takes a 3 sim card?

It was a while ago and I'm not using it now but I set mine to Goggle DNS no problems... made a big difference too I found over Three's servers

[xeny]

beko1987 said:

My 4g connection has remained rock solid for the last few years now but I'm struggling with the hardware. I have a pihole running, and the huawei B535 does not allow the user to set another DNS address. There's a hack to unlock the hidden fields on the page and set there, but the change never saves.

Got around that by setting up another wireless ap on the network, with it's own DHCP server as it has to have in order to not just use the Huawei routers settings. This has created a split in my network, with 2 IP address ranges... Wasn't much of an issue until this year when I started playing with Home Assistant, and now it's a bit of a pain. No way I've found to put the B535 into dumb/modem mode either.

Can't you use the DHCP server on the pihole rather than need to run one on an AP?

[beko1987]

xeny said:

Can't you use the DHCP server on the pihole rather than need to run one on an AP?

I can, and have set it up before but because I cant turn the Huawei router fully dumb, I end up with 2 DHCP servers running. Compounded by the fact my Pihole runs off a VM on my Unraid server, so doesnt work when I need to reboot kit.

[beko1987]

CorradoTDI said:

It was a while ago and I'm not using it now but I set mine to Goggle DNS no problems... made a big difference too I found over Three's servers

Sadly not, and it's a common theme from googling about! Using the dev console of the browser you can unhide the fields on the router settings page, the router even confirms the settings but then ignores them all.

[Mr-B]

A couple of questions for users, is the router provided by Three locked to their network? i.e could you put a sim in from another network and use that if the local 3 network is down temporarily?

At the end of a contract do they offer decent retention deals?

[beko1987]

I remember putting my EE SIM in the 3 router I had before this one (B380?) and it worked fine and auto-got the APN details and connected!

Then performed worse than the 3 sim in data speeds and such so experiment over! But worth it

[Mr-B]

beko1987 said:

I remember putting my EE SIM in the 3 router I had before this one (B380?) and it worked fine and auto-got the APN details and connected!

Then performed worse than the 3 sim in data speeds and such so experiment over! But worth it

From reading around I think the latest 5g ones are locked but don't know 100% for sure on that. What are 3 like for renewal offers?

[IanA2]

Mr-B said:

From reading around I think the latest 5g ones are locked but don't know 100% for sure on that. What are 3 like for renewal offers?

Not wonderful, I'm coming to the end of my second 24 month contract with a u/l everything. The current renewal offer is 22 pm (24 x 22 = £528) or if I take a "new" contract, the offer is 24 pm with 3 months free ( 24 x 21 = £504). Funny way to do business.

[CorradoTDI]

Is anyone after a B535 at all? I have one no longer being used...

[CorradoTDI]

Is anyone after a B535 at all? I have one no longer being used...

[journeymanpro]

CorradoTDI said:

Is anyone after a B535 at all? I have one no longer being used...

Unlocked?

[CorradoTDI]

journeymanpro said:

Unlocked?

That I'm not sure... was supplied by 3 so suspect not.

[Dan_1981]

Bit of a bump on this..

our BT contract expires in October and frankly i'm fed up of the poor speed & unreliability of it.

Theres a quidco offer at the mo for £75 cash back, three months free & 20 quid a month on 5G.

I already have a Three mobile contract and with a speedcheck on that I get well over 300mb download. A few questions though before I 'pull the trigger'


1st: Is it any good for gaming - mostly Xbox - Call of Duty?

2nd: What is coverage like over a house - I need range extenders for the BT, how will the 3, 5G compare? (and would my existing range extender work with it? I assume not?)

[Blown2CV]

Dan_1981 said:

Bit of a bump on this..

our BT contract expires in October and frankly i'm fed up of the poor speed & unreliability of it.

Theres a quidco offer at the mo for £75 cash back, three months free & 20 quid a month on 5G.

I already have a Three mobile contract and with a speedcheck on that I get well over 300mb download. A few questions though before I 'pull the trigger'


1st: Is it any good for gaming - mostly Xbox - Call of Duty?

2nd: What is coverage like over a house - I need range extenders for the BT, how will the 3, 5G compare? (and would my existing range extender work with it? I assume not?)

mobile broadband has no effect on the coverage inside the house. Your home wi-fi network is the same as with wired broadband. Other than perhaps they'll give you new equipment which might make a difference i suppose.

is full fibre not available to you?

[Dan_1981]

Blown2CV said:

Dan_1981 said:

Bit of a bump on this..

our BT contract expires in October and frankly i'm fed up of the poor speed & unreliability of it.

Theres a quidco offer at the mo for £75 cash back, three months free & 20 quid a month on 5G.

I already have a Three mobile contract and with a speedcheck on that I get well over 300mb download. A few questions though before I 'pull the trigger'


1st: Is it any good for gaming - mostly Xbox - Call of Duty?

2nd: What is coverage like over a house - I need range extenders for the BT, how will the 3, 5G compare? (and would my existing range extender work with it? I assume not?)

mobile broadband has no effect on the coverage inside the house. Your home wi-fi network is the same as with wired broadband. Other than perhaps they'll give you new equipment which might make a difference i suppose.

is full fibre not available to you?

Thanks.

No, sadly no fibre available either to street or property.

[Blown2CV]

Dan_1981 said:

Blown2CV said:

Dan_1981 said:

Bit of a bump on this..

our BT contract expires in October and frankly i'm fed up of the poor speed & unreliability of it.

Theres a quidco offer at the mo for £75 cash back, three months free & 20 quid a month on 5G.

I already have a Three mobile contract and with a speedcheck on that I get well over 300mb download. A few questions though before I 'pull the trigger'


1st: Is it any good for gaming - mostly Xbox - Call of Duty?

2nd: What is coverage like over a house - I need range extenders for the BT, how will the 3, 5G compare? (and would my existing range extender work with it? I assume not?)

mobile broadband has no effect on the coverage inside the house. Your home wi-fi network is the same as with wired broadband. Other than perhaps they'll give you new equipment which might make a difference i suppose.

is full fibre not available to you?

Thanks.

No, sadly no fibre available either to street or property.

what's the speed stated on your BT package?

[Dan_1981]

Blown2CV said:

Dan_1981 said:

Blown2CV said:

Dan_1981 said:

Bit of a bump on this..

our BT contract expires in October and frankly i'm fed up of the poor speed & unreliability of it.

Theres a quidco offer at the mo for £75 cash back, three months free & 20 quid a month on 5G.

I already have a Three mobile contract and with a speedcheck on that I get well over 300mb download. A few questions though before I 'pull the trigger'


1st: Is it any good for gaming - mostly Xbox - Call of Duty?

2nd: What is coverage like over a house - I need range extenders for the BT, how will the 3, 5G compare? (and would my existing range extender work with it? I assume not?)

mobile broadband has no effect on the coverage inside the house. Your home wi-fi network is the same as with wired broadband. Other than perhaps they'll give you new equipment which might make a difference i suppose.

is full fibre not available to you?

Thanks.

No, sadly no fibre available either to street or property.

what's the speed stated on your BT package?

Of the top of my head it's either 42 or 32. We usually get at or around it, but it's not very reliable - we've had engineer visits about 5 or 6 times in the last 18 months playing with the wiring / the ports into the house etc also working on the exchange box on the street.

No real joy.

[geeks]

Dan_1981 said:

Bit of a bump on this..

our BT contract expires in October and frankly i'm fed up of the poor speed & unreliability of it.

Theres a quidco offer at the mo for £75 cash back, three months free & 20 quid a month on 5G.

I already have a Three mobile contract and with a speedcheck on that I get well over 300mb download. A few questions though before I 'pull the trigger'


1st: Is it any good for gaming - mostly Xbox - Call of Duty?

2nd: What is coverage like over a house - I need range extenders for the BT, how will the 3, 5G compare? (and would my existing range extender work with it? I assume not?)

I game on an EE 4G connection, it's mostly fine, gaming is about latency over bandwidth though so more latency can equal more lag, however modern game design does take into account variable connections speeds so its not the killer (geddit?) it used to be.

Wifi coverage is a router thing, some are better than others. I would see how you get on there with the supplied router, there are plenty of extender/mesh options should you need them

[gus607]

Been with Three 5G BB for the last eighteen months & can't fault it but remember 5G is only as good as your download speed. Do a check first. Having said that Three coverage maps says I don't have a Three 5G signal. I beg to differ.

[Dan_1981]

New Three 5G hub received yesterday.

Currently trying it in different locations in the house.... using speedcheck i've found the connection varies between about 500mb and 60mb.

Does it settle down if you leave it in an area for a bit or should initial speeds be indicative?

And does the side of your house that it' position on really make as much difference as i'm seeing?!

Regardless... it's much quicker than our existing solution!