The Huawei E5186 LTE-A discussion thread

[Kross84]

You will benefit from ac WiFi (when streaming full HD movies over WiFi) definitely important. Other than that your benefits are neggible. Faster in LTE-A areas - yes, but you say it is not important when getting 30Mbps already.

Get B315s from Edgars/Jet/CNA for R999. Then sign to month to month subsrciption service (without device) instead 24-months contract.

Thanks sajunky. Why wouldn't you get the 24month contract. Month to month is the same price R499. I've had telkom mobile for 4 years now and could to date not get a cheaper/better deal out there (price/performance). If the price goes up as it did on my deal 10GB for R199, then you are subject to the increased price not? Just curious on your opinion.
So normal HD would be fine for n/wifi?

 

[cpbotha]

Is there any more news on the LTE-A -> 3G fallback? In Somerset West there is only straight LTE. I tested LTE with a pre-paid SIM in my LG g3 and got 60 Mbit/s, so I'm planning to apply for the SmartBroadband 200GB+200GB LTE-A 24 month contract package.

Do any postpaid customers on here have experience with the E5186 + an LTE-A package falling back or not falling back to straight LTE?

 

[Alacrity]

Is there any more news on the LTE-A -> 3G fallback? In Somerset West there is only straight LTE. I tested LTE with a pre-paid SIM in my LG g3 and got 60 Mbit/s, so I'm planning to apply for the SmartBroadband 200GB+200GB LTE-A 24 month contract package.

Do any postpaid customers on here have experience with the E5186 + an LTE-A package falling back or not falling back to straight LTE?

I have the E5186 on a postpaid contract and can confirm fallback to LTE and 3G is not a problem.

 

[cpbotha]

I have the E5186 on a postpaid contract and can confirm fallback to LTE and 3G is not a problem.

Beautiful, thank you very much!

I have just sent in my application via DSL Telecom here in Somerset West (Telkom reseller, great service up to now) -- I'll let the forum know how it goes.

 

[zeely]

Been using E5186 router on telkom for around 3 months with an external antenna. I've always had 3 out of 5 bars. As of an hour ago, I'm getting zero signal. I've unplugged external antenna to see if its the problem, but still get 0 signal.

Kinda stumped as how to proceed

 

[nk1]

You will benefit from ac WiFi (when streaming full HD movies over WiFi) definitely important. Other than that your benefits are neggible. Faster in LTE-A areas - yes, but you say it is not important when getting 30Mbps already.

Get B315s from Edgars/Jet/CNA for R999. Then sign to month to month subsrciption service (without device) instead 24-months contract.

Hi there sajunky, please may I ask which Edgar's or other stores did you get yours from?

 

[nk1]

Hi

Has anyone managed to find stock of either the E5186 or B315, been calling most Edgars and CNA this morning. Sandton Edgars indicate issues with delivery of this stock since December, and they not sure when they will get new stock.
If anyone has found a store, please advise.

Regards

 

[Bazman]

Wow, seriously impressed with the speed and ease of installation. Got this working in PE in the central area, supposed to be LTE only area but this speed makes me think they may have LTE-Advanced. Did apply for ADSL but after being told 3 weeks waiting period and then seeing this thread decided to go for this deal. PE Walmer office has stock of the E5186 - managed to get the LTE-Advanced in a non-LTE-Advanced area because we're from Seapoint and only here in PE for a few months.

 

[jcheek]

Got this working in PE in the central area, supposed to be LTE only area but this speed makes me think they may have LTE-Advanced. PE Walmer office has stock of the E5186 - managed to get the LTE-Advanced in a non-LTE-Advanced area because we're from Seapoint and only here in PE for a few months.

Nice speed, Bazman ! I suspect you're still only operating in "plain" LTE mode, though.
The theoretical maximum on plain LTE is 100Mbps and quite a few people have got into the early 90's on lightly-loaded stations.
There is precious little official LTE-A coverage at the moment (just a few spots around Jhb/Pta and one or two in CT). No LTE-A shown for PE on the Telkom coverage map as yet, I see.

As yet, the forum-goers haven't devised a sure-way to tell for sure whether the E5186 is in LTE or LTE-A mode. Speed > 100Mbps would be a clincher, but there's been only one reported sighting of such a thing on this thread!

Enjoy your connection though ... nothing at all wrong with 87Mbps !

 

[SingInternetsing]

Hi! Some of the earlier posts indicated that, according to Telkom, LTE-A does not support voice calls - which I presumes refers to VOIP.

Can someone with LTE-A please confirm if this is indeed the case? Does your Skype work, Whatsapp calls via wifi to your LTE-A?

I am to uninformed to know if there can indeed be discrimenated against voice data vs e.g. movie streaming data?

 

[sajunky]

Hi! Some of the earlier posts indicated that, according to Telkom, LTE-A does not support voice calls - which I presumes refers to VOIP.

Can someone with LTE-A please confirm if this is indeed the case? Does your Skype work, Whatsapp calls via wifi to your LTE-A?

Not sure what people were talking, LTE do not support GSM voice services, it is a fact. Ordinary LTE handset will switch to 3G/2G to make and recieve voice calls (SIM must allow voice services, most do). I don't know whether SIM supplied with LTE-A contract allow voice services, but it is not you are asking for.

For Skype or Whatsapp you don't need to worry about, it will work.

 

[SingInternetsing]

Not sure what people were talking, LTE do not support GSM voice services, it is a fact. Ordinary LTE handset will switch to 3G/2G to make and recieve voice calls (SIM must allow voice services, most do). I don't know whether SIM supplied with LTE-A contract allow voice services, but it is not you are asking for.

For Skype or Whatsapp you don't need to worry about, it will work.

Thank you very much!

 

[dcesano]

Go to the following and see whether it makes a difference. Your network might be switching btwn 3G & 4G..

Settings> user:admin password: admin > Dial-up > Network Settings > Network Preferred Mode > Change to 4G only / 3G if there is no 4G coverage yet..

The network search mode should stay on Auto. Try manual if it still skips, and if that doesn't work take it back in..

Hope that helps..

 

[cpbotha]

Because I was compulsively checking the LTE signal stats on my Huawei E5186 with Poynting XPOL-0006, I made this really simple Android app to make it a one touch operation. After starting the app, make sure the router IP is correctly entered, then press the refresh button to see something like this:



Just keep on pressing the refresh button if you're for example fine-tuning your antenna.

You need to be on the same network as your router for this to work, but you don't need to be logged in.

Get the free app (also no adverts) here from the Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vxlabs.huaweiltestats

If there's enough interest, I'll consider adding more router stats. I could also make an IOS version if there are enough iPhone users who would like to use this.

 

[Bazman]

Because I was compulsively checking the LTE signal stats on my Huawei E5186 with Poynting XPOL-0006, I made this really simple Android app to make it a one touch operation. After starting the app, make sure the router IP is correctly entered, then press the refresh button to see something like this:

View attachment 351041

Just keep on pressing the refresh button if you're for example fine-tuning your antenna.

You need to be on the same network as your router for this to work, but you don't need to be logged in.

Get the free app (also no adverts) here from the Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vxlabs.huaweiltestats

If there's enough interest, I'll consider adding more router stats. I could also make an IOS version if there are enough iPhone users who would like to use this.

This is fantastic, sure the installers would love it. an IOS version would be handy for me.

Thanks

 

[Mkies]

Where can I get a Telkom E5186

Does anybody know where I can buy a E5186-61a for Telkom LTE-A in Gauteng. Only the router not a contract. Been to 3 Telkom stores without stock

 

[cpbotha]

I made the mistake of letting my Telkom-supplied E5186s-61a upgrade its firmware to 21.306.01.00.1232

My signal stats are now down to the pre-antenna levels:

RSRQ: -8dB (vs -3dB)
RSRP: -98dBm (vs -74dBm)
RSSI: -71dBm (vs -55dBm)
SINR: 8dB (vs 30dB)

I have reset power-cycled the modem, but no luck so far. There is no setting in the dumbed-down web interface to force it to use the external Poynting. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[cpbotha]

Phew!

After disconnecting the antenna, testing without it (signal levels BETTER than I posted), then powering off, reconnecting antenna and powering back up, I'm back to my previous good signal levels.

Looking more carefully at the stats, I can see that the E5186 temporarily connected to a different cell (via CELL_ID and PCI), whereas now it's back to its old CELL_ID and PCI.

I made the mistake of letting my Telkom-supplied E5186s-61a upgrade its firmware to 21.306.01.00.1232

My signal stats are now down to the pre-antenna levels:

RSRQ: -8dB (vs -3dB)
RSRP: -98dBm (vs -74dBm)
RSSI: -71dBm (vs -55dBm)
SINR: 8dB (vs 30dB)

I have reset power-cycled the modem, but no luck so far. There is no setting in the dumbed-down web interface to force it to use the external Poynting. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Geoff.D]

So the lesson learnt here is to be very thorough when looking at results before concluding that there is something wrong with your equipment ...... or an upgrade ......

 

[gazillion]

Been hunting everywhere trying to figure out if the E5186 from Telkom falls back from LTE-A to LTE or if it only has fall back to 3G. There is no LTE-A in my area yet but am keen on the AC WiFi for my home network. Was wondering if the router would run at LTE speed (I have LTE coverage according to Telkom's coverage map) or only at 3G.
If there is no fallback to standard LTE, I am assuming that going with Telkom's B315 LTE router would be a better option - am I correct here?