Which Modem?

[islander261]

Hello

I am currently using a WE826-T2 with a MC7455 modem card. I only have one tower (T-Mobile) within view from my location (about 2 miles). I have been using a Calyx SIM card with good results. The tower I can see just added a B71 cell pointed near me. My phone now picks this up over the other available bands (B2, B66 (B4), B12). The B12 cell is nearly useless here because of the direction it points, very rarely I will get CA to it from B2 or B4 but the BW is usually 1.4MHz at best. What modem card(s) might you recommend as an upgrade? T-Mobile is very cagey about 5G coverage here (I think the 5G cell comes from another island by the online coverage maps) and I don't have a 5G phone to test with.

John

[gscheb]

Hello,

Have you ever to checked to see if T-Mobile home internet is available to you?
If it is could get equipment from them then buy 4x4 antenna set up from The Wireless Haven.

[islander261]

Thanks, we have looked into the T-Mobile home internet. While they will send us a modem there is no cell service at the house. My current install is up the hill from the house with external antennas on a 30' tower (they are still in the Fresnel zone) and a PtP wireless link to the house. We are at 48.5N and waiting for Starlink to turn on the cell where we live. The closest active Starlink cell is 35mi away.

We live in a typical rural/exurban vacation/retirement area that has poor infrastructure. No cell service at the house. Centurylink pulled the DSL service rather than continue to service the local ISP. The local ISP has fiber .25mi down the road from the house but wants $70,000 to bring it to us and then $100 month for capped 50Mbs service.

We actually original purchased our router and modem card to use in our RV and it worked well in that application. The router will go back into the RV once Starlink gets here.

John

[gscheb]

Sorry don't understand. You can't do exactly what you are doing now with the T-Mobile gateway? Update your tower with 4x4 antenna hooked to the gateway.

[Didneywhorl]

Beyond what gscheb is saying for tmhi... (Good stuff there really)

As to your original post, are you asking for a modem that can just do more bands than the MC7455?

What are your specific bands you would like?

Is 5G an option for you as preference for futureproofing, or are you saying you would be fine without it?

[toddw]

If your wanting Band 71 and max performance, something that can do n71 and combine it with LTE bands, I would go RM502Q-AE. If your on a budget, I would go Sierra 7411 and at least be able to combine B71 with something else.

[islander261]

Thanks, I thought the T-Mobile hotspot didn't have external antenna connections?

A 5G modem is not required. Any place we are likely to be will only ever have low band anyway.

I am looking for a modem that will do CA on bands B2, B66(B4), B12 and B71. Prefer one with a miniPCI interface to work without adapters in a WE826.

TIA

John

[toddw]

The MC7411 is the minipci version, its out there if you google-fu enough. The EM7411 is easy enough with an adapter which I prefer. My initial testing with it here...

https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?t=1901