Tower Hopping

[Vaalboy]

I'm based in the Upper Highway area in Durban and suddenly for the last two weeks have has absolutely shocking speeds (<2mbs) which is strange because since inception in Feb this year I normally and consistantly operate between 40 and 60 mbs.

I've logged numerous calls and have eventually been advised that a techie is on his way today.

In absolute desperation I switched from my external to my paddles on Saturday and suddenly noticed that my router had connected to a different tower and I hit 20 mbs. Since then I've been checking my tower ID periodically and have noted that my router hops from one tower to another. In the last 2 hours it had connected to 4 different towers based on the cell ID in the router settings.

Any idea whether I can force the router to connect to the one tower that gives me the best performance? Reconnecting the external just connects me to my original tower which is useless at the moment.

 

[cavedog]

You can try and force it to the 2300MHz band. It should help.

Use the toolbox to change the bands.

 

[ginggs]

Any idea whether I can force the router to connect to the one tower that gives me the best performance?

A directional antenna is the best way to do this.

 

[Vaalboy]

You can try and force it to the 2300MHz band. It should help.

Use the toolbox to change the bands.

Thanks - read the toolbox thread a few times but can make no sense of how to change it. In my frequency dropdown menu I dont have an option for 2300 only 2600? Can you perhaps help with a step by step guide for dummies?

 

[Vaalboy]

A directional antenna is the best way to do this.

I have the std ponting external - it changes towers when that is plugged in too?

 

[sajunky]

Thanks - read the toolbox thread a few times but can make no sense of how to change it. In my frequency dropdown menu I dont have an option for 2300 only 2600? Can you perhaps help with a step by step guide for dummies?

Toolbox was written on the device which didn't support 2300MHz, it is why there is no such option. You have to go deeper and write back a bit-mapped value. All about Toolbox is here: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthr...x-for-new-Huawei-HiLink-devices-(E5186-B315s)

 

[Vaalboy]

Toolbox was written on the device which didn't support 2300MHz, it is why there is no such option. You have to go deeper and write back a bit-mapped value. All about Toolbox is here: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthr...x-for-new-Huawei-HiLink-devices-(E5186-B315s)

Thanks - I'm a real noob chop so please help me out here:

Go to API control tab
Select API drop down list
Select api/net/net mode

Then I'm lost........

 

[cavedog]

Thanks - I'm a real noob chop so please help me out here:

Go to API control tab
Select API drop down list
Select api/net/net mode

Then I'm lost........

Click get. Now edit it to look like this.

<request>
<NetworkMode>03</NetworkMode>
<NetworkBand>3FFFFFFF</NetworkBand>
<LTEBand>8000000000</LTEBand>
</request>


Click write directly to API. Then click yes.

Router is now forced to the 3400MHz band. If you want to switch back to the 1800MHz band just do the same but write this to the api

<request>
<NetworkMode>03</NetworkMode>
<NetworkBand>3FFFFFFF</NetworkBand>
<LTEBand>4</LTEBand>
</request>

 

[Vaalboy]

Magic Cavedog - Thanks!

 

[cavedog]

Magic Cavedog - Thanks!

Cool no problem let us know the results!

 

[ToxicDust]

Click get. Now edit it to look like this.

<request>
<NetworkMode>03</NetworkMode>
<NetworkBand>3FFFFFFF</NetworkBand>
<LTEBand>8000000000</LTEBand>
</request>


Click write directly to API. Then click yes.

Router is now forced to the 3400MHz band. If you want to switch back to the 1800MHz band just do the same but write this to the api

<request>
<NetworkMode>03</NetworkMode>
<NetworkBand>3FFFFFFF</NetworkBand>
<LTEBand>4</LTEBand>
</request>

Does this make it a lot more stable?

My Router seem to connect to around 10 different towers in my area all with horrendous performance. I have a specific tower n my area that gets good throughput and I literally have to some days turn the router off for 10 min and only on turning it on again it picks up the LTEA tower

I presume this will ignore all the crap towers by default and only connect to the one in my area that is LTEA (2300 mhz)

 

[cavedog]

Does this make it a lot more stable?

My Router seem to connect to around 10 different towers in my area all with horrendous performance. I have a specific tower n my area that gets good throughput and I literally have to some days turn the router off for 10 min and only on turning it on again it picks up the LTEA tower

I presume this will ignore all the crap towers by default and only connect to the one in my area that is LTEA (2300 mhz)

Well by forcing it to 2300MHz it will stick to that band and ignore all the 1800MHz towers that has popped up all over and a lot of them too. You might even be connecting to a super fast 2300MHz but because that tower now also have 1800MHz your router might connect to that band instead giving you slower speeds.

So it's nice to be able to play with the band to see which one gives you the best performance.

 

[ToxicDust]

Well by forcing it to 2300MHz it will stick to that band and ignore all the 1800MHz towers that has popped up all over and a lot of them too. You might even be connecting to a super fast 2300MHz but because that tower now also have 1800MHz your router might connect to that band instead giving you slower speeds.

So it's nice to be able to play with the band to see which one gives you the best performance.

Awesome. Going to do it remotely now... Will report back on results. I know my tower ID and PCI so will just check if it stayes on that with the 2300 once I made the change. Else that tower is on another band cause its giving me 42mb connection where the others give me 1mb... So its a big jump on my side.

Let me test quick and get back to you

 

[ToxicDust]

Well by forcing it to 2300MHz it will stick to that band and ignore all the 1800MHz towers that has popped up all over and a lot of them too. You might even be connecting to a super fast 2300MHz but because that tower now also have 1800MHz your router might connect to that band instead giving you slower speeds.

So it's nice to be able to play with the band to see which one gives you the best performance.

Ok. So applied the settings to 2300 and its connecting to the 42mb tower now. Will monitor it and let you know but seems to be working perfectly. Pushing 40mb now as per usual on this tower. Will see if it stops hopping to the other towers

 

[cavedog]

Ok. So applied the settings to 2300 and its connecting to the 42mb tower now. Will monitor it and let you know but seems to be working perfectly. Pushing 40mb now as per usual on this tower. Will see if it stops hopping to the other towers

Awesome

 

[HowTo]

Morning

I'm lucky in that sense, one tower only.

Very seldom I drop down to 3G or other. Then signal is utter rubbish.
Then a while later it is back on 5 bar strength. I'm using a External antenna pointing at the tower.

 

[ToxicDust]

Awesome

Thanks Cavedog. Just wanted to let you know that my router isn't hopping to the other crap towers anymore. Its staying fairly consistently on the LTE one closest to me that gives me 42mb line speed.

Thanks a lot

 

[cavedog]

Thanks Cavedog. Just wanted to let you know that my router isn't hopping to the other crap towers anymore. Its staying fairly consistently on the LTE one closest to me that gives me 42mb line speed.

Thanks a lot

Good to know. Also now you know how to play with the toolbox a very handy tool to switch bands and find a sweet spot.

 

[ToxicDust]

Good to know. Also now you know how to play with the toolbox a very handy tool to switch bands and find a sweet spot.

Yea. Wish someone would get the source code from the writer of it and just updated it for our routers so make it easy to just drop down the selections (even though the other option is easy too)