Sponsored Links

Wireless Broadband to 4g Service

Weegaz21a

Casual Member
Hi All, newbie here looking for help.

We currently have wireless broadband in Northern Ireland and due to speed (10mb when working) and connection issues we are looking to swap out the system to a 4g setup.

We have a main connection on-site to a family business and then access points in 2nr houses on-site that receive a signal from the business.

I believe that the antenna that receives the signal will need changed as wireless broadband and 4g are both different. Can I use the existing access point (Ubiquiti) that are installed on both houses?

I am told that we might need to get a couple of sims and routers but we use internet in the evenings, its used in the business during the day and an elderly relative lives in the other house, so internet use is minimal.

Is there a way to check the best service provider for speed? I get approx 5-6mb download on a 4g 02 service on my phone, but have been told if we install an external antenna we can increase this greatly, up to 30mb at least. I have used some of the online coverage checkers, it would seem that EE or Vodafone are best for 4g in the area.

To install a new 4g router is it as easy as changing out the existing router, installing a 4g outdoor antenna and connecting to distribute signal to access points?

Any further help would be appreciated..

Many Thanks, Gary
 
Hi Gary,

If I understood correctly, you could simply swap the existing wireless broadband router with a 4G router, leaving whatever network infrastructure you have behind that untouched and it should just work assuming you have everything on DHCP and so on.

It's best to start with a decent router (I am testing and happy with Huawei B818 @ £180 on Amazon.co.uk) in a high place near a window, ideally a loft.

If that doesn't cut it, you could get an external antenna to get better signal. A good directional antenna will be around £100, give or take, I'm assuming you are in a rural area.
Alternatively you could get an outdoor router that you can fix to a pole or mast, such as many of the Mikrotik models which also include a parabolic-like antenna.

Once you have a the router in a good position, you can try various providers. Try to put your O2 sim in it, see what results that gets you.
To try other providers simply order pay as you go SIMs that you can put a few quid on for your speed tests.

I've found it easier/cheaper to test some providers via virtual operators that they support, such as:
- O2 via Giffgaff
- Vodafone via Voxi
- Three via Smarty
For EE I've opted for their own pay as you go sim.

Do note many of those have quite high data or unlimited data plans for not a lot of money, so could work for you rather than go contract.
For example Giffgaff (o2) give you 80GB data for £20/m, Voxi (Vodafone) unlimited data is £35/m, while Smarty (Three) give you 100GB data for £15/m and unlimited for £20.

HTH
 
Hi Gary,

If I understood correctly, you could simply swap the existing wireless broadband router with a 4G router, leaving whatever network infrastructure you have behind that untouched and it should just work assuming you have everything on DHCP and so on.

It's best to start with a decent router (I am testing and happy with Huawei B818 @ £180 on Amazon.co.uk) in a high place near a window, ideally a loft.

If that doesn't cut it, you could get an external antenna to get better signal. A good directional antenna will be around £100, give or take, I'm assuming you are in a rural area.
Alternatively you could get an outdoor router that you can fix to a pole or mast, such as many of the Mikrotik models which also include a parabolic-like antenna.

Once you have a the router in a good position, you can try various providers. Try to put your O2 sim in it, see what results that gets you.
To try other providers simply order pay as you go SIMs that you can put a few quid on for your speed tests.

I've found it easier/cheaper to test some providers via virtual operators that they support, such as:
- O2 via Giffgaff
- Vodafone via Voxi
- Three via Smarty
For EE I've opted for their own pay as you go sim.

Do note many of those have quite high data or unlimited data plans for not a lot of money, so could work for you rather than go contract.
For example Giffgaff (o2) give you 80GB data for £20/m, Voxi (Vodafone) unlimited data is £35/m, while Smarty (Three) give you 100GB data for £15/m and unlimited for £20.

HTH
Brilliant response Lucian, thank you very much for your time you took to reply.

Good idea for testing signal using p&g sims, that makes sense.

I will get a look at the Huawei router, as we are quite rural I do think we need a directional antenna. We do have an external mast with aerials for the wireless broadband system, but I have been told that the antenna is not 4g compatible (not sure why).

regards Gary
 
Sponsored Links
Yes, antennas will be quite different as they are built for various frequencies. LTE uses many frequencies, bands, unlike Wifi.

Good external antennas I can recommend are
- Poynting xpol-2:
- Panorama Panorama WMM8G-7-38:

Alternatively have a look at a router+antenna combo from Mikrotik, might turn out cheaper, but it's slightly older LTE technology and the OS configuration has a bit of a learning curve from what I hear:
 
Yes, antennas will be quite different as they are built for various frequencies. LTE uses many frequencies, bands, unlike Wifi.

Good external antennas I can recommend are
- Poynting xpol-2:
- Panorama Panorama WMM8G-7-38:

Alternatively have a look at a router+antenna combo from Mikrotik, might turn out cheaper, but it's slightly older LTE technology and the OS configuration has a bit of a learning curve from what I hear:
This looks good for the main signal into business but to connect to access points via the current antenna should I upgrade them also? Currently using TP-Link 300mbps wireless n router, TL-WR841n in each house
 
If you are happy with their performance, then why change them. Just hook the tplink300 to the lte router and that's it, assuming dhcp everywhere.

PS: btw the B818 has quite nice wifi, good strong signal, you might be able to skip using the tplink300 altogether, depends a lot of the layout of the houses etc, of course.
 
Before you buy an external aerial do try a few SIMs first to check you actually need one.

Sometimes the routers internal aerials can pick up a pretty good signal without it.
 
Sponsored Links
If you are happy with their performance, then why change them. Just hook the tplink300 to the lte router and that's it, assuming dhcp everywhere.

PS: btw the B818 has quite nice wifi, good strong signal, you might be able to skip using the tplink300 altogether, depends a lot of the layout of the houses etc, of course.
There is one house approx 100m away and the other approx 150m away from where the router will be installed at the business, with the access points set up it makes sense to make use of them, to me anyway.

I just don’t want to lose signal strength by using inferior routers in the houses, but the tp link 300mb should suffice to get a good signal in house
 
Before you buy an external aerial do try a few SIMs first to check you actually need one.

Sometimes the routers internal aerials can pick up a pretty good signal without it.
Yes, will give router a go on it’s on first and see what signal I get, thanks
 
Before you buy an external aerial do try a few SIMs first to check you actually need one.

Sometimes the routers internal aerials can pick up a pretty good signal without it.
I’ll also check the details of the existing external antenna and see if it is compatible with 4g before I do anything
 
Once you have a the router in a good position, you can try various providers. Try to put your O2 sim in it, see what results that gets you.
To try other providers simply order pay as you go SIMs that you can put a few quid on for your speed tests.
Remember that the "good" position may be different for each provider unless they all happen to be on the same mast.
 
Sponsored Links
Indeed, good point, and sometimes even small position corrections can make a difference.
If you end up with a Huawei lte router, they have a management app called AI Life which can help you find a good position (see pic).
You could use this feature instead of looking at RSRQ, SINR etc values in the device information in the web UI.


Screenshot_20201006-083856_1.png
 
Last edited:
Top
Cheap BIG ISPs for 100Mbps+
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £22.99
132Mbps
Gift: None
Vodafone UK ISP Logo
Vodafone £24.00 - 26.00
150Mbps
Gift: None
NOW UK ISP Logo
NOW £24.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
Plusnet UK ISP Logo
Plusnet £25.99
145Mbps
Gift: £50 Reward Card
Large Availability | View All
Cheapest ISPs for 100Mbps+
Gigaclear UK ISP Logo
Gigaclear £17.00
200Mbps
Gift: None
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £22.99
132Mbps
Gift: None
Hey! Broadband UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Youfibre UK ISP Logo
Youfibre £23.99
150Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Sponsored Links
The Top 15 Category Tags
  1. FTTP (6026)
  2. BT (3639)
  3. Politics (2721)
  4. Business (2439)
  5. Openreach (2405)
  6. Building Digital UK (2330)
  7. Mobile Broadband (2146)
  8. FTTC (2083)
  9. Statistics (1901)
  10. 4G (1816)
  11. Virgin Media (1764)
  12. Ofcom Regulation (1582)
  13. Fibre Optic (1467)
  14. Wireless Internet (1462)
  15. 5G (1407)
Sponsored

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