New setup with quectel ec25-af cat 4

[Loorurban2]

I am new to the forum so I apologize if this is somewhere but I couldn’t find it. I am in a rurban area where no cell towers face the area I live. There are no options for broadband besides satellite so I need to find a way for home internet. I get 20mbps down and 5 up on an iPhone 10 with okay signal. I tried a mofi 4500 sim7 (apparently no ca but i got it for the b71) but best i got was 5down and 15 up. I’m thinking it was due to congestion and lack of ca on the mofi. I was researching setups on here and came across the quectel ec25-af cat 4 as a great option that is inexpensive and seems to cover the bands in my area. Honestly I’ll pay $1000 for a setup that will get me 30/10 or better but this seems like a great pair with a we826go-u to get me to what I need. I also wouldn’t mind advice on whether I’ll need antenna or indoor outdoor setup. The mofi had stock antennas and was tested only indoors.

[gscheb]

You kind of have it already.
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=8& ... sim7#p8363

[Didneywhorl]

Gscbeb pointed out. The mofi4500 sim7 has a Quectel ec25af inside.

Your looking for better antennas, if you want to keep your mofi. What does the signal info page show you.

Your iphone10 has a category 18 modem I think, at least a category 16, and bigh powered well engineered 4x mimo antennas inside. It can also likely Carrier Aggregate up to like 6x; 3x is prob what its doing in reality.

Your mofi is category 4 with 2 little $5 antennas and no CA capability.

Corvette vs a gokart

The mofi sim7 isnt bad, its just old dated equipment. It could likely get up to atleast 50 or 60Mbps, but it needs good strong signal via quality antennas. For you I'd bet a pair of directional flat panel antennas would help out. Im biased, and like those antennas. Parabolic grids are good too.

If you wanted a much more capable router and modem, zbt wg3526 router is one of my favorites right now. It like many other "LTE Routers" has "ok" wifi, but thats not always important to everyone. If it is important, than a dedicated wifi access point is best anyway.

My favorite modems rightnow are Quectels. The EM12G is a great modem for 2 antennas and if you want more antennas the EM20G supports 4 and is much more capable.

If you want to build a unit, we all can help out here and get you through a build.

If it is overwealming, I build and sell units. Email me any time and we can talk.

[Loorurban2]

I tried to lock the mofi to band 71 which showed signal etc. but had no down or up kinda weird. I noticed that the other bands worked at least for speed testing with the best band I think getting the speeds I posted but I don't remember which one it was. Regardless I no longer have the mofi. I also was reading on the forums about getting band 48 especially for future uses which it looks like the quectel ec25-af does not get.

I am curious how the quectel em12g compares to the sierra wireless em7565/7511 both in terms of performance but ease of setup as well. I forgot to mention the best cell reception in my area is either Tmobile or Verizon and I am using Tmobile. I haven't considered moving to another carrier but I suppose I should at least consider that when purchasing a modem.

[Didneywhorl]

I've not used the em7565 or 7511, but I do hear people saying they are great. I went with Quectel due to the simplicity of their generic single image firmware and no real need to update the modem firmware. They are also much easier to modify when needed; Sierras require unlocking codes. Not a bad thing, just a preference thing. Sierras are great cards, I do have an mc7455 still in service for over 2 years.

[Loorurban2]

I am very thankful already for your help. Let's assume I am in a highly congested area since I cant really test this without setting everything up. Would you go with a em20G coupled with the wg8526p (just in case I need to set it up outside). I just hesitate buying things I can't return. Ideally I would like to hook this on the wall in my garage that has an lrm400 cable already connected to the outside in case I needed access to an outside antenna. The lrm400 goes to nothing since I can't get cable but was installed there so Comcast presumably would use that location.

[Didneywhorl]

The em20 and wg3526 is a great setup. You have to modify the case to add 2 more antenna connectors, since the em20 has 4 ports. That or use a usb3 to m. 2 adapter housing and add the antenna connectors there.

[Loorurban2]

So that I am understanding what you are saying is that 2 antennas would be connected to the wg3526 and 2 antenna to the adapter housing? Essentially nothing else to buy to set this up?

[BillA]

So that I am understanding what you are saying is that 2 antennas would be connected to the wg3526 and 2 antenna to the adapter housing? Essentially nothing else to buy to set this up?

All 4 antennas have to be either on the WG3526 router or the external USB enclosure (already has 4 holes).
So you will either need to drill two more holes on the side of the router, or connect the external USB enclosure to the router via usb. In my opinion it's easier and neater to just have the two extra holes/antennas on the router, but to each their own.

[Didneywhorl]

I concur with Bill. Hes got you covered.