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Huawei CPE WIN vs Zyxel NR7101

Effmn

Casual Member
Hi,

I’m looking at the two of these routers as the only real solution for outdoor 5g poe. The Zyxel seems more readily available but I’ve read a lot of issues people have had with them such as not changing signal to 4g when 5g signal is weaker and connection dropouts. Plus the support from Zyxel seems to be lacking.

On the other hand I can’t find too much info about the Huawei and not too many places selling them either.

Any experiences? Which would you go for and why?
 
Hi,

I’m looking at the two of these routers as the only real solution for outdoor 5g poe. The Zyxel seems more readily available but I’ve read a lot of issues people have had with them such as not changing signal to 4g when 5g signal is weaker and connection dropouts. Plus the support from Zyxel seems to be lacking.

On the other hand I can’t find too much info about the Huawei and not too many places selling them either.

Any experiences? Which would you go for and why?
I have the Cpe Win, it's been absolutely rock solid, zero issues. I got it new, unlocked 2y ago when it was still £250.

Would I pay current prices of £500-700 for it? Heck no.
I also wouldn't get the Zyxel, too many issues.
My current never-ending project is to make the vn007+ an outdoorsy one. The vn007+ is very "open" and configurable in comparison to the other two, albeit not quite as performant.
 
I have the Cpe Win, it's been absolutely rock solid, zero issues. I got it new, unlocked 2y ago when it was still £250.

Would I pay current prices of £500-700 for it? Heck no.
I also wouldn't get the Zyxel, too many issues.
My current never-ending project is to make the vn007+ an outdoorsy one. The vn007+ is very "open" and configurable in comparison to the other two, albeit not quite as performant.
Yeah the prices are crazy for the Huawei at the moment and I was thinking of an RTUX50 from Teltonika but don’t fancy an external antenna with 4 cables going into attic depredating signal and likely needing to place router in Attic which I’d need to install an outlet for because there’s no power over POE..

The Zyxel does seem to have issues and I’m really looking for rock solid below 1000 quid. Pity some stores were selling the WIN for 200-300 second hand but I’ve also read these can be unlocked after the fact and come with pre installed ISP firmware without bridge mode which is an issue I’d not like to run into.

One Ethernet cable indoors dropped to a network closet would work wonders with an AP covering 100m2. Problem is the options suck right now.

You saying the Huawei is rock solid is really tempting tho 😅
 
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Yeah the prices are crazy for the Huawei at the moment and I was thinking of an RTUX50 from Teltonika but don’t fancy an external antenna with 4 cables going into attic depredating signal and likely needing to place router in Attic which I’d need to install an outlet for because there’s no power over POE..

The Zyxel does seem to have issues and I’m really looking for rock solid below 1000 quid. Pity some stores were selling the WIN for 200-300 second hand but I’ve also read these can be unlocked after the fact and come with pre installed ISP firmware without bridge mode which is an issue I’d not like to run into.

One Ethernet cable indoors dropped to a network closet would work wonders with an AP covering 100m2. Problem is the options suck right now.

You saying the Huawei is rock solid is really tempting tho 😅
If you can install it in the loft, ie not actually outside, then you have loads of options as you don't need an actual outdoors one. Even a phone with ethernet tethering could work (albeit limited by usb port speed).

Don't get the cpe win, it's silly money..
 
If you can install it in the loft, ie not actually outside, then you have loads of options as you don't need an actual outdoors one. Even a phone with ethernet tethering could work (albeit limited by usb port speed).

Don't get the cpe win, it's silly money..
It’s kinda funny at the house because even right up against the window on the side towards the mast, I don’t get 5g but then immediately outdoors I do. Maybe it’s aggregating a weak enough 5g signal overall but I do hit 300Mbits Dl outside in the right spot. Not sure if hit that up against the concrete in attic. Could definitely be a better option tho and the run POE to that and no drilling either. Otherwise if it doesn’t work out I’ll just cut a big hole in the concrete :p

I was trying to check what bands I was using with my iPhone but couldn’t figure it out trying to narrow down if it should be penetrating.

Another odd thing is when I drive right up to the tower, I get around 200Mbit DL and around a mile away right at that point outside I hit higher. Almost as if it’s beaming right there because other places around the property I’m only getting 3G.

I’ll definitely be looking into one for the attic tho, I completely overlooked that, thank you!

(Edit) No other masts around
 
Right near the mast it's entirely plausible you'd get a worse signal due to how antennas work.
That is point 1, 2 is that the phone may well aggregate lte and nr, but from different masts (endc), so watch out for this possibility.

For maximum visibility of what is going on, a rooted android with Qualcomm chipset + network signal guru would be ideal.
 
Right near the mast it's entirely plausible you'd get a worse signal due to how antennas work.
That is point 1, 2 is that the phone may well aggregate lte and nr, but from different masts (endc), so watch out for this possibility.

For maximum visibility of what is going on, a rooted android with Qualcomm chipset + network signal guru would be ideal.
I’ve just speed tested through concrete. Getting 200Mbit down on phone which I’m very happy with. Are there any routers you’d recommend that can be powered with one Ethernet cable over POE so I can still run it to AP in network closet. That saves me from having socket installed in attic. (Hopefully the router won’t get too hot in summer but they seem to be rated fairly well for that.
 
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I’ve just speed tested through concrete. Getting 200Mbit down on phone which I’m very happy with. Are there any routers you’d recommend that can be powered with one Ethernet cable over POE so I can still run it to AP in network closet. That saves me from having socket installed in attic. (Hopefully the router won’t get too hot in summer but they seem to be rated fairly well for that.
How's the upload though?
Anyway, you can use basically anything by employing a poe splitter such as (random link) :
 
How's the upload though?
Anyway, you can use basically anything by employing a poe splitter such as (random link) :
Brilliant! I love random links.. but seriously, that’s really sorted me out :D

Upload is 27Mbit which I’m really happy with because I believe it’s ISP limited (never got over 40 even with 900Mbit up elsewhere) and the 27 is just through the concrete downstairs with my phone.
 
Am I right in saying, a Poe switch would power the ‘Poe in’ on the injector powering the router and then the ‘lan’ would be plugged into router and the data would go through the original switch? I feel like I have something backwards
I think you got it, but for clarity:
1 - cable comes from your poe switch in cupboard
2 - goes into "power+data in" slot
3 - "lan out" goes into 5g router lan ethernet socket
4 - "dc out", tipically 12v will go in the "dc in" of your router so it can power it up.
 
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I’m thinking the Chateau 5g would be just the ticket for me with Poe injector :)
That's pretty dear, but at least it's a proper router, no locked doen firmware and other shenanigans. Do double check the required amperage on the mikrotik side, I believe poe can only deliver 12v 2a.
 
How's the upload though?
Anyway, you can use basically anything by employing a poe splitter such as (random link) :
Am I right in saying, a Poe switch would power the ‘Poe in’ on the injector powering the router and then the ‘lan’ would be
That's pretty dear, but at least it's a proper router, no locked doen firmware and other shenanigans. Do double check the required amperage on the mikrotik side, I believe poe can only deliver 12v 2a.
this is what I can find on it:

  • A number of DC inputs 1.
  • DC jack input Voltage 12-28 V.
  • Power adapter nominal voltage 24 V.
  • Power adapter nominal current 1.2 A.
  • Max power consumption without attachments is 16 W.
  • Max power consumption 19 W.
 
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Am I right in saying, a Poe switch would power the ‘Poe in’ on the injector powering the router and then the ‘lan’ would be

this is what I can find on it:

  • A number of DC inputs 1.
  • DC jack input Voltage 12-28 V.
  • Power adapter nominal voltage 24 V.
  • Power adapter nominal current 1.2 A.
  • Max power consumption without attachments is 16 W.
  • Max power consumption 19 W.
Does this mean I would need to get a specific 24v 1.2a POE? There’s one for sale but looks a little sketch
 
Ahh no, so that adapter wouldn’t help power the router. So now the question is if I can use the 12v injector ?

(Edit) Or it would, just need a splitter for the dc?
 
I'm looking at this 5GEE outdoor router but it's overkill for me.
Don't go anywhere near these, like yourself, as a Independent Mobile Router User, these units are bogged down with EE Firmware, the minute you want to do something off piste, for example start using, adding or connecting different indoor Routers or Mesh Extensions other than what came in the Box you will start hitting Brick Walls within the Firmware.
 
Last edited:
POE and Gigabit Ethernet, please bear in mind, a lot of these Cheap or Cheaper Ethernet Power Supplies use the older tech for older POE over Cat5/5e/6 set ups.

Originally POE was done using the spare Pairs (normally the unused Telephone Pairs) on the Ethernet Cable for 10/100 which would be fine for hanging stuff like Cameras etc off the end of it. a typical wire map would be something like - Ethernet 10/100mbs Data pairs 1,2 and 3,6 (4 wires) and the remaining unused Pairs would be used for DC Power ie, either 4,5 or 7,8 or both.

Now for Gigabit, 10/100/1000mbs Ethernet data uses all 4 Pairs (all 8 wires), and so does the POE uses the same Pairs as the Data in a combined way, and there are various formats and specs attached to the advanced method.
 
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