Meteor B315 4g router, Antenna

chillin117

This was asked on ''Ask Meteor'' section a month ago but Meteor did not reply.


Does anyone know if Meteor disables the antenna sockets of its Huawei B315? Or better still, does anyone here have a Meteor-supplied Huawei B315 working fine with an external antenna?

Otherwise I will order it from Amazon. I read mixed reports that some mobile operators disable the external antenna sockets, but could not find any post to confirm whether Meteor does this. Thanks

fifth

chillin117 wrote: »

This was asked on ''Ask Meteor'' section a month ago but Meteor did not reply.


Does anyone know if Meteor disables the antenna sockets of its Huawei B315? Or better still, does anyone here have a Meteor-supplied Huawei B315 working fine with an external antenna?

Otherwise I will order it from Amazon. I read mixed reports that some mobile operators disable the external antenna sockets, but could not find any post to confirm whether Meteor does this. Thanks

Did you get any luck with this? Have the same router and was considering an antennae.

chillin117

I cant get the same answer either !

Happy_Harry

I bumped the post on the meteor forum as I find it hard to believe they can't answer the question. In parallel I think I found an answer to the question from a very helpful guy on adverts.ie, indicating Meteor doesn't block antenna sockets on the 4G router (at least the B593 model)
http://www.adverts.ie/other-mobile-phones-accessories/b593-4g-lte-router/10127711

Happy_Harry

The question is now answered on the meteor forum and according to them, external antennas are not supported.. Which is unfortunately the opposite of what I posted earlier.. I guess there is only one way to find out..

cuculainn

Happy_Harry wrote: »

The question is now answered on the meteor forum and according to them, external antennas are not supported.. Which is unfortunately the opposite of what I posted earlier.. I guess there is only one way to find out..

Hi Happy Harry, sorry for hijacking your thread, but i have a question for you. why is there two connections on the antenna you were looking at?

The reason i ask is i have a external antenna for my set up, which is currently a 3g set up, thinking of trying out a 4g antenna ( have a 4g sim and router) but hadnt decided on what antenna, (my 3g antenna wont work for 4g)

so was on the look out for an antenna


thanks for your help

Happy_Harry

Sure, but please note I am not an expert in the area at all, I am just researching stuff from the web..

You currently have a 3G setup but using a 4G router and SIM. That begs for me the question why ?

Anyway- if you have a 4G modem/router you will have 2 antenna slots. If you have only one I am pretty sure it is not a 4G modem.
In order to get the benefit of the antenna for the 4G signal you need to either use 2 antennas or one that has 2 elements and as such has 2 cables coming out- this is called MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) technology that is required for 4G. For 3G you only need a single antenna. What make /model is your modem ?

Look for an antenna that serves both 800 as well as 1800 Mhz frequency as both frequencies are used in Ireland for the 4G signal (if I have understood correctly), or call your provider and ask what frequency your nearest transmitter uses (but I would probably still go for the multi-frequency antenna)

Secondly make sure the connectors of the antenna matches the sockets on your modem (SMA for most of the bigger antennas you would put outside the house and on the newer modems available from the providers (Huawei B593/B315)- the boxes as opposed to the portable mifi devices. If you have a mifi or dongle as modem you probably have a TS9 connection, either get an antenna with 2 TS9 plugs or an antenna with SMA plugs and get a SMA to TS9 connector. Check your manual to see what type of antenna socket you actually have, it could even be something else.

What kind of signal and strength do you get on 4G without antenna ? Do you need one ?

I personally get about 2 or 3 bars in one particular spot in my house on Vodafone on a mifi without antenna and speeds of up 12Mb/s (but mostly around 4Mb/s) However the connection is not very stable and streaming goes better on my 1.8Mb/s broadband connection. The stability is what I am aiming to improve. If I can get a stable connection that is "always" more or less 8-10Mb/s I would be very happy. I don't think I need more speed.
In my other thread I outlined I am also testing Meteor and 3 now as they have better packages than Vodafone, so I was hoping an antenna would improve the signals for them as well (they are currently quite a lot weaker than Vodafone)

I just bought a second hand indoor external antenna for my mifi- have very little hope it will give me the desired result, as these antennas are not very good, but I thought to try a low cost solution first before I start investing in a new modem and outdoor antenna.

I hope to get the antenna on Friday so maybe I can play with it during the weekend.

Anyway- before you buy anything ask around here in the midband section ( there are some threads already you may want to look at) and read a bit on the internet..

Hope this has helped and let me know if you now have more questions

cuculainn

Happy_Harry wrote: »

Sure, but please note I am not an expert in the area at all, I am just researching stuff from the web..

You currently have a 3G setup but using a 4G router and SIM. That begs for me the question why ?

Anyway- if you have a 4G modem/router you will have 2 antenna slots. If you have only one I am pretty sure it is not a 4G modem.
In order to get the benefit of the antenna for the 4G signal you need to either use 2 antennas or one that has 2 elements and as such has 2 cables coming out- this is called MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) technology that is required for 4G. For 3G you only need a single antenna. What make /model is your modem ?

Look for an antenna that serves both 800 as well as 1800 Mhz frequency as both frequencies are used in Ireland for the 4G signal (if I have understood correctly), or call your provider and ask what frequency your nearest transmitter uses (but I would probably still go for the multi-frequency antenna)

Secondly make sure the connectors of the antenna matches the sockets on your modem (SMA for most of the bigger antennas you would put outside the house and on the newer modems available from the providers (Huawei B593/B315)- the boxes as opposed to the portable mifi devices. If you have a mifi or dongle as modem you probably have a TS9 connection, either get an antenna with 2 TS9 plugs or an antenna with SMA plugs and get a SMA to TS9 connector. Check your manual to see what type of antenna socket you actually have, it could even be something else.

What kind of signal and strength do you get on 4G without antenna ? Do you need one ?

I personally get about 2 or 3 bars in one particular spot in my house on Vodafone on a mifi without antenna and speeds of up 12Mb/s (but mostly around 4Mb/s) However the connection is not very stable and streaming goes better on my 1.8Mb/s broadband connection. The stability is what I am aiming to improve. If I can get a stable connection that is "always" more or less 8-10Mb/s I would be very happy. I don't think I need more speed.
In my other thread I outlined I am also testing Meteor and 3 now as they have better packages than Vodafone, so I was hoping an antenna would improve the signals for them as well (they are currently quite a lot weaker than Vodafone)

I just bought a second hand indoor external antenna for my mifi- have very little hope it will give me the desired result, as these antennas are not very good, but I thought to try a low cost solution first before I start investing in a new modem and outdoor antenna.

I hope to get the antenna on Friday so maybe I can play with it during the weekend.

Anyway- before you buy anything ask around here in the midband section ( there are some threads already you may want to look at) and read a bit on the internet..

Hope this has helped and let me know if you now have more questions

Hey thanks for such a comprehensive reply to my question. I was rushing when writing last post so did not make much sense.

Basically in my house I have a 3g set up. Directional flat panel antenna connected to a huawei dongle which is plugged into a tp-link 3420 router. The external antenna boosts signal from zero to about 36%. I usually get about 6mbps which I have learned to live with and in fairness is good enough for most things I do.

Meteor have 4g in area and I say my house is on the verge of the coverage
I have a 4g phone contract with them, but dont have a 4g phone ( that was what I meant to say in last post)

I was going to give a 4g setup a go, but I clearly need to do some more research before I invest in equipment.

I might pick your brain again at a future time if thats ok

Happy_Harry

Of course you can pick my brain.

What I see from your post now, I guess you indeed have a 4G router but not a 4G modem ? Meteor is actually very good in terms of returns policy when you sign up with them for a broadband package. Get a 4G modem from them (maybe check which ones are supported by your router, but I would assume that most are, even if not listed as supported) , best a mifi yoke so you can move around in the house and instantly see where the best signal is, if any. I'd say if you don't get any signal bars on 4G only, an antenna will not suddenly give you sufficient strength for a stable connection.

If it doesn't work with 4G, simply return within the week and you won't be charged anything. Other solution is to find someone who has an unlocked 4G modem or phone (modem preferred though) and test.
And I think you are spot on... Don't invest until you know it will pay off... hence I only bought a €5 antenna to play around with
Have you tried VF, they generally have best 4G coverage , but also the most expensive packages.

Let me know how you get on.

cuculainn

Hi guys, what would you think of this set up

for 4g

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Kit-completo-LTE-4G-Antenna-Pannello-16db-Router-Tp-Link-TP-MR6400-cavi-/281999405643?hash=item41a879724b

I have a similar antenna at the moment for 3G with a TP-link 3420 router and an unlocked dongle

cuculainn

Happy_Harry wrote: »

The question is now answered on the meteor forum and according to them, external antennas are not supported.. Which is unfortunately the opposite of what I posted earlier.. I guess there is only one way to find out..

Just wondering do they mean they dont support external antenna in that they dont give advice or that they actually disable it?

Cant see them actually disabling the external antenna surely?

wondering would it be worth trying this with out the external antenna first?
I seem to have signal without antenna from a brief test i completed

ED E

cuculainn wrote: »

Just wondering do they mean they dont support external antenna in that they dont give advice or that they actually disable it?

Just means if you do anything with it they wont provide technical assistance.

If the adverts seller says they work then I'd expect they do.

TimHorton

cuculainn wrote: »

Just wondering do they mean they dont support external antenna in that they dont give advice or that they actually disable it?

Cant see them actually disabling the external antenna surely?

wondering would it be worth trying this with out the external antenna first?
I seem to have signal without antenna from a brief test i completed

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antenna-HUAWEI-Router-Mobile-Broadband/dp/B00L57AL10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

This with a bit of fiddling got me from 2 to 4 bars in 3 4G

Using a E3272 with TP Link MR3420

Happy_Harry

I think it is quite a lot of money to shell out, without knowing it will actually improve your speed.
Also not sure I would buy something like this on ebay, unless I know the seller has a proven return policy in case something isn't right

You said you have conducted a brief test and you have a signal. Did you conduct a speed test to see if the signal you got was actually proper 4G ( and not just H+ disguised as 4G) and would see an improvement in speed ?

If the answer is yes, then, by all means invest and hope for the best ( and let me know the outcome, as I am in the same situation as you, and I am not willing to invest until I am convinced it will work)

In relation to

TimHorton wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antenna-HUAWEI-Router-Mobile-Broadband/dp/B00L57AL10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

This with a bit of fiddling got me from 2 to 4 bars in 3 4G

Using a E3272 with TP Link MR3420

I got a similar antenna and it did absolute SFA for me. I am giving it a second chance as I believe the connectors are not properly put on, so I ordered new connectors and see if that helps. Will post back when I get them.

cuculainn

Hey happy Harry. I agree with your above post. I have identified a meteor mast relatively close by with LTE signal so have ordered a 4g sim and router which I will return if no signal.

The brief test I did gave me a 7mb speed but I can't be sure it wasn't H+.

I just wanted to get people's input on the antenna as to have something lined up.

What's the best way to confirm its 100% 4g signal?

Graham

Happy_Harry wrote: »

I got a similar antenna and it did absolute SFA for me.

I got one too, suffice to say it's currently on its way back to Amazon.

Happy_Harry

cuculainn wrote: »

The brief test I did gave me a 7mb speed but I can't be sure it wasn't H+.

What's the best way to confirm its 100% 4g signal?

That is a very good question, wish I could say for certain. My mifi tells me it is H+ (on the display - as opposed to 4G that I got with VF). A 4G phone could tell you as well. There are some really good apps out there that can tell you exactly what signal you are getting, which mast etc etc.

If you are getting 6 Mb with your current set up, and meteor "4G" gets you 7 , not sure it is worth investing until you know you can get something that gets you like 15-20Mb in my opinion. Right now I am getting 9-16 Mb with H+, no certainty there is real 4G , so I am leaving it for a while and hope some masts near me get upgraded- then I will try again. The speeds I get now are sufficient for my needs and are higher than VF 4G give me.

In regards to the antenna, I have seen a lot of posts here recommending a Polish crowd called dipol.ie. I guess if you find the antenna there, it will be ok, but I think you are better off maybe posting a new thread with a title like "Recommendations for 4G antenna" to get opinions of people with more experience

Good luck with your new toy and let me know how you get on.

cuculainn

Happy_Harry wrote: »

Good luck with your new toy and let me know how you get on.

Ok so i have got and set up the Huawei B315 4g router and meteor sim.

I am pretty happy with results so far. No external antenna, I just have the router out in the shed and with a bit of positioning i get 2 - 3 bars reception.

here is an example of a speed test, which is pretty representative of the speeds i have been seeing over the past few weeks

so far i feel it was worth the investment in the router. I dont think i will fork out for external antenna at the moment though. i am happy enough with these speeds

The only problem is it uses up the allowance a bit quicker!!!

BTW dont know how to embed images in thread

Happy_Harry

cuculainn wrote: »

Ok so i have got and set up the Huawei B315 4g router and meteor sim.

I am pretty happy with results so far. No external antenna, I just have the router out in the shed and with a bit of positioning i get 2 - 3 bars reception.

here is an example of a speed test, which is pretty representative of the speeds i have been seeing over the past few weeks

so far i feel it was worth the investment in the router. I dont think i will fork out for external antenna at the moment though. i am happy enough with these speeds

The only problem is it uses up the allowance a bit quicker!!!

BTW dont know how to embed images in thread

Are you sure you are not my neighbour as I am currently getting very similar results with meteor

I am happy you managed to get it set up- did you get the router through meteor ? I get my result on an old 4G unlocked mifi with 3- 4 bars or so, and am still wondering if it is worth investing in the router at all.

-=al=-

Thought I'd throw in my 2c on this!

I use an unlocked Huawei b593s-22 4g router on meteor and have an external antenna for it too.

The external antenna gets me 2 bars to 4 bars of 4g signal and about 10Mbps extra.

Internal antenna



External antenna



and on off peak times I'd get something like this



I probably spent maybe €200 on this setup about 2 years ago and it's perfectly fine reliable an worth it in my opinion! I use about 6-7 devices for it including online gaming and its pretty solid for 4g. It's a lot to pay at once but if 4g is your only option, it's still perfectly viable and reliable 2 years on.

If i was to do it now, I'd try and get an unlocked 4g+ router and an antenna.

Here's the antenna I use

http://www.irishwireless.net/3g-4g-antennas/xpol-a0001

And I believe the three locked routers don't have a VoIP option but not sure on meteor. All features available on unlocked ones - for the b593s anyway.

I've also read somewhere that the internal antenna is better on the b593-22 but I've never tried the newer models

bjord

HI All

I recently got B315 from meteor. Had it installed high upstairs. Getting 4-5 bars (better than last router) so Antenna is stronger than previous ones. Only getting 3G in Kiltale area and not 4G despite their coverage maps for my actual location and they said 4G would be fine. Think the problem is local mast only supports UMTS (which is really 3G) and 4G mast is long distance away so have to go to top of local hilltop even see this signal.

Was getting 5-7 Mb in general (house is in a dip) from new router with peaks around 12Mb,

Got a Directional antenna for GSM/3G and 4G: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics. I had used siteviewer.comreg.ie to find details of nearest mast. Then used google earth to draw line between my house and mast. Once line is drawn you can use 'elevation profile' and study all the obstacles in your way that might affect signal. From this I knew height to install antenna. It works well so B315 external ports on units from Meteor are enabled. Getting average 18-22 Mb with this setup.

Most people should go for Poynting Cross Polarised 4G Omni LTE Antenna - 3G/4G Antennas ... if you don't know direction of nearest mast..

Not cheap but worth it for increased speed.

Hoping Meteor will LTE (4G) enable local mast.

Regards
Brian

charlie_says

-=al=- wrote: »

Thought I'd throw in my 2c on this!

I use an unlocked Huawei b593s-22 4g router on meteor and have an external antenna for it too.

The external antenna gets me 2 bars to 4 bars of 4g signal and about 10Mbps extra.

Internal antenna



External antenna



and on off peak times I'd get something like this



I probably spent maybe €200 on this setup about 2 years ago and it's perfectly fine reliable an worth it in my opinion! I use about 6-7 devices for it including online gaming and its pretty solid for 4g. It's a lot to pay at once but if 4g is your only option, it's still perfectly viable and reliable 2 years on.

If i was to do it now, I'd try and get an unlocked 4g+ router and an antenna.

Here's the antenna I use

http://www.irishwireless.net/3g-4g-antennas/xpol-a0001

And I believe the three locked routers don't have a VoIP option but not sure on meteor. All features available on unlocked ones - for the b593s anyway.

I've also read somewhere that the internal antenna is better on the b593-22 but I've never tried the newer models

That antenna is a decent one. That company who make it are well regarded.

Key thing is a cross polarised antenna in needed for 4G.

Try to find your nearest 4G last with site viewer website (although I'm not sure all are on it or the network mode supported is accurate but it's better than nothing) and place your antenna on that side of your property, preferably higher up and near window or in roofspace, outside even better.

Combined with a 4g signal amplifier you can hit some pretty decent speeds.

Alter-Ego

bjord wrote: »

HI All

I recently got B315 from meteor. Had it installed high upstairs. Getting 4-5 bars (better than last router) so Antenna is stronger than previous ones. Only getting 3G in Kiltale area and not 4G despite their coverage maps for my actual location and they said 4G would be fine. Think the problem is local mast only supports UMTS (which is really 3G) and 4G mast is long distance away so have to go to top of local hilltop even see this signal.

Was getting 5-7 Mb in general (house is in a dip) from new router with peaks around 12Mb,

Got a Directional antenna for GSM/3G and 4G: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics. I had used siteviewer.comreg.ie to find details of nearest mast. Then used google earth to draw line between my house and mast. Once line is drawn you can use 'elevation profile' and study all the obstacles in your way that might affect signal. From this I knew height to install antenna. It works well so B315 external ports on units from Meteor are enabled. Getting average 18-22 Mb with this setup.

Most people should go for Poynting Cross Polarised 4G Omni LTE Antenna - 3G/4G Antennas ... if you don't know direction of nearest mast..

Not cheap but worth it for increased speed.

Hoping Meteor will LTE (4G) enable local mast.

Regards
Brian

Just to add to this. Solwise have a handy tool for checking line of sight if you know the location of your nearest mast. It even lets you specify how far above ground level the transmitter and receiver are.

http://solwise.co.uk/wireless-elevationtool.html