Huawei E8377 Archives – 4G LTE Mall

ZTE MF905 WiFi Hotspot in Car Review

The ZTE VFi MF905 was first presented to public since last year, but it seems very few network provider had introduced this product to their data plan. Today, we get the ZTE MF905 Mobile WiFi Hotspot and it’s unbranded.

ZTE MF905 VFI

However, unlike its competitor Huawei E8377 CarFi, the MF905 MiFi has two parts. More specifically, the ZTE MF905 is only a small WiFi hotspot like Huawei E5331 but much smaller. If you want to use the ZTE MF905 in a car, you must get the cigarette charger base and plug the ZTE MF905 into the base. Then they would work together to provide wireless network in a car. There are 4 interfaces for power supply at the bottom of ZTE MF905 body. The interfaces would be suitable for the base.

ZTE MF905 VFI

If you don’t use the ZTE MF905 in a car, you can pull out the MF905 and it can get power supply through a USB cable which is included in the package. Of course, you can plug a SIM card into the MF905 and with power supply, you can get wireless network from this MF905.

ZTE MF905 VFI

On the front of ZTE MF905, there are 4 indicators for power, WiFi, signal strength and message. The power button is just in the middle of the 4 indicators. Below them is the ZTE logo. The front cover can be removed and after removed, we can see the SIM card slot. And the Reset hole is around the power button. But there is no slot for Micro SD card.

ZTE MF905 VFI

At the bottom of the ZTE MF905, there is a label showing the information:

Model number: ZTE MF905

Power input: DC 5V-1.5A

CMIIT ID: 2016CP6404

IMEI: 862252030032XXX

WLAN SSID: ZTE_9E4A07

WLAN Key: 71889989

IP Address: 192.168.0.1

Password: admin

Manufacturer: ZTE

ZTE MF905 VFI

ZTE MF905 could support the LTE Category 4 with peak download speed to 150mbps and upload speed to 50Mbps. Up to 8 wireless users could connect to MF905 and surf simultaneously. ZTE MF905 could support the 802.11 b/g/n/ac standard and it could be managed by APP through mobile phones.

ZTE MF905 VFI

The cigarette charger base can work well with MF905. Besides the power supply, there is also one USB port to charge other electric devices such as smartphones, Pads. On the cigarette body, there is also a label showing the information:

ZTE MF905 VFI

MF905 Especially for Car

Input: 12 – 2A

Output: 5V — 2.5A

USB Output: 5V — 1A

ZTE MF905 VFI

The two parts are packed in respective boxes. If you will use the ZTE MF905 in a car, don’t forget to get the cigarette base to let them work together. Otherwise, you need connect USB cable with the MF905 to work as a common mobile hotspot.

ZTE MF905 VFI

Conclusion

The ZTE MF905 is cool in black and the function is very practical with high LTE download speed support for up to 8 users. But the division of the two parts may not be a good design because the upper part of MF905 doesn’t have an insert battery, so if you want it work independently; you must keep it connected with the USB power adapter through the USB cable. It can’t work like a mobile pocket WiFi hotspot unless you let it work with a power bank. On this point, the Huawei E8377 may be more professional for a car.

Huawei E8377 CarFi VS ZTE VFi MF905

More and more people show great dependence to WiFi, even when they are on the go, especially in a car. The manufacturers in China has notice the demand and provided solution for this. We had introduced Huawei CarFi E8377 many times in the past year. You may get familiar with it. And another Chinese vendor ZTE also provide the similar product ZTE VFi MF905 for the network demand in a car. Here come the questions: What’s the difference between Huawei E8377 and ZTE MF905? Which one is better? In this article, you will find the answer for this.

Appearance

ZTE VFi MF905 comes later than Huawei E8377, but the two mobile WiFi hotspots look alike in shape and color. They are both in black color and used for cigarette cradle in a car. There is a USB port in the body, and of course there is a slot for SIM card in the two hotspots. But the SIM card slot in Huawei E8377 is covered by a small cap. The SIM card slot in MF905 is just above the USB port. On the top side, the logo and LED indicators are shown. The power button is at the center of the top.

Technical Specifications

They are both with LTE Category 4 technology, so they can achieve peak download speed to 150mbps and upload speed to 50mbps. The transmission date rates are very good for daily surfing. But whether the surfing speed could be stable when a car is in high speed driving, it still needs time to test.

As a follower, ZTE MF905 could support up to 8 wireless users to access internet while Huawei E8377 supports only 10 users. But in most cases, they are enough to use in a car. There is no official saying about the WiFi coverage distance, but we suppose there is no any problem for the WiFi to cover a whole car.

Control

If user want to do some setup in the CarFi, they can connect the tablets, smartphones or PCs with WiFi and log in the web interface to setup. But here now, Huawei and ZTE also provide a new option for users. User can download the apps to setup the two CarFi. For Huawei E8377 CarFi, you may use “Huawei Mobile WiFi” app. And for ZTE MF905, the app name ZTE Link could be used for settings.

Frankly speaking, the two Car WiFi hotspots are very similar. We cannot tell which one is better from the specifications and features. Only the real test would tell which would have more stable and better performance. We will take a test next time in real driving situation to see this result.

If you had read some review before, there is also other solution for the Car WiFi. The model number is Huawei E8372 and Alcatel W800. They are in the shape of USB dongle, not like the E8377 and MF905. But with the cigarette plug, it would be also OK to use in a car. If you want to know more details of them, welcome to check on www.4gltemall.com .

Huawei Hilink CarFi E8377 LTE Hotspot for a Car

We all know Huawei mobile WiFi hotspot are dominating the mobile world for wireless networking. Now, Huawei introduced a mobile hotspot HiLink Carfì (E8377) for the car, which is operated directly by the cigarette lighter. The small adapter supports LTE Category 4 and enables downloads at up to 150 Mbit/s and uploads of up to 50 Mbit/s through only a valid SIM card. Up to ten devices can connect to the HiLink Carfì and get access to the Internet. The network, which builds from the adapter, can protect what should provide the necessary security in the wireless network via WEP, WPA or WPA2.

The HiLink Carfì for the car draws its power from the cigarette lighter. Alternatively, it has a 1900 mAh built-in battery. The device consumes less than 20 watts, according to Huawei and should therefore be energy efficient and hardly pollute the car battery. In addition, the HiLink Carfì has a USB port, allowing it in to charge other devices such as smartphones or tablets while driving. An integrated protective function should ensure the regulation of the temperature of the adapter and so prevent overheating.

The Huawei E8377 CarFi can be operated on ‘Mobile WiFi’ app, available for both Android and iOS. The configuration can be done via this application. The stick has dimensions of 59 x 49 x 88 millimeters and weighs less than 50 grams. According to the manufacturer, the adapter material for the car is made by such as carbon fiber or wood.

At Mobile World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona from 2nd to 5th March 2015, Huawei had presented the HiLink Carfì to public. It’s a big demand for the cars to get access to internet and with other devices. Huawei had seen this demand and the Huawei CarFi is created. Huawei has set the retail price on the HiLink Carfì. For the operation of the adapter, a micro-SIM card with data plan booked is necessary, which is not included with the Hilink CarFi.

Besides HiLink Carfì, we expect at the MWC in Barcelona even more new devices from Huawei. Here now, the Huawei Hilink CarFi and other terminals are available at www.4gltemall.com. Huawei had also presents many USB WiFi dongles(called Wingle) to the markets, such as Huawei E8372 and E8278, they can be used through USB ports or with mobile power bank. But if the car charger with USB adapter, they can also connect to a car and keep working. But comparing the Huawei Wingle, Huawei E8377 Hilink CarFi is more suitable to work directly with a car. It’s a perfect solution for wireless network in a car for traveling or outdoor activities.

Huawei CarFi E8377 Bring Internet in a Car

Permanent access to the internet in the car is sometimes useful. Of course, if you ride alone, and you are using only a smartphone, then just turn off the mobile data and no any trouble. Sometimes, however, it is not enough to have only mobile data from smartphone.

A good example is a longer trip with your family or a business trip with colleagues. Then plain hotspot on your smartphone may not be enough. Firstly, because it does not always provide the appropriate connection speed to several people at the same time, and secondly because the burden on smartphone.

Therefore it comes the new gadget Huawei CarFi – small WiFi router, which need to put the SIM card and connect to the cigarette lighter socket in the car. The Huawei CarFi connects to the fast 4G LTE mobile network and Internet broadcasts up to 10 people at once. It is therefore suitable both for use in typical passenger cars and busses. Users can connect a couple of laptops, tablets, and even (if necessary) smartphones wirelessly.

Huawei CarFi (E8377) is a small router, consisting of a plug into the car’s 12 V and an upper part, enlarged section in which there is a push button switch, antenna connector and of course a slot for a SIM card.

On the leg there is a sticker with the Network ID and the default password. User should take a picture to save, because the sticker is easy to damage. In addition, there are two stickers with the name and password, which are glued. Under the cap at the top part, with the slot, there is a small connector for an optional external antenna. It is optional but can be useful at a time when we are trying to connect to faster cellular network in an area of weak coverage.

At the top of the side, a USB output port is built-in. It could be connect to an ordinary USB cable and charge the smartphone. In practice, Huawei CarFi is not only a router, but also a car charger.

Configuration and operation

The setup process is very simple. After inserting the SIM card and placing the router in the slot 12 V, user only need to hold down the button on the top and the Huawei CarFi turns on. Now your smartphone searches the network created by the WiFi router and connects to it after stating the default password.

Theoretically we can keep longer use Internet connectivity from now, but definitely recommend installing the program Huawei HiLink on your smartphone. Download it free from Google Play (Android) and the App Store (iOS). The WiFi name and password can be changed in the future in the HiLink application settings.

The main task of the application on the smartphone is not only changing the settings. Other management could also be done when connected to the Huawei CarFi, and user can control the consumption of a data packet.

When we checked the data rate in the big city, we can gain typically 30-35 Mb/s. Even if we divide the speed on several devices, it will still be able to use the Internet easily, such as check email, use Google calendar, work on documents in the cloud and send & receive small files. The connection was stable. There I had not met with cases of disconnecting one of the CarFi E8377.

Summary

Huawei CarFi was doing a positive test. First of all, it was very easy to install and use (management from a smartphone). Secondly, you can connect up to 10 different devices at the same time to use them from the Internet. Thirdly, featured router is not a big financial expenditure, and may prove to be very useful during a business trip (work in a car) or a long trip with friends and family. If you drive often in the car with a few people and your car does not have its own WiFi router, the Huawei CarFi is recommendable.

Final assessment:

* fast 4G LTE Mobile Communications

* WiFi hotspot, the ability to connect up to 10 devices simultaneously

* stable operation

* built-in USB port for charging smartphones

* very simple setup and operation

* operation via smartphone (application HiLink)

* the ability to connect an additional antenna

Buying Huawei CarFi router is most cost-effective when the car will be benefited for a few people (some devices) at the same time. Therefore, a good idea is to buy a large package of data plan on the mobile phone number. With an average, load should be at least 10 GB per month, and at a higher 25 GB or more. The cost of purchasing the router is not very big. You can buy the Huawei CarFi E8377 from www.4gltemall.com at good price now.

Huawei CarFi E8377 Hotspot Test

A Wi-Fi hotspot in the car – this feature is so far available only for a few cars of the upper middle class and upper class. Huawei changed the cigarette lighter connector for new Carfì hotspot for 12V. Users can reach up to 150 MBit/s via LTE through the Huawei Carfì Hotspot, of course, the CarFi can also a fallback to 3G and 2G. But the Carfì wireless router is really as good as the expensive installation solutions from car producer? In this test, we find out the answer.

Appearance and Technology

Huawei Carfì Hotspot is conducted under the Model Number Huawei E8377 and comes in a nice package for buyers. The scope of supply is tight, next to the hotspot itself there is a Quick Start Guide, a brochure with safety instructions and an indication of the Huawei HiLink app included. The Huawei Carfì Hotspot is kept in a matt black plastic and the front is equipped with a carbon look, which is likely to look smart in almost any car. On the front there is also the power button, which simultaneously serves as an indicator of the reception strength by the underlying LED. A yellow LED indicates poor UMTS / LTE receiver while a green LED indicates good reception.

Of course, you need a SIM card with the appropriate data plan for the operation of Huawei Carfì. The card must be in micro-SIM format and is inserted under the side cover in the Carfì hotspot. Under the cover you will find also a reset button and a connector for an external antenna. There is a integrated rechargeable battery; so user can operate Huawei router Carfì in the car and can take the CarFi in a meeting or outdoors.

The maximum speed in the LTE network is 150 Mbit/s over LTE Cat4. According to Huawei, the Huawei CarFi supports frequency bands by 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz. If no LTE times are available, you can also use 3G (up to 42.2 Mbit/s) and 2G. In the test of the handover between the different network technologies, Huawei CarFi can work smoothly while driving. The reception is in both LTE and UMTS, but no better than most smartphones. Those who expect a good reception will be disappointed by Huawei Carfì or possibly should directly connect an external antenna. If you want the antenna for Huawei CarFi, click here: http://www.4gltemall.com/external-antenna-for-huawei-4g-lte-usb-modem.html

The wireless module operates on the 802.11 b/g/n, ie on the frequency band around 2.4 GHz. The area around 5 GHz is not supported. The signal is strong enough to cover larger cars.

Control via App
Once you have the Huawei Carfì Hotspot connect it to a cigarette lighter connector, it must be turned on manually before use each time. Before first use you should write down or take a picture of the WLAN key, because as soon as the device is plugged in, it’s different for to read the key. Also, one should previously load the Huawei HiLink app to Android or iOS device, because that is for the establishment and the operation.

Connection parameters like APN or access numbers can’t not be stored. The Huawei Carfì can automatically recognized the SIM card from Vodafone and Orange in the test and the data stored accordingly. Only the PIN code must be entered, if enabled. The Huawei HiLink app allows various settings, for example, you can configure the name and password of the WLAN network. A wireless guest network with a separate name and password can be set up, ideal for guests in the car or for taxi drivers.

Connection information such as data consumption, connected wireless devices and the online time are displayed graphically in the app. The firmware of Huawei Carfì can easily be updated online. A major disadvantage of Huawei HiLink app: the test with Android smartphones, the program fell on extremely high energy consumption. Here Huawei should urgently provide an update for Remedy.
In the test, we can find Huawei Carfì has two major disadvantages: firstly, the device must be turned on every time manually, if you want to use it, a start on some cars are not possible, at least for a VW Golf VI, a Ford Galaxy and a Renault Scenic. Second, only the internal antenna is used in the hot spot, whereas fixed-mounted solutions always use the external antenna, thus naturally have much better reception conditions.
Nevertheless, the Huawei Carfì Hotspot is recommended as a retrofit solution definitely, because all the promised features are well met. Of course, you could also have a mobile wireless router with battery, the Carfì Hotspot is significantly more convenient.

Huawei CarFi E8377 LTE Router Review

In the last few years, it’s the main trend to connect cars. Internet access in the car or camping Mobile is still reserved for the premium class. However, new wireless gadgets provide solution. The Huawei E8377 specially designed for the motor vehicle provides the first use and inexpensive hotspot router with LTE. We have tested the “Huawei Carfì Router” for you and share the details below.

With the Carfì E8377 router, user can access internet via the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. The CarFi could work on 3G or 4G LTE and up to 150 Mbits per second download speed are possible here. The concept is not entirely new. Huawei had brought a car Stick named W5101 for the first time to the market. It’s available for Vodafone contract. But it’s an ordinary USB stick, which was connected via an adapter into the cigarette lighter. The E8377 Carfì could connect to the card through the cigarette power connector, which is a direct solution for wireless network.

The packaging looks quite classy and looks like a clock-bell. After opening the box, there is only a mini-manual next to the device. In addition, a tiny leaflet-list is available for installation. The user manual (sweet 6.5 x 5 cm) available in several languages and there are short Tips for settings.

The egg-shaped head of CarFi E8377 gives only a start switch, a notification LED and laterally a SIM card slot (Micro SIM) together with the reset button. Directly to the head connects to the cigarette 12-volt port. From a processing perspective, the device is “appropriate”. The specially adapted to use in the car shape design, the E8377 hardly looks like a foreign body in any case.

Now, let’s consider technical data. The mobile module initially supports LTE in all major bands at 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz. Thus, the Car-stick can easily use in Europe. Based on the LTE Cat4 modem, it can reach up to 150 Mbps for download and up to 50 MBit for upload in connection with a matching LTE tariff. In addition to LTE/4G, the CarFi still has support for more mobile phone standards. Among them are as UMTS 900 and 2100 MHz 3G Turbo DC-HSPA+ (up to 42 Mbps) and 2G (GSM, EDGE, GPRS). So even in very poor regions with weak signal, user can still have the chance of a slow connection. The WLAN module supports 802.11 b/g/n and thus can provides data rates up to 300 Mbps.

The router Carfì measures 5.9 x 4.9 x 8.8 inches and weighs only 50 grams according to the manufacturer. However, our weight measurement yielded 146 grams. Huawei will also indicate that the E8377 has an integrated battery, which has a capacity of 1900 mAh. However, we were able to connect Carstick for long hours of use on the current port, without connecting the CarFi to the cigarette slots. Thus, we believe that the battery only serves to maintain the operation as soon as the energy source is gone suddenly.

A USB port is located on the side. This port is not a data interface, but as a kind of adapter. Huawei has considered that many people use the car’s cigarette lighter as a charging station for mobile phones and other devices, when the cigarette port is used. No more space will be available without adapter for third-party devices. Through the USB port on the side, you can now connect there and load it. Beside the SIM slot, there is a TS9 connector for connecting an external antenna. However, only 1 port, users have to give up 2×2 MIMO. But at least there is a possibility! It is precisely when traveling, for example with a camper, the reception is weak and need external antenna.

To make user understand well about the color shining in Huawei CarFi, here are some codes about the colors:

* Flashes red: Indicates that the Carfì is started. Takes about 20 seconds;
* a steady red light: Indicates that no wireless network is found, or the connection was not possible (eg missing SIM);
* lights up yellow: Indicates that the signal strength for 3G or LTE is very weak;
* green: reception strength is optimal;
* Flashing cyan: There is just a firmware update;
* White: Indicates unread SMS exist.

Installation and Settings

Theoretically, the installation of the E8377 is easy and should be done in less than 3 minutes. First, the SIM card must be inserted. The slot is located under a cover with SIM icon. Then plug the Carfì directly into the cigarette lighter of your car. Turn the ignition so that a power supply is present and press the “Huawei” button on the top for a good 3 seconds. Now the border should first turn red – the CarFi router will start and automatically connects to the wireless network. This takes about 20 seconds. Now you can search the wireless SSID of CarFi E8377 in a laptop, tablet or smartphone. This begins with “Huawei CarFi-“. Both SSID and the wifi key are listed at the foot of the plug. Enter this key or scan the QR code on request with your smartphone. The WLAN connection to Carstick should now be finished. If there is a cellular connection via 2G / 3G or 4G, surfing internet is possible in the way. And up to 10 devices in and around the car could access to the internet.

Huawei provides a special HiLink App for smartphone and tablet users. This can (if no network) are downloaded directly to the internal memory as required from the PlayStore or AppStore. The app provides information about the connection status, for example, the signal strength, currently used wireless standard and data usage.

Practice test

We have tested the car stick several hours on the road. The installation went really smoothly. Before setup, user must know the color code, otherwise you do not initially know what that mean the color feedback. In mobile reception there is nothing to complain about. This is comparable with other sticks. You should wonder the connection speed in remote areas. Frankly speaking, the speed is just decent, but this problem can be solved by an antenna that is mounted with enough cable on the roof through the window.

Conclusion

Huawei E8377 Carfì is ideal for those who spend hours on the car and where several inmates want to access the Internet. The installation and handling is simple and straightforward. However, there is currently no better alternative for the car. If you want to have wireless network around in camp or have activities in a car, Huawei E8377 would be a perfect partner.

Huawei Hilink CarFi E8377 4G WiFi Hotspot

We had introduced the Huawei E8278 USB WiFi dongle last year, which could work as a mobile WiFi hotspot but looks like a USB Dongle. However, it seems E8278 is not a perfect solution for users because many cars don’t have a USB port for Huawei E8178. The good news is that Huawei reveals a new model Huawei E8377, also named Huawei CarFi.

Many people want access Internet in the car, but integrated hotspot solutions are usually reserved for luxury-class models. Huawei has recognized this problem and is now launching the new mobile LTE router HiLink Carfì for the 12V cigarette lighter connector on the market. The small CarFi could support up to 10 devices wirelessly via Wi-Fi and up to 150 Mbit/s high-speed could be achieved when surfing internet via LTE. With dimensions of 59 x 49 millimeters, the Huawei HiLink Carfì Hotspot is compact and easy to take without occupying much space in car.
Once you have inserted the micro-SIM card and plugged Huawei HiLink Carfì into the cigarette lighter port, the hotspot can power on for operation. The management of Huawei Hilink CarFi could be done from web interface in the browser or on the Huawei HiLink app. Then the CarFi could work like other Huawei mobile hotspots such as Huawei E5377.

The maximum speed in the LTE network is around 150 Mbit/s for downlink and 50 Mbit/s for uplink with the category 4. The frequency ranges around 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz are supported. If the Internet connection outside the LTE network coverage is lost, the HiLink Carfì can also use the older wireless technologies UMTS and GSM. In the UMTS network, the downlink speed with up to 42.2 Mbit/s is possible in the frequency ranges 900/2100 MHz.
The Huawei HiLink Carfì router has an automatic shut-off function. If the device is not used for 2 hours, it turns off automatically and must be restarted by pressing the power button on the front. The time to shut-off could be personalized in the web interface. If you want to use the router without power supply in the car, you can use the built-in battery. According to Huawei official saying, the capacity of the capacity is 1900 mAh. The built wireless antenna in many cars cannot be used with Huawei HiLink Carfì. On the other hand, The hotspot solutions from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and so. on use the external antenna for the car and therefore have significantly improved reception properties.