Narrowband – Internet of Things (NB-IoT)

Narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a standards-based low power wide area (LPWA) technology developed to enable a wide range of new IoT devices and services. NB-IoT significantly improves the power consumption of user devices, system capacity and spectrum efficiency, especially in deep coverage. Battery life of more than 10 years can be supported for a wide range of use cases.

New physical layer signals and channels are designed to meet the demanding requirement of extended coverage – rural and deep indoors – and ultra-low device complexity. Initial cost of the NB-IoT modules is expected to be comparable to GSM/GPRS. The underlying technology is however much simpler than today’s GSM/GPRS and its cost is expected to decrease rapidly as demand increases.

Supported by all major mobile equipment, chipset and module manufacturers, NB-IoT can co-exist with 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile networks. It also benefits from all the security and privacy features of mobile networks, such as support for user identity confidentiality, entity authentication, confidentiality, data integrity, and mobile equipment identification. The first NB-IoT commercial launches have been completed and global roll out is expected for 2017/18.

How to set up and use Huawei E5786 and Huawei E5785

Huawei E5786 and E5785 are two popular LTE mobile routers. Many people may have them for wireless internet access. If you don’t know how to use the two mobile hotspots, below the setup guide may help you.

Simple steps to get online

  1. Open the backcover and insert the SIM card:

  1. Turn on the router and insert into the charger

  1. Connect a computer to the wireless network

Windows:

  • Left-click the wireless network icon down at the time and date
  • Locate the network that matches the network name on the bottom of the lid and press “connect”
  • Enter the network password that appears on the bottom of the lid, press “connect”

Mac:

  • Touch Airport, the wireless network icon
  • Touch the network that matches the network name on the bottom of the lid.
  • Enter the network password that appears on the bottom of the lid, press “connect”
  1. Open a browser and follow the wizard

Enter a URL, such as www.4gltemall.com . You will find the PIN in the letter that came with your SIM card.

If you cannot find the PIN, you need the PUK code to create a new PIN.

  1. You are now connected to the Internet!

 

 

Questions and answers

How do I access the router menu?

 

The router has its own menu, where you can change the wireless network name and network key. Here’s how to access the Huawei E5786 and Huawei E5785 router menu:

Open a new browser, such as Internet Explorer, on a computer that is connected to the router. Type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar, press Enter.

The username is admin and the password is the network key you have received (PWD / WIFI KEY)

Note: If you have changed the password yourself, enter this.

 

How do i know that 4G+ is available?

The router will display a “+” character behind 4G if you are in an area with 4G + coverage and user data.

 

How do I lock the network on 4G, 3G or 2G?

 

If you want to have stable network, you can lock the network on either 4G, 3G or 2G.

Here’s how to do it:

Open a new browser, such as Internet Explorer, on a computer that is connected to the router. Type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar, press Enter.

The username is admin and the password is the network key you have received (PWD / WIFI KEY)

Select Settings, then Network

Choose Auto, LTE Only, 3G Only or 2G Only from the drop-down menu under Select Network.

Press Use .

 

 

How do I restore factory settings?

 

If you experience trouble connecting to the Internet, it may help to reset your router.

Note, the name of the network ( SSID ) and the network key ( PWD / WIFI KEY ) can be found inside the router’s cover.

To reset the router manually:

– Open the router cover.

– Push a binder / needle into the reset hole and hold for 10 seconds.

– The router turns on and off and you can reconnect to the wireless network.

Note that after you reset your router, your network name and network password will be reset.

 

To restore factory settings via the menu:

– Open a new browser, such as Internet Explorer, on a computer connected to the router. Type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar, press Enter .

– The username is admin and the password is the network key you have received (PWD / WIFI KEY)

– Click Settings

– Select System Security then Factory Settings.

– Press Restore

– Press Restore again to confirm.

– The router automatically reconnects and you can reconnect. Note that after you reset the router, your network name and network password will be reset. If you have changed the login password of the router, this will also be reset.

How do I change the wireless channel?

 

If you have weak signal strength or trouble finding the wireless network, it may help to change the wireless channel.

To change the wireless channel, enter the router menu. The computer must be connected wirelessly to the router to access the menu.

– Open a new browser, such as Internet Explorer, on a computer connected to the router. Type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar, press Enter.

– The username is admin and the password is the network key you have received ( PWD / WIFI KEY )

– Select Settings

– Click Wi-Fi, then Advanced

– Select a channel from the drop-down menu under Frequency (Channel).

– It is recommended to choose 16 or 11. Channel 11 may work better than Channel 1 at your home, so try it out. Avoid channels 12 or 13 as some network cards cannot connect to these.

– Press Use. The settings are now saved.

– If you still experience the same problem, repeat from Step 4 and try another channel that may work better on your computer.

– If you can not find your wireless network, restart your PC and your router.

 

 

Software update

The router software is automatically updated. You will be notified on the router’s screen when new software is available. If you are having trouble accessing the web, we recommend that you restore the factory settings.

 

How do I change Access Point Name (APN)?

  1. Open a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, on a computer that is connected to the router
  2. Type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar, press Enter
  3. Select Settings
  4. Type “admin” in the username field. The password is the same as the network key or a custom password that was selected during the initial setup of the router. The network key (WIFI KEY) can be found on a sticker on the back of the modem
  5. Select Profile Manager
  6. Touch New profile and enter the desired profile name. (this is just a description of the new profile)
  7. Enter the desired APN in the APN (access point name) field
  8. Press Save
  9. Restart your router.

 

Difference between Huawei E5788 and Netgear Nighthawk M1

Till the November 2017, Netgear Nighthawk M1 was always the fastest 4G LTE Pocket WiFi in the market. With the support of download speed of 1Gigabit per second and 150Mbps for upload, Netgear Nighthawk M1 is very popular in the users who are looking for high-speed terminals to work with LTE advanced Pro networks. With the release of a new 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot Huawei E5788, Netgear Nighthawk M1 has a challenging competitor.

Huawei E5 mobile hotspots are always the most popular wireless routers all over the world. Now the most advanced Huawei E5788 comes with Huawei advanced LTE technology. Today we will have a look at what the new LTE hotspot bring to us and what’s the difference between the two Gigabit LTE mobile routers.

Netgear Nighthawk M1 VS Huawei E5788 Appearance and interfaces

If you already have known the Netgear Nighthawk M1 mobile hotspot router, you may know the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is in a square shape with LAN port. The Huawei E5788 doesn’t have the LAN port, it seems to be upgraded from the Huawei E5786 LTE cat6 mobile hotspot. Huawei E5788 has a 2.4-inch color touchscreen to show the information about the connection in square shape while Netgear Nighthawk M1 has also same size screen but in round shape. The power button of Netgear Nighthawk M1 is to switch the menu.

The SIM card slot of Huawei E5788 is at the side of the device while the Nighthawk M1 design the SIM card slot in the inner part under the battery, which is similar to the predecessor Netgear Aircard 810s. They both have two TS-9 connectors for external 4G LTE antenna in case of use in weak signal areas.

 

Huawei E5788 VS MR1100 Battery

The Huawei E5788 has a built-in battery of 3000mAh while the Netgear Nighthawk M1 has a removable battery of 5040mAh. What’s more, the Nighthawk M1 can charge other electric devices on the large battery. Whether the Huawei E5788 has the same function is not mentioned by the official sayings.

Huawei E5788 VS Nighthawk M1 Technical Specifications

We summarize the main technical features of the two high-level LTE mobile routers as below:

 

Model Huawei E5788u-96a Netgear Nighthawk M1
Product type LTE Mobile Hotspot LTE Mobile Hotspot
Category LTE Cat.16 LTE Cat.16
Chipset Qualcomm MDM9250 Qualcomm MDM9x50
Data rates DL 1Gbps/UL 100Mbps DL 1Gbps/UL 100Mbps
Supported 4G LTE frequency bands * FDD-LTE: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/19/20/28
* TDD-LTE: Band 38/40/41/42
Telstra Nighthawk M1: Band 1/3/7/8/28
AT&T Nighthawk M1: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/29/30/66
Hong Kong Nighthawk M1: Band 1/3/7/8/20/28/29/30/38/40/41
WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz
Max support users 32 users 20 users
MIMO 4 X 4 MIMO 4 X 4 MIMO
Connector for external antenna No connector Two, TS-9 jacks
Buy Antenna N/A Netgear Nighthawk M1 Antenna
App management Huawei Hilink APP Netgear Aircard APP
SIM type Micro SIM Micro SIM
Battery Non-removable, 3000mAh Removable, 5040 mAh
Dimensions 129 x 65 x 13.5mm 105.5  x 105.5  x 20.35 mm
Ethernet Port No On port for LAN port(RJ-45)
Datasheet download Huawei E5788 Datahseet Netgear Nighthawk M1 Datasheet
User Manual Huawei E5788 Manual Netgear Nighthawk M1 Manual
Other features 4CC CA 4 band CA, JumpBoost
Firmware download Huawei E5788 Firmware Nighthawk M1 Firmware
Drivers Huawei E5788 Driver Nighthawk M1 Driver
Reviews Huawei E5788 Review Netgear Nighthawk M1 AT&T Review
Price 499.00USD 459.00USD

Summary

From the technical specifications, we can see the two Gigabit LTE routers have very similar functions. The supported LTE frequency bands are different for various LTE networks in different areas. Here now, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is available in the market and has gained a very good reputation. The Huawei E5788u-96a(first released model) is now available at https://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-e5788-gigabit-lte-cat-16-mobile-hotspot.html. But who will be the winner, the market will tell.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset will Be Available in 2018

Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 845, a new high-end chipset for smartphones, tablets, notebooks and other mobile devices. The successor to the Snapdragon 835 comes with improved processor performance, a faster modem and a better graphics unit. It is expected that the Snapdragon 845 will be used in various flagship smartphones with Android OS from 2018, for example, in devices such as the LG G7 or the Samsung Galaxy S9.

Octa-core processor

The heart of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is an octa-core processor. This consists of two quad-core processors, each with up to 1.8 GHz or 2.8 GHz clock power. The associated main memory is clocked up to 1866 MHz (Dual Channel LPDDR4x). The performance should be well above that of the predecessor Snapdragon 835, so the chipset now supports, for example, the encoding or decoding of videos with 2160p resolution at 60 fps and 10-bit color depth in H.265 format.

 

LTE Cat18: Modem for up to 1.2 GBit/s

Of course, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 also has an integrated modem. While the predecessor Snapdragon X16 modem with LTE Cat16 installed, the Snapdragon 845 is now the Snapdragon X20 modem with LTE Cat18 on board. The maximum LTE speed is 1.2 Gigabit per second in the downlink and 150 MBit/s in the uplink (UL Cat13). The downlink supports 5CC CA, which is a fivefold channel bundling. In addition, the modem can downlink the 256QAM modulation as well as 4 × 4 MIMO on up to three carriers simultaneously. A maximum of 2CC carrier aggregation is possible in the uplink, and 64QAM modulation is also available here.

 

Of course, the speeds that can be reached on the end device depend not only on the modem but also on the mobile network. In many countries, few providers currently offer 1.2 GBit/s in its LTE network.

Snapdragon 845: more features

Other features of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 include display resolutions of up to 4K Ultra HD, both on the integrated display and on a possible external display. As a graphics processor, an Adreno 630 is used, compared to the Adreno 540 from the Snapdragon 835. In addition, the chipset offers native support for biometric authentication as well as secure mobile payment.

 

Huawei Shows LTE and 5G antenna

External LTE antennas have usually been noticed as rather large and not very shapely. The Chinese network supplier Huawei has now for the first time demonstrated a transparent LTE antenna at its Global Mobile Broadband Forum in London, which can be comparatively inconspicuously integrated into a window. The antenna is not ready for market yet, but it is worth taking a first look, especially as the frequency range is also supported by 3.5 GHz planned for 5G.

 

Of course, Huawei’s antenna is not completely invisible, but it can still be better attached to a pane of glass than the usual black or gray “antenna box”, which is customary with external LTE antennas. At least the antenna should be relatively inconspicuous. The antenna shown at the Global Mobile Broadband Forum and is still 450 x 240 x 0.11 millimeters in size, the final version will be significantly more compact with 300 x 200 x 0.11 mm.

 

The antenna amplifies a fairly wide frequency spectrum between 1710 and 2690 MHz and thus also covers the frequency bands B1 (2100 MHz), B3 (1800 MHz) and B7 (2600 MHz) used in Europe for UMTS and LTE. The gain is up to 5dBi. In addition, the frequency range between 3.4 GHz and 3.8 GHz is supported. The so-called C-band is regarded as the worldwide base spectrum for the next generation of mobile communications 5G.

When the LTE antenna will be available, what it will cost and whether a market launch is planned in Europe, cannot be know now.

 

Huawei E5785 LTE Mobile Hotspot Test

Huawei has launched the new E5785 LTE hotspot on the market. With not-high price, it still offers good facilities. The Huawei E5785 has an LTE Cat6 modem for speeds up to 300 Mbps in the downlink and presents information about the device and the Internet connection via a small display on the front. There is dual-band Wi-Fi and the battery should allow about 10 hours of operation. Today, we would take a test on this new LTE hotspot.

Appearance

Huawei presented the E5785 as a successor to hotspots like the Huawei E5377 or the Huawei E5577. Visually, the E5785 differs little from the aforementioned predecessors, technically LTE Advanced Cat6 but now arrived in the middle class. With the battery, a quick-start manual and an extremely short micro-USB cable are packed with the E5785 device. To charge, you have to choose an existing USB power adapter or any USB port on your PC or laptop.

The first impression of Huawei E5785 is good. For the test, the white version of the E5785 was available, but there is also a variant with black color to buy. The device is small and light and has two buttons: a power button on the front and a menu button on the side. The battery is replaceable; under the battery is the slot for the MicroSIM card. Good to know: Even NanoSIM cards with adapters work well when used with care. On the front there is a small rectangular display, which is easy to read and clearly displays important information.

Technical specifications

The Huawei E5785 offers the following specifications. Importantly: the exact model number E5785Lh-22c would work without any trouble in Europe. If you buy a device with a different model number, other frequency ranges may be supported.

Manufacturer & Model: Huawei E5785Lh-22c
technologies: LTE / 4G (Cat6) | UMTS / 3G | GSM / 2G
Frequency ranges: LTE FDD: B1 / B3 / B5 / B7 / B8 / B20 / B32
LTE TDD: B38
UMTS: B1 / B2 / B5 / B8
GSM: B2 / B3 / B5 / B8
CA combinations: Intra-band: B3 / B7 / B38
Inter-band: B3 + B5 / B3 + B7 / B3 + B8 / B3 + B20 / B7 + B8 / B7 + B20
Maximum speeds: LTE: 300 Mbit/s down, 50Mbit/s up | UMTS: 42.2 Mbps down, 5.76 Mbps up (using DC-HSPA+) | GSM: 236 kbps (when using EDGE)
WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS 802.11a/b/g/n/ac to 867 Mbps | 2 × 2 MIMO | 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz | Up to 10 devices at the same time
Software in the test: Firmware Version:
Others: 2 x connection for external antenna (type TS-9) | Replaceable battery 3,000 mAh | MicroUSB connection

Configuration and software

Confirguration is simple and easy. After power on the device, you have to connect via WLAN with the Huawei E5785, then you can enter the SIM pin and set up by Huawei HiLink App (available for Android and iOS) or via the browser web interface (IP: 192.168.8.1). An assistant leads through the most important settings, so that even less experienced users should be able to cope quickly. The used provider is recognized automatically via the SIM card, and normally the APN does not have to be entered.

Further settings can be made in the web interface, for example, roaming for the use of the device abroad can be activated or the mobile network technology can be selected manually. You can store a data plan in the statistics menu and it is possible to send and receive text messages.

 

Huawei E5785: modem in the test

The modem of the Huawei E5785 left an ambiguous impression in the test. If the reception was good, the LTE hotspot delivered excellent data rates – in an LTE 800 cell (Volume 20) almost 70 MBit/s in the downlink and around 25 MBit/s in the uplink were possible. However, the reception was not always satisfactory overall and with poor reception, the modem also provided comparatively bad values: a Netgear Nighthawk M1 provides almost double times fast while a Huawei B618 LTE router even three times as fast. The mobile hotspot showed no weaknesses over UMTS, in this case the speeds were often even higher than the comparison devices.

To achieve the maximum possible speed, Huawei E5785 bundles different channels in the same or in different frequency ranges (see table above, “CA combinations”). In the test, the maximum data rate was about 200 MBit/s – significantly more will probably reach only very rarely, because the LTE networks of the providers are now often well utilized.

 

If required, an external LTE MIMO antenna can be connected to the Huawei E5785. For this purpose, two TS-9 connectors are available under a cover at the side. In the test, the use of a 40dBi LTE MIMO antenna with two TS-9 pigtails worked flawlessly.

 

WLAN with extender function

The WLAN of the Huawei E5785 operates either in the frequency range around 2.4 GHz or in the range around 5 GHz. The 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards are supported with 2 × 2 MIMO antenna technology. Over 2.4 GHz are possible up to 300 MBit/s, on 5 GHz up to 867 MBit/s. In the test, the maximum connection speed was reached with an Apple MacBook Pro even at about 4m distance (line of sight), but as soon as objects or even a wall between hotspot and terminal are, the speed drops significantly. Overall, the range was neat, not better or worse than other mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. What was conspicuous: when using 5 GHz WLAN, the Huawei E5785 always needed about a minute after power-up to perform the DFS scan. During this time the WLAN connection was not usable.

Huawei has again integrated the WLAN Extender function on the E5785, as with many previous models. The function allows using an existing WLAN connection as Internet access, as soon as it is within reach. This saves data volume at the data tariff. The WLAN Extender must be configured once via the web interface or the Huawei HiLink App, but can then be switched on and off on the device itself via the menu and the power button. In the test it was noticeable that the speed was limited to about 15 MBit/s when using the WLAN Extender function. However, this is not only the case with the E5785, the sister model Huawei E5885 also had this restriction.

Battery and others

The battery of the Huawei E5785 is to allow about 10 hours of operation according to the manufacturer. In the test this was approximately achieved, with the operating time varies slightly depending on the application scenario. If you use the LTE hotspot in a train or in a car, where cell changes often have to be carried out, the battery life is slightly lower than for stationary use. The number of connected WLAN devices also has an impact on the runtime.

 

The Huawei E5785 does not have a MicroSD memory card slot. The site has a micro-USB port for charging and connecting to the computer. Even if no device is connected via WLAN and the Internet connection is exclusively used via USB: you can not completely switch off the WLAN.

 

Conclusion

Overall, the Huawei E5785 left a good impression in the test. The battery life is good, the setup was fast and the operation is very easy. Wi-Fi and modem worked perfectly in the test, the LTE speeds with weak reception but could be improved.

 

The Huawei E5785 has to fend off competition, especially from its own home: the LTE hotspots Huawei E5577C and Huawei E5377 are a bit slower and have a shorter battery life. A slightly more expensive alternative is the Huawei E5787 with a large touch screen and the Huawei E5885 with LAN connection on. Recently, Huawei released a new Gigabit LTE hotspot Huawei E5788, we suppose the price of Huawei E5785 would drop soon after the new model available on the market.

 

Huawei MS2372 — LTE Stick for the Industry

USB surf sticks with LTE modem were the first devices for the first LTE networks in 2011, with which you could use the new mobile network of the fourth generation. In Europe, for example, the Samsung GT-B3740, Huawei E392u-12 and the Huawei E398 were widely used. In the meantime, at the end of 2017, LTE surf sticks in the end customer sector hardly play a role anymore. Most customers want to use a LTE hotspot with WLAN and battery for mobile use and a “real” LTE router with LAN and WLAN function for stationary use as a DSL replacement. For industrial applications, Huawei now presents a new LTE stick: Huawei MS2372.

 

Huawei MS2372 Applications

According to the manufacturer, the Huawei MS2372 LTE USB dongle can be used, for example, in mobile sales terminals, in vending machines, in consumption meters or in medical device. These devices require a connection to the Internet for a variety of reasons and can be upgraded with the LTE Stick as needed. For example, a remote update of certain devices is possible or a vending machine can report transactions in real time to the central office. The Huawei MS2372 seems to replace the previous old model Huawei E220 modem, which was widely used in various terminals.

To support different LTE frequency bands from various network carriers, Huawei also presents many sub-models like the Huawei E3276 LTE Stick to support these networks:

 

Huawei MS2372h-517:

* LTE FDD B1/B2/B4/B5/B7/B12/B28

* UMTS B1/B2/B4/B5

* GSM:850/900/1800/1900

 

Huawei MS2372h-153:

* LTE FDD B1/B3/B7/B8/B20

* UMTS B1/B8. GSM 850/900/1800/1900

 

 

Huawei MS2372h-607:

* LTE FDD B1/B3/B7/B8/B19/B28 and LTE TDD B40

* UMTS B1/B6/B8/B19

* GSM 850/900/1800/1900

 

Extended temperature range

For the consumer market, usual LTE modems work only in a quite limited temperature range. For the MS2372, Huawei has significantly extended this temperature range, the stick works between -20 and +55 degrees Celsius. The Huawei 4G dongle requires a power supply of 5V / 700mA for operation and is quite compact at 88mm x 28mm x 11.5mm. The weight is just under 50 grams.

 

LTE Cat4 with 150 MBit/s

The maximum speed in the LTE network is around 150 MBit/s in the downlink and 50 MBit/s in the uplink. This corresponds to LTE category 4. In addition, the stick is backwards compatible with 3G/UMTS and 2G/GSM, including the data accelerators DC-HSPA+ and EDGE. The following frequency bands are supported by the model MS2372h-153 designed for the European market:

 

  • LTE: B1/B3/B7/ B8/B20
  • UMTS: B1 / B8
  • GSM: Quadband (50/900/1800/1900 MHz)

On the side of the USB stick, there are two connections for external antennas under one cover.

 

Control via AT commands

The Huawei MS2372 LTE stick can be controlled via AT commands, in addition to the 3GPP TS 27.007 and 27.005 standards, extended Huawei AT commands are also supported.

Availability

The Huawei MS2372 would be available soon around the beginning of 2018. We would take test for this new Huawei 4G dongle and show our report on www.4gltemall.com.

Huawei B612 LTE Router Features and Specs

Huawei offers a new wireless LTE CPE B612 with powerful LTE modem recently. The B612 CPE supports LTE Advanced Cat6 with up to 300 MBit/s in the downlink and up to 50 MBit/s in the uplink, which is similar to the predecessor Huawei E5186 and B525 technically. A special feature compared to the predecessor model is the support for 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology. The router also offers a telephone function and connections for external LTE antennas, which are common specs for the Huawei LTE routers. Here now in some countries, the Huawei B612 LTE CPE is already available.

 

Huawei B612: design and comparison

The Huawei B612 looks like a classic router, there is no special design or visual highlights. The case is held in matt white plastic. On the front several LEDs show the operating status, on the back you will find the connections.

 

But where can you roughly classify the Huawei B612 compared to other Huawei LTE router models? One thing is clear: the Huawei B618 with 600 MBit/s and 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology has a much more powerful modem, but puts the focus much more on the body design and has fewer connections. The Huawei B715 LTE router can also use much higher speeds than the B612 at 450 MBit/s, but does not use 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology. The B715 also has the most connections in the comparison with B612 and B618.

Huawei B612: Specifications

As we know, Huawei had presented two sub-models for Huawei B612. We suppose there will be more models available in near future, just like the Huawei B593 LTE CPE. The Huawei B612 offers a LTE Cat6 modem for up to 300 MBit/s in the downlink. In addition to 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology, 2CC CA (dual channel bundling) is also supported. In addition to FDD LTE, TDD LTE is supported, so the router is very universal. The following LTE frequency bands are supported in detail as below:

 

Huawei B612s-25d support:

* LTE: B1/B3/B7/B8/B20/B38/B40/B41(2545~2655MHz)/B42/B43

* DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/HSPA/WCDMA: B1/B8

* EDGE/GPRS/GSM: B2/B3/B5/B8

* 4*4 MIMO:B3/B7/B20/B38/B40/B41/B42/B43

 

Huawei B612s-51d support:

* LTE: B2/B4/B5/B7/B41(2545~2655MHz)

* DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/HSPA/WCDMA: B1/B2/B5

* EDGE/GPRS/GSM: B2/B3/B5/B8

The WLAN module of the Huawei B612 operates both in the frequency range around 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and supports the 802.11ac standard. For connection to computer and game console, there are also four RJ45 Ethernet LAN ports on the back of the router. If you want, you can also use one of the four LAN ports as a WAN connection, ie an external modem can be connected there. The internal mobile modem is then disabled and you can use the router as a normal wireless access point.

 

On the back you will find other connections besides the RJ45 LAN ports. On the one hand, there is the RJ11 connection for an analogue telephone, because the B612 supports telephone connections. On the other hand there are two SMA connections for an external LTE MIMO antenna, the connections are well protected under a cover.

Huawei B612: availability

Here now the Huawei B612 is only available for few network provider in Poland and Chile, and the online retailers don’t have this new LTE CPE available. We suppose it would be available soon around the beginning of 2018, just like the predecessor huawei LTE router. We will take further test on this router once we get it. And we would also inform the availability if we have news from 4gltemall.com.

 

Telekom Speedbox LTE IV Router Test

Telekom has introduced a new LTE router- Speedbox LTE IV to its product range. The Speedbox LTE IV is the successor of the Speedbox LTE III, which was offered since January 2015 and left a good impression on the users. Compared to its predecessor, the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV offers twice as high speeds (LTE Cat11 with up to 600 MBit/s), as well as a sleek new design. Manufacturer of the device is the Chinese company Huawei, and the router is a slightly modified Huawei B618s-22d.

 

Connections and design

The Telekom Speedbox LTE IV is visually certainly one of the most beautiful LTE routers that are currently available. The matt white cuboids also looks good on a dresser, unlike many other routers, the device does not need to hide. Various LEDs on the front indicate the operating status as well as the reception, a WPS button ensures fast WLAN connections without tedious password entry. The MicroSIM card is used on the underside of the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV; there is also a label with serial number and Wi-Fi password attached.

 

 

The power supply, LAN cable and external antenna connectors are located on the back panel. In detail, we can find here 2x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet and two TS-9 connections under a cover. But unlike the original Huawei B618s-22d router, there is no USB or an RJ11 telephone connection in the Speedbox LTE IV. And it doesn’t have built-in battery, which feature is available on another similar router Huawei B529s-23a. The Speedbox LTE IV must get external power supply and work.

 

Telekom Speedbox LTE (Huawei B618s-22d) hightlight features:
LTE Category 11, down to 600 Mbps, up to 50 Mbps
LTE frequency bands FDD LTE Band 1/3/7/8/20 (800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz)
UMTS DC-HSPA+, up to 42.2 Mbit/s downlink, up to 5.76 Mbit/s uplink
UMTS frequency bands 900/2100 MHz
GSM Including EDGE
GSM frequency bands 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
connections 2x Gigabit LAN, 2x TS-9 for external antenna
WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, up to 867 Mbps
Others LAN port can also be used as WAN port. Operation via browser and via app possible.

 

 

LTE speed in practice

Even though the LTE modem of the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV theoretically reach up to 600 MBit/s fast: in practice, only a fraction is reached in the normal case. For the highest possible speeds, not only the LTE advanced pro mobile network must be equipped accordingly, the network utilization may only be very low, which is rarely the case in modern times. Of course, the reception must of course be as optimal as possible. Much more interesting than the question of how maximum fast the router will be is the question of how the speeds are in areas with poor reception and how the device beats in comparison with the competition.

The transmission and reception performance is quite decent with the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV, but does not trigger any enthusiasm storms. If in doubt, you should connect with very poor reception an external antenna. The speeds were above average in the LTE network and in the UMTS network in comparison with a Netgear AirCard 810 hotspot , an Apple iPad Pro 9.7 and an AVM FRITZ! Box 6890 LTE. Tested in the LTE 800 and LTE 1800 network of Telekom and Vodafone, UMTS was used at 2100 MHz.

 

 

The continuous use was easily possible in the test, the SpeedBox LTE IV ran smoothly for several days and was doing little more than lukewarm. What was noticed during the test, however: with heavier load (eg speed test) the power supply made noises, a kind of “coil whistling” was to be heard.

 

WLAN at the Speedbox LTE IV

The WLAN of Telekom Speedbox LTE IV is strong enough to supply a large apartment or a small house. The range of course depends on various factors such as thickness and texture walls, but in comparison with common mobile WLAN/LTE hotspots, the range is good. The maximum speed is 867 MBit/s. The WLAN works on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (802.11b/g/n/ac), you can also switch off the frequency bands individually. The channel bandwidth can be set in the web interface, the highest speeds are obtained only with 80 MHz in the 5 GHz band. You can use the Wi-Fi bridge or Wi-Fi extender mode that allows you to use an existing Wi-Fi network as an Internet access. If a device is connected to the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV via LAN cable, a menu is displayed in the web interface with which the WLAN can be completely switched off.

Hidden WAN function

As already described, the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV offers two RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on the back. These connections can be used, for example, to connect a desktop PC or game console with a LAN cable to the LTE router. If you need more than two LAN ports, you have to switch between a switch. In the test, the LAN connections worked smoothly, as expected.

 

The Speedbox LTE IV has a nice feature that the “original” Huawei B618 taken: if necessary, one of the LAN ports can also be used as a WAN port, ie you can feed an existing Internet connection via LAN cable and thereby possibly save mobile data volume. It should be noted, however, that you no longer have access to the Web interface when using the WAN. Settings on the WLAN must therefore be carried out beforehand, before the WAN function is used.

 

Configuration via web interface

The web interface of the Telekom Speedbox LTE can be reached in the browser via the address 192.168.8.1. On initial startup, you are prompted to change the log in password to a custom one, eliminating unauthorized access and configuration changes.

 

On the start page you get the most important information displayed clearly, including, for example, the amount of data consumed and the online time. Of course, the reception is also displayed, but you can also find it in any other menu at the top of a status bar. There are also tabs for “Statistics”, “SMS”, “Update” and “Settings”. Basically, the points are self-explanatory and quite clear, only in the settings, there are many sub-points, which are worth a close look.

 

In the tab “Settings” you can specify, for example, whether the router should also go abroad (roaming) to the Internet and whether the network technology (2G, 3G, 4G) should be selected automatically or if you prefer to use only LTE, for example , The configuration of the WLAN interface can also be made here: up to 4 WLAN names (SSIDs), two each at 2.4 and 5 GHz, can be assigned, of course, each with an individual password.

 

Some simple settings can also be made via the Huawei HiLink Smartphone App, which is available for Android and iOS in the respective App Store for download. If you just want to see the current data consumption quickly or want to read a text message, you will be fine with the app. For more detailed things, such as the choice of network technology, you still have to try the web interface, here comes the app to its limits.

 

Test conclusion to the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV

In the test, the Speedbox LTE IV made a good impression: the Internet connection was stable and reliable, the modem reached high speeds and the case design is a clear advanced to its predecessor. The software is fast and easy to use and the WLAN module was convincing with up to four SSIDs and high speeds.

 

However, there are also some criticisms: on the one hand Telekom has deleted the telephone interface, which is the otherwise identical to original model Huawei B618s-22d available on 4gltemall.com. On the other hand, a WiFi Extender function is missing, with which one can use an existing WLAN as Internet entrance, as it is often already standard with many mobile LTE hotspots nowadays. The third point of criticism concerns the integrated LTE modem: it supports the advanced 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology, but “only” 2CC CA, ie dual channel bundling.

 

Overall, it should be noted: apart from a few technical details, the Telekom Speedbox LTE IV is a highly recommended and future-proof LTE router. For the price with contract, there is currently no information. Considering the functions deleted by Telekom, we suggest you buy original and unlocked Huawei B618s-22d to enjoy the full functions for the LTE advanced router. The Huawei B618s-22d unlocked router is now available www.4gltemall.com. You can get it without any contract and use it with almost all the network providers’ SIM cards in Europe.

 

Intel Release 5G Modem XMM8060 and 4G Modem XMM7660

With the development of wireless networks, 5G network is approaching. It’s said 5G networks will be available. The wireless industry leaders such as Qualcomm and Intel are planning the new products to meet the network upgrade. Last month, Qualcomm Inc. has announced that they have successfully trialed a 5G data connection on their X50 5G modem. Qualcomm says during their trial they were able to successfully establish a 5G data connection on the X50 modem using 28GHz mmWave frequency band, with download speeds reaching over a gigabit per second.

Intel is also following the trend for 5G network. A couple of days ago, Intel also announced the Intel XMM 8000 series, which is its first family of 5G new radio (5G NR) multi-mode commercial modems. The XMM8060 is the first modem of the XMM 8000 series. Intel also announced its latest LTE modem, the Intel XMM7660, which will be made available in 2019.

 

Intel XMM8060 is the company’s first commercial 5G modem as a competitor to Qualcomm X50 5G modem. As the typical feature, the Intel XMM8060 is also multi-mode supporting full 5G non-standalone and standalone NR, as well as various 2G, 3G and 4G legacy modes. Thus enabling devices to work in different locations, including large cities with 5G standalone NR (this may be a distant future) as well as rural areas that have 2G or 3G networks. This is important as 5G availability will not be available everywhere all at once, and it will take years for its roll-out to complete, just like how it took years for 4G LTE to be adopted throughout the globe. The XMM8060 is expected to be adopted in customer devices since mid-2019 at earliest. As part of the announcement, the company reiterated its plans to offer a top-to-bottom XMM 8000 family of 5G modems for various applications, including smartphones, PCs, buildings and vehicles.

Intel has kept on developing LTE modems as well. With the Intel XMM8060, the XMM7660 4G LTE Modem was also presented as its second-generation Gigabit LTE modem capable of up to Cat 19 (1.6Gbps) downlink connections. It features MIMO, carrier aggregation, 256QAM and a broad range of band support.  Intel expects commercial devices to adopt the XMM 7660 in 2019.

 

Intel says the series will enable a range of devices from PCs and phones to vehicles and fixed wireless consumer premise equipment to connect to 5G networks. And we will see when 5G coming.