WE-826 and MC7455....ethernet works great but wifi not so much

[bobby.lee]

Hello. I have a MC7455 inside of the WE-826. When I have my computer hooked up to router using the ethernet cord I am getting 15-20 Mbps but if I disconnect and reconnect using the wifi I am only getting 1 Mbps. I have tried conencting to the wifi using my phone and it is the same slow speed. I have external antennas I am going to hook up but atm I am using the an antennas that came with it. I have made sure they are connected properly also.

Here is a list of what I have purchased:

WE826 4G LTE WiFi Router
Power Adapter Upgrade 2 Amp
Sierra Wireless MC7455 CAT6 4G LTE-A Modem
700-2700MHz 15dBi 4G LTE Directional Antenna (Linear) N Femal x2
Type N Female Straight to SMA Male Right Angle RG58U Coax Cable x2
Altelix N Male to N Male 400 Series Coaxial Cable Assembly (Low Loss Antenna Cable)

Like I said earlier I do not have the external antennas connected yet but as I am getting a decent connection through the ethernet cord it seems I have a wifi broadcast issue. I have everything set as default.

I initially used the default GoldenOrb firmware and was having issues so I updated to the WiFix firmware and I am still having the same issues.

[JimHelms]

When you updated both GoldenOrb and WiFiX firmware, did you make sure to uncheck the box to save settings? I have seen this behavior when the box was left checked.

Next, did you reconfigure any of the WiFi settings?

[bobby.lee]

I am almost positive I did as I remember clicking it but it was before I selected the firmware file. Is there a way to verify it?

Also I did not change any settings.

[JimHelms]

To be honest, I do not know.

I have seem instances of unchecking the box, then selecting the firmware to upload, and when the screen is returned to upload the firmware, the save settings box is checked once again.

I do not know if this happened to you, but it is the most logic starting point.

I would do is just reload the WiFiX firmware and be certain the box is unchecked prior to upgrading.

[bobby.lee]

Ok I just completed reloading the WiFix Firmware. I also made sure to leave box unchecked and I did not touch any of the wireless settings. It is still doing the same thing. 15.75 direct connect and 1.12 wireless.

[bobby.lee]

Ok I just completed reloading the WiFix Firmware. I also made sure to leave box unchecked and I did not touch any of the wireless settings. It is still doing the same thing. 15.75 direct connect and 1.12 wireless.

Here is my status:

Code: Select all

at!gstatus?
!GSTATUS: 
Current Time:  511		Temperature: 49
Reset Counter: 2		Mode:        ONLINE         
System mode:   LTE        	PS state:    Attached     
LTE band:      B41    		LTE bw:      20 MHz  
LTE Rx chan:   41374		LTE Tx chan: 41374
LTE CA state:  INACTIVE    		LTE Scell band:B41    
LTE Scell bw:20 MHz  		LTE Scell chan:41176
EMM state:     Registered     	Normal Service 
RRC state:     RRC Connected  
IMS reg state: No Srv  		

PCC RxM RSSI:  -77		RSRP (dBm):  -109
PCC RxD RSSI:  -78		RSRP (dBm):  -110
SCC RxM RSSI:  -89		RSRP (dBm):  -107
SCC RxD RSSI:  -91		RSRP (dBm):  -109
Tx Power:      22		TAC:         3908 (14600)
RSRQ (dB):     -11.7		Cell ID:     07348342 (120881986)
SINR (dB):      8.6


OK

[Dairyman]

What is the date on the firmware you are using?

If I know that I can see which build was used and see if there is something wrong with the Wifi driver.

There have been reports of poor wifi using this chip set but I need to test and see what is happening myself using similar hardware.

[JimHelms]

Well, at least we can mark that off our list. Troubleshooting is often a process of elimination.

The gstatus corresponds to only the modem/internet connection stats.

It is strange you can get download via LAN but not WiFi.

One thing that does come to mind. I have seen the right side WiFi pigtail cable get cut/damaged and shorting the WiFi.

This can happen when reassembling the WE826 cases. You will notice on the image at "A" where this one was cut at "B".

Cut pigtail cable.jpg

[JimHelms]

What is the date on the firmware you are using?

I believe from his comment above

I initially used the default GoldenOrb firmware and was having issues so I updated to the WiFix firmware and I am still having the same issues.

So it sounds like he first tried 2017-12-15 GoldenOrb and then the WiFiX GO2018-09-02 which is the only one we have available for download.

[Dairyman]

I tried a WE1026-5G which uses the same 2.4Ghz chip as the WE826 and found the wifi signal was somewhat weaker than my Asus RT-AC68U using factory firmware. However, the download speeds I got from both were about the same.

I also looked at a Xiaomi Mini which uses the same MT7620 chip and the signal levels were the same as the WE1026.

Both the Xiaomi and WE1026 were running newer GoldenOrb builds using OpenWrt 18.06, the same as what the WiFix WE 826 image uses.

At this point I can't see where there is any slow down using the Wifi of these routers.

The 2017-12-15 image uses OpenWrt 17.01.4 so any bugs introduced into 18.06 should show up as slower wifi speeds and that isn't the case here.

One thing to look at is changing the Wifi channel from whatever it currently is and see if that fixes things. Possible interference on certain channels.

Also look at reducing the Tx power levels a bit as the radio may be overloading. 27dBm should work okay here.

I'll keep testing to see if I can find anything but nothing else comes to mind at the moment.

[bobby.lee]

I am using the firmware from 09-02.

Looking at my wires inside at point "A" I do notice that it is bent more than the other 3 angling up but I do not see any cut on it. And when I say bent it is very little but the other 3 are not bent at all.

I messed around with the channels and power some and got a slight improvement. So I tried taking the 2.4 ghz antennas off completely. Now I am getting about the same as my direct connect. How do you explain that? lol

[JimHelms]

I am using the firmware from 09-02.

Looking at my wires inside at point "A" I do notice that it is bent more than the other 3 angling up but I do not see any cut on it. And when I say bent it is very little but the other 3 are not bent at all.

A slight bend is generally okay, as long as it did not cut or collapse the pigtail cable

I messed around with the channels and power some and got a slight improvement. So I tried taking the 2.4 ghz antennas off completely. Now I am getting about the same as my direct connect. How do you explain that? lol

Haha. I can't unless the antennas are swapped (one is SMA and the other RP-SMA). One set will fit on all 4 connectors, while two of the antennas will only screw on the correct port. So this can be discounted since you are getting service.

Try testing with each antenna installed one side at a time.

If it happens that the antenna on side A in the image effects the speed, then it gives us a better idea on what may be happening.

[bobby.lee]

It definitely seems to be the "A" antenna spot. I am waiting to get my external antennas in and get it set up. I moved the equipment from my office to my trailer and I have such poor service it is hard to tell now. I will have a better reading later this week when I have the external antennas set up.