Antenna installation and alignment

[Biggles190]

Another interesting thing to compare. You're what, 800m away from the tower? I obtained the same -69dBm, also with LPDA-0092's, but I'm 1622m away.

As for why you're not seeing 70+Mbps speeds on the 100Mbps tower is a mystery. From what I've gathered from your posts, you don't have congestion on your towers yet. I say this because your peak and off-peak speeds are all the same.

Yebo...440m away. Managed to move my antenna to get LOS with the tower. RSSI -51, RSRP -67. Did several tests in the last two days at different times. Got above 70 Mbps several times, but not consistently, and not faster than my result in June. Time of day made no difference as you say. I found the biggest difference in speed came from which server I used to do the speedtest. MTN Business in Randburg is faster than any other server.

I guess more speed will come with a tower upgrade.

 

[Biggles190]

And then this happens....http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/562231-Telkom-Mobile-LTE-Speedtest-Results?p=13407900&viewfull=1#post13407900

New personal record!

 

[Teejaybee]

Another interesting thing to compare. You're what, 800m away from the tower? I obtained the same -69dBm, also with LPDA-0092's, but I'm 1622m away.

As for why you're not seeing 70+Mbps speeds on the 100Mbps tower is a mystery. From what I've gathered from your posts, you don't have congestion on your towers yet. I say this because your peak and off-peak speeds are all the same.

I'm 0.54km from that tower. The LPDA-0092's are known for improving signal up to 35km away - so I'm not surprised that you get similar results being further away. Yeah I wish I knew what to do to get faster speeds - dumbfounded!

 

[Teejaybee]

And then this happens....http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/562231-Telkom-Mobile-LTE-Speedtest-Results?p=13407900&viewfull=1#post13407900

New personal record!

Great stuff...you're very lucky!

 

[Azimuth]

Last night I checked for MTN LTE service in Blackheath. The owner is having the flat renovated and would like a decent internet service. Right now there's no telephone lines. The body corporate are apparently very strict so BitCo or any outdoor antenna would not be allowed. I could literally see a water tower highsite from the balcony. (BitCo)

Onto the test results.

My heart sank when I saw only 1-bar MTN LTE signal.

Marginal signal. At -103dBM RSRP, the service would need a boost. The signal quality at -5dBM RSRQ was a little suspicious.

Speedtest 1 wasn't too bad - quite surprising!

Speedtest 2 showed instability; if we stuck with the internal antennas, service would be very iffy.

 

[Azimuth]

Since I knew about the body corporate situation up front, I went there armed only with an XPOL-0001 Omni antenna.

Since the antenna would attract attention outside, we opted to use the included suction mounts and fix it to the window.

Signal increased to -98dBM and signal quality settled at the expected -6dBM.

Going from 1 bar initially to 3 bars LTE signal. I suspect the RSRP improved to -95dBM from the initial reading of -98dBM.

A very pleasing end result for peak time! This is also one of the highest upload speeds I've seen on MTN LTE. (As a comparison I get 19Mbps)

Since the XPOL-0001 comes with 5m cable, I'm going to ask Poynting to cut it down to 2m for this particular install and take the extra gain from using a shorter coax cable.

I also tested Vodacom LTE for the heck of it but the results were bad. I didn't test Telkom Mobile LTE because I had a B593-12, incapable of running on 2300MHz.

Vodacom results:

Vodacom LTE signal was 2-3 bars with -95dBM to -97dBM RSRP and -7dBM to -9dBm RSRQ.

 

[Teejaybee]

Nice one Azimuth!

 

[Azimuth]

Thanks TJB.

 

[Alacrity]

@jcheek

This model does not give the RSSI.

The RSRQ mostly change on a speed test and when the wind moves the antennas but I have put extra support now in place.

On 1 and 2, my fastest a year ago was 71Mb/s with the same setup. The differences now is:
1. Cell ID changed (now I can’t get another one even if I point to completely different tower)
2. SIM, was contract now it is 60GB+60GB which I got with the E3276 bundle
3. External antennas

On 3, definitely LTE since the B593 confirms this.

RSRP is now -68
RSRQ is now -7

Antennas is 45/135 deg...

 

[jcheek]

Hey MtnUser

Other readers : for background to MtnUser's question, see here.

MtnUser now has his two LPDA-0092's aimed at one of the two Telkom Mobile stations on top of Telkom's NNOC in the Highveld Technopark, I believe.
His RSRP has now improved from a so-so -90dBm to a stellar -69dBm.

This model does not give the RSSI.

I assume you're using your B593 now, for this testing, and not your E3276 - correct ?
Which model of B593 do you have ? It can't be the B593s-601 as that one does give RSSI, RSRP and RSRQ.
You also mention CellID later (which the 's-601 doesn't do), so it must be a different sub-model.

I'm a little wary of comparing RSSI/RSRP/RSRQ results between models ... I'm not convinced that Huawei has properly normalised them all to the same scale.

The RSRQ mostly change on a speed test and when the wind moves the antennas but I have put extra support now in place.

OK (don't think I've ever seen that before!)

On 1 and 2, my fastest a year ago was 71Mb/s with the same setup. The differences now is:
1. Cell ID changed (now I can’t get another one even if I point to completely different tower)

The CellID thing doesn't add up.
- Make sure you follow a robust procedure to force the modem to search for new cells. Forcing a manual network search (maybe even temporarily connecting on 3G or 2G) seems a good way. Did you do that ?
- Dumb question : have you made sure to force your modem to use external antennas as opposed to built-ins ?

2. SIM, was contract now it is 60GB+60GB which I got with the E3276 bundle

Yip, so that'll be the "new blue" Telkom Mobile LTE-enabled one.

3. External antennas
Definitely LTE since the B593 confirms this.

Yip, if the modem lights indicate LTE (blue), and the 'Web UI reports a 4G connection, then I can't see that there can be much wrong with the SIMcard. Not at 35Mbps, either.

RSRP is now -68
RSRQ is now -7
Antennas is 45/135 deg...

OK, that'll be the first 45/135 Poynting LPDA-0092 installation we've had in these threads, I believe.

 

[Alacrity]

Hey MtnUser

I assume you're using your B593 now, for this testing, and not your E3276 - correct ?
Which model of B593 do you have ? It can't be the B593s-601 as that one does give RSSI, RSRP and RSRQ.
You also mention CellID later (which the 's-601 doesn't do), so it must be a different sub-model.

I'm a little wary of comparing RSSI/RSRP/RSRQ results between models ... I'm not convinced that Huawei has properly normalised them all to the same scale.

B593u-91

The CellID thing doesn't add up.
- Make sure you follow a robust procedure to force the modem to search for new cells. Forcing a manual network search (maybe even temporarily connecting on 3G or 2G) seems a good way. Did you do that ?
- Dumb question : have you made sure to force your modem to use external antennas as opposed to built-ins ?

I phoned TM and they did something because I see other towers now. The one with Cell ID 92 is the big one which works the best. My speed is now up to 43Mb/s. RSRP is bit down -72 but RSRQ is now -6

Speedtest result

 

[jcheek]

B593u-91

OK, that's the "Telkom-only" TDD2300/2600MHz sub-model - see here

I phoned TM and they did something because I see other towers now. The one with Cell ID 92 is the big one which works the best.

Sounds to me like your B593 went into a "proper" search a while after you switched it back on, or perhaps TM was somehow able to force it do so.

If I interpreted your feedback correctly, the "big tower" you refer to is the one just north of Olievenhoutbosch Road, between Tegel Avenue and John Vorster Drive. There is (or was) a Citroen/Hyundai garage there.



Other TM LTE users in this area might be able to confirm (or make use of) the fact that MtnUser believes this station is CellID 92.

My speed is now up to 43Mb/s. RSRP is bit down -72 but RSRQ is now -6

Not too shabby!

Let us know if/when you ever go "prospecting" at the other stations in your area.

 

[Alacrity]

If I interpreted your feedback correctly, the "big tower" you refer to is the one just north of Olievenhoutbosch Road, between Tegel Avenue and John Vorster Drive. There is (or was) a Citroen/Hyundai garage there.

This is the one I'm pointing at now and getting Cell ID 92. The other two I pick up is 202 and 178.

Let us know if/when you ever go "prospecting" at the other stations in your area.

I'm a bit more curious as what would happen if I do 0/90 deg

 

[Alacrity]

just below 50Mb/s. Will do a test later tonight and maybe then I will be over 50Mb/s (doubt that I will)

 

[Biggles190]

OK, that'll be the first 45/135 Poynting LPDA-0092 installation we've had in these threads, I believe.

Hi MtnUser!

How did you manage to set up the LPDA's at45/135 degrees? I'm very keen to try this as well...

Oh, and how did the speed test go last night?

 

[Alacrity]

Hi MtnUser!

How did you manage to set up the LPDA's at45/135 degrees? I'm very keen to try this as well...

Oh, and how did the speed test go last night?

You need two of those "L" brackets. They supply only one when you buy the LTE set. At the back of the bracket is 8 holes. You can do 45/135 deg when you use the inside 4 holes. The only thing with those holes is that I had to use a thinner pipe with smaller U-bolts.

And I just made 50Mb/s, at least the ping was 15ms...

 

[Biggles190]

You need two of those "L" brackets. They supply only one when you buy the LTE set. At the back of the bracket is 8 holes. You can do 45/135 deg when you use the inside 4 holes. The only thing with those holes is that I had to use a thinner pipe with smaller U-bolts.

And I just made 50Mb/s, at least the ping was 15ms...

Nicely done on the speed and amazing ping!

I've got one L-bracket. Will just get another one and give it a go. Thanks for the tip.

 

[jcheek]

You need two of those "L" brackets. They supply only one when you buy the LTE set. At the back of the bracket is 8 holes. You can do 45/135 deg when you use the inside 4 holes. The only thing with those holes is that I had to use a thinner pipe with smaller U-bolts.

Hi MtnUser!
How did you manage to set up the LPDA's at45/135 degrees? I'm very keen to try this as well...

This may also help - I've seen this bracket at Poynting's showroom in Midrand :



This one looks kinda prototyp-ey (solid stainless steel!) so might be pricey, but perhaps there's a production version now.

 

[Biggles190]

Yebo...I've seen it on the forum, but I was at Poynting about a month ago and they didn't have it on display any more. I asked as well, and they said they don't have such a bracket.

 

[Alacrity]

Questions to TelkomZA

@TelkomZA

I have two questions but before I ask them some background and then you might even know what the questions are before I ask them

I have a B593 with two LPDA0092 antennas. When I point them to the general direction I believe the tower with cell id 178 is located I get RSRP of -68dBm, ping of about 30-45ms and download of 35Mb/s. When I download the more threads I use the faster the download up to the 35Mb/s maximum.

Now, when I point to the tower which I believe is the one that gives me cell id 92 I get RSRP of -72dBm, ping of 15-20ms and download of 50Mb/s. But when I download it only goes to 20Mb/s on my downloads, changing the amount of threads does not change much. And if I do a speed test while downloading the downloads stay at 20Mb/s and the speed test goes just to just below 30Mb/s. Thus there is more speed available but not being used.

So here are the questions:
1. Cell id 178 gives me stronger signal but only 35Mb/s, why?
2. Why are the speed of my downloads limited on cell id 92 but not on cell id 178?