HUAWEI 4G LTE CPE/Router Archives – Page 10 of 16

Huawei B618 VoIP Settings

VoIP

The Huawei B618 4G Router supports voice services based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and voice calls between the Internet and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Configuring an SIP Server
Configure parameters for the SIP registration and agent servers according to the instructions on this page.
Managing SIP Accounts
The Huawei B618 lets you add, modify, or delete your SIP accounts and view their registration status.
Managing Speed-Dial Numbers
Assign short and easy-to-remember speed-dial numbers for your contacts. You can then simply dial the speed-dial number instead of entering the entire number. The Huawei B618 Router lets you add, modify, or delete your speed-dial numbers.
Configuring Advanced Voice Settings
This topic describes how to configure advanced voice settings. It is recommended that you retain the default settings.
Setting the Codecs
You can configure voice codec settings. However, you are recommended to retain the default settings.

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Configuring an SIP Server

Configure parameters for the SIP registration and agent servers according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > SIP Server .
In Proxy server address, enter the IP address or domain name provided by your service provider.
In Proxy server port, enter the port provided by your service provider.
In Registration server address, enter the IP address or domain name of the registration server provided by your service provider.
In Registration server port, enter the port of the registration server provided by your service provider.
In SIP server domain name, enter the domain name of the SIP server.

NOTE:

If Secondary server is selected, follow the preceding steps to configure the parameters for it.

Click Apply.

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Managing SIP Accounts

The Huawei B618 4G Router lets you add, modify, or delete your SIP accounts and view their registration status.

Adding an SIP Account
Add an SIP account according to the instructions on this page.
Modifying an SIP Account
Modify an SIP account according to the instructions on this page.
Deleting an SIP Account
Delete a SIP account according to the instructions on this page.
Checking the SIP Account Registration Status
Check your SIP accounts and their registration status according to the instructions on this page.

Adding an SIP Account

Add an SIP account according to the instructions on this page.

Prerequisite

Before you configure an SIP account, configure the SIP server. For details, see Configuring an SIP Server.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > SIP Account.
Click Add.
In SIP Account, enter the account number provided by your service provider.
In User nameand Password, enter your user name and password provided by your service provider for voice services.
Click OK.

Modifying an SIP Account

Modify an SIP account according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > SIP Account.
Click Edit.
In SIP Account, modify the account number.
In User name and Password, modify your user name and password for voice services.
Click OK.

Deleting an SIP Account

Delete a SIP account according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > SIP Account.
Click Delete.
From the displayed dialog box, click OK.

Checking the SIP Account Registration Status

Check your SIP accounts and their registration status according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > SIP Account.
In Registration Status, view the registration status of all your SIP accounts.

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Managing Speed-Dial Numbers

Assign short and easy-to-remember speed-dial numbers for your contacts. You can then simply dial the speed-dial number instead of entering the entire number. The Huawei B618 4G Router lets you add, modify, or delete your speed-dial numbers.

Adding a Speed-Dial Number
Add a speed-dial number according to the instructions on this page.
Modifying a Speed-Dial Number
Modify a speed-dial number according to the instructions on this page.
Deleting a Speed-Dial Number
Delete a speed-dial number according to the instructions on this page.

Adding a Speed-Dial Number

Add a speed-dial number according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > Speed Dial .
Click Add.
In Speed Dial Number, enter a number easy to remember.
In Actual Number, enter the actual number.
In Description, enter a description for the speed-dial number.
Click OK.
Click Apply.

Modifying a Speed-Dial Number

Modify a speed-dial number according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > Speed Dial .
Click Edit.
In Speed Dial Number, modify a speed-dial number.
In Actual Number, modify the actual number.
In Description, change the description.
Click OK.
Click Apply.

Deleting a Speed-Dial Number

Delete a speed-dial number according to the instructions on this page.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > Speed Dial .
Click Delete.
From the displayed dialog box, click OK.
Click Apply.

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Configuring Advanced Voice Settings

This topic describes how to configure advanced voice settings. It is recommended that you retain the default settings.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > Advanced Voice Settings.
From the DTMF mode drop-down list, select a method for transmitting DTMF messages during calls.
From the Fax protocol drop-down list, select a method for transmitting faxes.
From the Outgoing list drop-down list, select a method.
Click Apply.

Setting the Codecs

You can configure voice codec settings. However, you are recommended to retain the default settings.

Procedure

Choose Settings> VoIP > Advanced Codec Settings.
From the Primary codec type drop-down list, choose the first voice codec type.
From the Secondary codec type drop-down list, choose the second voice codec type.
From the Third codec type drop-down list, choose the third voice codec type.
From the Fourth codec type drop-down list, choose the fourth voice codec type.
From the Fifth codec type drop-down list, choose the fifth voice codec type.
From the Sixth codec type drop-down list, choose the sixth voice codec type.
Click Apply.

Check more details about Huawei B618 4G Router here: https://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-b618-lte-cat11-router.html

Huawei B618 DHCP Settings

Huawei B618 DHCP Settings

Enabling the DHCP Server
If the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is enabled, the Mobile Broadband allocates IP addresses to clients connected to it.
Disabling the DHCP Server
If the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is disabled, the Mobile Broadband does not allocate IP addresses to clients connected to it and IP addresses must be entered from each client.
Configuring DHCP Clients
If the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is enabled, certain settings must be configured on clients.

Huawei B618 Enabling the DHCP Server

If the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is enabled, the Huawei B618 4G Router allocates IP addresses to clients connected to it.

Context

DHCP IP rangeand DHCP lease time (s) are available to be set only when the DHCP server is enabled.
After the DHCP server is enabled, enable the function to automatically obtain an IP address and a DNS server address from clients.

Procedure

Choose Settings> DHCP.
In IP address, enter the two last digits of the Huawei B618 4G Router‘s IP address.
Select Enable to enable the DHCP server.
In DHCP IP range, enter the last digit of the start IP address and the end IP address.
In DHCP lease time (s), enter a lease time.
Click Apply.

Huawei B618 Disabling the DHCP Server

If the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is disabled, the Huawei B618 4G Router does not allocate IP addresses to clients connected to it and IP addresses must be entered from each client.

Procedure

Choose Settings> DHCP.
Select Disableto disable the DHCP server.
Click Apply.

Huawei B618 Configuring DHCP Clients

If the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is enabled, certain settings must be configured on clients.

Context

The following describe how to configure DHCP settings on a computer running Windows 7 as an example.

Procedure

Choose Start> Control Panel.
From the Viewed bydrop-down list, choose Category.
Choose Network and Internet> Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings > Wireless Network Connection .
Right click the network icon that you want to configure and choose Properties.
On the Networking tab page, choose Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) or Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties.
On the Internet Protocol 6 (TCP/IPv6) Properties dialog box, select Obtain an IPv6 address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically. Or on the Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties dialog box, select Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
Click OK.

Check more details about Huawei B618 4G Router here: https://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-b618-lte-cat11-router.html

Huawei B618 Firmware Online and Locally Update Guide

Online Update

The Mobile Broadband provides the online update function.

Procedure

Click Update to check the current version information.

NOTE:

During your update, do not close the browser or unplug the Mobile Broadband.
When detecting a new version and being updated, the Mobile Broadband reports the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) encrypted by RSA to the online update server.

Click Check for Updates. The Mobile Broadband will detect the latest version.
Click Update Now. A Downloading…dialog is displayed, showing the download progress.

A Confirm dialog is displayed, indicating that the download succeeds.

Click OK.

Updating Locally

Before performing a local update of the Mobile Broadband application, save the update package to your computer.

Procedure

Choose Update> Local Update.
Click Browse.

In the displayed dialog box, select the update package saved to your computer.

Click Open.
Click Update.

NOTE:

During the update, do not disconnect the Mobile Broadband from its power supply or your computer.

Click OK.

When the update is complete, the Mobile Broadband automatically restarts with the new version installed.

Check more details about Huawei B618 4G Router here: https://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-b618-lte-cat11-router.html

Huawei B618 Traffic Statistics Settings

Viewing Traffic Statistics

Traffic statistics provide the network connection duration and traffic generated.

Context

NOTE:

Traffic statistics are provided for your reference only. Accurate traffic records can be obtained from the bill provided by your operator.

Procedure

Click Statistics.
View the traffic data.

Clearing Traffic Statistics

This section describes how to clear the recorded traffic statistics.

Procedure

Click Statistics.
Click Clear Historyto display the Confirm dialog box.
Click OK.

Setting the Monthly Traffic Statistics Function

You can set the monthly traffic statistics function and view the network traffic of the current month.

Procedure

Click Statistics.
Click Data Plan.

The Data Plan dialog box is displayed.

Set the monthly traffic statistics parameters.

NOTE:

If your traffic usage in the current month exceeds Threshold of Monthly data plan, the bar color on the Statistics page changes. Pay attention to your traffic usage to avoid incurring high data costs.

Click Save.

NOTE:

Click Edit to modify the monthly traffic statistics parameters.

Check more details about Huawei B618 4G Router here: https://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-b618-lte-cat11-router.html

Huawei B618 Sharing Files Using Samba

The Samba Service allows computers running different operating system to access files in the USB storage device connected to Huawei B618 4G Router.

Prerequisite

Before you use the Samba Service, set the user rights and accessible folders. For details, see Setting User Rights.

Procedure

Choose More> Sharing > Samba Server .
Select Enable Samba sharing.

Example

A USB storage device connected to Huawei B618 4G Router contains photos, videos, and audio clips. User A wants to edit the photos, while user B wants to copy the videos. Due to security reasons, user A must be prevented from copying the videos, and user B must be prevented from viewing the photos. In this scenario, you can use Samba to set different folder access rights for different users.

NOTE:

The computer runs Windows 7.

Choose More> Sharing > Samba Server .
Select Enable Samba sharing.
Choose More> Sharing > User Settings.
Click Add.
Set the read/write and folder access rights for users A and B.

User name	Password	Confirm password	Rights	Directory
admin1	admin123	admin123	Read/Write	The folder where the photos are saved
admin2	admin234	admin234	Read only	The folder where the videos are saved

Choose Start> Run , enter \\192.168.8.1, and press Enter.
If your device supports IPv6, please go to Start> Run,enter the IPv6 address, and then press Enter.

NOTE:

Set the IPv6 address as follows: Prefix the address with two backslashes (\\), substitute the colon (:) with a hyphen (-), and use .ipv6-literal.net as the suffix.

Example: If the IPv6 address is 2001:4898:9:3:c069:aa97:fe76:2449, it should be converted to \\2001-4898-9-3-c069-aa97-fe76-2449.ipv6-literal.net.

Check more details about Huawei B618 4G Router here: https://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-b618-lte-cat11-router.html

Difference Between Huawei B618 and E5180 LTE Cube

You may use the Huawei E5180 LTE Cube at home for wireless internet connection. It’s a good wireless router in cool shape like a cube. With the development of LTE networks, the end-users and the network providers have a higher demand for the user equipment. Here comes the new LTE router Huawei B618, which seems to be upgraded from the Huawei E5180 cube and in this article, we will see what’s the difference between the Huawei B618 and E5180, and what functions have been improved from the old one to the new one.

Appearance

Following the Cube shape design of Huawei E5180, Huawei B618 is also in white color but has a larger body and higher if stands on a desk. Perhaps because the B618 has more interfaces for multi-functions, the B618 weights much more than E5180. On the front of Huawei E5180, there is only one signal indicator and one WiFi indicator, but on the B618, there are three signal indicators, and the power, status, LAN, WiFi, mode indicators & WPS button are listed.

On the back, Huawei E5180s-22 has one LAN port, one telephone port and one power plug port. The E5180s-610 only has one LAN ports, no telephone port. Two connectors for the external antenna are listed at another side of the body. Huawei B618 has two LAN ports(one is also for WAN), one USB 2.0 port, one telephone port and power plug port. What’s more, the B618 router also has the power button and two connectors for external antenna, which are covered by a small cap.

On the top side, Huawei E5180 has the Huawei logo but it’s empty on the Huawei B618 top side. They both have one label on the bottom, which indicates the model number, SSID, WiFi key/password, power rating, IMEI and S/N number, and other certification logos. The Huawei B618 has extra WPS Pin on the label. And they both have the SIM card slot at the bottom and uses a Micro SIM card.

Technical Specifications

As an LTE Category 4 router, Huawei E5180 can support peak download speed up to 150Mbps and upload speed to 50mbps. The new Huawei B618 LTE Cat11 router could achieve almost 4 times the speed from E5180, i.e download speed to 600mbps. Huawei E5180 can support maximum 32 users to access the internet while Huawei B618 can support 64 WiFi users, which is double of that from E5180.

The WLAN standard of Huawei E5180 is IEEE 802.11 b/g/n on single band 2.4GHz. The Huawei B618s-22d can support the latest 802.11 ac besides a/b/g/n on dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz).

Management

The two routers could both be managed from the web interface in the browser, but Huawei also provides the APP to manage the routers from Smartphones or Pads.

It’s no doubt that the Huawei B618 with higher specs is much better than E5180, but frankly speaking, the Huawei E5180 cube is enough for most users at home or office. If you don’t have too many requirements for the router, Huawei E5180 is budget one to recommend. Huawei B618 is also good to recommend because it’s future-proof and would provide fantastic surfing experience under LTE-advanced networks.

Huawei E5180s-22 4G WiFi Router for Bouygues 4G Box

The French network provider Bouygues Télécom offers a 4G data plan for areas with poor ADSL coverage. The plan details has been using available especially in the areas eligible for this offer. The 4G data was offered to improve Internet reception for ADSL subscribers in poorly covered areas.

To do this, the operator proposes a 4G “Box” with a SIM card and an “unlimited” monthly data plan. The 4G Box is actually the Huawei E5180 LTE Cube, which is a 4G Wireless Router and working with the 4G SIM card. To look at it more closely, the LTE router provide WiFi signal with an Ethernet connection.

Basically, the 4G router is praiseworthy for underserved users, especially with an unlimited monthly data offer. However, this offer is accompanied by many restrictions that greatly reduce the notion of unlimited internet BOX, although it is important for users to provide better internet experience.

First, you have to be eligible for the offer. The offer only includes data, excluding the Voice and of course the TV. The Huawei E5180 LTE router is not mobile, so user can’t take it outdoor for holiday or weekend activities. Bouygues reserves the possibility of limiting the bit rates in video download to 2 Mbps if necessary.

The 4G+ is not available. The “BOX” Huawei router (LTE Cube E5180), was widely distributed by operators as part of data offer, especially by Orange at one time. The E5180 router only supports the 4G category 4, so is limited to a theoretical rate of 150 Mbt/s for download and 50 Mbt/s for upload. It’s not bad to compensate for a very bad ADSL speed, but damage for a so-called “widely” 4G+.

The Huawei E5180 supports WiFi 802.11 b/g/n but is limited to 2.4 GHz. The 5GHz is not available. If the model is Huawei E5180s-22, the supported bands are 4G LTE Band 1/3/7/20/38 (FDD 800/1800/2100/2600 MHz), and it supports up to 32 wireless users simultaneously. An RJ45 port and an RJ-11 port are available for WAN/LAN connection and telephone.

However, the solution of the LTE link via 4G Mifi routers is a good alternative for underserved areas in ADSL connection but correctly covered in 4G, the required condition is an adequate antenna infrastructure and backhaul Fiber capable of absorbing many connections with a large flow, a LTE router serving one or more PCs not the equivalent of a smartphone.

Actually, there is new LTE router available which is similar to Huawei E5180, and with higher specification, which could supports LTE-A network and faster downstream connection. The new model is Huawei B618, which is a LTE cat.11 router, you could check more details about if on www.4gltemall.com .

Huawei Offers 4G LTE Cat.11 WiFi Router B618

In the forest of WiFi routers proposed by the manufacturer, some routers are sometimes only available in some countries. The new CPE Huawei B618 joins the family of 4G category 11 routers recently. As a reminder, category 11 (3GPP rel. 12) allows peak downstream rate of 600 Mbps and 50 Mbps in upload. The category 11 specifies the aggregate of 3 carriers (256 QAM) in download for a single frequency in upload. 2 x 2 and 4 x 4 MIMO support is possible.

Huawei B618 B618s-22d 4G Router

Here now in the market, there are two models for Huawei B618, they are Huawei B618s-22d and B618s-65d. They support different network frequency bands as below:

Huawei B618s-22d Supports:

– 4G LTE Band 1/3/7/8/20/38 (FDD 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz & TDD 2600MHz)
– DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/HSPA/UMTS：Band 1/8 2100MHz/900MHz
– EDGE/GPRS/GSM：Band 2/3/5/8 1900MHz/1800MHz/850MHz/900MHz

Huawei B618s-65d Supports:

– 4G LTE Band 1/3/5/7/8/28/40 (FDD 700/850/900/1800/2100/2600MHz & TDD 2300MHz)
– DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/HSPA/UMTS：Band 1/5/8 2100MHz/900MHz/850MHz
– EDGE/GPRS/GSM：Band 2/3/5/8 1900MHz/1800MHz/850MHz/900MHz

Huawei B618 B618s-22d 4G Router

We suppose there will be other sub-models available Like Huawei E5186 4G LTE Cat6 router in near future to meet various demand from the network providers over the world. Currently, the Huawei B618 is only marketed in Poland as of February. Nevertheless, the displayed bands (and firmwares) should ensure good compatibility on F networks.

On the back side, you will see the power button, a WPS activation button. A USB 2.0 port is available for media sharing. An Ethernet LAN port allows wired distribution and a second port allows either an Ethernet output or a WAN input. This WAN input option assumes the presence of a Failover mode in the event of loss of either the WAN link or the 4G link. An RJ11 port is also used to connect a phone or fax. The AC power connector is located at the lower end, knowing that the Huawei B618 does not have an internal battery for standalone operation.

Huawei B618 B618s-22d 4G Router

Finally, a hatch (not visible here) contains 2 external antenna connectors for 3G & 4G antennas. The connector type is TS-9 and we recommend below the external antennas to get better signal:

Huawei B618 4G Router LTE Indoor External Antenna:

http://www.4gltemall.com/4g-antenna-two-ts-9-connector.html

4G LTE Indoor Antenna (2 x TS-9 Connectors) for Huawei/ZTE 4G LTE Modems/dongles/mobile hotspots

Huawei B618 4G Router LTE Outdoor External Antenna:

http://www.4gltemall.com/4g-lte-outdoor-antenna-2-x-ts-9-connectors.html

4G LTE Outdoor Antenna (2 x TS-9 Connectors) for Huawei/ZTE 4G LTE Dongles/aircards/modems/mobile hotspots

On the WiFi side, the WLAN module supports the 802.11ac standard with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies for a maximum rate of 867 Mbps. The router supports 64 simultaneous WiFi connections (32 per band) via 2 non-removable internal antennas.

Huawei B618 B618s-22d bottom label

Huawei B618 is compatible with the Hilink® smartphone administration application. For now, the Huawei B618 router is distributed in Poland via the PLAY operator in various monthly data offers. And we could also provide the unlocked Huawei B618 Router on www.4gltemall.com Case to follow.

Huawei B528s-23a(Vodafone GigaCube) Features and Test

The Huawei-built Vodafone Giga Cube (model number Huawei B528s-23a) is a mobile LTE router that brings Internet-enabled devices in the vicinity to the Internet. As known from the domestic WLAN router, users can use their smartphone, tablet or computer to enter a password into the Giga Cube network and thus connect to the device. The Giga Cube, in turn, connects to the Vodafone LTE mobile network. This is the case with speeds of up to 150 MBit/s on the Internet.

Fast WLAN ac, LTE theoretically with 300 Mbit/s

The Vodafone GigaCube supports the LTE Cat.6 standard and is therefore theoretically designed for download rates of up to 300 Mbit/s. In the Giga Cube tariff from Vodafone, however, the actual maximum data rate is limited to 150 Mbit/s in the download. In the future, Vodafone should screw the LTE speed up in the tariff and the maximum upload is 50 Mbps.

Thanks to the WLAN specification 802.11 b/g/n/ac, the Giga Cube uses the latest state-of-the-art WLAN technology to provide the best possible data transmission. The transmission in the frequency ranges runs at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The range of the Giga cubes depends, of course, on the local conditions and, for example, on separating walls; In an open environment, LTE routers of this type reach up to 250 meters.

Up to 64 internet-capable devices such as smartphones, tablets or notebooks can be connected to the Giga Cube at the same time via WLAN. Alternatively, a Gigabit LAN port is also available on the back of the device. A TV, a computer or a game console can also be connected to the LTE router via LAN cable.

Surfing only with power supply

For use, the Vodafone Giga Cube is dependent on a permanent power connection. Anyone who wants to be online via the router needs a power supply nearby. At home, in a hotel or in a holiday apartment, this should not be a problem. At the campsite, a power connection is usually also possible. Even if the Giga Cube LTE router does not have a battery, the WLAN from the outlet is nevertheless very flexible.

Installation

Installation of the Vodafone Giga Cubes is actually very fast: simply insert valid SIM card into the SIM card slot on the back. Then the Giga Cube is still plugged into the socket. The Giga Cube then automatically dials into the Vodafone mobile network to establish the Internet connection. After that, of course, the used Internet-enabled device must be connected to the LTE router. This is usually done by entering the WLAN password – as is the same as used by the domestic WLAN router.

LTE network Keeping Upgrade

Vodafone has significantly expanded LTE in its mobile network in the last few years and is continuing this expansion on an ongoing basis. The LTE network cover is correspondingly high for Vodafone customers, but there are still areas where no LTE coverage exists. In addition, the maximum possible data rates vary from place to place. Speeds of up to 50 Mbit/s are already available in many places, but higher speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s are more rare. Where no LTE is available, the cube accesses the 3G network (UMTS) or GSM (2G) in an emergency.

All in all, the Internet speed usable with the Vodafone Giga Cube depends on the conditions on site. But even a data rate of 10 Mbit/s and more offers a neat surfing. It is also recommended to set the router for better reception close to the window. Actually, if you use unlocked Vodafone Gigacube or Huawei B528 Cube, you may get much faster speed to 300mbit/s on your own network provider rather than Vodafone.

Vodafone GigaCube Test

The Vodafone Gigacube is easy to use. First, the SIM card must be inserted, as soon as the GigaCube is powered, it can then go directly. The Vodafone “WLAN from the socket” is ready. The Internet speed in the Praxistest was quite high. Although we did not reach the maximum possible speed to 150 Mbit/s, the average available is more than 50 Mbps, which is always comfortable Internet surfing. The good LTE network availability in the state capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg does not distort the test result by any means, because Vodafone scores with a high network quality throughout Germany. Currently, more than 90% of the population can use Vodafone LTE.

The LTE network availability fits with the Vodafone GigaCube, in the daily use we had always a very good Internet line available. We also have nothing to complain about in the setup, WLAN-enabled devices can easily be integrated into the home network. This works either by entering a password or by using the WPS button. And Vodafone has also thought of the domestic PC, by means of network cable, the PC can also access internet easily.

If you want, the GigaCube can assign its own network name. After the first time the internet browser is started, the login area for the GigaCube user interface is automatically activated. Here you should also assign your own password directly. After this is done, the current data volume can be viewed here. This is possible on the smartphone or tablet alternatively also by app.

A great advantage of the GigaCube is the flexible use. This allowed us to put the LTE router into operation practically anywhere, only one power supply must be available on site. In the house or apartment it is recommended to place the GigaCube at the place with the best net quality.

Summary

Vodafone Gigacube is a good home router needing a power supply when working. It supports fast wireless surfing speed while the Ethernet cable connection is also possible for PC. The Gigacube is easy to setup and connect; management via APP or web interface is possible. If you are considering changing the DSL router, you may consider the Huawei B528 or Vodafone Gigacube for network upgrade with much faster speed.

Vodafone GigaCube (Huawei B528) In First Test

Last month, Vodafone has presented the GigaCube for a package of routers and mobile phone rates. The router is the Huawei B528, which is also without Vodafone branding. Only the outer packaging carries the design of the telecommunication service provider. The GigaCube itself has the manufacturer Huawei’s logo and there is no indication of Vodafone. Now we have the opportunity to have closer look at the GigaCube router.

Not suitable for mobile use

The Vodafone GigaCube is 105 x 105 x 181 millimeters in size. The body is not in small size, so you may not take it in hand like Huawei E5787 mobile WiFi hotspots. For this reason alone, the GigaCube is not suitable for mobile use, but it’s cool for the weekend house, the caravan, the hotel room or the apartment. In addition, there is no inserted battery or replacable battery in the Huawei B528 GigaCube. Instead, the unit is powered only by the included power supply.

As an alternative to WLAN, a notebook can also be connected to the router via a network cable. Such a cable is included with the GigaCube. The connector is located on the back of the device. There is also the socket with which the power supply is connected to the mobile hotspot. Under one flap there are also jacks, via which external antennas can be connected to the GigaCube. The connection for a VoIP telephone, which is also located on the back of the router, has been deactivated according to Vodafone specifications. We could not test this so far.

On the front, we can see not only the on/off switch and the WPS button, but also four light-emitting diodes. These indicate whether the B528 GigaCube is powered, whether the WLAN hotspot is available and whether the LAN port is being used. The fourth LED indicates whether the router is connected to the mobile network.

Easy Setup

The GigaCube can be configured via a connected computer, a smartphone or a tablet. The Internet address to configure the router is giga.cube, user need enter it in the Internet browser. The default password for the web front-end is located on the bottom of the router. Here is also the SSID and WLAN password specified. In addition, the SIM card (micro SIM format) slot is located on the underside.

After the SIM card is inserted directly and the GigaCube is switched on, the LED for the mobile radio reception is initially red. Reason: The SIM PIN must be entered via the web-based menu if the PIN search on the SIM card has not been switched off, which is at least partly the case with the operator cards defined for the GigaCube. After this, the initial setting can be made. A personalized SSID can be assigned, which can be connected with a special password.

On page 2, you can read about the function in the configuration menu, and to what extent, the GigaCube also allows the use of SIM cards from other networks. During the initial setup, the access data for the router menu can also be adjusted. In addition to own WLAN data for the hotspot on 2.4 GHz, the individualization for 5 GHz is also integrated. The settings can be changed subsequently. Furthermore, the user can decide whether to operate parallel to 2.4 and 5 GHz or only on one of these frequency ranges. In principle, the WLAN function can also be switched off completely if, for example, only a device via a network cable is connected to the router for the Internet access.

SIM free & Unlocked

We have also used a SIM card from other network provider such as O2, which has worked smoothly in the GigaCube. Say: The Vodafone GigaCube router was not equipped with a SIM lock or Netlock and it can be used with any operator cards. The access data for foreign networks may not be recognized automatically.

To do this, a new profile must only be created in the Connection Setup – Profile Management menu.

What Interesting is the possibility to set up a VPN directly on the Huawei B528 router. The WLAN channels can be selected manually. These are automatically assigned by default. The user interface is very similar to Huawei’s other mobile hotspots. The WLAN range is significantly higher than the Huawei E5776 mobile hotspot, which we had tested for comparison.

Fast Wireless Internet Connection

The GigaCube supports speeds of up to 300 MBit/s in the downstream via LTE, especially on the LTE-Advanced networks. Also Internet connections can be established with the router via UMTS/HSPA and GPRS/EDGE. In the first test, the Huawei B528 sold by Vodafone GigaCube left a good impression. The setup is intuitively possible (can be seen from the fact that the access data for the 5 GHz, WLAN area must be adjusted later) and the WiFi range is quite comparable to that of a FRITZ! Box 7490, which we had tested at the same Place.

The Vodafone GigaCube could serve as a DSL replacement, but less suitable for the more extensive file exchange and intensive streaming. Exciting is the possibility to use any SIM card. Thus, the Huawei B528 GigaCube can also be bought at the comparatively low price from www.4gltemall.com, for example on a holiday abroad, where the GigaCube tariff is not available, can also be used with a local SIM card. And there is newer model Huawei B618 LTE CPE Cube available now, which supports higher level LTE networks.