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Mikrotik 4G LTE

mk2_dee

Casual Member
Hi,


I am looking to install mobile broadband at home, i see alot of pages seem to be using what looks like a mikrotik dish/antenna

just wondering are these the best options other than buying a 4G router and sim? for getting best speed ?

what are these like to configure and setup?

i was thinking of buying one and a 3 unlimited data sim to try and came across this fourm and thought i would stick a post in to ask abit of advice from the experts, i usually work on internal networks, but this would be my 1st time venturing into 4G broadband

thanks in advance
 
I'd seriously consider getting a sim in your mobile and spending a week doing testing, to see what your home based signal strength, download speeds and the impact of other users on your mast has, before deciding to go down that route.
 
You only get a single 10/100 Ethernet port on these devices and no RJ11 telephone port. I suspect that the high gain (21dBi) makes orientation critical to get good results so you have to consider how good you are with ladders and high places (assuming it's for an external installation).
 
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Also check out the low specification on Mikrotik devices, most are CAT4 LTE, so tech that's around 4-5 years out of date. The Huawei B535-232 that three are bundling with its Homefi product are only CAT6.

Ideally you want a CAT 12 LTE router to make it worthwhile I'd say.

Netgears (eyewateringly expensive) nighthawk M series routers are up to CAT 16.

This CAT number will seriously impact the quality of performance you get from a LTE mast as it will provide a far better connection and make more of the signal than a lower CAT rated product.

This is why most mobile phones can get far quicker speeds connected to the same mast than most LTE routers currently.

Of course, if the carrier you go with are not investing in their network all this is fruitless however, because you need the bandwidth on your local mast to be available 24/7 for home use. Too many customers on your mast means slower speeds.

I don't think many carriers ever envisioned the world eventually turning in the future to this method of home internet, but its slowly realizing its capacity to outpace any cabled delivery method. The tech development of higher speed over the air internet via LTE (including 5g) is moving at a pace and the lack of requirement of fibre to homes means its a far better solution for everyone in the future.
 
You only get a single 10/100 Ethernet port on these devices and no RJ11 telephone port. I suspect that the high gain (21dBi) makes orientation critical to get good results so you have to consider how good you are with ladders and high places (assuming it's for an external installation).
Hi heights isn’t a problem, be on ladders on a daily bases fitting Cctv
 
Also check out the low specification on Mikrotik devices, most are CAT4 LTE, so tech that's around 4-5 years out of date. The Huawei B535-232 that three are bundling with its Homefi product are only CAT6.

Ideally you want a CAT 12 LTE router to make it worthwhile I'd say.

Netgears (eyewateringly expensive) nighthawk M series routers are up to CAT 16.

This CAT number will seriously impact the quality of performance you get from a LTE mast as it will provide a far better connection and make more of the signal than a lower CAT rated product.

This is why most mobile phones can get far quicker speeds connected to the same mast than most LTE routers currently.

Of course, if the carrier you go with are not investing in their network all this is fruitless however, because you need the bandwidth on your local mast to be available 24/7 for home use. Too many customers on your mast means slower speeds.

I don't think many carriers ever envisioned the world eventually turning in the future to this method of home internet, but its slowly realizing its capacity to outpace any cabled delivery method. The tech development of higher speed over the air internet via LTE (including 5g) is moving at a pace and the lack of requirement of fibre to homes means its a far better solution for everyone in the future.

Thanks for the reply, I will look into this, is there much to the setup of these routers or are the basically plug and play ?

also any apps etc you would recommend to find masts in the area ?
 
The Mikrotik stuff will just plug and play if you follow the instructions and aren't trying to do anything esoteric. But if you want to delve into it's operation at all, you will need to subject yourself to a very steep learning curve. The o/s on the routers is immensely capable and detailed but pretty complicated and a lot of it is not GUI and is CLI only. Having said that, there are two available GUIs and an app for Android and Apple and once you do begin to get your head round it, there is a lot functionality which is missing from most retail routers.

I've been testing a Mikrotik SXT LTE6 kit, RBSXTR&R11E-LTE6 against the Huawei B618 and I think for me the Huawei has marginally better performance. (fyi the B618 was a bit better than the B535). But there's not much in it. and the Mikrotik is weatherproof with power over ethernet so you have more choices as to where you put it and it's easier to get it there. With the Huawei you can use LTEH Monitor which really gives you all the info and control you need - though nothing like as much as the Mikrotik.
 
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The Mikrotik stuff will just plug and play if you follow the instructions and aren't trying to do anything esoteric. But if you want to delve into it's operation at all, you will need to subject yourself to a very steep learning curve. The o/s on the routers is immensely capable and detailed but pretty complicated and a lot of it is not GUI and is CLI only. Having said that, there are two available GUIs and an app for Android and Apple and once you do begin to get your head round it, there is a lot functionality which is missing from most retail routers.

I've been testing a Mikrotik SXT LTE6 kit, RBSXTR&R11E-LTE6 against the Huawei B618 and I think for me the Huawei has marginally better performance. (fyi the B618 was a bit better than the B535). But there's not much in it. and the Mikrotik is weatherproof with power over ethernet so you have more choices as to where you put it and it's easier to get it there. With the Huawei you can use LTEH Monitor which really gives you all the info and control you need - though nothing like as much as the Mikrotik.

Hi

Thanks for the reply, wasn't looking too deep into setup just was looking to find out if there was much to setting them up before I purchase, and if it's plug and play even better,

So say I was fitting this externally at home, if the mikrotik is powered from a poe injector, and if I want WiFi and LAN inside the house do I have run a cat5/6 from injector to a wireless router and configure it as an access point
 
Your issue will be you will need to put the Mikrotik into Bridge mode or you will be double natted, if that's not an issue then go ahead. As soon as you put the Mikrotik into bridge mode you lose access to its settings unless you do some fancy way to do bridge mode rather than just ticking the box. I did get access of sorts by plugging it into a LAN port just for changing settings but now it will not respond to username and password as its corrupted the details. As it works I leave it as it is but if it ever starts to mess up I will have to reset it and start all over again with a fresh start loading APN's etc.
 
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Any model in particular of wireless router And mikrotik yous would recommend ?
No really, if I was you I would go with the B618 and add a mesh wi-if network if necessary. But if you absolutely enjoy the challenge of getting to grips with a new o/s for your router and want to spend hours tinkering with it then go the MikroTik route. But my experience may well be different to other's. On the router question any reasonable and cheap router from one of the major manufacturers will be fine and then if necessary spend more money on a wi-if mesh system as an add on.
 
No really, if I was you I would go with the B618 and add a mesh wi-if network if necessary. But if you absolutely enjoy the challenge of getting to grips with a new o/s for your router and want to spend hours tinkering with it then go the MikroTik route. But my experience may well be different to other's. On the router question any reasonable and cheap router from one of the major manufacturers will be fine and then if necessary spend more money on a wi-if mesh system as an add on.


cheers jmi, I will probably look down b618 route and if need to add on Wireless access points, usually use UniFi for this
 
Your issue will be you will need to put the Mikrotik into Bridge mode or you will be double natted, if that's not an issue then go ahead. As soon as you put the Mikrotik into bridge mode you lose access to its settings unless you do some fancy way to do bridge mode rather than just ticking the box. I did get access of sorts by plugging it into a LAN port just for changing settings but now it will not respond to username and password as its corrupted the details. As it works I leave it as it is but if it ever starts to mess up I will have to reset it and start all over again with a fresh start loading APN's etc.

to save any hassle would I be better just connecting to a Poe switch, and run like a unifi ac off the switch for WiFi ??, as I need a few lan ports for work
 
to save any hassle would I be better just connecting to a Poe switch, and run like a unifi ac off the switch for WiFi ??, as I need a few lan ports for work

THIS.. ^ unless you have particular reason to utilise an old router no need to get into bridges and dual NAT worries.

Its almost exactly what I've got, Microtik SXT LTE (looks like a drum) rather than the dish in the roof, connected to a dumb 8 port switch via the included poe injector, 2 ports used for Unifi AC mesh units One down stairs which covers the whole house and one for outside to cover the barn, garden + field.

Theres quite a lot of techy possibilities with the microtik routerboard, but you dont have to dig into that to get set up, and theres simple guides and lots of help available on the forum.

I'm not linked to either vendor , but both devices have been a game changer for my Internet connection and wifi. Yes the SXT 'only' has a 10/100 eth port But is this really going to be the limiting factor in use.

External antenna on a router with that option might work and might offer you a true PnP solution, but then you'll need to think more about router placement and connection attenuation for the cable runs to the antenna.
 
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