4G internet experience

[MadProfessor]

Hi All

Just sharing my experience with installing 4G internet at our new home. For background it’s a new build in open countryside and about 0.5 miles from the road and about 4 miles from the exchange. BT were quoting single digits for traditional broadband.

We installed a directional 4G antenna pointing at our closest EE tower. We locked it to that tower only as it was sometimes picking up another tower further away with poorer signal.

This is the antenna we went with:

https://linitx.com/product/mikrotik-sxt-4g-dual-si...

We get up to 90mbps and typically no less than 70. Low latency as well.

Very happy.

[Shrek595]

Thanks for that info. Might need to go that route at our new place when it is finished as BT are quoting awful speeds.

[The teacher]

We are stuck in the same dilemma. We trialled a 4g router but found it had significant delays when looking for websites (I think this was linked to DNS but the router didn't like us changing the settings).

What modem/router are you using? Our current fixed line broadband is near the end of the fixed term so thinking of making the jump.

Thanks in advance

[Dodsy]

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

Pretty much everything you need to know in this thread. Last few posts will give you details of the best router which most seem to agree is the Huawei B818

[The teacher]

Thanks.

I ordered a free Three sim (250mb data) to test. Download doesn't seem to go above 8mbs, which isn't any better than our fixed line broadband.

We are on an EO line and it doesn't seem like Openreach care about doing anything with it. Hopefully when they roll out FTTP our slowness will be resolved, but goodness knows when that will be.

It's all very frustrating as we live in a small market town so it's not like we are in the middle of nowhere.

[Dodsy]

The teacher said:

Thanks.

I ordered a free Three sim (250mb data) to test. Download doesn't seem to go above 8mbs, which isn't any better than our fixed line broadband.

We are on an EO line and it doesn't seem like Openreach care about doing anything with it. Hopefully when they roll out FTTP our slowness will be resolved, but goodness knows when that will be.

It's all very frustrating as we live in a small market town so it's not like we are in the middle of nowhere.

TPLINK routers mostly dont support 4G+ on the three network which might explain the low speed if you have one of those. Huawei seem to be the best but you do need a full router not one of the small portable units. Also try in different locations , i get up to 30 meg in one window but next window along i get 6meg.

[croyde]

Interesting. I was going to go for a 4g router when Virgin were about to double my monthly cost.

They came up with a good deal when I said I was leaving but I'd like to cut the ties and try a 4g connection especially as here in London my 4g up and down is much faster than Virgin.

I'm guessing £100 for a router then, what £20 a month for a data SIM. Will that be unlimited. I have no idea what I use. A lot of emails and surfing, Netflix, Spotify, Now, Prime and Disney.

[MadProfessor]

We’ve got an Araknis router and a separate switch. In fact we have a number of them as the house is wired for Cat6 twice in every room. We’re running a Control4 system.

We have 5 wireless access points around the house as well.

With that directional antenna it’s also powered over Ethernet and the SIM is installed in the antenna and you’re running Ethernet straight into the router.

So far we’ve been impressed by the performance. As I said up to 90mbps and never less than 70 with low latency - ping of 20-30.

Currently paying £40-45 per month for unlimited data with EE.

[page3]

Be aware that despite advertising it as such EE do not do an unlimited data plan. It’s FUPed to 600Gb/month, disgracefully reduced from 1Tb at the beginning of lockdown.

[Dodsy]

Smarty (on the 3 network) £20 a month unlimited data i get through around 300gig of data a month.

[Murph7355]

croyde said:

...
I'm guessing £100 for a router then, what £20 a month for a data SIM. Will that be unlimited. I have no idea what I use. A lot of emails and surfing, Netflix, Spotify, Now, Prime and Disney.

Huawei B818 router is £180-£200.

A 3 sim can be had for around £20 a month. EEs are typically £25-£30. EE's speeds are much, much faster IME.

page3 said:

Be aware that despite advertising it as such EE do not do an unlimited data plan. It’s FUPed to 600Gb/month, disgracefully reduced from 1Tb at the beginning of lockdown.

As above, 3's is genuinely unlimited (AFAIK) but the speeds are a lot less than on EE where I am (25% of the speed).

EE's FUP seems to be a "reserve the right to throttle your connection" type FUP rather than a definitive "you've hit 600Gb so you're off". I suspect the speed/FUP situations are not entirely disconnected.

EE's business plans still have a 1Tb FUP. Again, I wonder if the drop to 600Gb for non-business use during lockdown wasn't unconnected.

My B818 has been up solidly for 42 days now (lots of experimenting before that). I've used 775Gb of data. Two of us working from home so plenty of Zoom/Teams calls etc. 2x younger kids so perhaps not getting the hammer older kids would give it, but still plenty of YouTube, Disney+, iPlayer etc etc etc.