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Upgrading from a HUAWEI B525 - recommendations?

Any recommendations to upgrade from an aging B525?

Dont need much in the way of actual WiFi/router functionality, I have a good WiFi router that handles all of that. Ideally I would like one that supports bridge mode (although this is not essential, there is workarounds) and manual band selection/locking is nice to have.

I have seen the B818 (The bands can’t be locked from what I have read). Anyone upgraded to this and did they see any speed improvements with the cat19 modem over a car 5 modem?
 
Hi,

Upgraded from B535 (cat7) to B818 and the improvements were dramatic (2 to 3x dl speed), but this can depend a lot on operator and the mast situation in your area. If they are oversubscribed, then it doesn't matter you have a top notch LTE router...

B818 can lock bands unsing HUACtrl Android app or various other desktop apps such as LTEHMonitor.
 
Hi,

Upgraded from B535 to B818 and the improvements were dramatic (2 to 3x dl speed), but this can depend a lot on operator and the mast situation in your area. If they are oversubscribed, then it doesn't matter you have a top notch LTE router...

Hi. Do you use an external antenna?

Also what network provider do you use?
 
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No antenna for the B818, on its own it managed to get much better speeds than the B535 with external antenna.

I've since moved on to 5G, but if your area is 4G-only then the B818 is prolly the best router for the money.
 
Yeah 4G only (Vodaphone and Three). Currently using a modded 525 with antenna on roof, with an Asus AX88U (in dual WAN configuration, with a terrible BT FTTC connection).

Voda has been poor recently for some reason. Just looking to try and get a bit more out of it. Not being able to lock bands might be an issue, but if it works better anyway it might not mater.

Been looking at Teltonika stuff, but they are expensive and I don’t need all the advanced router features, ultimately I only want it for its modem capabilities.
 
@autopilot As I said previously..

"B818 can lock bands unsing HUACtrl Android app or various other desktop apps such as LTEHMonitor."

That said, if this is such a critical issue for you, then maybe you can look at a Mikrotik lte6 router which can not only lock bands, but cells too, so it can lock on to a certain mast. That said, I'm speaking from what I read elsewhere and I have no direct experience with Mikrotik.
 
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Any recommendations to upgrade from an aging B525?

Dont need much in the way of actual WiFi/router functionality, I have a good WiFi router that handles all of that. Ideally I would like one that supports bridge mode (although this is not essential, there is workarounds) and manual band selection/locking is nice to have.

I have seen the B818 (The bands can’t be locked from what I have read). Anyone upgraded to this and did they see any speed improvements with the cat19 modem over a car 5 modem?
If your router supports usb tethering input buy a cheap OPPO/Poco/Xiaomi 5G mobile to use as a dedicated modem (and MiFi if you ever have the need to take it outdoors)
 
If your router supports usb tethering input buy a cheap OPPO/Poco/Xiaomi 5G mobile to use as a dedicated modem (and MiFi if you ever have the need to take it outdoors)

I have a good 4G antenna attached to my roof, how would I connect it to a phone?
 
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If your router supports usb tethering input buy a cheap OPPO/Poco/Xiaomi 5G mobile to use as a dedicated modem (and MiFi if you ever have the need to take it outdoors)
Android 11 can do ethernet tethering, so you can just use an adapter such as this.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08XXLWDSY

A phone can definitely be an option.
 
Don't forget the newer cat 12 Huawei 4G CPE Pro 2 (B628) if you have any problems finding another router.

Hauwei 4G CPE Pro 2 (Amazon)

How does that compare to the b818? As I say, I’m only looking for a modem rather than a router, as my ASUS is excellent.

I live in a fairly rural area. My 525 has a Voda sim, and so does my iPhone 12 Pro. Yet I usually get better speeds on the 525 with the antenna on my roof.
 
How does that compare to the b818? As I say, I’m only looking for a modem rather than a router, as my ASUS is excellent.

I live in a fairly rural area. My 525 has a Voda sim, and so does my iPhone 12 Pro. Yet I usually get better speeds on the 525 with the antenna on my roof.
Here's a short thread when we were discussing it's arrival back in April autopilot.

4G CPE Pro 2 April Thread.

You'll maybe get some thoughts from there. :)
 
How does that compare to the b818? As I say, I’m only looking for a modem rather than a router, as my ASUS is excellent.

I live in a fairly rural area. My 525 has a Voda sim, and so does my iPhone 12 Pro. Yet I usually get better speeds on the 525 with the antenna on my roof.
iOS actually on 5G Qualcomm conserves battery for less 5G performance.

wired to the wall versus battery will yield better, as will a dedicated antenna system not running on battery.
 
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Android 11 can do ethernet tethering, so you can just use an adapter such as this.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08XXLWDSY

A phone can definitely be an option.
Vodafone is selling Xiaomi Note 10 5G for £99 with a £10 top up currently. They are unlocked ;)

Check all the colours out if it says out of stock https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/phones/pay-as-you-go/xiaomi/redmi-note-10-5g#nighttime-blue/128

Mediatek 700 5G, and the Mediatek in my experience of three Androids with Mediatek 700/800 chips is it craps all over Qualcomm 5G modem chips, Mediatek 700/800 Speedtests are far more strong, stable & consistent than up and down mid test with a Qualcomm X50/51/52 & X55 5G modem chip.

Qualcomm isn’t holding its 5G product high anymore, only it’s sales - based on past history 4G modem chip performance, I remember when Nokia Mobile done the same then boom to bus, now its a licensed brand name.

As you said @Lucian, if you don’t have a tethering router available you can now use USB-C as a temp/stop gap until you can pick up a tethering router cheap enough, which for home/office stationary based as a Fixed Wireless Access unit is better than overheating even a £100 5G mobile with too much demand on its Wi-fi along with 5G heat. Unplug it and use it as a dedicated Andy 5G MiFi outdoors.

I had better speed results with a £130 (Mediatek 800) Realme8 5G as a modem tethered to my ASUS router than the £750 5G Netgear M5 which was promptly sent back, this was both on o2 & Vodafone, Realme8 5G was a ASUS attached stud versus Netgear dumb donkey.
 
Just to add, I’m in a 4G only area with no sign of 5G on the horizon.

A 5G phone generally has 4x4 mimo for fallback Speeds from 5G, 4x4 4G routers can be more expensive than what CoVID has done to making 5G Phones be shifted out warehouses. Samsung 2020 prices were amazing!

A Cat 19 will have improvement IF the network has them carrier aggregation on your local base station transmitters, the thing with 5G is shortwave high speed needs a 4x4 mimo fallover so even if you don’t get the best speeds now on 4G with CAT you will as the networks roll out 5G & LTE improvements, esp the Shared Rural Network sites and the EE Emergency Services Network sites where again all telcos are allowed access as U.K. Gov paid for them sites.

The only hardware I’ve seen not any even good difference between Cat 6, 12 & 20 in the U.K. is EE branded hardware firmware, even their NetgEEar M2 is crippled, it’s meant to have 5 carrier aggregation of all EEs 3/4G bands and it’s slow as in a city under 10 megs whereas everyone else is 30+ all off the same (old industry chimney) base station.
 
Yeah 4G only (Vodaphone and Three). Currently using a modded 525 with antenna on roof, with an Asus AX88U (in dual WAN configuration, with a terrible BT FTTC connection).

Voda has been poor recently for some reason. Just looking to try and get a bit more out of it. Not being able to lock bands might be an issue, but if it works better anyway it might not mater.

Been looking at Teltonika stuff, but they are expensive and I don’t need all the advanced router features, ultimately I only want it for its modem capabilities.
The new ZTE Three 4G Hub is a bargain. It’s Cat 12 (I think!)

£29 upfront on a £30 30 day sim. Three is so data cheap thus busy I doubt the price difference between Cat 12 & 19 is worth it when they both do 4x4 Mimo.

Right found the write up for you:
 
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