4G LTE - Mobile Wifi / Wireless Router / Hotspot

[itchying]

Hi experts, i have an old huawei mifi e5786. Can work with simba sim only? Last time i use singtel mobile sim but keep getting disconnected at times. Tia

 

[newcell]

Hi experts, i have an old huawei mifi e5786. Can work with simba sim only? Last time i use singtel mobile sim but keep getting disconnected at times. Tia

Not an expert. But like to share that Simba some places very poor data reception. Best to borrow an test B4 getting. Test during peak hours.

 

[keenklee]

Not an expert. But like to share that Simba some places very poor data reception. Best to borrow an test B4 getting. Test during peak hours.

IMHO.
In this aspect, Heya.SG is actually good in the sense, u get a new number for $10 - 100Gb, if it doesn't work out just leave it alone to expire.

 

[newcell]

IMHO.
In this aspect, Heya.SG is actually good in the sense, u get a new number for $10 - 100Gb, if it doesn't work out just leave it alone to expire.

Most works well near to Shopping mall and food centre. Those staying at fringe areas needs to try out and find the best. Especially if using it often at same location. Important to read their T & C B4 getting.

 

[itchying]

Most works well near to Shopping mall and food centre. Those staying at fringe areas needs to try out and find the best. Especially if using it often at same location. Important to read their T & C B4 getting.

For simba sim only, after 30days can also cancel anytime no fee with termination form?

 

[newcell]

For simba sim only, after 30days can also cancel anytime no fee with termination form?

Yes, done it sometimes ago

 

[Kiwi8]

I think sometime in the future I will want to use mobile plan for my home network. This means I want to plug the connection to my home network router to broadcast via wifi or even ethernet.

Hence ideally this will mean that the mobile connection should have ethernet connection to the router. But then again, apparently from the tests here, using mobile sim router seems to have more throttling and less speeds than using a normal phone to share the network. Probably will need a phone that can connect a USB-c to ethernet adapter then.

 

[keenklee]

I think sometime in the future I will want to use mobile plan for my home network. This means I want to plug the connection to my home network router to broadcast via wifi or even ethernet.

Hence ideally this will mean that the mobile connection should have ethernet connection to the router. But then again, apparently from the tests here, using mobile sim router seems to have more throttling and less speeds than using a normal phone to share the network. Probably will need a phone that can connect a USB-c to ethernet adapter then.

IMHO.
You can perhaps experiment with devices like below. It can tether to a mobile phone. I have not tested, but should be able to connect it as WAN on existing network.

https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-mt300n-v2/

 

[Kiwi8]

IMHO.
You can perhaps experiment with devices like below. It can tether to a mobile phone. I have not tested, but should be able to connect it as WAN on existing network.

https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-mt300n-v2/

Actually if I get those phones that support USB-C to ethernet adapter it would be cheaper isn't it? The only thing I worried is that after plugging in the USB port the phone cannot be charged. Then it would not be able to become a 24/7 solution.

 

[keenklee]

Actually if I get those phones that support USB-C to ethernet adapter it would be cheaper isn't it? The only thing I worried is that after plugging in the USB port the phone cannot be charged. Then it would not be able to become a 24/7 solution.

IMHO.
Yes, can connect USB-C Ethernet to mobile - I can access internet, only not sure if plug to router, can the traffic route thru the mobile.

You also can look at those USB-C to HDMI adaptor with PD for mobile. Besides the HDMI, there is the port for charging and USB port. Never try before but should be able to support USB-Ethernet adaptor.

 

[boonkang]

I think sometime in the future I will want to use mobile plan for my home network. This means I want to plug the connection to my home network router to broadcast via wifi or even ethernet.

Hence ideally this will mean that the mobile connection should have ethernet connection to the router. But then again, apparently from the tests here, using mobile sim router seems to have more throttling and less speeds than using a normal phone to share the network. Probably will need a phone that can connect a USB-c to ethernet adapter then.

Most people will tell you -- just buy a router that can put in SIM card.

Although such routers allow you to access Internet via (the SIM card's) mobile data -- most/many such routers don't support making/receiving mobile calls or send/receive SMS.

Keep SIM card in your 4G or 5G (or even eSIM capable) phone retains maximum flexibility...
-- but how to interface phone's mobile hotspot function to act as WAN/Internet access for the home (or office) network?

A few possible solutions -- but IMHO, one easy way is simply to use a router that can support WISP mode (or wirelsss client mode).

That's it. DONE.

If you don't have a router that supports wirelsss client / WISP mode; OR can't find a cheap wirelsss client / WISP mode capable router to try/test...

(a) Just go buy a cheap D-Link DIR-868L router from Carousell -- reset it & flash to latest (3rd party) Fresh Tomato firmware (or any cheap router that supports Fresh Tomato firmware)
(b) Enable wirelsss client / WISP mode on the Fresh Tomato firmware + connect to your phone's mobile hotspot.
(c) No need to throw away your current router, just change your current router to AP (access point) mode & connect it via LAN cable to the DIR-868L router.

DONE.

Have tested / tried out the above -- years ago.

There're pros & cons to just about anything you do in life, so there're advantages & disadvantages to using your phone's hotspot as WAN/Internet access (for your home).

Of course there are some things things that you can take note -- that will improve your experience in using above method/technique.
(I lazy to type a super lengthy post discussing all details.)

Yes, yes, I know...

Some people may ask -- why not just use a USB-C / lightning to LAN adapter & connect it to your phone?

- Many USB-C / lightning to LAN adapters are limited to only 100Mbps speed.
(If you use WISP mode capable router + use 5Ghz WiFi to connect to your phone's hotpsot -- you should get bandwidth higher than 100Mbps.)

- Some adapters may have compatibility issues depending on your phone model and/or Android / iOS version.
- Some don't have pass through port -- so you can't charge your phone while using the USB-C / lightning to LAN adapter.
- If you receive a phone call while your phone is connected to the USB-C / lightning to LAN adapter -- it may be very awkward or difficult to pick up the phone, answer the incoming call & walk around to talk (on the phone)

 

[keenklee]

@Kiwi8

IMHO.
Such adaptor also can be used for Samsung DEX.

https://www.trendnet.com/products/u...ith-power-delivery-and-usb-3.0-port-TUC-HDMI3

 

[Kiwi8]

Most people will tell you -- just buy a router that can put in SIM card.

Although such routers allow you to access Internet via (the SIM card's) mobile data -- most/many such routers don't support making/receiving mobile calls or send/receive SMS.

Keep SIM card in your 4G or 5G (or even eSIM capable) phone retains maximum flexibility...
-- but how to interface phone's mobile hotspot function to act as WAN/Internet access for the home (or office) network?

A few possible solutions -- but IMHO, one easy way is simply to use a router that can support WISP mode (or wirelsss client mode).

That's it. DONE.

If you don't have a router that supports wirelsss client / WISP mode; OR can't find a cheap wirelsss client / WISP mode capable router to try/test...

(a) Just go buy a cheap D-Link DIR-868L router from Carousell -- reset it & flash to latest (3rd party) Fresh Tomato firmware (or any cheap router that supports Fresh Tomato firmware)
(b) Enable wirelsss client / WISP mode on the Fresh Tomato firmware + connect to your phone's mobile hotspot.
(c) No need to throw away your current router, just change your current router to AP (access point) mode & connect it via LAN cable to the DIR-868L router.

DONE.

Have tested / tried out the above -- years ago.

There're pros & cons to just about anything you do in life, so there're advantages & disadvantages to using your phone's hotspot as WAN/Internet access (for your home).

Of course there are some things things that you can take note -- that will improve your experience in using above method/technique.
(I lazy to type a super lengthy post discussing all details.)

Yes, yes, I know...

Some people may ask -- why not just use a USB-C / lightning to LAN adapter & connect it to your phone?

- Many USB-C / lightning to LAN adapters are limited to only 100Mbps speed.
(If you use WISP mode capable router + use 5Ghz WiFi to connect to your phone's hotpsot -- you should get bandwidth higher than 100Mbps.)

- Some adapters may have compatibility issues depending on your phone model and/or Android / iOS version.
- Some don't have pass through port -- so you can't charge your phone while using the USB-C / lightning to LAN adapter.
- If you receive a phone call while your phone is connected to the USB-C / lightning to LAN adapter -- it may be very awkward or difficult to pick up the phone, answer the incoming call & walk around to talk (on the phone)

DIR-868L used to be my main router connecting to fibre modem, but I have always experienced periodic wifi problems with it. In fact I have 2 such routers and both exhibited the same symptoms. I suspect it has got to do with the wifi chip on the router. Anyway once I had the Google WiFi router there was no more wifi DC issues.

But your suggestion of using a Tomato router to connect to phone hotspot is good indeed. I'm fact my DIR-868L router installed Tomato too, and is connected to my Google WiFi to supply more ethernet ports cos Google WiFi had only 1 wan port and 1 lan port.

 

[boonkang]

DIR-868L used to be my main router connecting to fibre modem, but I have always experienced periodic wifi problems with it.

From my humble experience: For MANY routers -- the stock firmware SUCKS.

I've much better experience using the DIR-868L router -- AFTER flashing it to 3rd party firmware (like Fresh Tomato).

BEFORE that -- I also had much better experience using various TP-Link / Linksys routers running 3rd party firmware (compared to stock firmware).

There was a period of time...

I had the DIR-868L router on Tomato firmware -- running as the main router CONTINUOUSLY 24x7 for close to 2yrs without ANY reboot -- and it works perfectly fine (including no problems with the WiFi).

Of course, if you do not like the DIR-868L, you can use any other router -- as long as it's wireless client / WISP mode capable -- to connect to your phone's hotspot for WAN/Internet access.

 

[keenklee]

@Kiwi8

IMHO.
Such adaptor also can be used for Samsung DEX.

https://www.trendnet.com/products/u...ith-power-delivery-and-usb-3.0-port-TUC-HDMI3

@Kiwi8

IMHO.
My Samsung A14 5G have an Ethernet tethering mode.
I connected the above adaptor to it, plug in a type-C for charging and to the usb port, connected a random lying around gigabit Ethernet adaptor with the other end to a random old dlink router. One set to Ethernet tethering, everything works. Free I go try on an AX router.

P.S. I actually intended to try this awhile back but just never got around to.

 

[Shadowbreak]

I was wondering if anybody in this thread has any idea if my 4G LTE router is the problem for really low internet speeds I am encountering. I am currently using a Prolink DL-7302 with a SIMBA SIM card but I can barely get 1-2 Mbps of download speed.

Should I have just gotten a better model or is this normal for most 4G LTE routers?

 

[keenklee]

I was wondering if anybody in this thread has any idea if my 4G LTE router is the problem for really low internet speeds I am encountering. I am currently using a Prolink DL-7302 with a SIMBA SIM card but I can barely get 1-2 Mbps of download speed.

Should I have just gotten a better model or is this normal for most 4G LTE routers?

IMHO.
Maybe you put the SIMBA sim into your mobile phone and check the speed.
SIMBA not really fast in my location - in my mobile, the speed is 2.17 Mbps download.

 

[keenklee]

@Shadowbreak

IMHO.
Maybe try Heya.SG or Zym ( no contract ), also $10.

 

[Shadowbreak]

yeah looks like I will give either of those of 'em a try. I used a Starhub Prepaid SIM Card in the past and had similar speeds which led me to think it could be my router model being the issue after trying out SIMBA.

 

[keenklee]

yeah looks like I will give either of those of 'em a try. I used a Starhub Prepaid SIM Card in the past and had similar speeds which led me to think it could be my router model being the issue after trying out SIMBA.

IMHO.
An alternative, since the router is in a way "portable", you can bring it to another location and see if the speed improves.