Sponsored Links

MikroTik SXT LTE6 kit, RBSXTR&R11E-LTE6 - question on set up

Mairead

Casual Member
Hi
I've popped a https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0843RM...ding=UTF8&ref_=psdcmw_949408031_t1_B074WCRY35 one of this about 90meters from the house where there is a good vodafone signal, run a cat6 cable to the poe injection in the house and connected to laptop. Followed the instructions which say to check for update and this will reboot the devise and in quickset menu set your country to apply country regulation settings. It recognises the vodafone sim card but when i look for updates it just says there is a DNS error. Any ideas on what to do next? (other htan call out an expert) thanks
 
Is the Vodafone network coming up? Quick check from terminal using "ip route print" should show an IP address on interface lte1 and a default route pointing to it.

It should pickup the service provider's DNS servers, check with ..
"ip dns print"

All this can be seen from the GUI, it's just quicker to suggest CLI commands for a quick check rather than rummaging around the menus.

If the Internet appears up but DNS doesn't work, check whether you can ping by IP address.
"ping 8.8.8.8" or "tool traceroute 8.8.8.8"

You can add your own static DNS servers if needed
 
Sponsored Links
Thanks - the vodafone network is being recognised by IP address is 0. It's getting beyond the bounds of my technical knowledge so i've given in and booked in a specialist. Thanks for your help in any event.
 
Let us know how you get on. To be honest I can't remember my exact first steps setting up my SXT, but it was very straightforward. I suspect I ran Quick Set first as that will set it up as a working system, then did the software update after that. It's obviously not going to be able to check and download for itself until it has a working Internet connection.

There's really very little configuration on either the LTE interface or the APN, see screenshots from my SXT.

APN Screenshot_21.png


LTE Screenshot_21.png
 
Let us know how you get on. To be honest I can't remember my exact first steps setting up my SXT, but it was very straightforward. I suspect I ran Quick Set first as that will set it up as a working system, then did the software update after that. It's obviously not going to be able to check and download for itself until it has a working Internet connection.

There's really very little configuration on either the LTE interface or the APN, see screenshots from my SXT.

View attachment 1969

View attachment 1968
greetings from my now working connection :) I actually needed to go into the APN and type in the vodafone apn I had not actually seen the small print. BTW how do you get the screenshot above? i get similar data but not in the same layout - what tabs do you go to? Thanks
 
Sponsored Links
Now that I have this up and running and before i commit to going forward with it (i still have a prepaid vodafone data only sim in there), any tips on increasing speed?
I have a run of about 90meters of CAT 6 into POE (no electric connection yet). When I do a speed test it's 11.6 download and 8.6 upload but when i do a speed test with a vodafone mobile near where i have put the MikroTik kit, i get speeds of 45download and 20 upload.

Other than moving the kit around and up higher perhaps is there anything obvious i should do? eg run electric cable?

And last question - how weather resistent is the mikrotik kit? If it needed cover from the weather what is best? plastic?

tvm,
 
Good news. The screenshots were from Winbox as noted, this can be downloaded for Windows or for mobile devices from here ...
https://mikrotik.com/download

Regarding speed, have a look at the readings shown under Interface/LTE1/Cellular. These will tell you which mast and which band you're connecting to. Assuming that's correct, you next need to look at the signal parameters to get the device located and aimed for best results.

The most important one I think is RSRP. Try relocating or aiming the device to get the best value. I find it helpful to run the Mikrotik app on my tablet so I can watch the value while aiming the SXT. Move your hand (and head) away for a few seconds as these will affect the signal.

The SXT antenna is directional, which is good for signal strength but makes it sensitive to location, aim and objects nearby.

Ethernet cable length won't do any harm so long as you stay within spec which is 100m (strictly 90m of fixed cabling plus allowance for flying leads)

The SXT is supposed to be rated for outdoor use, personally mine is in the loft space, with the mounting bracket clamped to a rafter.
 
I have a run of about 90meters of CAT 6 into POE (no electric connection yet). When I do a speed test it's 11.6 download and 8.6 upload but when i do a speed test with a vodafone mobile near where i have put the MikroTik kit, i get speeds of 45download and 20 upload.
Is this with the same sim card ?

Voda do sim cards with different speed caps, 2mps,10 mps and unlimited.
 
Is this with the same sim card ?

Voda do sim cards with different speed caps, 2mps,10 mps and unlimited.
Yes it is - i did wonder that and am trying to find out online if it is a speed capped sim card. no indications yet that it is.
 
Sponsored Links
Yes it is - i did wonder that and am trying to find out online if it is a speed capped sim card. no indications yet that it is.
As noted above your MikroTik is a uni-directional device.

Unless you are in a rural area, your phone and SXT may not be locking onto the same mast. So other than
i) SIM/account level differences or
ii) differences in the inherent cellular capabilities of your phone and the SXT

The remaining difference is received physical signal strength / signal to noise and the capability of the mast. / is it the same mast. Truly compare like with like
 
As noted above your MikroTik is a uni-directional device.

Unless you are in a rural area, your phone and SXT may not be locking onto the same mast. So other than
i) SIM/account level differences or
ii) differences in the inherent cellular capabilities of your phone and the SXT

The remaining difference is received physical signal strength / signal to noise and the capability of the mast. / is it the same mast. Truly compare like with like
thanks - i am in a very rural area.
 
Can you see your mast? If you don't have an unobstructed line from the SXT to the mast, you may find the best signal is at some unexpected angle, rather than pointing directly to the mast.

Have a look on Cell Mapper www.cellmapper.net and match the mast ID shown on your SXT as "eNB ID". It's worth double checking against Google or Magic maps or whatever you prefer, to confirm mast location. Ours was wildly out of place.

Regarding the SIM, why not eliminate that by swapping between phone and router, just for a test.
 
Thanks all - am up over 40 MB with a slight adjustment to the SXT. Weirdly on cellmapper I should not have vodafone or three where I am and only EE should work......Not sure what to make of that but my device is now working so very pleased. Thanks for all your help.
 
Cellmapper is crowd-sourced, so it will only show whatever data has been submitted by its users, and could be years out of date for a given location if there hasn't been a user in the area recently. It's certainly not the full picture. Don't take it as gospel.
 
Sponsored Links
Sounds like a good result, out of interest what were you getting before you tried the SXT ? were you on a fixed line copper connection.
 
Hi All
As my vodafone sim has proved problematic (access issues to the account), i decided to switch to an EE data only sim as I discovered the ee mast is in much better position giving better speeds (80mb). However, when I took the vodafone sim out and inserted the ee sim (which is account activated and works in a phone), I cannot get a connection of any kind - i cannot even log into the IP address to look at the mikrotek settings. It does not even show the network with no internet connection. When i run a network diagnostic on the laptop it gives an error of "ethernet 6 doesn't have valid IP configuration". The sim works in a phone. All lights are on the router as well as at the laptop end of the connection. I am thinking of trying to reset the router (physically) if I can find the reset button (might need magnifying glass). Is there something I should have done between switching networks?

Also I put a mobile phone vodafone sim in and that did work. I thought these routers would not work with normal phone sim.......

Any ideas much appreciated.

thanks

Mairead
 
Hi All
As my vodafone sim has proved problematic (access issues to the account), i decided to switch to an EE data only sim as I discovered the ee mast is in much better position giving better speeds (80mb). However, when I took the vodafone sim out and inserted the ee sim (which is account activated and works in a phone), I cannot get a connection of any kind - i cannot even log into the IP address to look at the mikrotek settings. It does not even show the network with no internet connection. When i run a network diagnostic on the laptop it gives an error of "ethernet 6 doesn't have valid IP configuration". The sim works in a phone. All lights are on the router as well as at the laptop end of the connection. I am thinking of trying to reset the router (physically) if I can find the reset button (might need magnifying glass). Is there something I should have done between switching networks?

Also I put a mobile phone vodafone sim in and that did work. I thought these routers would not work with normal phone sim.......

Any ideas much appreciated.

thanks

Mairead
Change the APN
 
Top
Cheap BIG ISPs for 100Mbps+
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £24.00
132Mbps
Gift: None
Shell Energy UK ISP Logo
Shell Energy £26.99
109Mbps
Gift: None
Plusnet UK ISP Logo
Plusnet £27.99
145Mbps
Gift: None
Zen Internet UK ISP Logo
Zen Internet £28.00 - 35.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Cheapest ISPs for 100Mbps+
Gigaclear UK ISP Logo
Gigaclear £15.00
150Mbps
Gift: None
YouFibre UK ISP Logo
YouFibre £19.99
150Mbps
Gift: None
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
BeFibre UK ISP Logo
BeFibre £21.00
150Mbps
Gift: £25 Love2Shop Card
Hey! Broadband UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Sponsored Links
The Top 15 Category Tags
  1. FTTP (5467)
  2. BT (3505)
  3. Politics (2523)
  4. Openreach (2290)
  5. Business (2251)
  6. Building Digital UK (2233)
  7. FTTC (2041)
  8. Mobile Broadband (1961)
  9. Statistics (1778)
  10. 4G (1654)
  11. Virgin Media (1607)
  12. Ofcom Regulation (1451)
  13. Fibre Optic (1392)
  14. Wireless Internet (1386)
  15. FTTH (1381)
Sponsored

Copyright © 1999 to Present - ISPreview.co.uk - All Rights Reserved - Terms  ,  Privacy and Cookie Policy  ,  Links  ,  Website Rules