5G Router for backup connectivity.

Hyades

Hyades

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Work = All over the globe. Home = 4Ways
Howdy,

Recently had some issues with our fiber. Line broken, which took OpenServ a couple of days to sort out.

So I want something to use as a backup, for when these types of issues arise in the future.

Looking for a;
  1. Sim slot
  2. 5G capable router
  3. WAN/LAN ports
  4. Must be-able to accept external antennas

As my network is all Unifi, so I was leaning toward the Unifi Mobile Router Ultra.
store.ui.com

Mobile Router Ultra - Ubiquiti Store

Ultra-compact managed LTE mobile router for IoT applications with integrated LTE, wired WAN, WiFi, automatic failover, and DC power input support.
store.ui.com store.ui.com

But it's not 5G.

Or I must bite the bullet and get this,

Amazon.com: GL.iNet GL-XE3000 (Puli AX) 5G Router with Dual SIM Card Slot, Wi-Fi 6 Cellular Routers, Built-in Battery, Multi-WAN, VPN, OpenWrt, Secure 5G Router for Office, Retail, Events, Business : Electronics

Buy GL.iNet GL-XE3000 (Puli AX) 5G Router with Dual SIM Card Slot, Wi-Fi 6 Cellular Routers, Built-in Battery, Multi-WAN, VPN, OpenWrt, Secure 5G Router for Office, Retail, Events, Business: Routers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

What options are there locally, that might be a bit cheaper?
Not looking for something that's locked to a network. I'll use pay-as-you-go for this, just load data as needed.
 
I signed up for the Cool Ideas/Vodacom 10Mbps package @R199pm with the unlocked ZTE G5TS router in September. I have been very happy with the service so far. I think that these CI products offer unbeatable value at the moment.
 
Hyades said:
Howdy,

Recently had some issues with our fiber. Line broken, which took OpenServ a couple of days to sort out.

So I want something to use as a backup, for when these types of issues arise in the future.

Looking for a;
  1. Sim slot
  2. 5G capable router
  3. WAN/LAN ports
  4. Must be-able to accept external antennas

As my network is all Unifi, so I was leaning toward the Unifi Mobile Router Ultra.
store.ui.com

Mobile Router Ultra - Ubiquiti Store

Ultra-compact managed LTE mobile router for IoT applications with integrated LTE, wired WAN, WiFi, automatic failover, and DC power input support.
store.ui.com store.ui.com

But it's not 5G.

Or I must bite the bullet and get this,

Amazon.com: GL.iNet GL-XE3000 (Puli AX) 5G Router with Dual SIM Card Slot, Wi-Fi 6 Cellular Routers, Built-in Battery, Multi-WAN, VPN, OpenWrt, Secure 5G Router for Office, Retail, Events, Business : Electronics

Buy GL.iNet GL-XE3000 (Puli AX) 5G Router with Dual SIM Card Slot, Wi-Fi 6 Cellular Routers, Built-in Battery, Multi-WAN, VPN, OpenWrt, Secure 5G Router for Office, Retail, Events, Business: Routers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

What options are there locally, that might be a bit cheaper?
Not looking for something that's locked to a network. I'll use pay-as-you-go for this, just load data as needed.
Click to expand...
You can lean all you want but in the end you must go with an approved unit by the network you are going to use it on. That's why I went with Afrihost (but CISP does same deals) and their 5G ZTE G5TS
 
The ZTE router has an external antenna port.

The external antenna did not materially increase the speed, but allowed you to place the router in a more convenient spot. Otherwise there is degradation from walls. With an antenna it often exceeded 150 mbps

There are 2 TS-9 ports
 
chrisc said:
The ZTE router has an external antenna port.

The external antenna did not materially increase the speed, but allowed you to place the router in a more convenient spot. Otherwise there is degradation from walls. With an antenna it often exceeded 150 mbps

There are 2 TS-9 ports
Click to expand...
Could you please share the link to where you bought the antenna? I only see SMA antennas and not TS9 ones.
 
Ma’bad said:
Thanks any recommendations for an external antenna that does 5g? Will get the adapter
Click to expand...

The poynting stuff is always nice. Maybe the XPOL-2-5G but it depends a bit on the site.
 
B-1 said:
The poynting stuff is always nice. Maybe the XPOL-2-5G but it depends a bit on the site.
Click to expand...
I need an indoor antenna, unfortunately. I’m using a room in an office that has no windows and is on the lower ground floor. To install fiber, I was quoted R20,000. The signal coming in varies between 4g and 5g and when it is 4g it is very slow
 
An external antenna (Poynting) will still give better signal than a router (merely based on the fact that it usually has a larger "catchment area" than the router's antenna.)
But it sounds like you would need to be able to force 5G only on the router (and 4G only) for testing purposes.
The antenna could likely improve the 4G speed as well.
Maybe chat with Poynting and describe your setup to them. They may have a suitable "indoor" type external antenna you could mount on a wall, or just drop on a shelf somewhere.

Maybe before you get an antenna, have you tried moving the router around in the office? Multi-path propagation indoors can be interesting. You can find incredibly dead spots and just a meter away from that a very good signal.
 
ajax said:
An external antenna (Poynting) will still give better signal than a router (merely based on the fact that it usually has a larger "catchment area" than the router's antenna.)
But it sounds like you would need to be able to force 5G only on the router (and 4G only) for testing purposes.
The antenna could likely improve the 4G speed as well.
Maybe chat with Poynting and describe your setup to them. They may have a suitable "indoor" type external antenna you could mount on a wall, or just drop on a shelf somewhere.

Maybe before you get an antenna, have you tried moving the router around in the office? Multi-path propagation indoors can be interesting. You can find incredibly dead spots and just a meter away from that a very good signal.
Click to expand...
Thanks will contact poynting. The signal is much better outside the office, but I cannot use the space, in the office i have it placed on a table its hard to move it around as the router is plugged in.
 

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Would this work with a sma adapter?
 
Jake45 said:
I signed up for the Cool Ideas/Vodacom 10Mbps package @R199pm with the unlocked ZTE G5TS router in September. I have been very happy with the service so far. I think that these CI products offer unbeatable value at the moment.
Click to expand...
Only issue is CGNAT, asked the cool ideas rep and confirmed the packages stay on CGNAT and often need to access my network from outside while cool ideas packages are better in terms of price and FUP, had to go with Afrihost
 
William1102 said:
Only issue is CGNAT, asked the cool ideas rep and confirmed the packages stay on CGNAT and often need to access my network from outside while cool ideas packages are better in terms of price and FUP, had to go with Afrihost
Click to expand...

You shouldn't be using port forwarding to access your network in any case. Just use something like Tailscale and then you don't have to worry about CGNAT.
 
deweyzeph said:
You shouldn't be using port forwarding to access your network in any case. Just use something like Tailscale and then you don't have to worry about CGNAT.
Click to expand...

I use WiFiman on my unfi router which is basically a wire guard vpn when I had Telkom and was on CGNAT Tailscale also struggled and got 700ms latency
 
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