Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 Gigabit LTE Router

Netgear now also offers the world’s fastest mobile LTE hotspot – Netgear Nighthawk M2 with the model number MR2100. The Nighthawk M2 MR2100 allows downlink speeds of up to 2 gigabits per second. This makes it twice as fast as its predecessor Netgear Nighthawk M1 (MR1100) in 2018.

Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LTE modem

Responsible for the high speeds is the most modern and powerful LTE modem that Qualcomm currently offers: the Snapdragon X24. In addition to 2 Gbit/s in the downlink (LTE Cat20), up to 150 Mbit/s in the uplink (LTE Cat13) are supported.

The speeds are made possible by the combination of different mobile technologies. For example, up to 5 frequency bands in the downlink and up to 2 in the uplink can be bundled (carrier aggregation). The support of 256QAM modulation as well as support of 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology also contributes to the speed increase.

How fast the Netgear Nighthawk M2 is in the mobile networks, however, also depends on other factors such as network expansion and network utilization. Some network providers already offer some sites with 4 × 4 MIMO, 256QAM and multiple carrier aggregation, so that in certain situations, the modem performance can be used in any case.

Gigabit at LAN and WLAN

The Netgear Nighthawk M2 is a high-end 4G LTE router, so the price of Nighthawk M2 is higher than current 4G mobile routers. And the other technical features are also good. On the front there is a touch screen for operation; further settings can also be made via web interface.

Gigabit WLAN is available at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz for connection to end devices and up to 20 devices can be connected simultaneously via WLAN. There is also a RJ45 Gigabit LAN port. If required, this can also be used as a WAN connection and thus replace the mobile radio modem.

Other connections: a USB type C port for charging the battery and for connecting to a computer and a USB type A port for charging other devices (power bank function) as well as for NAS functions.

On the side of the Netgear Nighthawk M2 are two TS-9 ports ready for an external UMTS or LTE external antenna. (If you need the 4G External antenna for Netgear Nighthawk M2, welcome to click: https://www.4gltemall.com/netgear-nighthawk-m2-external-antenna.html ). This can be very helpful in poor reception areas to improve connection quality. These features follow the predecessor Nighthawk M1 but very practical and helpful.

For world travel only partially suitable

With dimensions of 105 x 105 x 20 millimeters and a weight of around 240 grams, the Netgear LTE Hotspot is well suited for mobile use. The replaceable 5040 mAh strong battery allows a long operating time away from the power outlet.

For worldwide use of the Nighthawk M2, however, is only partially suitable, as a look at the supported frequency ranges shows. The Nighthawk M2 cannot use important LTE bands for the North American market, and the band 32 (1500 MHz), which is available in many European countries, is not supported.

Price and availability

The Netgear Nighthawk M2 is available in many online stores without a contract and without a SIM lock. The device can be ordered online from various electronics distributors such as 4gltemall.com or via the local mobile phone retailer. Here now only very few network providers such as Telstra in Australia had offered this new mobile hotspot.

 

Huawei Mate X 5G Hand On

As early as February 2019, Huawei has released the first folding smartphone – Huawei Mate X. The global market launch continues to be delayed. The news shows Huawei Mate X would be available in China at the end of 2019. Luckily, we have the opportunity to get the Huawei Mate X in hand and you will read the details in this post.

If you didn’t know this phone, the Huawei Mate X is not immediately recognizable as a folding smartphone. Rather, the stately size in the closed state catches the eye. The Mate X is relatively wide so the people with big hands would hold it in one hand easily.

The workmanship is very good, but the device does not feel as high-quality as the other premium smartphones due to the flexible plastic-protected display.

The Huawei Mate X is relatively flat even when closed, it is then really thin when opened. Nevertheless, it is stable and the display back is quite high quality.

To open the display, a button on the back is pressed. It is slightly below the three cameras. The button has a good pressure point and “kicks” the display slightly outwards, you then have to unfold it yourself.

 

Folding feels a bit stiff at first, but this makes the device very stable. The mechanism leaves the impression that it can withstand many folding operations.

The display itself is very nice. It is very bright if desired, colors are AMOLED typical gaudy and the resolution is sufficiently high. In the unfolded status, only a very weak “fold” in the display cover is visible, which is more pronounced in competition model Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G.

The Huawei Mate X will be sold as a 5G smartphone. At the first speed tests in Sunrise’s 5G network , the device reached speeds of around 1 GBit/s in the downlink and up to 150 MBit/s in the uplink at the trade fair stand. A HiSilicon Balong 5000 5G modem developed by Huawei, is used.

 

The other 4G, 3G and 2G mobile technologies are handled by the Kirin 990 SoC, which is also used in the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G. Originally the Mate X should still come with the predecessor chipset Kirin 980 on the market.

Incidentally, Google apps were not installed on the test device on display, which is probably one of the reasons why Huawei has not provided any further information on a possible launch in Europe.  Perhaps due to the limit policy from Google, some other Huawei 5G smartphones also don’t have Google apps or service. We would take further test once we get this phone.

 

More details about the Huawei mate X 5G for reference:

 

 

HTC 5G Hub Test

HTC has become quiet in recent years; It is surprising that HTC plays a leading role in the new 5G mobile communications standard by launching the HTC 5G Hub in Europe, which is the first 5G mobile WiFi hotspot with Android OS.

Technical specifications

The HTC 5G Hub is more than a simple mobile Wi-Fi hotspot with 5G modem. It can be an entertainment machine, which can easily output 4K content via Display Port to appropriate monitors. Below are the technical specifications for reference.

  • 129 x 100 x 43 mm, 340 grams
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC
  • 4GB RAM, 32GB internal memory + MicroSD
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LTE Cat20 Modem
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G Modem
  • 5 inch TFT display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution
  • Android 9 with HTC interface
  • WiFi 802.11b/g/n/ac/ad
  • 7,660 mAh battery (not changeable)
  • USB-C 3.1 with Display Port function
  • RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port

Appearance and Package

The package connect is very clear. In addition to the 5G hub itself, there is a power supply with an output power of 12V / 2.5A included. The power supply has a proprietary connector and the cable is firmly connected to it. Basically, the 5G Hub can also be easily charged via USB C. The fairly heavy weight of 340 grams presumably caused mainly by the strong battery. The weight does not bother because the dimensions unfortunately do not allow the 5G gadget to be carried in the pocket.

The power button on the top of the HTC 5G Hub is the only physical button. It provides a good pressure point and, in addition, enables the activation or deactivation of the display with a short push of a button.

Fast modem with LTE and 5G

HTC has adopts two mobile modems to the 5G WiFi router: the Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 modem is integrated into the Snapdragon 855 SoC and allows LTE Cat20 with speeds of theoretically up to 2 GBit/s in the downlink. Over 5G theoretically up to 2.63 GBit/s in the downlink and up to 287 MBit/s in the uplink can be achieved.

In test practice, we have achieved speeds of over 150 Mbit/s in the LTE network from Vodafone, and the peak can reach to 308 Mbit/s in the downlink. In the uplink it went up to about 80 MBit/s high. The latencies (ping) were at least 17 milliseconds – a top value for LTE.

In the 5G network, we reached speeds of up to 1.3 GBit/s in the downlink. Speeds ​​above 1 Gbit/s were by no means rare. However, for such data rates, there must be line of sight to the 5G location. At around 400 meters without line of sight, around 600 MBit/s were still possible in the test, after which the HTC 5G Hub switched to the LTE network.

 

 

Basically, the impression was that the range of the 5G radio cells is limited to a few hundred meters. Once 5G reception is available, however, the data rates in the downlink are fantastic high.

Wi-Fi with restrictions

Of course, a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot with a mobile modem must have a reasonable Wi-Fi module. This requirement is met by the HTC 5G Hub. First of all, the positive: up to 20 devices can be connected to the 5G hub at the same time, the wireless standards 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ad are supported.

In particular, the support for the fast ad-WLAN to 60 GHz is remarkable, which no other mobile hotspot offers. However, there are also virtually no devices that can connect via wireless ad. So we could not test it.

The WLAN range is very neat for a mobile router. You cannot expect the performance of a good stationary router, but you can easily cover a large meeting room or apartment of up to 60 square meters. Unfortunately, the HTC 5G Hub is not a dual-band WLAN, so you have to choose between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

A WLAN repeater function (WLAN Extender / WLAN Offload) is not available, so there is no way to use an existing WLAN as an Internet access type (eg hotel WLAN). Other mobile hotspots, such as Netgear Nighthawk M2 or Huawei 5G mobile WiFi, provide this function.

On the positive side, HTC queries the configuration of the Wi-Fi hotspot as soon as the 5G Hub is powered up for the first time. Thus, the WLAN name, WLAN password and other settings can be made directly to the start and do not have to be searched through the menu afterwards.

Connections, rechargeable battery

The HTC 5G WiFi Router has an RJ45 Ethernet LAN port on the back. So you can connect wired devices such as a classic desktop PC to access the Internet. In addition, the USB-C port is also usable. Unfortunately there are no connections for an external antenna.

This is usually standard on other mobile hotspots, especially in this price range. You also miss a full-size USB port (type A), because the strong battery would be ideal as a power bank.

The battery held 24 hours in the test in hotspot operation. Such a long runtime is exceptional for a mobile hotspot.

Android OS with adjustments

The HTC 5G Hub has Android operating system, which is also a special feature for a mobile hotspot. Former HTC users will also immediately see similarities with some HTC smartphones, as the user interface has been slightly adapted by HTC.

 

If you use the 5G hub in network operation, a simple, but very stylish standby screen with time and network display is permanently displayed. In battery mode, the display remains dark when the router is not in use.

In addition to the standby screen, HTC has designed two home screens especially for the router mode. These are also very chic and show a few more information, including the number of wireless devices.

Of course, the Android operating system comes with all Google apps, including the Play Store, so you can install any apps. However, since the 5G hub does not seem to have a position sensor, apps sometimes do not appear in the correct mode or have graphical errors. The vast majority of apps work perfectly.

Multimedia Features

As already mentioned, the HTC 5G Hub is more than just a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. The wedge-shaped design makes the device ideal as a small streaming device, such as for YouTube, media libraries, television or Internet radio. The rather low display resolution did not disturb the test, rather the strong reflections in the open air. The brightness is high enough.

The speaker offers a good quality, only in very loud setting it tends to be oversteer. As a mini TV while traveling, the HTC 5G Hub is definitely a lot of fun! Incidentally, thanks to the integrated microphone and Google Assistant, the HTC 5G Hub can also be used as a smart speaker.

 

Of course you could use all these multimedia features on a regular smartphone. But the HTC 5G hub is more fun because you do not need a stand case, the speaker is good and the smartphone remains free for other applications. Only the active fan disturbs the streaming enjoyment temporarily, because this is quite audible and runs almost in continuous operation in normal use.

In addition to streaming on the HTC 5G Hub itself, HTC also advertises the Display Port which can output 4K content to matching screens. I have not tested this, but have seen for example demos with the device in the 5G network and gaming applications. Thanks to the super fast Qualcomm 855 SoC, such applications for the 5G hub should not be a big challenge either.

Conclusion: More than a simple 5G hotspot

The HTC 5G Hub is a very good mobile 5G hotspot. If you have the opportunity to use the router in the 5G network, you will often be rewarded with speeds above 1 GBit/s. The router also performed very well in the LTE network.

The integrated battery, which offers a very long operating time, was also convincing. However, the unfortunately missing connections for external antennas and dual-band Wi-Fi are not good for a perfect mobile router. The support of 3G/UMTS would have been nice.

A very interesting and practical use for the HTC 5G Hub is as a small streaming machine. As a mini-TV or Internet radio, the router is really fun.

The HTC 5G Hub is available in many countries and the single price without contract is more than 500USD. Since 5G networks are not yet commonly available, the 5G device is still in high price.

 

Huawei 5G Mobile WiFi E6878-370 Review

Huawei presented a new mobile 5G routers to the public with the latest 5G smartphone – Huawei Mate 30 5G and Mate 30 Pro 5G. The device with the name Huawei E6878-370 was already announced in early 2019 at the MWC, but apparently Huawei has changed the design again and they look like different models.

The Huawei E6878 is a little bit big and heavy compared to other mobile hotspots, but it’s still easy to hold in one hand. This is probably mainly because the new Huawei 5G WiFi Router has integrated a 8,000 mAh battery. In power-hungry 5G operation, the battery should provide very good battery life.

 

The Huawei 5G pocket WiFi can also be used as a power bank, but in addition to the USB type C port, a full-size USB port is also available. Even wireless reverse charging is supported by the router.

On the front of the Huawei 5G Mobile WiFi E6878, there is a small display. Unfortunately, the display is very heavily mirrored; in the bright light you could hardly see it. The operation and configuration can also be done via the Huawei Mobile WiFi app or via a browser web interface.

There is a slot for a SIM card and two buttons on the side. Unfortunately, the battery is not replaceable by the user, while the competitor Netgear all mobile router models have standard replaceable batteries. However, the Huawei E6878-370 not only has the fast battery charging function with up to 40W (Super Charge), but also the 8000 mAh strong battery can charge other electronic devices.

The chipset of Huawei E6878-370 5G Mobile WiFi is a HiSilicon Balong 5000. Of course, the 5G modem is backwards compatible with 4G/LTE, 3G/UMTS and 2G/GSM. According to the official sayings, Huawei E6878-370 could achieve download speed up to 1.65Mbps and upload speed up to 250Mbps. This speed is much faster than the speed from the predecessor Huawei E5788, which can already achieve 1 GBit/s downlink.

 

However, the Internet connection via WiFi 6 is unavailable, which was introduced to be available. Of course, the 5G WiFi router is also backwards compatible with older WLAN standards. Unfortunately, the Huawei E6878 is not equipped with RJ45 Ethernet LAN port, so you have to rely on the USB port, if no Wi-Fi can be used or may.

The Huawei 5G Mobile WiFi Hotspot will be available to buy at the end of 2019 in various global markets. If the 5G networks will not be available in short time at your location, you may check the budget 4G mobile WiFi Huawei E5788.

 

Alcatel EE70 LTE Cat7 Mobile WiFi Router Review

Alcatel EE70 is a high-quality pocket 4G/3G WiFi router, primarily designed to work in the network of mobile operators Vodafone, Kyivstar and Lifecell for Ukraine, or other operators around the world. Full support for working in 4G/3G networks, at a maximum data transfer rate of up to 300 Mbps using 4G LTE technology and 43.2 Mbps using HSPA/HSPA+ technology. For work, it is necessary to install a SIM card of any GSM operator in the router, an Internet connection will automatically occur, without additional settings. It’s suitable for home use, trips or foreign travel, as well as for use in the countryside as a home access point.

Design and Management

The 4G Alcatel EE70 router is small, compact, lightweight, fits in your trouser or shirt pocket, and you can take it with you everywhere. The Alcatel EE70 router is made in a yellow-black combined case made of high-quality plastic (in the spirit of the company’s latest developments). On the front panel of the case are LED indicators of the device – the signal strength of the cellular network, battery level, WiFi activity and received messages. Settings are managed via the settings web interface. Above is the power button, below are a slot for charging Micro USB format. Under the back cover there is a battery, under it there is a SIM card slot.

Compatibility

The Alcatel 4G Router is very easy to configure and use. You just need to connect it via WiFi to your phone, computer, or laptop, after a few seconds you will be connected to the Internet. OS Support: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X, Linux. The Alcatel EE70 model with a 2150 mAh battery can last up to 8 hours without recharging. The device is charged from the 220V network using the power supply that comes with the kit. It is also possible to charge the router from a car charger or from a computer’s USB port.

Additional features

The Alcatel EE70 has a dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Wi-Fi module 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, which provides a reliable wireless WiFi network within a range of 15 meters, which can connect up to 20 devices at the same time. All types of devices with WiFi module are supported: smartphones, tablets, laptops, set-top boxes, TV, etc.

Below you will see the general specifications of Alcatel EE70 MiFi:

* 4G LTE Mobile WiFi hotspot

* Frequencies: 2G 850/900/1800/1900MHz || 3G 900/1800/2100MHz || 4G 800/1800/2600MHz

* LTE download speed up to 300Mbps, upload speed to 50Mbps

* WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)

* Technologies: GSM GPRS / EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSPA, HSPA +, DC-HSPA +, LTE

* WiFi support up to 20 wireless devices

* Removable battery of 2150mAh

HTC 5G Hub Review

HTC 5G Hub is a new 5G mobile broadband combining the wireless router with Android Tablet and working as a home or office modem for people who intend to use 5G network. From the appearance, the HTC 5G hub looks more like Amazon Echo show or Google Nest Hub, rather than a 5G NR router.

HTC 5G Hub Appearance

HTC 5G Hub has a 5-inch compact and handsome smart screen and gray fabric surround, which makes it look attractive and professional. The dimension of HTC 5G Hub is 129 x 100 x 43 mm, and it weights 340g. The HTC 5G Hub is much larger than the usual 4G mobile hotspot such as Netgear Nighthawk M2 and Huawei E5788. So it’s good to use the HTC 5G Hub on a desk, but not good to take it in a pocket or on the go.

 

It also has a large battery of 7660mAh capacity and comes with a big, chunky power adapter to charge it. On the back, there are both a USB-C port and a full-scale Ethernet port that can even attach to external routers.

HTC 5G Hub

 

HTC 5G Hub Specifications

The Hub is running Android 9.0 operating system like a Android tablet with with a 5 inches, 1280 x 720 screen, no cameras, and no traditional phone dialer, and of course all Google services onboard. You can run video services on the Hub and cast them to Chromecasts or compatible TVs. When it’s working, the status screen will show how it works as a hotspot. You can run arbitrary music services and use the Hub as a speaker. Or you can install Pocketshare and use the Hub as a NAS. It has 32GB of onboard storage, 10GB of which is taken up by system files, but you can add a microSD card for additional storage.

HTC 5G Hub

The product supports the powerful Wi-Fi capabilities of the Snapdragon 855 platform with the Qualcomm 60GHz multi-gigabit Wi-Fi chipset and next-generation Qualcomm 2×2 Wi-Fi 6-capable chipset for capacity, efficiency and performance. The unique device provides smooth 4K video streaming, LTE/5G mobile hotspot capabilities for up to 20 users, and low-latency games. As a home media center, the HTC 5G Hub uses next-generation LTE / 5G speeds to stream 4K video to a second screen for crisp, clear images. It can also replace a 4G Wi-Fi router and avoid unnecessary cables, while being easy to set up with a plug-and-play setup.

HTC 5G Hub

The big battery is pretty great, when just working as a hotspot, we got about 32 hours of 4G audio streaming to one device. Its high-end equipment and large body can give it excellent dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi performance. Users can also use the USB-C port to charge other devices, with Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 3.0 onboard.

HTC 5G Hub

HTC 5G Hub Supported Frequency Bands

Here now we have the Australian version HTC 5G Hub and it supports LTE bands 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/20/28/66 and 5G band n78. And actually, HTC 5G Hub has another version for US market and the network provider Sprint, which supports LTE bands 2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/26/26/41/66/71 and 5G band n41.

HTC 5G Hub

The Hub also works as an 802.11ad hotspot for up to four devices. 802.11ad, also known as WiGig, is a short-range, very high speed networking system that Qualcomm is trying to promote right now. There are no mainstream 802.11ad clients available. Below are the general highlight functions of the HTC 5G Hub:

  • Next generation LTE / 5G speeds
  • Internet for the whole family with up to 20 devices
  • Streaming games over 5G with Nvidia GeForce Now and Google Stadia (after release 2019)
  • Streaming videos and music
  • Intuitive voice and remote control
  • Pre-installed company VPN at high speed
  • Fully encrypted with Remote Wipe
  • Use as a charging station for additional USB-C devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops

FRITZ!Box 6850 5G Home Router Released

FRITZ!Box 6850 is a latest 5G wireless router from the Germany telecommunication manufacturer AVM. According to the AVM sayings, the FRITZ!Box 6850 5G router is the world’s first all-in-one router for next generation mobile communication. The new FRITZ!Box for 5G supports 5G bands in the Sub-6 GHz range and current LTE bands in Europe. Equipped with a 5G/LTE connection, it offers users high-performance equipment with fast dual-band wireless LAN, telephone system and a variety of connection options for wired networking. Four gigabit LAN ports and a fast USB port are included. With a DECT base station and connection for analog telephones, the FRITZ!Box 6850 5G provides the user with a central exchange for a Smart Home system and cordless telephone.

Thanks to FRITZ!Box 6850 5G, the well-known home networking convenience of a FRITZ!Box as Mesh Master is available to the user in wireless LAN, telephone, Smart Home and 5G networks. In addition, the many functions such as firewall, parental control, wireless guest access and remote access can be used via the 5G/LTE port. The intelligent positioning aid in the FRITZ!Box 6850 5G helps users to find the best location for the router and ideal orientation for mobile communications antennas. The new wireless standard provides high bandwidth of more than 2 GBit/s and reduced latency. That makes the FRITZ!Box 6850 5G, in elegant and compact housing, especially attractive for use with real-time applications such as virtual reality and gaming.

 

The FRITZ!Box 6850 5G router is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2020. At the market launch, the price will be known first.

 

FRITZ!Box 6850 5G Technical specifications:

  • 5G router with 4 x 4 MIMO with Qualcomm SD X55 chipset
  • 5G band support: sub-6 GHz
  • LTE (4G) for band 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32
  • Also supports UMTS (3G)
  • Dual Band WLAN AC + N with up to 1266 MBit/s
  • Two SMA connectors for attaching external antennas
  • Four Gigabit LAN ports and 1 USB 3.0 port
  • Telephone system and DECT base for up to six telephones and smart home applications
  • Connection for analogue telephone or fax
  • FRITZ! OS: with mesh, parental control, media server, FRITZ! NAS, WLAN guest access and MyFRITZ!

 

 

The manufacturer AVM has announced that it will have additional products at this year’s IFA. In addition to the 5G-capable router model, the FRITZ! Box 5550 and the FRITZ! Box 5530 will be available with two models for all common fiber optic connections. We will follow this when there is news here.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 – Fastest LTE Router Test

Earlier this year, Netgear introduced the Nighthawk M2, a new mobile hotspot that transforms UMTS or LTE-based Internet access into a Wi-Fi hotspot to provide wireless network for multiple devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. The successor of the Nighthawk M1 supports LTE Cat. 20 and in theory allows data transfer rates of up to 2 Gbit/s downstream and 150 Mbit/s upstream.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 LCD Screen

In practice, there are hardly any 4G networks supporting such high data transfer rates. Is still worth the purchase of the mobile hotspot, which is not a bargain with a purchase? We had the opportunity to put the heavy square device to a thorough test.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 back cover

The Netgear Nighthawk M2 mobile router comes in a convenient package. In addition to the router itself, there is the battery and a quick start guide with the power supply and connecting cable. The supplied battery has a capacity of 5040 mAh. The WLAN standards 802.11a, b and g are supported. The 4G mobile hotspot is working on 2.4 and 5 GHz. The Netgear M2 has a USB-A and USB-C as well as an Ethernet interface. There are also connection options for external antennas (Buy Netgear Nighthawk M2 External Antenna). The LAN port can be used to use a wired Internet access instead of the mobile modem and to redistribute it via WLAN.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 interfaces

 

Good workmanship and shiny surface

The processing of the Netgear 4G mobile router is impeccable. You can argue about the shiny surface. Here you can see very clear fingerprints very quickly, especially since the Nighthawk M2 has a touch screen, so it regularly gets into the embarrassment of touching the display. The complete initial setup can also be made via the touch-sensitive screen. A separate app or the web-based access to the M2 pocket WiFi router menu is possible, but not mandatory.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 external antenna connectors

We have set up the router right on the touchscreen made, which was not easy. For one thing, the virtual keyboard is quite small due to the display size. So you always catch the wrong letter when typing. In addition, the screen does not respond as well to inputs as used by higher quality smartphones. If the setup of a network identifier (SSID) and the associated password worked quite well, then setting a (somewhat complicated) administrator password was not possible on the second attempt, so we skipped this step and later have made on the configuration via the Netgear Mobile App.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 side

 

After the initial setup, the Netgear Nighthawk M2 mobile hotspot was immediately ready for use. The configuration for SIM cards is made automatically. As soon as the MiFi was set up, the availability of a firmware update was already displayed. We have installed this over the existing LTE data connection. In the process, around 160 MB of data was transferred. What changes the update brings is unknown. The internet connection via the Netgear Nighthawk M2 was very stable in the test for several hours. It did not matter if we used an Apple iPhone XS Max, a Samsung Galaxy S10+ or an Apple MacBook Pro.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 SIM card slot

 

The display of the router shows the current data consumption, the ID of the SIM card provider and the network technology used. There is also a small S-meter, which provides information about the quality of mobile reception. The battery level is also displayed. By default, you can also find the names of the Wi-Fi hotspot and the password via the touchscreen. This display can be deactivated if desired.

 

Numerous settings are possible via the touchscreen menu. First, there is a WPS function. Then the user can limit the hotspot to one of the two WLAN frequency ranges (2.4 or 5 GHz). The connected devices can be displayed and, for example, you can specify whether the hotspot is put into standby mode after a period of non-use to save battery capacity.

 

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 data used

Other features

Other possibilities are the restriction of Wi-Fi hotspots to a smaller reception area in order to save battery capacity or the automatic WLAN detach when USB tethering is used. The brightness of the display can be adjusted and the user can decide whether he wants to use the Internet access only in the home network or in international roaming.

 

SMS messages can be sent and received via the Netgear Nighthawk M2. As we have already mentioned regarding the initial setup: The touch screen does not always respond reliably to inputs and the virtual keyboard is quite small. Apart from that, the menu is functional and intuitive to use.

Netgear Nighthawk M2 MR2100 settings options

 

Good performance even in mobile operation

With a SIM card from Vodafone, we have achieved data transfer rates of up to 110 Mbps in the downstream and 61 Mbps in the upstream. This is far from the peak speeds that the Netgear Nighthawk M2 allows, but is more or less equivalent to what the mobile telecom Internet access does with the smartphone. Even in mobile mode, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot in the car, the router performed well in the test. At speed 120Mbps on the highway, the performance of Internet access was still fine. Compared to a WLAN adapter such as the Huawei E8377 CarFi, the Netgear device earns more scores by the possibility to connect an outdoor LTE antenna. In regions with bad LTE coverage, a magnetic base antenna on the car roof provides a significant improvement in reception, which also affects the performance of Internet access.

 

 

Conclusion: Good hotspot with slight weaknesses

Although Netgear Nighthawk M2 is well-made and provides stable Internet access for up to 20 devices, flaws such as the only moderately good touchscreen provides bad experience for users. For almost half of the purchase price, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is available, which supports data transfer rates of up to 1 GBit/s via LTE, more than what the nets usually give out, so this model offers the much better price/performance ratio.

 

Vodafone GigaCube 5G – Vodafone First 5G Router

Two months ago, Vodafone released its first wireless router that is compatible with the new mobile communications standard 5G. The new 5G wireless router converts the mobile Internet access into a WLAN hotspot, so that several smartphones, tablets and notebooks can connect with an Internet access. Like the predecessors Vodafone GigaCube and Gigacube Cat19, the manufacturer of the 5G router is also Huawei. The model is officially called Huawei 5G CPE Pro but for Vodafone under the name Vodafone GigaCube 5G.

 

According to Vodafone official sayings, data transmission rates of up to 2Gbps could be achieved in the 5G mobile network. This concerns the LTE access, over which most customers will initially be predominantly online, especially as 5G availability is still severely limited. The network operator does not reveal how fast users can surf via 5G. A footnote simply states that you can “surf faster” in the first 5G radio cells. Within the home network scores the bolide by using the WiFi-6 technology. This achieves data transfer rates of up to 4.8 GBit/s.

 

At the heart of the Vodafone GigaCube 5G is the Balong 5000 chipset, which is also used in the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G as a multi-mode modem. If the 5G network is not available, customers can also use the LTE, UMTS and GSM network for Internet access with the Vodafone 5G router.

Vodafone offers the 5G router along with the well-known GigaCube tariffs. “With speeds reaching up to 1Gbps,” said Vodafone at launch, “customers are able to access super-fast speeds and reliable Wi-Fi quickly. GigaCube is ideal for those waiting for their home or business broadband, who need a connection for a second home or who have a home office.”

 

It added: “The GigaCube can connect up to 64 devices at any one time and has a wifi range of 90 meters. Thanks to the low latency of 5G, this solution is perfect for small businesses who have multiple employees streaming or downloading at the same time. It is also particularly useful for businesses that don’t have a fixed location, or students and house shares.”

 

Here you can see the general Vodafone 5G GigaCube Specs:

 

  • Network:5G/LTE
  • Chipset: HiSilicon Balong 5000
  • Wi-Fi:11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax; 802.11 n22*2 MIMO for 2.4GHz and 02.11ax4*4MIMO for 5GHz
  • Ethernet Ports:2 x GE LAN (inc. 1 LAN/WAN)
  • Memory:4GB NANDFlash/8GB DDR4
  • External antenna port:2 x Ext. antenna ports (TS-9)(Buy Vodafone GigaCube 5G External Antenna)
  • SIM port:1 x NANO USIM card slot
  • Device model:Huawei 5G CPE Pro (H112-370)
  • Dimensions:99mm x 107mm x 215mm

 

You can also check the Vodafone GigaCube 5G Router Review here: https://www.4gltemall.com/blog/vodafone-gigacube-5g-router-h112-370-review/

Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G Smartphone Review

The Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi, bring his new 5G smartphones to the customer: Mi 9 Pro 5G. Comparing with the predecessor Xiaomi Mi 9, the new smartphone supports the new 5G mobile communications standard and also brings some interesting functions with it.

New 5G smartphone

The Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G is not the first 5G cell phone from Xiaomi. The first 5G cell phone is Xiaomi Mix 3 5G. Of course, the device also works in older mobile standards such as LTE and 3G. As introduced, Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G is to sport 30W Super Fast Wireless Charging technology. The device has already received TENAA certification which revealed some key specifications. The Mi Pro 5G cell phone will have a 6.39-inch display while running on Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC. The phone will feature up to 12GB RAM with up to 512GB internal storage along with a 4,000mAh battery.

 

Super Charge 30W Wireless Technology

 

Especially interesting is the charging function. The new Xiaomi 5G phone is the first smartphone that can be charged with 30 watts. The highlight of this event was Xiaomi’s Mi Charge Turbo technology, of course. Xiaomi claims that Mi Charge Turbo is the world’s first 30W wireless charging solution. With this, users can wirelessly charge a 4,000mAh battery phone from 0% to 50% in just 25 minutes, and up to 100% in just 70 minutes. This pitches the wireless charging solution to be higher than a lot of current generation wired charging solutions. The specifics of the working of this technology are not very clear at this stage since the presentation and source are in Chinese. Thus, the device is expected to be one of the fastest charged smartphones in the market despite large 4,000 mAh battery. In addition to wirelessly charging the smartphone, it can also charge other devices.

 

So far, it was only possible to buy the smartphones and other devices of the bustling manufacturer on gray imports or Chinese online shops. But the company wants to change that soon. Because it has announced that it intends to distribute its smartphones on many other markets officially.

 

Mi 9 Pro 5G Availability and Price

 

Xiaomi has not shared any launch and available details about the Mi Pro 5G. But a recent leak indicates that the company is pretty close to launching the smartphone. And the Xiaomi Mi 9 pro 5G price is not yet known, but considering Xiaomi style, it’s expected to be better than Huawei 5G smartphone Mate 20 X 5G and ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G.