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Providers and required bands for UK 4G/5G coverage/speed for narrowboat

IJD

Top Member
Having been following all the discussions about this, I'm going to have to make some router/antenna choices in the near future. I'm aware of the 4G/5G tradeoffs and also 2x2/4x4 MIMO, but it's not clear to me what bands need to be supported for best coverage, especially newer ones like n28/n32 which are only used by some providers but also are not covered by many routers/antennas.

An external CPE might be a better solution but again these are few and far between (and expensive), especially ones which cover the newer bands.

Given the cost and scarcity of both 5G routers/antennas/CPE (especially 4x4 MIMO ones) does the hivemind think it would be better to go for a 2x2 MIMO 4G setup for the moment and wait until the 5G solutions have come down in price and cover all the UK bands?

But having said that, swapping an antenna in future (especially going from 2x2 to 4x4) will be a pain (new cable routing), so maybe try and find a 4x4 MIMO antenna which covers all the bands (including 5G) but use a 4G router for the moment?

In either case, which bands do I need to cover, bearing in mind I might go for a dual-SIM router (e.g. Teltonika RUTX12 -- also needs a 4x4 MIMO antenna to use as 2x2 on each SIM) with SIMs from (for example) Three and EE, who use different bands?

Lots of questions, any advice gratefully received... ;-)
 
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The only snag is it's designed to mount on a wall/panel, which on a steel boat is likely to give poorer reception than a roof-mounted antenna like these (all omnidirectional 4x4 MIMO 5G) -- unless I add a telescopic mast, which I really don't want to do for several reasons...

 
The RUTX12 reviews on Amazon are not brilliant:

The modems work as failover not active. and it's basically OpenWRT customised: https://forum.openwrt.org/t/openwrt-busybox-and-rutos-teltonika-rutx12/110254/2

The LTAP is basically the RBM33G with a shell:

If the housing is not what you want, you can build your own:

 
The RUTX12 reviews on Amazon are not brilliant:

The modems work as failover not active. and it's basically OpenWRT customised: https://forum.openwrt.org/t/openwrt-busybox-and-rutos-teltonika-rutx12/110254/2

The LTAP is basically the RBM33G with a shell:

If the housing is not what you want, you can build your own:

I wasn't fixed on the RUTX12, I'm aware of the poor reviews (and that it does failover only), I just picked it as an example.

The best option for 5G dual-SIM 4x4 MIMO with 4 full-band external antenna connections (not split 4G/5G) is probably the new Proroute NR550 but it's £495+VAT...

 
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Proroute NR550 contains Fibocom FG150-AE:

Only has 4 connections though.

Bands that need to be supported:
4G in priority order
1,3,20
8,28
32,7
40

5G
78
28
3
1
8
7
Thanks for the band info, that's really helpful :)

Don't understand your "only has 4 connections" comment though -- yes it has 4 cellular RF connections each of which covers all the 4G and 5G frequencies when connected to a suitable 4x4 MIMO wideband antenna (e.g. Poynting, Panorama), isn't this preferable to having separate ones for 4G and 5G like some routers do?
 
Thanks for the band info, that's really helpful :)

Don't understand your "only has 4 connections" comment though -- yes it has 4 cellular RF connections each of which covers all the 4G and 5G frequencies when connected to a suitable 4x4 MIMO wideband antenna (e.g. Poynting, Panorama), isn't this preferable to having separate ones for 4G and 5G like some routers do?
4 connections would be a downgrade from what I'm using, that's why I'm puzzled.

I use a Mikrotik Chateau 5G, it's modem a RG502Q-EA has 8 connections for antenna.

So while the Proroute NR550 can have one 4x4 antenna, the Chateau 5G can have two, either two 5G 4x4, or one 4G 4x4 and one 5G 4x4.

I would have expected it to have more capability as it costs more than the Chateau 5G.
 
4 connections would be a downgrade from what I'm using, that's why I'm puzzled.

I use a Mikrotik Chateau 5G, it's modem a RG502Q-EA has 8 connections for antenna.

So while the Proroute NR550 can have one 4x4 antenna, the Chateau 5G can have two, either two 5G 4x4, or one 4G 4x4 and one 5G 4x4.

I would have expected it to have more capability as it costs more than the Chateau 5G.

The problem (and it's one reason for not using the Mikrotik) is that you then need 2 4x4 MIMO antennae, meaning 8 cables and 2 antennae to find space for and mount -- and another £150 or so.

But also I don't really want to be hacking around inside a router, it will be fitted and tested as part of the entire electrical/comms system by the boatbuilder because it's used for remote monitoring and diagnosis of the boat (it's a hybrid/electric), so I need a drop-in replacement for the router and antenna they use as standard.

I expect the Proroute will either have internal 4G/5G diplexers on both TX and RX to isolate the bands, or the transceiver is designed to tolerate simultaneous 4G and 5G signals, it's no different to band combining really.
 
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