Sign up with GoogleSo like everyone on this forum its been nothing but fustration. From buying the service and being delighted with 100mbps+ it was short lived. So many helpful members on this forum taught me the ever so helpful trick between the 1800mhz and 2300mhz on the router.
This actually worked:
1800mhz gave me much lower download speeds around 10mbps and oddly enough higher upload i.e. 15mbps but the latency was super low like 14ms.
2300mhz gave me okish download speeds: 30 / 40 mbps and 15mbps upload but the latency was relatively high 30ms+
So I use to toggle this when using it for different applications - 1800mhz for gaming and 2300mhz for downloading. I am on the 100gig package.
In my pursuit for happiness
I then had the guys who installed my antennas pop over to see if we could optimize chasing the ever so wonderful 100mbps. I showed them the 1800 / 2300 trick and they worked over two weeks with telkom (they were ex LTE installers for telkom so good connections there) to try and help.
Telkom sends Huawei (However you spell that stupid name) over to my place (as they maintain all the LTE towers) and a very knowlegable young chap with all the tools that you could wish for pitches up. Does tests and explains that on the 1800mhz tower you should never be getting more up than down. Makes sense, apparently they have a system TDD which has an issue if power goes off means that tower is dead so they installed a "New" system FDD along side the TDD which allows users to still connect to the towers if the power is off - nice however its creating the up and down issue. They aware and sorting it out all config.
Here comes the kicker
I was happy with 40mbps to be honest as I was only using it when I need to download things. So about two weeks ago my Hawawawawawawawiiiii router says you have a firmware update well shap no issue I like these they USUALLY improve things btw I have the makulu bass E5186s-61a.
Do the update (took forever have to say must have been like windows 10 download size or something) reboots and I am like - lets test this baby out:
1800mhz - nothings changes same speeds - Hmm ok
2300mhz - OMG 4mbps down, 0.65mbps up and 52ms ping was the BEST I could get.
Thought wait could need a fresh reboot - same result
Ok wait check antennas have they moved - No still there same on pole
Ok drive to tower location down the road from me its still there hasn't been abducted by aliens (you know these Telkom call center people they can tell you all sort of stories).
Phone telkom - well we all know how that goes. Might as well phone a sewage plant call center get similar answers.
Phone my telkom guys - Check with netCore (in Pretty Oria (Pretoria)) no them never they changed nothing what you talking about everything is green on their screen no red dots.
I did notice when they were doing tests talking to Hawawawawawawawawi and Telkom they were not impressed I was switching between bands. Don't know if this is just for me or if it is for everyone (who gets the famous new firmware).
Thought I would share, unfortunately being in a metropolitan area one would expect Telkom to have fast ADSL right - Wrong fastest 15mbps (oh we not upgrading copper anymore) - Ok muppets when can I have fiber, that one sir well the planned roll out is 2019. So LTE was kind of my only option.
Anyone else got a E5186s-61a that can share their firmware number? Mine is now (unfortunately): 21.310.01.00.1232
This actually worked:
1800mhz gave me much lower download speeds around 10mbps and oddly enough higher upload i.e. 15mbps but the latency was super low like 14ms.
2300mhz gave me okish download speeds: 30 / 40 mbps and 15mbps upload but the latency was relatively high 30ms+
So I use to toggle this when using it for different applications - 1800mhz for gaming and 2300mhz for downloading. I am on the 100gig package.
In my pursuit for happiness
I then had the guys who installed my antennas pop over to see if we could optimize chasing the ever so wonderful 100mbps. I showed them the 1800 / 2300 trick and they worked over two weeks with telkom (they were ex LTE installers for telkom so good connections there) to try and help.Telkom sends Huawei (However you spell that stupid name) over to my place (as they maintain all the LTE towers) and a very knowlegable young chap with all the tools that you could wish for pitches up. Does tests and explains that on the 1800mhz tower you should never be getting more up than down. Makes sense, apparently they have a system TDD which has an issue if power goes off means that tower is dead so they installed a "New" system FDD along side the TDD which allows users to still connect to the towers if the power is off - nice however its creating the up and down issue. They aware and sorting it out all config.
Here comes the kicker
I was happy with 40mbps to be honest as I was only using it when I need to download things. So about two weeks ago my Hawawawawawawawiiiii router says you have a firmware update well shap no issue I like these they USUALLY improve things btw I have the makulu bass E5186s-61a.
Do the update (took forever have to say must have been like windows 10 download size or something) reboots and I am like - lets test this baby out:
1800mhz - nothings changes same speeds - Hmm ok
2300mhz - OMG 4mbps down, 0.65mbps up and 52ms ping was the BEST I could get.
Thought wait could need a fresh reboot - same result
Ok wait check antennas have they moved - No still there same on pole
Ok drive to tower location down the road from me its still there hasn't been abducted by aliens (you know these Telkom call center people they can tell you all sort of stories).
Phone telkom - well we all know how that goes. Might as well phone a sewage plant call center get similar answers.
Phone my telkom guys - Check with netCore (in Pretty Oria (Pretoria)) no them never they changed nothing what you talking about everything is green on their screen no red dots.
I did notice when they were doing tests talking to Hawawawawawawawawi and Telkom they were not impressed I was switching between bands. Don't know if this is just for me or if it is for everyone (who gets the famous new firmware).
Thought I would share, unfortunately being in a metropolitan area one would expect Telkom to have fast ADSL right - Wrong fastest 15mbps (oh we not upgrading copper anymore) - Ok muppets when can I have fiber, that one sir well the planned roll out is 2019. So LTE was kind of my only option.
Anyone else got a E5186s-61a that can share their firmware number? Mine is now (unfortunately): 21.310.01.00.1232
