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ZTE MC801A Review

Issue I have there is load of branches/leafs blocking some of my signal as i cannot do anything about it, only way i can actually get a good signal is using the bluespot mini 5g, without it my 5G Signal Strength is --80/100dBm 5G SINR 6.5 dB, with it antenna i go low as 5G Signal Strength -57/64dBm and 5G SINR in the 30/40s, though bluespot mini 5g helps somewhat
 
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TV BUFFERING

I am puzzled why Netflix was buffering last night and film icon images on main page not loading. Given we have been using Netflix for years on BT Wi-Fi with 45 download and 18 upload and no buffering at all, it can only be the Three upload that is different?

Our Three download speeds are 350-550, upload 4-12 and router was showing full signal. Though there were a few drop outs over the next hour. Service restored very quickly.

I then put an Ethernet cable from router to TV (Panasonic QLED) and buffering speeded up but still saw some unlike when on BT network.

Weather was clear.

Can you help me understand this and make suggestions about how I might fix it?
You could try setting the APN Profile settings to IPV4 Only (if it lets you, you may have to Add a New Profile with these settings) and see if that helps with the Buffering on Netflix.
 
Issue I have there is load of branches/leafs blocking some of my signal as i cannot do anything about it, only way i can actually get a good signal is using the bluespot mini 5g, without it my 5G Signal Strength is --80/100dBm 5G SINR 6.5 dB, with it antenna i go low as 5G Signal Strength -57/64dBm and 5G SINR in the 30/40s, though bluespot mini 5g helps somewhat
Those are good figures. Is that bluespot antenna outside somewhere?
Your only other plan...a ladder and a chainsaw! ;-)
 
Those are good figures. Is that bluespot antenna outside somewhere?
Your only other plan...a ladder and a chainsaw! ;-)
Yeah 2 inches away from window on a J pole looking down road at mast well tress then mast :ROFLMAO:
 

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Planning to mod the 801a adding 2 external 4g ports to the 2 existing 5g . Any recommendation for a antenna .. ( is there one that connects to 4 ports 2 LTE and 2 5g... Or do i have to have 2 separate antennas for 5g and lte )?
 
Planning to mod the 801a adding 2 external 4g ports to the 2 existing 5g . Any recommendation for a antenna .. ( is there one that connects to 4 ports 2 LTE and 2 5g... Or do i have to have 2 separate antennas for 5g and lte )?
You could do both, either use 2 separate 2x2 Mimo Antennas or use 1 Full Band 4x4 Mimo Antenna feed one pair (2x2) for 4G and the other pair (2x2) for 5G, but getting it to work correctly is the challenge.

Heres why, you need to do your Homework on your current Mobile Network surroundings -

1. Is the Network Transmitting the 5G signal from the same Mast as the 4G?, if its not, then using a Combined 4x4 Mimo Antenna isnt going to perform the same as using 2 lots of 2x2 Antennas pointing in different directions.

2. there is no such thing as a 5G External Antenna Ports, most 5G Router Ports only work around the 3.5Ghz Bands, so even if you connect a Full Band Antenna (600 to 3800Mhz) to your 5G Ports your not going to cover the 5G Band N28 or any Re Farmed LTE (3 and 4G) Bands for 5G NR Use.

3. There's a good chance that Adding another External LTE Ports to your Router, that your going to faced with a choice of Bands to use, probably either (600 to 1800Mhz) and (2100 to 2600Mhz) so again which Pair.

Cell ID Locking or Band Locking could help with the above scenarios, or make it worse, you really do need to do some Homework first on your Network Provider, then ideally build in some resilience should they Upgrade the Network or you change Providers.

In the deal world of current 4/5G NSA, MiMo and the way Bands are being Re Used for 5G NR, its always best to use Full Band 4/5G Antennas so your covered, but Full Band Antennas are hard to build and get right, its a very wide Spectrum, hence why 5G Routers break down the Internal Antennas into Bands (and External Ports), Mobile Phones are the same.
 
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Essex Boy shows great knowledge but also shows how difficult it is to add 4G AND 5G antennas.
IMO the 801a is a great little box and if you are getting strong signals then why make your life complicated? You could make things worse! Mine works great on the window sill...
Good luck.
 
Essex Boy shows great knowledge but also shows how difficult it is to add 4G AND 5G antennas.
IMO the 801a is a great little box and if you are getting strong signals then why make your life complicated? You could make things worse! Mine works great on the window sill...
Good luck.
At present I live in a well insulated flat . Using smarty . In side is just useable . On the balcony its excellent but i have to leave the window open .
 
You could do both, either use 2 separate 2x2 Mimo Antennas or use 1 Full Band 4x4 Mimo Antenna feed one pair (2x2) for 4G and the other pair (2x2) for 5G, but getting it to work correctly is the challenge.

Heres why, you need to do your Homework on your current Mobile Network surroundings -

1. Is the Network Transmitting the 5G signal from the same Mast as the 4G?, if its not, then using a Combined 4x4 Mimo Antenna isnt going to perform the same as using 2 lots of 2x2 Antennas pointing in different directions.

2. there is no such thing as a 5G External Antenna Ports, most 5G Router Ports only work around the 3.5Ghz Bands, so even if you connect a Full Band Antenna (600 to 3800Mhz) to your 5G Ports your not going to cover the 5G Band N28 or any Re Farmed LTE (3 and 4G) Bands for 5G NR Use.

3. There's a good chance that Adding another External LTE Ports to your Router, that your going to faced with a choice of Bands to use, probably either (600 to 1800Mhz) and (2100 to 2600Mhz) so again which Pair.

Cell ID Locking or Band Locking could help with the above scenarios, or make it worse, you really do need to do some Homework first on your Network Provider, then ideally build in some resilience should they Upgrade the Network or you change Providers.

In the deal world of current 4/5G NSA, MiMo and the way Bands are being Re Used for 5G NR, its always best to use Full Band 4/5G Antennas so your covered, but Full Band Antennas are hard to build and get right, its a very wide Spectrum, hence why 5G Routers break down the Internal Antennas into Bands (and External Ports), Mobile Phones are the same.
Thank you . I will indeed do all that
 
Essex Boy shows great knowledge but also shows how difficult it is to add 4G AND 5G antennas.
IMO the 801a is a great little box and if you are getting strong signals then why make your life complicated? You could make things worse! Mine works great on the window sill...
Good luck.
Thank you, and I absolutely agree with you if it does what it says on the Tin and it works out of the Box, and your happy, then don't try and fix it.

Sadly it doesn't always work that way and some peeps expect it to, then when it doesn't, assume slapping an Extenna outside is an instant cure, but as you say its not always that easy.

I do end up giving a lot of input and my thoughts on the EE Forum, I like to help if I can, but one thing I do end repeating, is, do some homework on your Network surrounding if you can, OK it's all a bit painful with the different Bands on 4G, the newer 5G tech and the overall trickery of LTE, but even a real basic understanding of your Local Network Area can sometime help to punch in some Data Speed improvement but more inportant hopefully give the User some consistantcy from the Network.
 
Can anyone help with an issue with my router (ZTE MC801) as I was playing around with the band lock/cell lock this morning, rebooted and ever since then the power button lights for a few seconds, goes off and ...nothing. I've held the reset button down, held it down whilst removing and adding the power supply back but all to no avail. I'm now simply getting the power light for a few seconds only whenever I plug it in. I cannot connect to it's IP address either. Appreciate any help.
 
Can anyone help with an issue with my router (ZTE MC801) as I was playing around with the band lock/cell lock this morning, rebooted and ever since then the power button lights for a few seconds, goes off and ...nothing. I've held the reset button down, held it down whilst removing and adding the power supply back but all to no avail. I'm now simply getting the power light for a few seconds only whenever I plug it in. I cannot connect to it's IP address either. Appreciate any help.
Put a pin in reset button under the router . Hold for a total 90sec .. 1st 30 sec with power on then remove power wait 30 sec the put power back and wait 30sec more then release the pin .hope it helps
 
Put a pin in reset button under the router . Hold for a total 90sec .. 1st 30 sec with power on then remove power wait 30 sec the put power back and wait 30sec more then release the pin .hope it helps
Thank you but I've tried that twice now - and nothing still!
 
Looks like it's a goner in that case! Strange that you managed to kill it by band/cell locking as I don't think I've heard about this "issue" before.
 
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