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5G can I connect to different masts ?

nsr500rossi

Casual Member
Hi

First off, great forum.. I am learning lots

Its my understanding that I have to have a 4G signal to connect to 5G, but does the 5G and the 4G signal have to come from the same tower.

The reason I ask is because I have a very good 5G signal from my tower, but a a poor 4G signal from the same tower.

I have a 4G only tower that's in the other direction that I can obtain a decent and reliable connection to.

My idea is have my CPE2 router modified and have a 5G antenna Pointing to the 5G tower and a 4G antenna pointing to the 4G tower

Thanks in advance
 
Hi

First off, great forum.. I am learning lots

Its my understanding that I have to have a 4G signal to connect to 5G, but does the 5G and the 4G signal have to come from the same tower.

The reason I ask is because I have a very good 5G signal from my tower, but a a poor 4G signal from the same tower.

I have a 4G only tower that's in the other direction that I can obtain a decent and reliable connection to.

My idea is have my CPE2 router modified and have a 5G antenna Pointing to the 5G tower and a 4G antenna pointing to the 4G tower

Thanks in advance
Depends on the network. if it's 3, you can certainly do this. I'm not sure on other operators but I'm sure it's the same for Vodafone too (don't quote me on that)
 
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The UE will find the best 4G signal/eNB (unless you are selecting it). The UE identifies itself and amongst other things the network will ask for its capability/measurement report. If its a 5G UE and within the B1 Threshold for the network (around -110dBm on THREE) 5G NSA is established to the providing gNB.

My experience so far has been that is on the same mast location which I would expect as you don't have to travel that far for the 5G signal to drop below the threshold and you are thrown back to 4G (if not already due to low data usage). But technically I don't see why they can't be different.

The annoying thing I find is that you cannot rely on the phone 5G icon (and some apps) that shows 5G on a weak signal despite it being below the B1 so you are are actually back on 4G. Perhaps you have more control/visibility on your routers.

I'll carry on testing (all networks) but trying to make sense of it in the changing landscape appears near on impossible as we are second guessing the rules being applied, good masts go bad and new ones with varying behaviour if not just sitting dormant.
 
Thanks and Yes I am on Three.

I read somewhere that Cellmapper would show if the tower you were looking at was enabled to be able to do this, but can't see anything on there for the tower I am looking at or any other tower for that matter.

The 4G tower I am looking to use is just a single short (lollipop) looking mast, I have been connecting to it with my old b535 router and its slow but reliable.
 
Thanks and Yes I am on Three.

I read somewhere that Cellmapper would show if the tower you were looking at was enabled to be able to do this, but can't see anything on there for the tower I am looking at or any other tower for that matter.

The 4G tower I am looking to use is just a single short (lollipop) looking mast, I have been connecting to it with my old b535 router and its slow but reliable.
yeah if it's three all masts are EN-DC enabled so you should be fine 👍
 
Cellmapper is only as good as those contributing. It is lacking in my area for 5G which I hope to assist with.

I have resorted to visiting existing and those on planning applications to see if there is any sign of 5G availability.
 
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Cellmapper is only as good as those contributing. It is lacking in my area for 5G which I hope to assist with.

I have resorted to visiting existing and those on planning applications to see if there is any sign of 5G availability.
Yeah that's a weird thing about cellmapper. I've stood next to a couple of 5G towers in my town, and yet if I select "5G NR" from the list on cellmapper and three network I only see a handful of green dots in one area, and no tower.

I've definitely mapped at least 3 x 5G towers near me. I don't think NSA 5G is mapped properly
 
I did not realise they were all enabled .. thank you
They're not all enabled, I think bubbles meant all the ones that have had some works or upgrades in the past couple of days years. For time division duplex (TDD) bands (n78 included) accurate timing is needed and normally that is achieved through the use of GPS. Before n78, Three didn't have any TDD bands and so they had no need to install GPS hardware, but with the rollout of n78 at the very least GPS needs to be added to sites that they wish to be a 4G anchor for another 5G site
 
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They're not all enabled, I think bubbles meant all the ones that have had some works or upgrades in the past couple of days. For time division duplex (TDD) bands (n78 included) accurate timing is needed and normally that is achieved through the use of GPS. Before n78, Three didn't have any TDD bands and so they had no need to install GPS hardware, but with the rollout of n78 at the very least GPS needs to be added to sites that they wish to be a 4G anchor for another 5G site
Screenshot_20220223-065154_Photos.jpg


Are these 2 wee doo dahs at my mast the GPS gubbins Gavin?
 
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They're not all enabled, I think bubbles meant all the ones that have had some works or upgrades in the past couple of days years. For time division duplex (TDD) bands (n78 included) accurate timing is needed and normally that is achieved through the use of GPS. Before n78, Three didn't have any TDD bands and so they had no need to install GPS hardware, but with the rollout of n78 at the very least GPS needs to be added to sites that they wish to be a 4G anchor for another 5G site
that's exactly what I meant Gavin :) ;)😂
 
Yep. If there's more than one then that'd suggest multiple providers have either got some TDD bands deployed at that site (either 4G or 5G) or its enabled to be a 4G anchor for a nearby 5G site
Interesting, as far as I know it's not shared Gavin, and there's no 5G anywhere near, as you know my 3 pole of wonder erection team scarpered late last year.

Thanks for your reply. (y)
 
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