Why not buy a LTE USB stick to help with aligning your antenna, and then you can keep it as a backup in case anything fails in your all-in-one router?
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Antenna installation and alignment
- Thread starter Azimuth
- Start date
jcheek
Expert Member
Yip, according to the data (map) Telkom provided, you are between two base stations (one of which we understand is behind a big, pesky tree ;-) )
We have to take their statement about relative "pipe" sizes (100Mbps versus older/slower) at face value.
My understanding is that her B593 would have powered up and possibly tried to connect to the last base station it remembered - her "home" station - in order to save boot-up time. Very likely that would have failed since she was (presumably) nowhere near "home".
It would then have gone into "signal-search" mode and selected the "best" base station available on the network for which the inserted SIMcard was provisioned - Telkom Mobile.
Somebody more knowledgeable might be able to comment further here, but I would think "best" would mean a compromise between the strength of signals available where the test was done and the most reliable / fastest type of connection it could negotiate with those signals. We gather both were LTE connections ...
If the test was done indoors, which tower it selected (the "slow" one, or the "fast" one, or even another one ?) would be a bit of a guess on our part. It would depend on how the modem interpreted the complex mess of direct / reflected / multipath signals that arrived at its antennas at that precise location and time.
One would tend to assume that that would've been the closest one, but it's hard to say for sure.
By going (highly) directional with this step, and aiming your LPDA's directly at it, you vastly increased the probability of connecting only to that specific tower, assuming that the modem started from scratch (signal search and attach). Given that your signal result is so enormous, I'd say the chance that you're connecting to the tower you think you are, is virtually certain. Unfortunately - like in K-Tech's case - it seems to be a slow one that hasn't been upgraded to 100Mbps yet.
As in K-Tech's case, you could try to force a connection to the other tower (the suspected 100Mbps tower) to see if you do indeed get a high-speed connection. If there's really only a tree in the way of that one, it's still worth a shot. Don't see the tree as a "lead wall", see "through" it - is there clear line-of-sight to the other base-station other than the tree ?
Alternatively - as an experiment before messing with your LPDA setup - you could also drive right to the suspected "fast" tower, with B593 and laptop in hand, and see if you can connect right there. In the process, you should do everything in your power to try and ensure that your B593 forgets all about any base-station it might connected to previously - refer to previous lengthy and spirited discussions about how to try and ensure that ;-).
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I reported my problem with Telkom 3 months ago (I have a case number)
Every week I phoned and every week they have a different excuse, like not having my contact number. :twisted:
Then I reported to Hello Peter and they phoned me same day and send a person to confirm my problem, nothing happend.
Then I reported to Hello Peter again, and they phoned me same day, but I told the women I am not interested in excuses
I want action taken so she must ask the network department to contact me . So now I am waiting for the week to pass.
Then I will report to Hello Peter again, and again, and again until something happens.
The big reason why I am very unhappy with TM is as even my 3G service is
----
I do however have a concern!
Why do I buy "Telkom Mobile Internet only bundles" not roaming but I use a MTN tower.
(this will be confirmed today after my homework visiting the tower)
Looking at the Cell_ID map last night made me not trust that map for now but I need to confirm
as I have seen NUL Telkom Mobile towers in my area or anywhere nearby.
Every week I phoned and every week they have a different excuse, like not having my contact number. :twisted:
Then I reported to Hello Peter and they phoned me same day and send a person to confirm my problem, nothing happend.
Then I reported to Hello Peter again, and they phoned me same day, but I told the women I am not interested in excuses
I want action taken so she must ask the network department to contact me . So now I am waiting for the week to pass.
Then I will report to Hello Peter again, and again, and again until something happens.
The big reason why I am very unhappy with TM is as even my 3G service is
----
I do however have a concern!
Why do I buy "Telkom Mobile Internet only bundles" not roaming but I use a MTN tower.
(this will be confirmed today after my homework visiting the tower)
Looking at the Cell_ID map last night made me not trust that map for now but I need to confirm
as I have seen NUL Telkom Mobile towers in my area or anywhere nearby.
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In that case you should be pulling around 25Mbps, not 12Mbps. Try log it again via 081 or ask TelkomZA for assistance.
I see two self appointed leaders of this thread giving advice to the two different people: drive to near to the other tower and test your throughput. Problem is that you never know if you are conected to the different tower. Microwave signal can make surprises, tower can be out of order by example. Unless you can clearly identify you are connected to a different tower, it makes very litte sense.
Solution was already given by ginggs in hist post here: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/575591-The-Huawei-B593-LTE-discussion-thread/page29
It doesn't need Linux laptop, it can be tested from your Windows, I tried it on B683. Here is how to do it:
1. Open command-line prompt (CMD).
2. Enter: telnet 192.168.1.1
3. Enter login/password at ATP CLi prompts, the same as you do from WEB interface
4. Enter: shell
5a. If you have B683 enter: atcmd
5b. If you have B593 enter: lteat
6. Enter AT+CREG?
Your Cell ID is quoted directly from the post:
If you submit this number to the service department, split it on two RNC/Cell_ID before converting to decimal. Examples given in original post.
Solution was already given by ginggs in hist post here: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/575591-The-Huawei-B593-LTE-discussion-thread/page29
It doesn't need Linux laptop, it can be tested from your Windows, I tried it on B683. Here is how to do it:
1. Open command-line prompt (CMD).
2. Enter: telnet 192.168.1.1
3. Enter login/password at ATP CLi prompts, the same as you do from WEB interface
4. Enter: shell
5a. If you have B683 enter: atcmd
5b. If you have B593 enter: lteat
6. Enter AT+CREG?
Your Cell ID is quoted directly from the post:
Code:
AT+CREG?
+CREG: 2,1, YYYY, XXXXX, 2
OK
Y = LAC
X = Cell ID
Added: Note that both are in hex so need to convert it
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Teejaybee
Well-Known Member
Thanks jcheek - great reply as always!
Other than the tree - yes there would be clear LOS to the 100meg pipe tower (but I need to raise my antenna by about 0.5m to clear the lower mounted antenna from the apex of the roof tiles - need to get a longer pole). I'm waiting for the tree to be trimmed before I rotate my antennas to that tower - should happen in the next 2 weeks. I will follow the write-up you did for getting my router to "see" the new tower when I do that.
Other than the tree - yes there would be clear LOS to the 100meg pipe tower (but I need to raise my antenna by about 0.5m to clear the lower mounted antenna from the apex of the roof tiles - need to get a longer pole). I'm waiting for the tree to be trimmed before I rotate my antennas to that tower - should happen in the next 2 weeks. I will follow the write-up you did for getting my router to "see" the new tower when I do that.
jcheek
Expert Member
Don't worry - you're not roaming!
It's been discussed at length before, but at the moment Telkom Mobile is installing their base-station equipment on the same mast infrastructure that MTN uses. Not the same antennas or transmitters, just the same mast.
You confirm that by looking at your router's "wireless status" result under System / Diagnosis.
If it says PLMN=65502, you are indeed on Telkom Mobile.
Telkom Mobile shares MTN's towers. I actually haven't seen a single TM tower, nor branding - except for that ATC cell site photo that jcheek posted.
Sorry, I didn't know we were in competition with you? Please stop with your constant snide remarks. Have something to contribute, great, else just stop posting.
Teejaybee
Well-Known Member
Leave tree alone! On dry weather it is totally transparrent.
jcheek
Expert Member
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Well, I didn't point you by name. No, I can't stop posting as long you post rubbish and try to confuse people.
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Thank you guys, I am aware and understand that TM and MTN each other.
I think it was just the map that brought up the concern, but I do understand.
(Telkom using MTN towers)
And now I am leaving you as I am going to visit that tower....
each other.I think it was just the map that brought up the concern, but I do understand.
(Telkom using MTN towers)
And now I am leaving you as I am going to visit that tower....
1. Link points to the valid page when using old mobile scheme. Unfortunately I can't copy a link to the specific post in this scheme.
2. Some telnet clients require to specify explicit port number. Windows XP client takes default port when argument is missing.
3. SSH, I don't know, it must be a different settings for password authentication method. Going to check on B683.
Why you do not post if not working? Good idea somebody with B593 to try it.
Here is delault Telnet port number:
Code:
C:\Documents and Settings\Internet>netstat /a
Active Connections
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP ME-HPQ:1173 192.168.1.1:telnet ESTABLISHED
[...]
C:\>netstat /a -n
Active Connections
TCP 192.168.1.100:1173 192.168.1.1:23 ESTABLISHED
[...]Teejaybee
Well-Known Member
It's winter in Cape Town - it rains here in winter so the tree is rarely dry - so it's not a solution to leave the tree alone (as much as I like trees)
Ok, so I've been to the tower.
No luck of any signage as the base and entrance is behind a building in a school yard.
However I asked a tenant (technical manager at security co.) right opposite the tower if he perhaps know.
He said it is a Cell C tower and it is easy to identify as the Neotel panels are smaller and lower.
(Apparently they use this tower for their security equiment)
(This is what I was told, true or not - I am happy with that for now)
So I get fantastic signal from somwhere else, I can't even see any other towers other than on the map.
BTW the map also do not show this tower under Cell C. (So for now I am also not using the map)
This is also good news on the other hand - to know I am on a Cell C tower once they launch LTE.
Will have to get a new LTE modem when that happens unless a firmware update fixes that but then we also know how bad the Chinas are with manuals and firmware.
So I might have to invest in a antenna once I have learned more from other towers nearby.
But that chapter I leave for another day... Will have to do with 25Mbps until I have Azimuth's energy
No luck of any signage as the base and entrance is behind a building in a school yard.
However I asked a tenant (technical manager at security co.) right opposite the tower if he perhaps know.
He said it is a Cell C tower and it is easy to identify as the Neotel panels are smaller and lower.
(Apparently they use this tower for their security equiment)
(This is what I was told, true or not - I am happy with that for now)
So I get fantastic signal from somwhere else, I can't even see any other towers other than on the map.
BTW the map also do not show this tower under Cell C. (So for now I am also not using the map)
This is also good news on the other hand - to know I am on a Cell C tower once they launch LTE.
Will have to get a new LTE modem when that happens unless a firmware update fixes that but then we also know how bad the Chinas are with manuals and firmware.
So I might have to invest in a antenna once I have learned more from other towers nearby.
But that chapter I leave for another day... Will have to do with 25Mbps until I have Azimuth's energy