Category: New Products

ZTE MC8020 5G Indoor CPE Review

As the pioneer of 5G communication, ZTE had released the first 5G indoor WiFi Router since 2018, the model is ZTE MC801. And then in 2019, ZTE released the 2nd generation 5G WiFi Router: ZTE MC801A. Based the good performance and reliable quality, they were widely used in many countries worldwide. Now the third generation 5G CPE is announced: ZTE MC8020 5G Indoor CPE.

The new ZTE MC8020 CPE both 5G SA and NSA modes, as well as Sub-6GHz and mmWave spectrum bands. And it’s back compatible with 3G, 4G and 5G networks. To solve the problem of 5G signal decrease and short signal coverage, ZTE MC8020 adopts new antenna 3.0 design and had tested it in laboratory and real environment. It makes the omni-directional and high-gain true, which can improve the wireless speeds up to 20% and network coverage to 15%. And then the ZTE 5G WiFi router can provide 5G wireless connection for home users.

 

 

ZTE MC8020 5G Router is based the latest NPU from Qualcomm and it support WiFi6, 4 x 4 MIMO, peak speed up to 5.4Gbps, and it can support up to 128 users to access the internet wirelessly. The special 4K QAM can make the WiFi transmission speed of 5G flagship smartphone increase up to 25%, so the video watching will be more smoothly. Meanwhile, it supports key Wi-Fi 6 technologies such as OFDMA, TWT, and BSS coloring, and utilizes chip-level AI computing power – effectively reducing interference and power consumption while meeting higher service-level agreements (SLAs) for concurrently connected diverse usage profiles.

 

The advanced zLink Boost technology automatically converges wireless and wired broadband networks, doubling the upstream and downstream speeds of ZTE 5G Indoor CPE MC8020 to achieve a constant high-speed connection.

 

With new NFC functionality, ZTE 5G Indoor CPE MC8020 can be connected to NFC-enabled smartphones with just one touch. Connecting TVs, computers, and smart devices to the ZTE Indoor 5G CPE MC8020 can be automated without changes to Wi-Fi network settings.

D-Link Presents New 5G Routers at MWC2021

At the Mobile Workd Congress 2021 in Barcelona, D-Link presented various new products. Some of them support the new 5G cellular standard, such as the new 5G NR M2M Gateway DWM-3010 and the 5G/LTE Outdoor CPE DWP-1010.

 

D-Link DWM-3010 for business

With the DWM-3010, D-Link is introducing a new 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). The 5G NR M2M gateway is aimed at the business environment and enables 5G broadband connectivity. According to the manufacturer, download speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s are possible. In addition to high transmission rates, the new 5G cellular standard also shines here with its minimal latencies.

 

With the D-Link DWM-3010 5G Fixed Wireless Access, up to 50 devices can be connected, so that the D-link 5G Gateway can also be used in highly stressed work environments such as industrial or IoT environments. The FWA not only distributes the Internet to the connected devices, but also regulates efficient communication with each other. In addition, the system scores with a robust design and high temperature resistance. In this way, the device ensures reliable operation so that companies can take advantage of the benefits of reliable communication between machines (M2M). Management is carried out centrally and remotely with the in-house IoT management solution D-Link Edge Cloud Solution.

 

 

D-link DWP-1010 for the smart home

D-Link also has innovations for the MWC 2021 ready for private users. One of the innovations is the new 5G/LTE Outdoor CPE DWP-1010. It provides gigabit speeds at home or in the garden and thus ensures fast internet everywhere via 5G and LTE/4G. This D-Link 5G router is also equipped with a robust design in order to be optimally protected both indoors and outdoors. According to the manufacturer, the D-link DWP-1010 can be easily installed anywhere and offers optimal 5G connectivity for the whole family and friends.

 

There are also some other innovations. These revolve around Wi-Fi 6 and artificial intelligence (AI), among other things. A new product series consisting of a router, a mesh router and a WLAN extender was presented, which enables high-speed WLAN on a Wi-Fi 6 basis for all devices. Thanks to AI technology, connection problems are to be recognized and resolved automatically, and WLAN performance is to be continuously optimized.

 

AVM FRITZ! Box 6850 5G Router Will be Available Soon

AVM announced a 5G router – the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G in 2019. The device never came on the market, instead a version with LTE modem – the FRITZ! Box 6850 LTE – was released in 2020. In the course of the summer of 2021, the 5G version of the FRITZ! Box 6850 should finally come onto the market. AVM has already mentioned technical details, but the company has so far been silent on the price.

Gigabit speed over LTE and 5G

Inside the AVM FRITZ! Box 6850 5G, a Qualcomm modem works, which supports speeds of up to 1.3 Gbit/s when downloading via 5G and up to 1 Gbit/s when downloading via 4G/LTE. The modem can also use 3G/UMTS, but the UMTS networks are currently being switched off in Germany, so that this technology is irrelevant, at least in this country.

The following frequency bands are supported according to AVM:

  • 5G: n1, n3, n5, n7, n8, n20, n28, n38, n40, n41, n78
  • 4G / LTE: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43

According to AVM, the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G is fully compatible with the current 5G networks, for example DSS (Dynamic Spectrum Sharing) is also supported. It is not clear from the information available whether the FRITZ! Box 6850 5G can also use 5G SA mode (standalone) in addition to 5G NSA (non-standalone).

Further Technical Specifications

The AVM FRITZ! Box 6850 5G is technically very similar to the FRITZ! Box 6850 LTE and the FRITZ! Box 7530. Both the shape of the housing and the technical data are almost identical. On the back there are two SMA connections for an external cellular antenna as well as four Gigabit LAN ports (RJ45) and a USB 3.0 interface. If you will buy the external 5G antenna for FRITZ! Box 6850 5G, we recommend this one: https://www.4gltemall.com/5g-external-antenna.html .

The FRITZ! Box 6850 5G is one of the world’s first 5G routers with an integrated telephone system and DECT function. There is also a TAE / RJ11 interface for an analog telephone.

The AVM 5G Router supports WLAN on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, the maximum speed is 866 Mbit/s in the 5 GHz band. Unfortunately, the new WiFi 6 standard is not supported.

Market launch in summer 2021

The AVM FRITZ! Box 6850 5G should appear in summer 2021, there is no price yet. As soon as it is available, the device will be tested.

Inseego Launched 5G/LTE Indoor CPE FX2000e

Inseego launches its “Wavemaker PRO” – 5G indoor router FX2000e in several countries around the world. The 5G WiFi router combines 5G / LTE broadband with Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6 and is primarily aimed at small businesses.

Small business router

Inseego, a leading provider of 5G and IoT device-to-cloud solutions, announced that the “Wavemaker PRO” 5G indoor router FX2000e has been approved for use in several markets. This means that the device can be sold worldwide. The 5G router is aimed primarily at smaller companies and decentralized employees who need fast, secure and reliable internet access.

 

The plug-and-play solution is designed for the fixed wireless area. It combines 5G / LTE broadband with Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6 – Connectivity and powers up to 32 connected devices. “5G solutions are a great choice for broadband access for businesses and consumers in their remote offices and homes,” said Ashish Sharma, Inseego’s president of IoT & Mobile Solutions. “Our FX2000e is a compact solution and supports many different use cases for broadband connectivity: Small businesses can get high-speed internet access anywhere. Companies can easily set up a secure WAN solution for their branch offices and remote employees. And SD-WAN providers can now use a 5G WAN connection as the primary broadband connection for decentralized locations. ”

Speeds in the gigabit range

The Inseego FX2000e enables speeds in the gigabit range via 5G, if the respective network allows this. The FX2000e is designed to operate in a wide range of global 5G and 4G frequency bands in order to be versatile. In addition, the compact device is equipped with a WAN interface for SD-WAN deployments so that it can also be used as an Internet solution for small residential units or as a cable modem replacement for larger houses with mesh Wi-Fi systems and other connectivity requirements.

 

The “Wavemaker PRO” -5G indoor router FX2000e is primarily intended for companies such as restaurants, retail locations, branches or home offices. The functionality of the Inseego 5G router is rounded off by the “Inseego Mobile” app. It simplifies installation for end users and offers an intuitive user interface. In addition, IT managers can remotely configure and manage the router and all connected devices using the Inseego Connecti cloud software.

 

Redmi Presents K40, K40 PRO and K40 Pro+

The Redmi brand, which belongs to Xiaomi, presented three new 5G smartphone models at the MWC2021 in Shanghai. They go by the names Redmi K40, K40 Pro and K40 Pro+ and, as you can easily see, belong to a series.

 

Redmi K40 with Snapdragon 870

All three Redmi 5G Smartphones have in common that they are equipped with a 6.67-inch display with 2,400 x 1,080 pixels and an update rate of 120 Hz. The 20-megapixel front camera and the dimensions are also common to all three models. They all have a fingerprint sensor on the side and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. The battery is also identical with 4,520 mAh and fully charged in all three smartphones with 33 watts within 52 minutes. You use your own MIUI 12 as the operating system.

Now let’s look at the differences. The cheapest of the three models, the Redmi K40, relies on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870, the slightly improved successor to the Snapdragon 865. On the back there is a triple camera with a 48 MP main camera, 8 MP ultra-wide angle and 5 MP tele macro. The phone is available with the memory combinations (RAM / fixed storage) 6 GB + 128 GB, 8 GB + 128 GB, 8 GB + 256 GB and 12 GB + 256 GB. It transmits with Wi-Fi 6 as well as 5G SA and NSA.

 

Redmi K40 Pro (+) with 5G dual SIM

One difference between the two models Redmi K40 Pro and Redmi K40 Pro+ to the “normal” Redmi K40 is that they also support Wi-Fi 6E and the new cellular standard in dual SIM mode, which is not a matter of course. Inside is the new flagship SoC Snapdragon 888, which is combined in the Pro model with 6/8 GB + 128 GB or 8 GB + 256 GB. The Pro+ is only available with 12 GB + 256 GB. There are also differences in the camera, which in the Redmi K40 Pro has a main camera with 64 MP and in the Redmi K40 Pro+ with 128 MP. The rest of the sensors are identical.

Initially, all models are only announced for China. It starts there from the equivalent of around 400USD for the Redmi K40. The Redmi K40 Pro starts at around 550USD, the Redmi K40 Pro+ costs around 800USD. A start in other markets has not yet been confirmed, but it is quite possible. Alternatively, the devices can be obtained directly from China through well-known shops.

 

LongSung Releases Two New 5G NR Modules

At the MWC 2021 in Shanghai China, LongSung announced the first 5G NR module EX630, which is compliant with 3GPP Release 16 standard and supports both Sub-6Ghz and mmWave networks.

 

The LongSung EX630 is based on Qualcomm fourth generation Snapdragon X65 5G modem (4nm technology) and  RF system, so it will support the fastest 5G speeds up to 10Gbit/s and work on various networks frequency bands.

 

 

With the EX630 module, LongSung also presents another 5G NR Module EX620, which is based on Qualcomm fourth generation Snapdragon X62 5G modem (4nm technology). To meet the mobile broadband application, the LongSung EX620 supports 5G mmWave to 400MHz and 5G Sub6GHz to 120MHz, and can achieve download speed up to 4.4Gbps.

 

The two new generation 5G wireless modules supports multi-mode networks such as 5G NR, LTE, WCDMA(DB-DC-HSDPA), TD-SCDMA, CDMA1X, GSM/EDGE etc…They can also support DSS and multiple CA(carrier aggregation) combinations(FDD-TDD, FDD-FDD, TDD-TDD), covering all the 5G bands.

 

The two LongSung 5G modules could be widely used in many wireless terminals. They can be used in 5G Industrial Gateway, which can help users access high-speed internet quickly and realize safe and reliable data transmission. It is suitable for EMS (energy management system), MES (manufacturing execution system) and production process of manufacturing and processing enterprises signal acquisition and data transmission, thereby achieving industrial automation.

 

Through the 5G wireless modules, loads of image, video and sensor data captured by the robot can be transmitted to the intelligent brain in the cloud, so as to improve the intelligence level and service capability of the robot. Cloud intelligent robots are gradually becoming an important service force in community, medical care, retail and other scenarios.

Quectel Launched New 5G NR Sub-6 GHz Modules

At CES 2021, the Chinese wireless telecommunication equipment manufacturer Quectel Wireless Solutions launched three 5G New Radio (NR) Sub-6 GHz modules, including models RM500Q-AE, RM502Q-AE and RM505Q-AE, with the aim of foster the massive deployment of 5G smart connections around the world.

 

Leveraging Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 commercial 5G modem, all three Quectel 5G NR modules feature ultra-fast technology, low latency, and an enhanced Carrier Aggregation (CA) system, and are now ready to be sampled for supporting a wide range of enhanced mobile broadband networks and IoT applications such as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), 4K/8K live streaming, online meeting applications, telemedicine, transportation intelligent and industrial IoT.

With their stand-alone and non-stand-alone modes, the three 5G wireless modules enable global coverage of the 5G NR Sub-6 GHz, LTE-A and WCDMA frequency bands and provide reliable 5G solutions to international IoT customers.

 

Other key features of the modules:

 

  • Global coverage of 5G frequency bands
  • Multigigabit data rate up to 5.0 Gbps
  • DL 4X4 MIMO for 5G NR and LTE-A bands
  • Multi-resource GNSS capabilities
  • Abundant interfaces: USB 3.0 / 3.1, PCIe 3.0 and eSIM
  • Dimension M.2, compatible with Quectel LTE-A Cat 6 / Cat 12 / Cat 16 modules
  • All three modules also integrate GNSS capabilities, with the RM505Q-AE supporting active GPS L1/L5 signals for more accurate positioning services. This allows industrial terminals like rugged tablets and on-board computers to operate in weak signal environments, such as valleys, forests and urban canyons.

 

At present, the Quectel RM502Q-AE module has obtained IC / FCC / PTCRB / GCF / RED / RCM certifications, while the Quectel RM500Q-AE and Quectel RM505Q-AE modules have obtained CE / RCM certifications. These mandatory approvals with Global Launch Base (FW) firmware help customers quickly enter each local market and reduce their device development and certification costs.

Quectel Announces 2nd Generation 5G NR Modules

Quectel is a leading manufacturer of components for IoT (Internet of Things) devices. A few days ago, the Chinese telecommunication company announced new second generation 5G NR modules that conform to the 3GPP Release 16 standard and support sub-6 GHz or mmWave depending on the module.

 

Meet 3GPP Release 16 standard

The Chinese company Quectel Wireless Solutions has presented a range of new 5G NR modules for IoT products. These are second generation devices that meet the 3GPP Release 16 standard. The new releases are divided into the sub-6GHz modules Rx520F and the Rx520N series as well as the mmWave modules of the RM530x series.

 

The new 5G NR modules are based on the latest 5G modem RF systems Snapdragon X65 and X62 from Qualcomm, which were officially presented only yesterday. The new 5G modems meet the requirements of industries that rely on faster, mobile broadband and reliable communication options. The products are intended to help establish the new mobile communications standard quickly in many areas. You can exploit the advantages of mobile broadband in areas such as fixed wireless access, industrial IoT, mobile computing, telemedicine, private networks and more.

 

Sub-6 GHz and mmWave

The new 5G NR modules RG520F (LGA) and RM520F (M.2) for Sub-6 GHz from Quectel are based on the new Snapdragon X65, which supports up to 10 Gbit/s data transfer in the downstream. RG520N (LGA) and RM520N (M.2), on the other hand, rely on the slower Snapdragon X62. The two Quectel 5G modules of the second generation RM530F and RM530N modules (M.2) transmit with both 5G standards (Sub-6-GHz and mmWave ) and thus have dual connectivity. As Quectel has announced, the new 5G modules support all three combinations of sub-6 GHz TDD and FDD Carrier Aggregation (CA). This ensures high performance data, as a combination of the available 5G spectra is possible.

 

Quectel also lets you know that the new generation of 5G chips has received fundamental improvements. They deliver even higher reliability with minimal latency. This is particularly important in commercial use in industry and other areas.

Netgear Nighthawk M5 5G WiFi Router Test

Netgear Nighthawk M5 is a new 5G mobile WiFi hotspot which is already available in many countries. Regarding the performance for internet connection, we will take a test and you will read the detail in the following.

 

We have already shown what the Netgear 5G router looks like and which accessories are included in our picture unboxing linked above. In the first weeks of testing, the hardware of the Netgear Nighthawk M5 proved to be quite robust. Unfortunately, the touchscreen magically attracts fingerprints, so we had to clean it several times with a cleaning cloth.

However, you shouldn’t expect the Netgear Nighthawk M5 MR5200 to respond as quickly as a smartphone touchscreen. Sometimes the software took a small millisecond in our test before it responded to our input. We encountered a phenomenon with the Nighthawk M5 that owners of previous Netgear 4G routers reported. If the nano-SIM card is blocked with a PIN, a PIN query appears after the 5G WiFi router starts up. However, this screen is visually incorrectly designed. You can enter the PIN easily using the numeric keys, but the confirmation button is partly outside the visible area and must be aimed very precisely with your finger.

 

Otherwise, we did not notice any serious software errors when using the router.

 

 

Firmware: Latest version is required

At this point we still have to go into more detail about the software: If you buy the Netgear Nighthawk M5, you should make sure that you have the latest firmware in the “Settings – Software” menu immediately after booting up and connecting to the Internet the number 10.29.10.00 from November 17th and install it. With the old firmware, the router may only contact LTE networks, which is not the point of a 5G router.

 

We also observed with the Netgear Nighthawk M5 that WiFi modules from Android smartphones, which otherwise find any 5 GHz WiFi without any problems, have problems finding the 5 GHz WiFi set up by the Nighthawk M5 and connecting to it. Even manually entering the SSID and password failed in our test on at least three Android devices.

One device that the 5 GHz WiFi of the Nighthawk M5 could always find and connect to was an iPhone 11 Pro used in the test. The Android smartphones could connect to the 2.4 GHz network of the Nighthawk M5. Due to the regional overload of the 2.4 GHz band and the lower data rates, it is of course quite pointless to use a 5G router in this case if it cannot pass on the high 5G data rates via WLAN.

 

Features of the software

In terms of operation and functions, the software of the Netgear Nighthawk M5 is of course quite sophisticated, as always. On the start page, network information, time and battery charge status are displayed in the status area. This is followed by the SSID and password of the 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi hotspots. With a mobile tariff with a data throttle, you can also see how much data volume is left on the home page. At the bottom you can see how many devices are connected via WLAN and whether new SMS messages have arrived.

In the settings menu the user can configure things like the APN. The brightness of the screen can be regulated or an unlock password can be assigned. The Netgear Nighthawk M5 also supports USB tethering; the function can either be activated at the same time as the WLAN or as an alternative to the WLAN hotspot. The Netgear Nighthawk M5 can also be integrated into an existing WLAN or Ethernet network via the data-saving mode and then only serves as a network bridge for the connected devices.

 

 

Data rates in the test

For our test of the Nighthawk M5, we received 5G-capable SIM cards from CSL and PCCW. After the firmware update, the hotspot immediately logged into the available 5G networks.

 

The measured data rates come close to the values ​​that we measured with the 5G router from HTC: HTC 5G Hub. In CSL’s 5G network, we determined maximum data rates of up to 781 Mbit/s in the downstream and 134 Mbit/s in the upstream. In the PCCW network, the data rates we measured in the downstream were a maximum of 187 Mbit/s in the downstream and 82 Mbit/s in the upstream. The CSL data rates at the locations we measured actually corresponded to a typical LTE value rather than a 5G value.

Of course, we also took measurements with a laptop that was connected to the Nighthawk M5 via the Ethernet interface rather than WLAN. Here we could observe that the measured values ​​were always around 12 to 15 percent above the values ​​measured via WLAN.

 

Netgear has not received any further error messages about the problem with the 5 GHz WLAN under Android.

 

Battery life in the test

The Netgear Nighthawk M5’s 5040 mAh battery is strong, but it doesn’t work miracles either. Even if the router’s display switches off in the meantime, the maximum battery life is around 6 hours. That is a decent value, but not a top performance either. If you really have to work with the Nighthawk M5 all day long, you should have access to a socket again in between – or take a mobile power bank with you.

 

Conclusion

With the current firmware, the Netgear Nighthawk M5 did its job properly and without any real errors. In the 5G network, the router achieved peak values ​​of just below 800 Mbit/s at the locations we tested. We are in contact with Netgear about the 5 GHz WiFi problem. The battery lasted around 6 hours in the test. There was little to criticize about the intuitive operation of the router.

 

 

 

NETGEAR Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile Hotspot Review

The manufacturer NETGEAR has launched the first MiFi 5G with Wi-Fi 6 technology to achieve the best possible wireless performance in all circumstances. The new model is the NETGEAR Nighthawk M5 Mobile Hotspot, and it is designed to offer the best possible experience in the mobile broadband network, and also so that we obtain the maximum speed when we connect devices via Wi-Fi. Do you want to know all the details of this new model?

 

Thanks to this 5G portable router we have the latest mobile and WiFi technologies, with which we can stay connected at home or away from home, while enjoying a connection with fast speed, low latency and improved bandwidth.

 

This year we have seen an increase in teleworking, due to the fact that more and more work is done remotely, and the coronavirus pandemic has also contributed to accelerating the process. Since many work or study from home right now, they need to have a fast and secure Internet connection with WiFi connectivity that meets their needs.

 

 

The Nighthawk M5 Mobile Hotspot Pro will allow us to bring a quality Internet connection to our home with 5G. In small and medium-sized towns especially, we find that cable, DSL or other service is not good enough.

However, thanks to the 5G connectivity offered by this Netgear 5G mobile Hotspot, we will be able to obtain fast speed connections. That’s not all, thanks to WiFi 6 technology it will allow us to deliver those speeds to your connected devices without affecting bandwidth or connectivity when we have many wireless clients. That means we will not have delays or interruptions when working or studying at home. That extra bandwidth that WiFi 6 provides us compared to the previous WiFi 5 technology will allow us to do videoconferences or other activities in a more fluid way.

 

 

 

The Nighthawk M5 Mobile Hotspot Pro comes equipped with the chipset of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 mobile platform to offer us next- generation 5G connectivity . Thanks to this 5G modem, we can achieve high download speeds of up to 7 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 3 Gbps.

 

 

 

In addition, it has WiFi 6 technology that allows us to have more devices connected and transmitting simultaneously without penalizing performance. With a greater capacity compared to WiFi 5, we can rest assured that our smartphones, tablets and computers will have the necessary bandwidth to carry out any task.

 

 

It also allows us the 5G connection in our home or office through the use of its Gigabit Ethernet port. To do this, we can connect the 5G mobile router to our home or work router and thus we can enjoy 5G speeds in our local network from which all devices can also be used.

 

With a secure and reliable network we can avoid the risks of public WiFi networks thanks to the compatibility with VPN Pass-through and password protection. Regarding the capacity of this model, it allows us to connect up to 32 WiFi devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops regardless of where you are.

 

 

This model has a 5,040 mAh rechargeable battery that will provide us with a long duration to use it all day. We can also use it without a battery since it can be connected to a power outlet at home so that it works throughout the day. In that sense, we could keep it connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by removing the battery.

 

As for the Nighthawk M5 Mobile Hotspot Pro, it has a 2.4-inch color LCD touch screen that is intuitively operated. Thanks to it, we can easily control the use of data, see the name and password of WiFi, as well as the strength of the mobile signal. We can also manage device and network settings. On your lock screen it shows important information such as the time, date and the use of data that we have consumed. On the other hand, we have the NETGEAR Mobile app to manage and configure our device.