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EE 5G Router (Zyxel 5103) Busted!

unseen

Casual Member
Well after looking at the comments on the EE forums themselves about how crap and likely to snap the external antennas are if not careful I thought I'd took enough care etc... But yesterday while moving the router no more than a foot to one side I didn't notice the excess cable had moved and fell to the ground. No problem? BIG Problem... It took one of the f$%*!ng connectors with it!

WhatsApp Image 2022-08-07 at 9.57.51 PM (1).webp


Arse!!

WhatsApp Image 2022-08-07 at 9.57.51 PM.webp



So I've just got off the phone with EE... Has to be sent back for repair estimate could be anything from £40 upwards. With a replacement being "from" £140!

Following up in another post as max image! d'oh.
 
So obviously from those images you can tell I've had a deeper look so I'm wondering if the repair gets silly could I not use the internal connections as I've seen done on others like the B818?.. So I've took some more images and I'd like an opinion from the collective:
WhatsApp Image 2022-08-07 at 9.57.51 PM (3).webp


These all appear to track back to antennas 1-4 internally with the 6 remaining antenna going to a daughter board. Is there a possibility that the Int/Ext switch is swapping between these 4 and the 4 external crap ports? Conversely could I swap these over to pigtails and run the external antenna directly in by switching over to internal? Or does it still use the internals in some way even when switched to external?

Just hypothetical at the minute as I'm waiting to see when the DPD collection is scheduled so I might not get a chance to test this..

Thanks
 
Well after looking at the comments on the EE forums themselves about how crap and likely to snap the external antennas are if not careful I thought I'd took enough care etc... But yesterday while moving the router no more than a foot to one side I didn't notice the excess cable had moved and fell to the ground. No problem? BIG Problem... It took one of the f$%*!ng connectors with it!

View attachment 3025

Arse!!

View attachment 3026


So I've just got off the phone with EE... Has to be sent back for repair estimate could be anything from £40 upwards. With a replacement being "from" £140!

Following up in another post as max image! d'oh.
Those TS9 Conn's on ZTE are made of cheese, so send it back to EE they fix with more TS9 Conn's then it breaks again.

Think if it was me I would Probably fit some different connectors other than TS9.
 
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So obviously from those images you can tell I've had a deeper look so I'm wondering if the repair gets silly could I not use the internal connections as I've seen done on others like the B818?.. So I've took some more images and I'd like an opinion from the collective:
View attachment 3027

These all appear to track back to antennas 1-4 internally with the 6 remaining antenna going to a daughter board. Is there a possibility that the Int/Ext switch is swapping between these 4 and the 4 external crap ports? Conversely could I swap these over to pigtails and run the external antenna directly in by switching over to internal? Or does it still use the internals in some way even when switched to external?

Just hypothetical at the minute as I'm waiting to see when the DPD collection is scheduled so I might not get a chance to test this..

Thanks
It's a possibility, can you provide a photo of the daughter board?
 
It's a possibility, can you provide a photo of the daughter board?
I can provide a poor one at the moment. I didn't go full ifixit breakdown just in case I couldn't put it back together! 🙃

IMG-20220807-WA0007.webp

I can try and get some more images but it's a bit tight and I'm not quite sure how they are mated together.
 
Those TS9 Conn's on ZTE are made of cheese, so send it back to EE they fix with more TS9 Conn's then it breaks again.

Think if it was me I would Probably fit some different connectors other than TS9.
Tbh if they are awkward/arsey at repairing it I'll have a word with the router mod lot on eBay. I know my limits and that would be beyond my level of soldering.

If some ts9 fly leads will work on the internal connections I'd be tempted to just leave the back panel off and have them feed through. Maybe make it pretty later when I've got some more time.
 
Well I've had a voicemail from the EE repair centre.

I have to laugh because otherwise well... Apparently they have assessed it and the antenna socket is broken (no really? 🤯) which is not repairable!!!

Umm they are a repair centre???

So noticed I had an email as well, it's on it's way back as they have deemed it beyond economical repair! So I guess two options are ring EE customer service and see how much they want to rob me for a replacement otherwise find someone who can repair it (preferably locally) and if possible get those damn stupid connections changed for something with a better chance of surviving!
 
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That's my plan at the moment. It's due back sometime this afternoon so before I do anything the back will be off and I'll get to the main sockets and attach my fly lead connections.

Now if there was a way to unlock some of it seeing as EE have washed their hands of it.
 
EE's Zyxel Router is well and truely Firmware Locked to EE, their rules are they will unlock only after a min term of 6 Months through the Contract for Phones, not sure if thats the same for Router Devices.

EE do sometimes struggle to unlock Routers on occasions.

Unseen Ive sent you a PM may be able to help.
 
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Send it my way, I'll take a look and see if the socket can be replaced on the PCB, no doubt it can.
 
Thanks for the replies and offers for help, much appreciated. EE Tech support are having another "try" to see what they can do, first port of call was the shop I picked it up from but bloody hell.... "We'll need to send it off for evaluation" but it's already been here's the report "Sorry it's procedure" can you not call Tech? "No they close at 8 (7.45PM when I asked)" which btw is BS as Tech closes at 9...

So I'm willing to wait a touch longer. I've currently got the antenna connected to port 4 (top) and 1 (bottom) but the speed is crap and frankly the connection isn't the most stable either. I did purchase some SMA to what I thought the internal antenna points were but I think the ones are ordered are way too small. Any idea what the internal connections are? They look similar in size to the TS9 but not as tall? If I can get the right ones ordered the plan is to try setting it to internal and see if I get the same speeds I'd seen before it broke. If EE wash their hands with it I can just make the mod permanent and mount the SMA connectors to the case. Alternative @EssexBoy or @dazmatic I might be in touch to see if you can work any magic on the connector.
 
They look like IPX4 MHF4 to me

View attachment 3180
I think I have to concur with that after receiving some SMA <> U.FL ones from amazon which look smaller (well in my sausage hands anyway!). I've looked for some SMA to MHF-4 but only seem to find RP-SMA would they work with an additional converter back to SMA? Conscious of putting too many links in the system to make it work.
So something like these from Amazon ? Annoyingly SCAN even have some (with the SMA variant on Pre-Order :( ) so I could pick some up today but would need to find somewhere local for the RP-SMA to SMA.
 
I think I have to concur with that after receiving some SMA <> U.FL ones from amazon which look smaller (well in my sausage hands anyway!). I've looked for some SMA to MHF-4 but only seem to find RP-SMA would they work with an additional converter back to SMA? Conscious of putting too many links in the system to make it work.
So something like these from Amazon ? Annoyingly SCAN even have some (with the SMA variant on Pre-Order :( ) so I could pick some up today but would need to find somewhere local for the RP-SMA to SMA.
I've got those ones linked from Amazon.
 
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Well the amazon linked ones arrived and... I think we might have the wrong connector!
connector.webp


I've had another look around wondering if it's an MHF-2 ?

board.webp


When I run google image search on that it didn't give much BUT I've just noticed on the connector 37 IPX (good job my job doesn't need me to be that observant! :) ) which gives me this link any ideas?

Thanks again!
 
Well the amazon linked ones arrived and... I think we might have the wrong connector!
View attachment 3209

I've had another look around wondering if it's an MHF-2 ?

View attachment 3210

When I run google image search on that it didn't give much BUT I've just noticed on the connector 37 IPX (good job my job doesn't need me to be that observant! :) ) which gives me this link any ideas?

Thanks again!
How did you get on with this, seeing as 3 have now switched to this model i feel we are gonna get a lot more posts like this
 
Hy guys. Just yesterday arriving for me the ee zyxel 5103 router i like it, i have full 5g signal but just only 90-100mbit/s download speed. Yes i have unlimited no speed limit plan. So my question is what is the best external antenna for my router.
 
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