please help with my internet m1100 nighthawk signal

[bakenast]

have m1100 nighthawk on att unlimited only getting 2-3 mbs d/l we live in a rural area only getting 2 bars in house,, is there any way to improve this hotspots or is there any devices that pickup better signal better i could use my sim card in, I see signal boosters for sale but do not know if they work for my purpose... any suggestions appreciated thank you

[gscheb]

Have you tried different spots in the house? Do you know where the tower is?

[MattB29]

Sounds like you need an external antenna. With my mr1100 I routinely get around 50mbs down and 10+mbs up with 2 bars signal. Generally connecting to Band 66 and Band 2. My signal strength ain't all that great of shakes either.

My setup is the Mr1100 with no battery installed powered by an Anker Power Port (Factory supplied charger can be inadequate)connected with two TS-9 short adapter cables to SMA connectors on 5 meters of RG-58 cable through the wall to the outdoor MIMO antenna connected to the roof of my deck. Pointed in a direction I found that works best. My mr1100 is connected via Cat 8 Ethernet cable to a TP 5-Port unmanaged switch and from there to my computer and smart TV. I rarely use the WiFi. (kindle and phone occasionally)to connect.

[Dr-BroadBand]

See Netgear Nighthawk M1: External Antenna
For Clues
https://youtu.be/IcKsmvzOl6c

Would give the boys at the The Wireless Haven store a call for antenna selection .
Antennas can be a little tricky.

Since the M1 is so mobile, would bring it on a road trip to different towers for a speed test.
You could also have a SIM issue

[Didneywhorl]

You can also put your M1 in an outdoor enclosure, with the battery removed and full time power, and put it way up high on a pole.

Using:

https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/enclo ... osure-kit/

https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/poe/p ... -plug-tip/

https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/acces ... r-adapter/

https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/power ... gigabit-2/

[bakenast]

Thank you I purchase a The Wireless Haven HIGH POWER 15dBi Cellular 5G 4G LTE Directional AntenAntenna 700-2700MHz. Antenna w/ 20 ft cable it into the back and made no difference is there a setting I need to change to make it use external antenna. In diagnostics it shows b12 band

[MattB29]

Would help if you could give more information such as your various signal metrics found under the Diagnostics section. Band 12 is probably the worse band for speed since it is often most congested. Then there is how your antenna is mounted and any tuning efforts you have made in terms of pointing it.

The Mr1100 will automatically use external antenna hooked to the 2 TS-9 ports. BTW you are using a MIMO antenna?

ETA: There are guides out there for adding external antennas to the Mr1100. Sorry but my attempt to link to one is not be allowed by this Forum.

[bakenast]

Ok thanks yes I read the guides I will get diagnostic statistics after work. I got the Mimo one but not the duel antenna I got the single one so only 1 ts 9 port being used

[MattB29]

If only one TS-9 port being used your antenna is not MIMO.

A MIMO antenna will have two cable connections, Inside the MIMO antenna is actually two separate antennas Cross Polarized. If you buy only individual antennas you need two that are setup at 45 degrees apart per instructions.

[Didneywhorl]

Yeah, the antenna may be helping with its single port, but your M1100 uses 4 internal antennas. The moment an external antenna connector is attached it shuts off all 4 internal antennas and tries to use both of the external antenna connectors. If you only use one antenna it is trying to communicate on both but only one is responding. So you are effectively cutting the modems communication attempt in half.

Also do not use a "Y" cable to connect the two ports into one antenna or you will short together the modems connectors and eventually damage the modem.

[MattB29]

As a bit of personal story with antennas. I have been using a flat panel 18dbi Mimo outdoor antenna bought off Alie Express. Some sellers list it at 22dbi (all these dbi ratings are suspect)for the same thing. Today I got in a higher quality built flat panel 7-9dbi antenna (sorry not from this Forum's merchant)and installed it. My numbers are only marginally better for band 66 but much better band 2 and if it drifts to band 12 I show fantastic readings and 5 bars signal.

Was it worth buying and installing the more expensive antenna? Hard to say at this point. Several days of different times and conditions need to be tested for.

So on Band 66 just a few minutes ago with new antenna, Mr1100.
RSRP: -105 dbm,
RSRQ: -10 dbm
RS-SINR 15 dbm
Quality: 40

My speed test results:

[bakenast]

So I bought a mimo antenna and plugged it in and none of my numbers change or improve compared to not using a antenna at all pointed at the tower I have power cord plugged in and tried powering off.. I notice the t9 antenna plugs always fall out of the hotspot and do not make a tight fit.. that is with my new mimo antenna and my initial siso antenna

[bakenast]

Rsrp -105.

Rsrq -13

45 dam

LTE band 12. Same statistics with or without mimo

[MattB29]

If you want good advice you need to give more detail. Those of us willing to help can not see what your setup is. Working with these things require being methodical.

From the little information you provide all I can glean is your TS-9 connectors are no good. They should not just fall out. In my M1 they are tight. Mine is a TS-9 on one end than short cable to the SMA other end to hook to the 5 meters RG-58 cable. Then outside to the external Mimo antenna that I spent hours aiming for best results. Aiming the antenna was not just pointing at a tower since in my location you can not see them.

The other is your settings for the M1. Do you have under Advanced Settings>Cellular>Band Region> Set to LTE All? Do you also have in Setup>Mobile Router Setup>Ethernet Standby> Disabled? BTW how do you connect the Mr1100 with your devices?

I also suggest you Search for "Mr1100 adding external antennas" and read as much as you can.

[bakenast]

ok i got it to work i had to squeeze close the t-9 connecters to get it to fit tight.. i used a old pole saw i had and removed the saw and use it for a 16' antenna pole i got my speeds up to 13 mbps which is good for everything we need b2 band gets much better speeds and b12 for us, and after i got the mimo up in the air it picked up.. thanks now i am looking for a way to extend my nighthawk wifi range in our house we get like 15' range in long range mode.. is there a wifi router that i could just plug the ethernet cable in from the nighthawk and use it to extend range... thanks!

[MattB29]

Explained best here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t1RJsYymGg

Any home router will do.

Oh BTW, change the routers IP before mucking with turning off the M1 IP bypass if the routers administration access URL is also 191.168.1.1.
Do it without being connected to the M1. Saves on hassle.