4G Modem Router box thingy for when Zen/BT Wifi dies?

[Phooey]

Need some advice please

For business use - currently with Zen Broadband through a BT line. I've just lost all wifi and telephone dial has gone - Zen says it's a fault with my line and have raised a case with Openreach. So, I'm currently tethering from my iPhone (EE) but it's sooooooo sloooooooooow. Speed test says 0.5Mbps. Admittedly my business isn't in the strongest of wifi zones and at best can only get 20-25Mbs through Zen/BT.


What are my options for when Zen/BT wifi goes down? A quick Google brings me to these 4G box thingys. Are they any good, and if so, which ones would you guys recommend please. Also do you have to have a monthly contract with these 4G boxes?

Thanks

[MechMovement]

Had this happen to us a few times.

1) Look into a new service provider, there are a new crop (Hyperoptic, Glide, Velocity1) who all have been government grant approved and may wire in a superfast connection to where you work.

2) Poach off a neighbour for a day?

3) Netgear Nighthawk and hotspot from your phone

[Mr Pointy]

Have a look at Draytek routers. Certain models can take a SIM card (or even two) & be set up to auto fail over when your ADSL/VDSL line goes down:
https://www.draytek.co.uk/products/routers/mobile-...

[Phooey]

MechMovement said:

3) Netgear Nighthawk and hotspot from your phone

Thanks.

Just Googled Netgear Nighthawk - do you mean the MR1100? Sounds like it could be what I need for emergencies

Daft question but would you buy a separate sim for it, and if so any recommendations? I've never bought a pre-paid sim before so not sure on what size/capacity I would need! Wondering if I can but it all off Amazon..

[Mr Pointy]

Phooey said:

Daft question but would you buy a separate sim for it, and if so any recommendations? I've never bought a pre-paid sim before so not sure on what size/capacity I would need! Wondering if I can but it all off Amazon..

Link
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=data+sim&ref=nb_s...

[Phooey]

Mr Pointy said:

Link
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=data+sim&ref=nb_s...

Excellent - thank you!

I'm assuming the EE 24GB sim at £49.86 will last quite a while? I don't download or watch movies - just general internet stuff

[sgrimshaw]

The TP-Link 4g portable routers work well too, on Amazon.

I have this one, but there are newer/faster versions now:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-M7350-Portable-Un...

The later TP-Link Routers can also take a USB 4g Modem, but check first that the Router/USB Modem will work together.

For example, I also have this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06WD4RVL4/ref...

and one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013P15KYG/ref...

Since I bought all that stuff, TP Link has also introduced some non portable 4g routers:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-MR200-Unlocked-Con...

[Phooey]

Well I hope I've done the right thing.. just ordered a Huawei B618 and a couple of sims (Three and EE). I *think* I can also add an external ariel to it..

Appreciate all the replies

[Phooey]

Phooey said:

Well I hope I've done the right thing.. just ordered a Huawei B618 and a couple of sims (Three and EE). I *think* I can also add an external ariel to it..

Appreciate all the replies

Update:

Huawei B618 unboxed and plugged in. 10GB EE 4G Data sim inserted. So far pretty impressed considering I'm in a very rural area. Location is key with the B618 - tried it on my desk and was getting 5Mb/s tops. Moved it to a windowsill and got just over 10Mb/s (although strangely the signal bars on the B618 was only showing 1 compared with 2 on my desk so more bars didn't necessarily mean stronger download performance between these two locations ). I then tried it in the adjacent room but high up on a shelf and started seeing 50Mb/s! For reference my BT Fibre gets 20-22Mb/s tops. It'd be interesting to see what the results are like when/if I get a "Poynting 4G-XPOL-A0001 Cross Polarised 4G Omni LTE Antenna" and mount it on an external pole. It'll also be interesting to see the results swapping the EE sim to a Three (I read somewhere Three are better at long-distances from the mast). Also makes me consider if I should sign up to the EE 4G Home broadband plan https://shop.ee.co.uk/broadband/4g-home-broadband - £100 gets you an EE man coming out to fix an external antenna.

[Lemming Train]

It sounds like you need the 4G thread to me! Started off being just about Three 4G but morphed into general 4G discussions, sims, routers, configurations, antennas, location/positioning and general experimentation on getting the best from 4G which is like trying to herd cats.

Don't assume that attaching the antennas will improve your signal/speeds. The Huawei 4G routers are notable for their excellent internal antennas. Attaching the rabbit ears to my B525 (your B618s big brother) resulted in a drop in performance by approximately one-third. Logic doesn't apply to 4G signals. What you think should work often doesn't. I read on a thread just recently that one guy gets the best signal and speed with the router shut in his airing curpboard (!).

[hutchst]

They need to be, it's a bloody long way back to Shanghai to send all your data.

[MechMovement]

DO also check in with suppliers with the government grant to wire in superfast to your locality.

[Phooey]

MechMovement said:

DO also check in with suppliers with the government grant to wire in superfast to your locality.

Cheers, I'll look into that.