Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

ROUTER Topics that are general or unclassified in nature, or does not belong elsewhere
Forum rules
Please assure there is not an existing forum and topic related to your post
Post Reply
LTEnewb
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:42 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by LTEnewb »

Hello all,

I'm very new to this site but I would like to build a 5g modem to run my home internet off of TMobiles network as 5g is available in my location.

I haven't been able to find much information on the subject but here are a couple cards I'm looking into buying.

SIM8200EA-M2 or the Quectel RM500G.

Not really sure what I would need or what would be compatible.
I was looking into the M2M H721 router for a possible combo.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
User avatar
Didneywhorl
Posts: 3646
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:37 pm
Location: USA
Has thanked: 1370 times
Been thanked: 764 times
Contact:

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Didneywhorl »

Look up Honktavious McGillacutty on the facebook group
LTEnewb
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:42 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by LTEnewb »

Thank you.

I ended up buying a SIM8200EA-M2 and Quectel RM500Q. I'll let everyone know what I'm able to figure out.
User avatar
Didneywhorl
Posts: 3646
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:37 pm
Location: USA
Has thanked: 1370 times
Been thanked: 764 times
Contact:

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Didneywhorl »

Please do, super interesting stuff on the horizon.
User avatar
BillA
Posts: 1230
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: USA
Has thanked: 219 times
Been thanked: 327 times
Contact:

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by BillA »

LTEnewb wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:49 pm Thank you.

I ended up buying a SIM8200EA-M2 and Quectel RM500Q. I'll let everyone know what I'm able to figure out.

You may want to take a look at a new 5G-ready router WG1608, allowing you to plug in an M.2 form factor 5G modem without an adapter, with all the 5G antennas/connections in place. The only issue is the lack of a custom firmware at this time, but it's probably coming. Here's some more info about it:
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1172
User avatar
Didneywhorl
Posts: 3646
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:37 pm
Location: USA
Has thanked: 1370 times
Been thanked: 764 times
Contact:

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Didneywhorl »

BillA wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 1:35 pm You may want to take a look at a new 5G-ready router WG1608, allowing you to plug in an M.2 form factor 5G modem without an adapter, with all the 5G antennas/connections in place. The only issue is the lack of a custom firmware at this time, but it's probably coming. Here's some more info about it:
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1172

I purchased one. It'll prob be here in 2 months. Good ole shipping from China during a pandemic scared world.
OptimusPrime
Posts: 34
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2020 10:39 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by OptimusPrime »

LTEnewb wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:49 pm Thank you.

I ended up buying a SIM8200EA-M2 and Quectel RM500Q. I'll let everyone know what I'm able to figure out.
So, how do these two specifically compare now that you've had them for a while?
LteHaks9
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:02 pm
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 0

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by LteHaks9 »

Didneywhorl wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 4:10 pm I purchased one. It'll prob be here in 2 months. Good ole shipping from China during a pandemic scared world.
Did you purchase a unit with 16 MB or 32 MB flash? Need help building an OpenWRT based image or you gonna run the stock firmware?
Jhsy99
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2020 1:35 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Jhsy99 »

There are Huawei units that ship to the US. They are external grade routers with a 5g sim slot. Anyone think adding a line or inserting a tablet only SIM may work?

https://www.router-switch.com/huawei-5g-cpe-pro-2.html
User avatar
BillA
Posts: 1230
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: USA
Has thanked: 219 times
Been thanked: 327 times
Contact:

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by BillA »

LTEnewb wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:49 pm Thank you.

I ended up buying a SIM8200EA-M2 and Quectel RM500Q. I'll let everyone know what I'm able to figure out.

There seems to be some confusion about the band capabilities of the new 5G RM500Q-xx and SIM8200xx-M2 modems.

Note that the Quectel RM500Q-"AE" must be version "AE", and Simcom SIM8200"EA"-M2 must be version "EA", only those versions will work properly on all US 5G bands. For example the RM500Q-"GL" and the SIM8200"G"-M2 are the global versions with SA (Stand-Alone) bands only, and are missing essential NSA (Non-Stand-Alone) bands. This is very important when ordering modems, otherwise they are useless on US 5G bands or very limited, and will only work in 4G-LTE mode.

The most popular modems in the US are the Quectel EM12-G (4G), EM16-G (EM160R 4G), RM500Q-AE (5G) and the Simcom SIM7912G-M2 (4G), SIM7920G-M2 (4G), SIM8200EA-M2 (5G).

You can find more info about the 5G ready WG1608 router and modems here:
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1172
And mobile services here:
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?p=5790#p5790


Here's a list of all US 4G-LTE and 5G bands.

US 4G-LTE bands ("*" = Primary bands)
ATT = *2, 4, 5, 12, 14, 17, 29, 30, 46, 66
TMO = 2, *4, 5, 12, 46, 66, 71
VZW = 2, 4, 5, *13, 66
SPR = *25, 26, 41

US 5G-NR Bands/(frequencies)
sub-6Ghz is used primarily by ATT and Tmobile (bands are designated by the lower case letter "n")
n2 (1,900Mhz), n5 (850MHz), *n41 (2,500MHz), n66 (AWS-3), *n71 (600MHz)

mmWave is used primarily by Verizon (bands are designated by the upper case letter "N")
N260 (39GHz), N261 (28GHz)
Dr-BroadBand
Posts: 558
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:52 am
Location: Texas
Has thanked: 94 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Dr-BroadBand »

Hay LTEnewb,

What are your plans for a SIM/Data Plan??
Dre40
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:28 am
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Dre40 »

I'm sure you did this already but make sure it's a 5g band that's worth the hassle / expense. My phone says it's on 5g where I'm at (rural) but it's really just the 600hz band b71 that it's picking up (its not faster then 4gLTE anyway).
Dr-BroadBand
Posts: 558
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:52 am
Location: Texas
Has thanked: 94 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by Dr-BroadBand »

Band 71 is 4G, Band n71 is 5G they both share 600MHz, :geek: This is on TM


There are three flavors of 5G,
User avatar
lidiyamy
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:22 am
Location: Hong Kong
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Help Building a 5G router for TMobile

Post by lidiyamy »

thanks for your sharing.
Post Reply

Return to “General and Unclassified”