Thanks for the helpful video. Mine arrived 2 days ago and so far it's been fine. I'm about 1/2 a mile from the 5g mast and speeds have been anywhere between 100Mbps to 1.2Gbps depending on which device I use. Uploads between 5 and 150Mbps, pings usually around 30ms. My old Virgin fibre was 110/10 so a bit of an improvement and cheaper too! Just got 632/137 on my phone a minute ago. Have managed to burn through 176GB of data so far:-)
@@ajas41 today's my 31st day with the ZTE and I've used 1.54TB so far, probably doing more speed tests than I would normally so I reckon it'll go down to about a TB per month on average:-) 101GB was my highest day's use so far.
@@kabukidreamboy oh thats a lot of data. Do you stream television channels as well? I am wondering how much data would i need for one pc, 1 tv and one phone… need to make the right call for my contract😁
@@ajas41 Yeah, I stream Virgin TV Go/Sky Go/YT/Prime/Netflix etc so it's easy to use a terrabyte a month! What are your options as after 100gb the next step is unlimited and not a big jump in price either. I guess it depends how much TV you watch as streaming is the main drain on data.
The twin external antenna connectors are TS9 connectors. They are for mobile network RF. And the mystery square-ish hole on the bottom is for the cover to clip in to.
The external aerial is unlikely to fix whatever problem is causing you to only be able to connect a single laptop to the router. Did you accidentally put it into bridge mode?
Well I've had my three ZTE router for just over a month and it's totally replaced my landline broadband connection. Previously I was with plusnet receiving a 50mb connection, this has quadrupled now I've switched over and even better is that I don't have to pay any stupid line rental either for a landline I never used for making or receiving calls like many of us. Speeds for me vary from an average of 230mbps download and over 150mbps upload most of the time and in some cases I've seen speedtests showcasing over 700mbps! I've also managed to save myself nearly £20 a month switching over to a 5G home internet plan as well and in this current climate of inflation is a great move. 👍🏻
was just thinking about this ...currently with Plusnet thinking of getting rid of BT/ISP ....I do have to change all my Plusnet email addresses used though ...
It may be a dumb question but let's say if I use my phone sim card, which is 5g, in this router, will I get 5g connection? Will the carrier consider this a "hotspot" or regular 5g connection with no caps.?
UK, definitely will work. Other countries, not sure. Very unlikely that they would identify it somehow but I'm no expert in anything beyond the major UK networks.
i've just bought this today, arriving tomorrow. i plan to place it by my window and have it connected to my PC via ethernet. hopefully it'll be good for gaming since my current WiFi situation is horrible. i plan on testing it for a week or two and if its not what i'm looking for, i'll return it and look elsewhere. looks promising though
It all depends on how close to a mast you are, if that mast has 5G (or at least uncontended 4G) and potentially how slow things go during peak times (driving / rush hour kind of times). Would be interesting to know how you get on if you remember and can come back to comment here :)
I know this is some time later, have you considered making your own QR code to connect to the wifi? Would also be interested to see the speed with an external antenna connected
I also have one, which i got it for free from my cousin and it works fine and when i came to know the price i was shocked this device is quite expensive. But for better signal strength always use outdoor wifi antenna.
I feel it's pretty poor for antenna design within the device itself. Where my phone could receive hundreds of megabits per second; the ZTE in the same location could only receive about 15mbps. And you are right, it's astonishing how expensive 5G routers are.
Had one of these delivered today. So far I'm underwhelmed, though there's still time obviously. In the exact same area of my home my 5G phone with a "smarty" sim (uses the 3 network) hits speeds around 250-300Mb/s, whilst the modem connecting to the same mast (presumably the same) connected via LAN gives no more than 110 Mb/s whilst on WiFi it varies wildly from 30-75Mb/s using Ookla Speedtest. I'd hoped that if the bundled chip on my mobile phone could hit 250-300 a dedicated modem/router designed to do that and ONLY that, would be significantly better. I'll monitor it closely and if it doesn't improve I'll have a decision to make before the 14 day cooling off period arrives. It's not awful, I guess I just expected more with the speeds showing on my phone.
WiFi is always going to be bad unless you have high end multi stream WiFi kit in the stuff you are connecting. Always test performance using ethernet. Also if testing on a computer use the Ookla installable program rather than the website. The adverts on the website tend to use CPU and reduce speeds. Test the smarty SIM in the three router to see if your three SIM is somehow throttled? (My three one managed nearly a gigabit!)
@@freename Yeah, I had the same thought regarding swapping the Sim for the Smarty one, though my I.T. tech son seems to think it likely that Three could well have locked the sim to the router. Still worth a try though 🙂. My intention was always to mostly use the 3three 5G connection on my fire-cube via LAN connection for prime video/Netflix etc. I have Plusnet 60Mb via landline connected to my computer which was being shared by the fire-cube wirelessly, hence my desire to try out 5G.
@@freename I found my first issue resolution. My speeds were being bottlenecked by the device that was connected, IE: It was connected primarily to my Amazon Fire-cube which only has a max 100Mb Lan port. I tried the Smarty sim, which did work despite the paperwork saying that only the provided sim would work 🙄but obviously the speed was still being throttled by the port. I'm now connecting through the Gb port on my PC and getting speeds around the 300-420 Mb/s so that's obviously much better, and being situated on the floor under a table means there is a clear path for improvement 🙂 Hopefully the steps I've documented might help someone else that finds your video whilst looking into this router 🙂.
@@Nite-owl Really good to know and thanks for coming back with a follow up. 100mbps network devices are blight including cables which only have 4 wires and only work at 100mbps :(
Hi. Thanks for much for taking valuable time to make this video. Even in your car being outside the house. I’ve found this very helpful. Honestly can’t thank you enough. 👍👍👍
@@paulmurphy2144 :) thanks . If of interest I just ended my Three contract today, I await the instructions for them claiming their router back. Part of me hopes they don't ever ask for it back :D
@@freename I have bought a new one from ebay pal, so your not happy with them. I personally think their 4g is crap, Vodafone is streets ahead. I just hope the 5g router is much faster, and for them wanting their router back it's one of them. We will send a returns bag, or you'll be charged x x amount
My experience in the south of England with Vodafone was terrible. I definitely wouldn't go back. I've remained on Three but now using a cheaper iD Mobile SIM. Three was good for the year I had but definitely cheaper to go via one of their MNVOs. (Virtual Operators).
you can attach two antennas get directional antenna or omni director antenna, position them towards tower or where you get better signal and problem solved.
The plugs are at the back under sole covers. However several people have reported it might only work for 5G or something, like the 4G and 5G have separated antenna paths and only one band has external connectors. Search the other comments on this video for more info.
Thanks for the review. How long is the PSU cable and is it fitted with a regular DC5525 or DC5521? I might buy a 12V PD trigger if it's not very long or maybe I could just add an extra length of cable..
Hello. Does this router have a physical on/off switch? Does it come back online in the event of a power outage? I had a Tenda, but if you lost power you had to turn it back on manually. Thanks
12volt DC to 240volt ac inverter. Plugs into what was the cigarette lighter socket on the car (now just used these days for dash cams and USB chargers). Bought it from Maplin in the UK decades ago.
Here for the same question, though I can tell you that test driving T-Mobile's trashcan tower about a mile away from the tower (interesting they call it a mast) is getting me between 70-150 down, which was a huge upgrade from my CAT18 4G router at 25-50 down. Upload speeds were less impressive, though I expect they would do much better with a quality antenna.
Thanks for a great video on this router, I have bought this router for my caravan and want to be be able to power this from a12v source and not to a 230v socket, what do you think is best to achieve this? Many thanks in advance. Rob.
The mains power supply is just an AC to DC 12 volts.. so if you have a reliable and accurate 12 volts, just plug that directly into the router, in the correct polarity.
Hi. On Threes coverage checker, is your house far away from 5G coverage? If it’s close, it’s possible that you may be able to get 5g coverage somewhere in your house. My friends house is not in 5G coverage according to three, but it’s close enough and he gets 300mbps down 25 up avg (he had to try loads of areas in his house to find somewhere with a good signal)
I've tried everywhere including the loft. I'm about 2 miles from where the 5G coverage stops on their map. We are surrounded by houses and in a valley. The masts around here are either too far away on a hill where distance reduces reception and seed; or low down masts on short poles which are blocked line of sight by adjacent houses and flats. In the test I performed in my car by a 5g mast - I lost 5G signal about 300 meters away from the mast. 5G really doesn't go a great distance without directional aerials and near line of sight. There was a planning application in for a 5G mast about 500 meters from us but locals went mad and started saying it would cause depression - the application got withdrawn. (though, to be fair, Three had cited the mast in a really stupid place in terms of aesthetics).
Thanks for the vid, I'm new to these. I have a question. I have a second SIM on my ee contract. I have unlimited data on my first SIM and can gift 100gb a month on my second SIM which was previously used for a second phone. Can I just use the SIM from the second phone in this router or do you need a special SIM?
I've no idea how good the quality of these things are but I'd probably start with something like this: www.amazon.co.uk/BERLS-Universal-Connectors-Navigation-Televisions/dp/B081CTK5BR/
I agree - its a stunning speed to receive "though the air"! I only have to go sit in my car 80 meters from the mast :D So if you live close to a mast you are set! At my house I only get about 20mbps.
The speed tests are towards the end of the video. I was less than 40 meters away from the mast. Anything beyond about 150 meters away and the speed, at ground level, rapidly drops off. 5G really is line of sight depending.
Good video. Re the telephone port, what types of landline phones will work with this router?? I currently have a Huawei B315s-22 Sim router and most phones do not work or ring on incoming calls the only one I have succeeded with is my Panasonic DETEC.
My corded phone also doesn't ring. Likely the ring voltage generated by the ZTE router isn't high enough for "traditional" phones. DECT / Cordless phones use their own power for ringing so don't need a lot of voltage to ring.
@@freename So can one plug a cable phone to the telephone port and make a call using the sim inserted within the router (assuming that the sim card has minutes for calls and not only data)? I am refering to VoLTE, not VoIP. From your comments I understand that you have a cable phone connected, and although it does't ring, you still receive incoming VoLTE calls, so this must work or are you refering to VoIP?
@@dimosnat9313 No VoIP (SIP) service was configured on the router [and on the firmware the one I had was running, it isn't an option anyway] so calls were definitely going over the SIM.
I live in loft apartment so I can’t get fibre, I’m thinking of getting this. Because I only signed up for Plusnet and I don’t want the super slow speeds. Hopefully I’ll have signal strong enough to use the 5G
Difficult to tell without getting one and trying it. If you are going for a contract remember you have 14 days to send it back for any reason under the consumer laws.
Hi man, great review on it☝️. Qqustion. We are thinking (and probably will get this one as in my area here where I live in Ireland cover 5G this mobile router. I have PS5, and wonder for the best will I have to /would be better option that i connect my ps5 with Einternet cable that comes with this Three mobile broadband or i can connect as normal trough Wifi what do yku think, what would be an better option or if there would be much difference ? Thanks, cheers😊🍻
Usually gaming over Ethernet is better when using a fixed line broadband service. Your pings will be slightly lower as will the consistency of the ping. However on mobile broadband the mobile leg will be much more variable than any good WiFi signal. It's likely that on mobile broadband the most significant change you could make would to not be on mobile broadband! It will be usable but not as low ping and consistency as a slow land line or fibre based service. (Game downloads will be quicker on mobile with 5G coverage).
@@freename Thank u for your help info. So u suggest better i use Ethernet cable (Three) connected to my ps5, correct🤔. I have fibre broadband atm (Virgin) but thr price going up so thays why we changing provider..
@@matijajurajic1312 Where possible use a cable, if it isn't convenient due to distance then try wifi and see how it goes. Your experience in gaming is likely to be slightly worse (maybe not noticeable) on mobile broadband compared to Virgin Media.
12volt to AC inverter. Plugs into the circular power connector in most cars (what was the cigarette lighter socket back when people smoked). Gives you an AC 110volt or 230volt output depending on what you buy. Shouldn't cost more than about £30.
@@cristianzex I've only had access to the CPE Pro original from 2020: ua-cam.com/video/q4DfKaMqctI/v-deo.html If I ever get the chance to access a new one I'll make a video.
Thanks for the video. One question do you have to go to the Device Manager to conect to the network. It seen like your router does it automaticly. Mine stays at red (Network light) until i acess the device manager and log in fist then it turns blue and i have acess to internet. Is there a way to switch it to auto so i dont have to log in every time i take it of the energy suplie. sry for my bad english.
@@freename its was because of the sim-pin you have to enable save Sim-pin then it works fine conects automaticly whit the network now. Its really strange that its because of that but it worked for me. Thanks for your reply^^ subed and liked :D you helped me alot^^
"Problems".. depends if you are hosting a game, if yes.. you might have NAT type problems. If connecting to another game server it is unlikely to be a problem. "Ping".. depends on the reception and congestion of your local cell mast. Most likely you will be ok, if possible try to stop others in the house using the internet or streaming while you are gaming. Make sure your router is in a window or somewhere you get the best signal reception.
@@freename thanks for the Response. Yeah there are No people in my House, and the only Thing the Router will BE Connected with is my PC i am gaming on. Thanks a Lot!
Great video, appreciated. My frustration is trying to obtain one. Basically the sales people use the coverage map and insist on offering a mifi or something similar as there is no 5G in the area. However, reading the specs, the device is 4G compatible and if that is the case, my train of though is to invest in this now with a view of coverage improving in the future. Am I correct in my research and if so, how do I get three to give me the deal?? Any comment appreciated
I filled in the postcode of an area that gets coverage on the first page.. then added to cart or similar and went through the order with my normal address and post code. That trick might not work any more.
Depends on price and network coverage I guess. I find EE to be the most stable for speeds but also cost more than Three. And Three is the only network who gives you a public IP rather than CGNAT.
@@freename yeh 3 wont offer one home box just there mobile dongle thing that the thing if u was to get 5g box which can have external anttennas what would you get ?
I've not seen the EE 5G thing so can't help on that one. For ordering the 5G thing from Three you can type in a post code somewhere that does get 5G and then have the box delivered to your normal address. However; make sure you adjust your expectations for the lower non 5G speeds. Just because you tricked the website into allowing you to place an order won't increase your speeds on that router any faster than a 4G router could get.
Uploaded just this moment :) Link in the description. I'm quick at editing videos but not a machine.. you are keen and got there before I had released that vid :)
@@freename 🤣 I enjoy watching them. Maybe if you still have the Vodafone THG3000 router then try putting in a none voda dongle with a 3,EE or O2 data sim and see if that provides Internet thru the router 🤣 😂 . That would be a good video.
Only if you can't get reliable fixed line internet. Nothing will get as low ping as a fixed line connection. However downloads might be slower on fixed line.
@@Fxrno If you get good reception and won't have house mates or other things on the network downloading or uploading large files then mobile internet is "ok" for gaming. You won't be beating your friends on ping times but you shouldn't be far off. Beware that you might have NAT Type issues if you plan to use a game console and it may prevent you from hosting a game.
@@Fxrno I don't do console gaming so not entirely sure. I suspect it will be fine unless you are trying to play 1v1 with someone else who also has NAT issues.
I think Smarty uses Three as the underlying network so would probably still work anyway. There is a comment 6 days ago on this video with someone talking about their use of a smarty SIM. ( I can't direct link it on my mobile :( )
its unlocked they didnt mentioned it on their website even if your device is locked them fill the online form and it will be unlocked in 24hours but im sure yours is unlocked too. just try other sim
Im having issues with mine such as an MTU problem, i dont understand alot about this typa stuff but i made syre the MTU was above 1400 but my Xbox series x is still having issues, also my ethernet cord os flashing orange for some reason any advice?
What specific issues are you having? The lights next to the ethernet ports will blink away with activity. If you dont do much the won't flash a lot. If you are playing a game or downloading updates they will flash madly.
Got this through 3 a few weeks ago. Been trying to set up TP-Link Wifi power lines but not having much joy. Getting 500-600 download and 70-80 upload however when setting up the power lines download drops to around 40 but upload stays around the same. Is there something I’m missing? New build 3 storey townhouse TP-Link model number TL-WPA7617 KIT
Power lines stuff is probably the limit. Tried to see what speed you get if you plug the power line remote one in next to the router one instead? That would give it the best link between the two power line things and show if the power wiring is causing the slow down. (Power line stuff is generally awful, use WiFi mesh like orbi)
@@freename thanks for the reply. They worked great with my previous isp but then I was only getting download of 58 and upload of 15. So the likes of the Deco’s etc should sort it out?
@@Daz7178 power lines are useless in high speeds. To the trashcan. I'm a network engineer and I don't recommend power lines as I said. Use UTP or wifi 6.
great plug and play abillities, but it does disconnect every hour or so it seems. I lost connection gaming last night 4 times, very frustrating, it always connects back itself 20 secs later. I have had some you tube buffering and somtimes my video quality has hit like 240p, even this video had to buffer for 5 seconds while playing. but because it works great 99% percent of the time and its cheap i shall fullfill my contract.
Interesting. I used it quite a lot several times in different locations and never experienced disconnects like you mention. I wonder if local mast you connect to has a problem. (Sadly mobile providers are awful at detecting and fixing issues. An O2 mast near me has been off for weeks at a time, about 50% of the last year!).
Hi. What you can say about ping to another country? I mean if i am in Germany how it will be looking on ping to US East. Will it be playable? I think it will be ok when using a fixed line broadband service. Its around 100-130 ping from Germany and playeble on US servers. But what about if i will use this modem and playing from him?
Every mobile provider will be different but in the UK on Three I get: 49ms ping to a UK IP. Thats the _minimum_ to a local server. So if I get, for example, 9ms ping on my fixed line internet to a UK server and 49ms from my mobile to the UK server.. if I get 100ms ping to a USA server on my fixed line I would expect 140ms ping when using the mobile router. Hope that answers the question.
Yes. It has a bridge mode function. Beware though as it's weird and the first thing to connect gets the public IP. It doesn't turn off WiFi so if anything nearby knows the password when you make the change it's likely something else will steal the IP and your router wired into the ZTE will be left with a local IP and no access to the internet.
Yes, as long as the SIM size is the right size. And obviously if your mobile plan has unlimited or enough data quota for your expected use through the router.
@@freename that's great, the staff at 3 store said it only works with SIM that comes in the box and you couldn't use a normal phone SIM as these use special 5g masts specifically for 5g broadband... thanks for clarifying.
Hi, i live in Finland and i have terrible ping spikes in games with this router. Do you know by any chance how could i get rid of them and get more stable ping ? my ping goes from 20 to 110 every few seconds and i couldn´t find qOs anywhere in the settings.
If you ping in windows when not playing a game do you see the same regular increase in pings? Use the command ping 208.67.222.222 -t So it continues the ping all the time. Then play a game and see if the dos ping results change.
@@feabiyhu Check for anything else on the network which could be using data (especially video streaming like netflix etc.). If nothing else is, it has to be a flaw with your local mobile network. Not enough capacity or regular interference or something.
@@freename This is the answer, noone in the house can be watching youtube, netflix, downloading or whatever if you wish to game optimally on mobile network. Perhaps you might be able if you get 100mpbs+ speeds, but if you have 20-50 and someone watches a stream, that stream will take atleast 10-30mbps depending on service, that is to close to the maximum and will therefore ruin response times. Do you know by any chance, if this router supports 5G through external antennas ?
@@ReizungV "Do you know by any chance, if this router supports 5G through external antennas ?" As far as I've seen from other comments on this video - it does! But doesn't support 4G over the external.
I'm getting a red light on my network led on the hub. I tried resetting it twice now but same issue. I did try removing the SIM and inserting it on my phone,which gave a me a signal on it. When I inserted back again to the hub same issue appears.
@@freename nevermind I called three which they told me we didn't activate the hub. The only other issue is that I'm getting only 4g speeds even though apparently by three they say I'm in an area which is 5g.
Thanks for the info. It would be interesting to know how it goes and how long it takes before the light goes the right colour on the hub if you can find time to come back and comment when it's all done?
That's a good question. I think you'll need to look for your welcome email or put the SIM into a phone and call another phone to see what number comes up. The first email I can find mentioning my phone number: "Tom, want to get the most out of your account?" And has the account number and mobile number in the top right.
One faulty series of routers after few months your speed will be limited under 170mbps no matter where you put it i had mine replaced worked fine for 4 months now back to square one speed dropped
I have a question to ask for anyone here with this exact same router and network connection over 5G via three, I've read that streaming things like Netflix and other services like BBC IPlayer has been problematic...has anyone else experienced this? Something to do with APN settings or MTU settings?
have had mine a little over a week, can reach speeds of 500 mb download around the house....via ethernet i have received up to 740mb download and 90 upload....great little gadget
I had a 12volt (cigarette lighter) to mains device.. "Inverter". Not this exact one but something very, very similar: amzn.to/4clit2J (Note, affiliate link. I earn if you buy via it).
@@mrvolcada5355 It means the connection you are on doesn't have a path to the internet. e.g. you can connect to the router (probably) and other things on the LAN but nothing else.
I think that means it has dropped back to 4G rather than 5G. As far as I've seen the ZTE is pretty poor at maintaining a 5G signal when the signal strength is less than excellent.
@@freename on the router configuration page, under the system interface, the cellular WAN only shows LTE to be full bar, 5g is grey. Then the 2.4 and 5ghz is fully green. I tried all windows. Sometimes I do a Wi-Fi speed test, at the start it goes up to 20mbps, then straight down to 4 mbps in 2 seconds. I rebooted on the configuration page, but still the same speed
@@leejaile9788 Sounds like you are in an area certainly with no 5G coverage.. and low 4G coverage. The only option would be trying the router on different sides of the house (and upstairs if possible) to see if any other location makes a difference to the speed.
@@freename great stuff! I just want to pick one up and use Smarty with it I have 5g coverage in my home but i don't want to get into another long contract with 3. By the looks of it they've done really well with the router.
@@Benit0Mussolini Any better at staying on 5G if you move it to different windows in the house (different sides of the house etc.) ? Might just be on the wrong side of the house to get good reception. The ISPReview forums might be a good place to ask about this question too; they do a lot of signal issue advice.
If i was you i would get a omni directional antenna it would help alot height is might as they say with the speeds also smarty are always cheaper with unlimited sims then three and use there network anyways
Lte Internet/ routers are great for failover / for a back up/ ones with a battery in case of prolonged black outs I had a blackout for several hours and I was gaming on my laptop over ethernet
the sim doesn’t really want to be inserted as well, it’s like only half of it goes in and when I try to press in the rest it just pops out. Also it won’t let me see the status in the web page. When I write in the numbers I’m supposed to it says there isn’t such page
@@Cackatoolui Make sure you are trying to insert the SIM the right way around. I don't have my router to hand (it's installed at a customer providing emergency internet after their main internet failed) so can't send a photo or video of how to do so. At this point it might be a good idea to ask a friend who does tech stuff to see if they can help you with everything.
@@Cackatoolui Yes, it should be "flush" with the dip in the SIM slot.. so you can easily close the plastic cover over the top _without_ the plastic cover being used to "push on" and keep the SIM in the slot.
@@mogo9556 Are you sure it is rebooting? If you ping the routers IP address 192.168.0.1 (in windows ping 192.168.0.1 -t to keep it going) does that stop responding when your games go wrong ?
@@freename yes bro goes out under this ip address, do you have any idea what i can do to keep it from going out. I live in Germany and use Telekom 5G Unlimited
Yes and no. Yes because there is an absolutely miniscule chance that ZTE have put in some sort of intentional bug or back door in their firmware (I'd say incredibly unlikely but still a non-zero chance). No because there isn't much they can do if they do gain access to most consumer/home devices or networks. They can't intercept or do anything with your banking, facebook or any other https website. The risk probably comes from using a ZTE or Huawei product in large industry where failure of your internet, network or access to your internal systems by a compromised router would cause disruption to energy, production, healthcare or other vital systems. The same stands for Huawei products. And the inverse for things like Nokia and AdTran and other UK/US or "Five Eyes" country manufactured products being used in China! There is a non zero chance that those devices might have intentional bugs or backdoors to aid our "friendly" agencies getting into those countries networks.
@@GRIFF22 I don't know and I had assumed, when I ordered it, that I owned the router.. I guess it teaches me for not reading the terms and conditions :) I've just had a look now and the order process links you to store.three.co.uk/footer/terms_and_conditions which the "most important points" on the page doesn't say anything about the unusual term of having to return the device. The plan selection page links you to a generic www.three.co.uk/terms-conditions which seems impossible to identify the specific plan you are about to buy within the tens (or hundreds) of terms documents. If someone does get billed for non-return the router I think it would be very easy to fight and prove that it really isn't clear that the terms are any different to the normal order of, for example, a mobile phone (which you get to keep). Possibly the full terms are: www.three.co.uk/cs/Satellite?blobkey=id&blobnocache=false&blobwhere=1401255734537&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs "Home broadband plans for customers who joined or upgraded on or after 1 October 2021" "5G Hub Device If you decide to leave you must return your 5G Hub to us under our Terms & Conditions. If you don’t return the hub a charge will be placed on your account. Full details of our Returns and Exchanges Policy can be found at: three.co.uk/support/device_support/returns" It doesn't say what they charge for non return.
@@freename The reason I ask, is because in a review on Kens Tech Tips, there's a paragraph where he says the router must be returned at the end of the contract. I do find the the Three deal a bid odd to say the least, in a good way. They're selling mobile phone sim's at £22 per month and yet you can get mobile broadband for lower with a router included? Because of the Net Neutrality rules, it's a mobile phone Sim thats being used as part of the package. The ZTE router, is a £250 product, with a x55 modem. If its kept by the customer, then how on earth are Three making any money?
I agree, that's why I went for the deal :) my £6 per month Plusnet 4GB deal wasn't quite enough for my needs and I wanted to see how good 5G is. At the time I bought, the ZTE router plan was about £1 more expensive per month than the Three SIM only plan. (Still quite a bit more costly than plusnet though!). Well worth it.. (though I did assume I got to keep the router at the end). Even if I have to return it, I don't feel hard done by.
Can anyone confirm the specifications for the power adapter for this router. I know its a 12v 1.5a, but not sure if it's 5.5 x 2.1 or 2.5...or something else? Gonna pop this in outdoor router enclosure and pole mount it outside and power it via a POE injector and POE splitter.
@@freename yeh id have to pay to dig up the roads, fibre must be redundant now ? digging up roads to install cables seems like an expensive solution when you can get a 5G hub ?
@@johnmcafee9663 Nothing will beat fixed line connectivity. 5G (or better) might seem good now but it won't have the "bearer" capacity to cope with the same amount of usage as fixed line broadband. There is only so much radio spectrum to share between all customers. Where as fibre providers either have a 1:1 connection between their switch and the customer or 1 to many (but less than a cell phone mast) if using PON fibre. Also in my tests the 5G signal disappeared when about 800 meters away. You will need thousands upon thousands of the things to provide sensible coverage.
@@freename okay so fibre is the way for best connection period ? im never going to be able to afford a fibre installation, i just want good ping and to be able to run a thousand tabs at once on 4 k because i can lol, so will they eventually roll out fibre to everyone for free ? because my situation is looking like i need to pay to have the roads dug up and fibre cables laid, i always thought 5G was the gen that beat wired connection and had hope for a cheaper solution, looks like ill be stuck with third world internet for quite some time
I have had a bad experience. The first 14 days went 3xcellent, on the 15th day, service dropped constantly and speed went down. Phoned them and just told to reset. Inserted my ee SIM into this device and it was rock solid, no interference. So it is down to the network and mast. Mast is about half a mile from my house. I have managed speed upto 300mbps, but what's the point when you can't connect devices, they keep disconnecting, and speed varies. The router is too small in my opinion, should have made it much larger with bigger antenna
UA-cam does come with a skip bar so you can find the bits of video that are interesting to you. Lots of people lose the manual and find that bit helpful.
totally rubbish my phone doesnt even connect to wi fi, netflix lags, syncing Onedrive files takes forever, so working from home is definatily a big NO NO, cant even hold 5G for more than 5 seconds
@@freename You are connecting something very delicate directly to the PCB. Of course, applying even a bit of necessary force can cause the solder to break. Now I have to see if I can heat it up and re-solder the connections. The connectors didn’t snap, but the router no longer picks up 5G at all, whether using external or internal antennas. That's €300 down the drain. SMA connectors, on the other hand, are secured to the plastic case. I'm never getting a router that doesn’t have at least SMA connectors.
Thanks for the Video. You mentioned the router having a sip client It does. Try: 192.168.0.1/index.html#voip_setting 192.168.0.1/index.html#voip_settings 192.168.0.1/index.html#voip_advanced_settings I got this strings from: 192.168.0.1/js/config/cpe/MF283U/menu_4ggateway.js My router is a MF283U, so things cloud be different. Let me know I got this info from the browser i.postimg.cc/0yDmbZ2C/capture2022-11-15-144725.jpg
Plugging a phone in immediately with the default config used the SIM to make and receive calls. However I and others have noticed that on some old phones ringing for inbound calls doesn't work.
Thanks for the helpful video. Mine arrived 2 days ago and so far it's been fine. I'm about 1/2 a mile from the 5g mast and speeds have been anywhere between 100Mbps to 1.2Gbps depending on which device I use. Uploads between 5 and 150Mbps, pings usually around 30ms. My old Virgin fibre was 110/10 so a bit of an improvement and cheaper too! Just got 632/137 on my phone a minute ago. Have managed to burn through 176GB of data so far:-)
How much data do you burn per month?
About 120GB but bonded across the 4G (45mbps) and 2x VDSL (15mbps each). Actual usage of all the lines would be higher.
@@ajas41 today's my 31st day with the ZTE and I've used 1.54TB so far, probably doing more speed tests than I would normally so I reckon it'll go down to about a TB per month on average:-) 101GB was my highest day's use so far.
@@kabukidreamboy oh thats a lot of data. Do you stream television channels as well? I am wondering how much data would i need for one pc, 1 tv and one phone… need to make the right call for my contract😁
@@ajas41 Yeah, I stream Virgin TV Go/Sky Go/YT/Prime/Netflix etc so it's easy to use a terrabyte a month! What are your options as after 100gb the next step is unlimited and not a big jump in price either. I guess it depends how much TV you watch as streaming is the main drain on data.
The twin external antenna connectors are TS9 connectors. They are for mobile network RF. And the mystery square-ish hole on the bottom is for the cover to clip in to.
Good to know on all counts, thanks!
Adding an external antenna would help get the signal two floors up?
Very difficult to know without trying. What signal strength does it report just as the router on its own?
One bar only, and only my laptop can connect to the router.
The external aerial is unlikely to fix whatever problem is causing you to only be able to connect a single laptop to the router. Did you accidentally put it into bridge mode?
Well I've had my three ZTE router for just over a month and it's totally replaced my landline broadband connection. Previously I was with plusnet receiving a 50mb connection, this has quadrupled now I've switched over and even better is that I don't have to pay any stupid line rental either for a landline I never used for making or receiving calls like many of us. Speeds for me vary from an average of 230mbps download and over 150mbps upload most of the time and in some cases I've seen speedtests showcasing over 700mbps! I've also managed to save myself nearly £20 a month switching over to a 5G home internet plan as well and in this current climate of inflation is a great move. 👍🏻
was just thinking about this ...currently with Plusnet thinking of getting rid of BT/ISP ....I do have to change all my Plusnet email addresses used though ...
It may be a dumb question but let's say if I use my phone sim card, which is 5g, in this router, will I get 5g connection? Will the carrier consider this a "hotspot" or regular 5g connection with no caps.?
UK, definitely will work. Other countries, not sure. Very unlikely that they would identify it somehow but I'm no expert in anything beyond the major UK networks.
i've just bought this today, arriving tomorrow. i plan to place it by my window and have it connected to my PC via ethernet. hopefully it'll be good for gaming since my current WiFi situation is horrible. i plan on testing it for a week or two and if its not what i'm looking for, i'll return it and look elsewhere. looks promising though
It all depends on how close to a mast you are, if that mast has 5G (or at least uncontended 4G) and potentially how slow things go during peak times (driving / rush hour kind of times).
Would be interesting to know how you get on if you remember and can come back to comment here :)
How was it?
I know this is some time later, have you considered making your own QR code to connect to the wifi? Would also be interested to see the speed with an external antenna connected
I also have one, which i got it for free from my cousin and it works fine and when i came to know the price i was shocked this device is quite expensive.
But for better signal strength always use outdoor wifi antenna.
I feel it's pretty poor for antenna design within the device itself. Where my phone could receive hundreds of megabits per second; the ZTE in the same location could only receive about 15mbps.
And you are right, it's astonishing how expensive 5G routers are.
What's the price
Had one of these delivered today. So far I'm underwhelmed, though there's still time obviously. In the exact same area of my home my 5G phone with a "smarty" sim (uses the 3 network) hits speeds around 250-300Mb/s, whilst the modem connecting to the same mast (presumably the same) connected via LAN gives no more than 110 Mb/s whilst on WiFi it varies wildly from 30-75Mb/s using Ookla Speedtest. I'd hoped that if the bundled chip on my mobile phone could hit 250-300 a dedicated modem/router designed to do that and ONLY that, would be significantly better. I'll monitor it closely and if it doesn't improve I'll have a decision to make before the 14 day cooling off period arrives. It's not awful, I guess I just expected more with the speeds showing on my phone.
WiFi is always going to be bad unless you have high end multi stream WiFi kit in the stuff you are connecting. Always test performance using ethernet. Also if testing on a computer use the Ookla installable program rather than the website. The adverts on the website tend to use CPU and reduce speeds.
Test the smarty SIM in the three router to see if your three SIM is somehow throttled?
(My three one managed nearly a gigabit!)
Also possibly related? www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2022/05/three-uk-botches-firmware-update-for-new-5g-hub-router.html
@@freename Yeah, I had the same thought regarding swapping the Sim for the Smarty one, though my I.T. tech son seems to think it likely that Three could well have locked the sim to the router. Still worth a try though 🙂. My intention was always to mostly use the 3three 5G connection on my fire-cube via LAN connection for prime video/Netflix etc. I have Plusnet 60Mb via landline connected to my computer which was being shared by the fire-cube wirelessly, hence my desire to try out 5G.
@@freename I found my first issue resolution. My speeds were being bottlenecked by the device that was connected, IE: It was connected primarily to my Amazon Fire-cube which only has a max 100Mb Lan port. I tried the Smarty sim, which did work despite the paperwork saying that only the provided sim would work 🙄but obviously the speed was still being throttled by the port. I'm now connecting through the Gb port on my PC and getting speeds around the 300-420 Mb/s so that's obviously much better, and being situated on the floor under a table means there is a clear path for improvement 🙂 Hopefully the steps I've documented might help someone else that finds your video whilst looking into this router 🙂.
@@Nite-owl Really good to know and thanks for coming back with a follow up. 100mbps network devices are blight including cables which only have 4 wires and only work at 100mbps :(
Hi. Thanks for much for taking valuable time to make this video. Even in your car being outside the house. I’ve found this very helpful. Honestly can’t thank you enough. 👍👍👍
My pleasure. Glad it has been of help.
@@freename selfless people, who should be applauded
@@paulmurphy2144 :) thanks . If of interest I just ended my Three contract today, I await the instructions for them claiming their router back. Part of me hopes they don't ever ask for it back :D
@@freename I have bought a new one from ebay pal, so your not happy with them. I personally think their 4g is crap, Vodafone is streets ahead. I just hope the 5g router is much faster, and for them wanting their router back it's one of them. We will send a returns bag, or you'll be charged x x amount
My experience in the south of England with Vodafone was terrible. I definitely wouldn't go back. I've remained on Three but now using a cheaper iD Mobile SIM. Three was good for the year I had but definitely cheaper to go via one of their MNVOs. (Virtual Operators).
you can attach two antennas get directional antenna or omni director antenna, position them towards tower or where you get better signal and problem solved.
Where do you put the attena and how does it look??
The plugs are at the back under sole covers. However several people have reported it might only work for 5G or something, like the 4G and 5G have separated antenna paths and only one band has external connectors. Search the other comments on this video for more info.
Thanks for the review. How long is the PSU cable and is it fitted with a regular DC5525 or DC5521? I might buy a 12V PD trigger if it's not very long or maybe I could just add an extra length of cable..
Probably simplest to splice in / jelly crimp in an additional bit of cable :D ?
Hello.
Does this router have a physical on/off switch?
Does it come back online in the event of a power outage?
I had a Tenda, but if you lost power you had to turn it back on manually.
Thanks
It doesn't have a physical switch but any time it has power applied it starts up.
@@freename Thank you
What did you use to test it outside in your car?
12volt DC to 240volt ac inverter. Plugs into what was the cigarette lighter socket on the car (now just used these days for dash cams and USB chargers). Bought it from Maplin in the UK decades ago.
@@freename thanks. Btw which 5g router would you recommend overall that's around £300 max?
Not a clue, sorry. I'd ask the question over on ISPReview forums as they likely have more information and experience with multiple types of routers.
Not much info on this device in the US. Looks to be sold as carrier unlocked here though. Wondering if it's worth upgrading from my 4G GL.Inet Spitz.
Here for the same question, though I can tell you that test driving T-Mobile's trashcan tower about a mile away from the tower (interesting they call it a mast) is getting me between 70-150 down, which was a huge upgrade from my CAT18 4G router at 25-50 down. Upload speeds were less impressive, though I expect they would do much better with a quality antenna.
Thanks for doing a user set up guide video useful
:)
Thanks for a great video on this router, I have bought this router for my caravan and want to be be able to power this from a12v source and not to a 230v socket, what do you think is best to achieve this? Many thanks in advance. Rob.
The mains power supply is just an AC to DC 12 volts.. so if you have a reliable and accurate 12 volts, just plug that directly into the router, in the correct polarity.
That's great, many thanks. @@freename
TS9 Antenna
Thanks :)
Page 13 section 6. Some mad reason it caught my eye lol (Maybe because its a Teesside postcode)
Thanks. Was checking what antenna to get for this device.
Hi. On Threes coverage checker, is your house far away from 5G coverage? If it’s close, it’s possible that you may be able to get 5g coverage somewhere in your house. My friends house is not in 5G coverage according to three, but it’s close enough and he gets 300mbps down 25 up avg (he had to try loads of areas in his house to find somewhere with a good signal)
I've tried everywhere including the loft. I'm about 2 miles from where the 5G coverage stops on their map. We are surrounded by houses and in a valley. The masts around here are either too far away on a hill where distance reduces reception and seed; or low down masts on short poles which are blocked line of sight by adjacent houses and flats.
In the test I performed in my car by a 5g mast - I lost 5G signal about 300 meters away from the mast. 5G really doesn't go a great distance without directional aerials and near line of sight.
There was a planning application in for a 5G mast about 500 meters from us but locals went mad and started saying it would cause depression - the application got withdrawn. (though, to be fair, Three had cited the mast in a really stupid place in terms of aesthetics).
Thanks for the vid, I'm new to these. I have a question. I have a second SIM on my ee contract. I have unlimited data on my first SIM and can gift 100gb a month on my second SIM which was previously used for a second phone. Can I just use the SIM from the second phone in this router or do you need a special SIM?
Any active SIM will work if the device is network unlocked. In the UK if yours came from Three it's almost certainly unlocked.
@@freename thanks. It's EE, but I've read that this device can be configured to take EE, is that right ?
Thank you. This was very helpful.
:)
I would like to run this direct from a 12v caravan battery system, are you able to suggest a cable for this? Thanks.
I've no idea how good the quality of these things are but I'd probably start with something like this:
www.amazon.co.uk/BERLS-Universal-Connectors-Navigation-Televisions/dp/B081CTK5BR/
@@freename Thats brilliant, thanks so much for the link.
973 speed is insane .... jealous 😀
I agree - its a stunning speed to receive "though the air"!
I only have to go sit in my car 80 meters from the mast :D So if you live close to a mast you are set! At my house I only get about 20mbps.
@@freename I get 32Mbps on the Landline and 140 Mbps on 5G ..investigating the key benefits - will switch soon.
How far away are you from the mast? What speed do you get on the telephone and how much did you get on the router? @freename
The speed tests are towards the end of the video. I was less than 40 meters away from the mast. Anything beyond about 150 meters away and the speed, at ground level, rapidly drops off. 5G really is line of sight depending.
Good video.
Re the telephone port, what types of landline phones will work with this router??
I currently have a Huawei B315s-22 Sim router and most phones do not work or ring on incoming calls the only one I have succeeded with is my Panasonic DETEC.
My corded phone also doesn't ring. Likely the ring voltage generated by the ZTE router isn't high enough for "traditional" phones. DECT / Cordless phones use their own power for ringing so don't need a lot of voltage to ring.
@@freename So can one plug a cable phone to the telephone port and make a call using the sim inserted within the router (assuming that the sim card has minutes for calls and not only data)? I am refering to VoLTE, not VoIP. From your comments I understand that you have a cable phone connected, and although it does't ring, you still receive incoming VoLTE calls, so this must work or are you refering to VoIP?
@@dimosnat9313 No VoIP (SIP) service was configured on the router [and on the firmware the one I had was running, it isn't an option anyway] so calls were definitely going over the SIM.
I live in loft apartment so I can’t get fibre, I’m thinking of getting this. Because I only signed up for Plusnet and I don’t want the super slow speeds. Hopefully I’ll have signal strong enough to use the 5G
Difficult to tell without getting one and trying it. If you are going for a contract remember you have 14 days to send it back for any reason under the consumer laws.
Did the sim card come plugged in? My gf is having trouble with hers and she's not sure if she put the sim in correctly
My one was delivered with the SIM already inserted and ready to use.
Hi man, great review on it☝️.
Qqustion. We are thinking (and probably will get this one as in my area here where I live in Ireland cover 5G this mobile router.
I have PS5, and wonder for the best will I have to /would be better option that i connect my ps5 with Einternet cable that comes with this Three mobile broadband or i can connect as normal trough Wifi what do yku think, what would be an better option or if there would be much difference ?
Thanks, cheers😊🍻
Usually gaming over Ethernet is better when using a fixed line broadband service. Your pings will be slightly lower as will the consistency of the ping. However on mobile broadband the mobile leg will be much more variable than any good WiFi signal. It's likely that on mobile broadband the most significant change you could make would to not be on mobile broadband!
It will be usable but not as low ping and consistency as a slow land line or fibre based service. (Game downloads will be quicker on mobile with 5G coverage).
@@freename Thank u for your help info.
So u suggest better i use Ethernet cable (Three) connected to my ps5, correct🤔.
I have fibre broadband atm (Virgin) but thr price going up so thays why we changing provider..
@@matijajurajic1312 Where possible use a cable, if it isn't convenient due to distance then try wifi and see how it goes. Your experience in gaming is likely to be slightly worse (maybe not noticeable) on mobile broadband compared to Virgin Media.
Did you check your internet speed on your phone too next the 5G post, without the router
13:24
Hi, could you please let me know what you used to power the router in your car ?
12volt to AC inverter. Plugs into the circular power connector in most cars (what was the cigarette lighter socket back when people smoked). Gives you an AC 110volt or 230volt output depending on what you buy. Shouldn't cost more than about £30.
If you plug a dect phone into this, will it use your sim cards phone number & call plan??
Cheers
Yes, I believe so!
Whats the power consumption ? Does it use alot of electricity @freename
Mine didn't come with the SIM already inserted. I tried inserting it and no network coverage
Verry good video, can you make one meniu settings of the network meaning DNS change IPv 4 and 6 please.
I think you've found my other video : )?
@@freename yes sorry, thanks for the reply, I couldn't see if you can change DNS on it please.
@@cristianzex I replied on the other one too; doesn't look like it is possible to change the DNS.
@@freename Thanks, any reviews on Huawei CPE Pro 3 coming please?
@@cristianzex I've only had access to the CPE Pro original from 2020: ua-cam.com/video/q4DfKaMqctI/v-deo.html
If I ever get the chance to access a new one I'll make a video.
Thanks for the video. One question do you have to go to the Device Manager to conect to the network. It seen like your router does it automaticly. Mine stays at red (Network light) until i acess the device manager and log in fist then it turns blue and i have acess to internet. Is there a way to switch it to auto so i dont have to log in every time i take it of the energy suplie. sry for my bad english.
Not sure on that one. Are you sure you are not just waiting long enough?
@@freename its was because of the sim-pin you have to enable save Sim-pin then it works fine conects automaticly whit the network now. Its really strange that its because of that but it worked for me. Thanks for your reply^^ subed and liked :D you helped me alot^^
Thanks and glad you worked it out :)
@@freename I have to thank you or else i wouldnt look further into it. Your vids are great man keep going
Assume you are from the UK, how did you get the upload so high with the PC?
By being about 61 meters away from the mast and using a network cable to the router for testing rather than wireless.
Will this work well with sky q? Using on demand tv and streaming.
If your signal strength of the mobile network gives good speed, yes!
Good Idea to use it on my car too 😊
Hello everyone. Can somebody give a link for cheap 5g antena and how to connect it to this router please.
Hey. You think that If i Connect the ZTE with LAN to my Computer i could Play Games Like call of duty without Problems and good Ping?
"Problems".. depends if you are hosting a game, if yes.. you might have NAT type problems. If connecting to another game server it is unlikely to be a problem.
"Ping".. depends on the reception and congestion of your local cell mast. Most likely you will be ok, if possible try to stop others in the house using the internet or streaming while you are gaming. Make sure your router is in a window or somewhere you get the best signal reception.
@@freename thanks for the Response. Yeah there are No people in my House, and the only Thing the Router will BE Connected with is my PC i am gaming on. Thanks a Lot!
Great video, appreciated. My frustration is trying to obtain one. Basically the sales people use the coverage map and insist on offering a mifi or something similar as there is no 5G in the area. However, reading the specs, the device is 4G compatible and if that is the case, my train of though is to invest in this now with a view of coverage improving in the future. Am I correct in my research and if so, how do I get three to give me the deal?? Any comment appreciated
I filled in the postcode of an area that gets coverage on the first page.. then added to cart or similar and went through the order with my normal address and post code. That trick might not work any more.
@@freename never thought of that ;-). Can you confirm the unit covers 4G as well as 5G please ?
@@bungy490 Yes it does. I think the external antenna connections do not work with 4G though.
@@freename excellent. Thank you very much
@@freename can confirm that it's not working
By using this device I can’t use UA-cam and Netflix any idea about this thanks in advance
Humm, weird. What if you try and visit their websites?
Thank you.
:) my pleasure
would you go for this or a EE branded one ?
mainly be for upload speed
Depends on price and network coverage I guess. I find EE to be the most stable for speeds but also cost more than Three. And Three is the only network who gives you a public IP rather than CGNAT.
@@freename yeh 3 wont offer one home box just there mobile dongle thing that the thing if u was to get 5g box which can have external anttennas what would you get ?
I've not seen the EE 5G thing so can't help on that one. For ordering the 5G thing from Three you can type in a post code somewhere that does get 5G and then have the box delivered to your normal address. However; make sure you adjust your expectations for the lower non 5G speeds. Just because you tricked the website into allowing you to place an order won't increase your speeds on that router any faster than a 4G router could get.
Where is the web-interface video for this ? I can't seem to find it in your playlist .
Uploaded just this moment :) Link in the description.
I'm quick at editing videos but not a machine.. you are keen and got there before I had released that vid :)
@@freename 🤣 I enjoy watching them.
Maybe if you still have the Vodafone THG3000 router then try putting in a none voda dongle with a 3,EE or O2 data sim and see if that provides Internet thru the router 🤣 😂 . That would be a good video.
No power button on the router?
@@antycher2011 nope!
@@MrR2222222222 Here you go... ua-cam.com/video/F1FEvYII7dg/v-deo.html - It doesn't work that well but is possible.
Do you recommend this for gaming?
Only if you can't get reliable fixed line internet. Nothing will get as low ping as a fixed line connection. However downloads might be slower on fixed line.
@@freename Unfortunately I can’t get a fixed line internet so this is my only way of gaming
@@Fxrno If you get good reception and won't have house mates or other things on the network downloading or uploading large files then mobile internet is "ok" for gaming. You won't be beating your friends on ping times but you shouldn't be far off. Beware that you might have NAT Type issues if you plan to use a game console and it may prevent you from hosting a game.
@@freename I’ll keep that in mind. Will it be alright with matchmaking? I mainly play cod and fifa
@@Fxrno I don't do console gaming so not entirely sure. I suspect it will be fine unless you are trying to play 1v1 with someone else who also has NAT issues.
Hello mate, do you know if this router is network locked? I'm tempted to buy one off ebay and put a Smarty sim in it.
I think Smarty uses Three as the underlying network so would probably still work anyway.
There is a comment 6 days ago on this video with someone talking about their use of a smarty SIM. ( I can't direct link it on my mobile :( )
@@freename Yes they use Three mate.. Thanks I'll read all the comments now.
its unlocked they didnt mentioned it on their website even if your device is locked them fill the online form and it will be unlocked in 24hours but im sure yours is unlocked too. just try other sim
Im having issues with mine such as an MTU problem, i dont understand alot about this typa stuff but i made syre the MTU was above 1400 but my Xbox series x is still having issues, also my ethernet cord os flashing orange for some reason any advice?
What specific issues are you having? The lights next to the ethernet ports will blink away with activity. If you dont do much the won't flash a lot. If you are playing a game or downloading updates they will flash madly.
Got this through 3 a few weeks ago. Been trying to set up TP-Link Wifi power lines but not having much joy. Getting 500-600 download and 70-80 upload however when setting up the power lines download drops to around 40 but upload stays around the same. Is there something I’m missing?
New build 3 storey townhouse
TP-Link model number TL-WPA7617 KIT
Power lines stuff is probably the limit. Tried to see what speed you get if you plug the power line remote one in next to the router one instead? That would give it the best link between the two power line things and show if the power wiring is causing the slow down.
(Power line stuff is generally awful, use WiFi mesh like orbi)
@@freename thanks for the reply. They worked great with my previous isp but then I was only getting download of 58 and upload of 15. So the likes of the Deco’s etc should sort it out?
@@Daz7178 power lines are useless in high speeds. To the trashcan. I'm a network engineer and I don't recommend power lines as I said. Use UTP or wifi 6.
great plug and play abillities, but it does disconnect every hour or so it seems. I lost connection gaming last night 4 times, very frustrating, it always connects back itself 20 secs later. I have had some you tube buffering and somtimes my video quality has hit like 240p, even this video had to buffer for 5 seconds while playing. but because it works great 99% percent of the time and its cheap i shall fullfill my contract.
Interesting. I used it quite a lot several times in different locations and never experienced disconnects like you mention. I wonder if local mast you connect to has a problem.
(Sadly mobile providers are awful at detecting and fixing issues. An O2 mast near me has been off for weeks at a time, about 50% of the last year!).
Hi, what is the purpose of the USB C port on the underside?
ua-cam.com/video/TS-GktnZdVA/v-deo.html - summary: not a lot. Identifies as a CD drive but has nothing mounted / nothing readable.
how did you connect to the router via your phone, was it a app?
How do you mean "connect to the router"? Connect via WiFi and use the internet, or make settings changes on the router?
@@freename it’s ok ZTE have a app in order to get connected
What’s the difference between this one and 5G home broadband one
Not sure, possibly slightly older.
Hi. What you can say about ping to another country? I mean if i am in Germany how it will be looking on ping to US East. Will it be playable?
I think it will be ok when using a fixed line broadband service. Its around 100-130 ping from Germany and playeble on US servers. But what about if i will use this modem and playing from him?
Every mobile provider will be different but in the UK on Three I get:
49ms ping to a UK IP. Thats the _minimum_ to a local server. So if I get, for example, 9ms ping on my fixed line internet to a UK server and 49ms from my mobile to the UK server.. if I get 100ms ping to a USA server on my fixed line I would expect 140ms ping when using the mobile router. Hope that answers the question.
can this be setup to act as a 5g modem to connect to my existing network
Yes. It has a bridge mode function. Beware though as it's weird and the first thing to connect gets the public IP. It doesn't turn off WiFi so if anything nearby knows the password when you make the change it's likely something else will steal the IP and your router wired into the ZTE will be left with a local IP and no access to the internet.
@@freename Thank you for that reply you just saved me some cash
Can you use a normal phone SIM card in these?..... thanks
Yes, as long as the SIM size is the right size. And obviously if your mobile plan has unlimited or enough data quota for your expected use through the router.
@@freename that's great, the staff at 3 store said it only works with SIM that comes in the box and you couldn't use a normal phone SIM as these use special 5g masts specifically for 5g broadband... thanks for clarifying.
Was yours unlocked to any network? Thinking of picking one up used.... cheers
@@ryanpersuadful My one is network unlocked.. also see the note on Three's website about devices after 2014:
www.three.co.uk/Support/Device_Unlock
Thanks for the info buddy.
Hi, i live in Finland and i have terrible ping spikes in games with this router. Do you know by any chance how could i get rid of them and get more stable ping ? my ping goes from 20 to 110 every few seconds and i couldn´t find qOs anywhere in the settings.
If you ping in windows when not playing a game do you see the same regular increase in pings?
Use the command
ping 208.67.222.222 -t
So it continues the ping all the time.
Then play a game and see if the dos ping results change.
@@freename I tried it and it increases as well. from like 20 to 50-60 every few seconds.
@@feabiyhu Check for anything else on the network which could be using data (especially video streaming like netflix etc.). If nothing else is, it has to be a flaw with your local mobile network. Not enough capacity or regular interference or something.
@@freename This is the answer, noone in the house can be watching youtube, netflix, downloading or whatever if you wish to game optimally on mobile network. Perhaps you might be able if you get 100mpbs+ speeds, but if you have 20-50 and someone watches a stream, that stream will take atleast 10-30mbps depending on service, that is to close to the maximum and will therefore ruin response times. Do you know by any chance, if this router supports 5G through external antennas ?
@@ReizungV "Do you know by any chance, if this router supports 5G through external antennas ?" As far as I've seen from other comments on this video - it does! But doesn't support 4G over the external.
I'm getting a red light on my network led on the hub. I tried resetting it twice now but same issue. I did try removing the SIM and inserting it on my phone,which gave a me a signal on it. When I inserted back again to the hub same issue appears.
Is your hub locked to a different mobile phone provider or did it come with the SIM?
@@freename nevermind I called three which they told me we didn't activate the hub. The only other issue is that I'm getting only 4g speeds even though apparently by three they say I'm in an area which is 5g.
What did they do to "activate" the hub?
Well they told us to not worry about it and they sort it out. They took the IMEI number aswell. Just to check the hub.
Thanks for the info. It would be interesting to know how it goes and how long it takes before the light goes the right colour on the hub if you can find time to come back and comment when it's all done?
Does anybody know if one of these can be powered by usb C? Just thinking if getting 1 as an alternative to a mobile hotspot device
I have another video about the c port on this router.
how do i find my phone number out on sim as it was in already and im tryin to contact customer services and being asked for it please.
That's a good question. I think you'll need to look for your welcome email or put the SIM into a phone and call another phone to see what number comes up.
The first email I can find mentioning my phone number:
"Tom, want to get the most out of your account?" And has the account number and mobile number in the top right.
How do I get the blue light off? The network to go to the white led light which is 5g?
Move the router to a position with 5G signal? Or make sure your SIM has 5G enabled?
Does the sim card comes with it when u buy a router?
When bought from Three with a contract, yes. It comes already in the router.
@@freename i know now, got it yesterday. Max speeds so far 1040down 110 up :))
One faulty series of routers after few months your speed will be limited under 170mbps no matter where you put it i had mine replaced worked fine for 4 months now back to square one speed dropped
I have a question to ask for anyone here with this exact same router and network connection over 5G via three, I've read that streaming things like Netflix and other services like BBC IPlayer has been problematic...has anyone else experienced this? Something to do with APN settings or MTU settings?
Sorry; I don't know the answer to that. Hopefully someone else reading the comments knows the answer.
Mine has been fine for streaming on the default settings.
have had mine a little over a week, can reach speeds of 500 mb download around the house....via ethernet i have received up to 740mb download and 90 upload....great little gadget
How did you power it inside the car? Don’t you need to plug it in a wall?
I had a 12volt (cigarette lighter) to mains device.. "Inverter".
Not this exact one but something very, very similar: amzn.to/4clit2J (Note, affiliate link. I earn if you buy via it).
Does this come with the Antenna thanks
Not an external one, no. It has ones built into the case (like a mobile phone does etc.).
Thanks for the reply@@freename
Can anyone explain to me what "Limited" means when looking at network connections
What operating system?
@@mrvolcada5355 It means the connection you are on doesn't have a path to the internet. e.g. you can connect to the router (probably) and other things on the LAN but nothing else.
@@freename Many many thanks. Have discovered that getting the answer is more to do with knowing what question to ask. Again many thanks
@@freename Many thanks
Mine only have white lights. The blue one changed to white..
I think that means it has dropped back to 4G rather than 5G. As far as I've seen the ZTE is pretty poor at maintaining a 5G signal when the signal strength is less than excellent.
I just received mine today, only getting 5 mbps down and 5 upload.
Does it show you are getting 5g signal? Have you tried it in windows on all sides of your house?
@@freename on the router configuration page, under the system interface, the cellular WAN only shows LTE to be full bar, 5g is grey. Then the 2.4 and 5ghz is fully green.
I tried all windows. Sometimes I do a Wi-Fi speed test, at the start it goes up to 20mbps, then straight down to 4 mbps in 2 seconds. I rebooted on the configuration page, but still the same speed
@@leejaile9788 Sounds like you are in an area certainly with no 5G coverage.. and low 4G coverage. The only option would be trying the router on different sides of the house (and upstairs if possible) to see if any other location makes a difference to the speed.
I just got it today and the network is just staying red?
Check it has a SIM in it. Check the network provider has activated the SIM?
Nag rerestart ba sayo every after speedtest?
Why would you need to restart after a speed test?
Google Translate: "Bakit kailangan mong i-restart pagkatapos ng isang pagsubok sa bilis?"
Brother this device can bridge mode?
Yes: ua-cam.com/video/xRcQPQRHpyQ/v-deo.html
can this be unlocked and used with a smarty sim does anybody know?
The one I received from three was unlocked anyway
@@freename great stuff! I just want to pick one up and use Smarty with it I have 5g coverage in my home but i don't want to get into another long contract with 3. By the looks of it they've done really well with the router.
Has anybody tried to connect external antennas to improve the signal and speed?
already tried, unless you're really far from a tower it didn't give any significant boost
What speed were you getting without the antenna?
@@yukito8148 what's the difference?
@@Maga1v3r signal strength in dbm, ie how quick the signal travels
Is it locked on three network?
No
i have one of these yet my network keeps switching to 4g instead of staying at 5G
Does the Three website say your postcode should get indoor 5G?
@@freename yes
@@Benit0Mussolini Any better at staying on 5G if you move it to different windows in the house (different sides of the house etc.) ? Might just be on the wrong side of the house to get good reception. The ISPReview forums might be a good place to ask about this question too; they do a lot of signal issue advice.
@@freename Ok, thank you!
If i was you i would get a omni directional antenna it would help alot height is might as they say with the speeds also smarty are always cheaper with unlimited sims then three and use there network anyways
BT eventually FTTPd my road so.. no need for mobile at all now.
Lte Internet/ routers are great for failover / for a back up/ ones with a battery in case of prolonged black outs I had a blackout for several hours and I was gaming on my laptop over ethernet
My power and wi fi is white but the network is red? Why
SIM correctly inserted? SIM has a PIN?
What does the web admin interface show for the status? You might simply just need to click connect in there.
the sim doesn’t really want to be inserted as well, it’s like only half of it goes in and when I try to press in the rest it just pops out. Also it won’t let me see the status in the web page. When I write in the numbers I’m supposed to it says there isn’t such page
@@Cackatoolui Make sure you are trying to insert the SIM the right way around. I don't have my router to hand (it's installed at a customer providing emergency internet after their main internet failed) so can't send a photo or video of how to do so. At this point it might be a good idea to ask a friend who does tech stuff to see if they can help you with everything.
@@freename alright, but just to make sure the sim is supposed to click in to place and go in the whole way?
@@Cackatoolui Yes, it should be "flush" with the dip in the SIM slot.. so you can easily close the plastic cover over the top _without_ the plastic cover being used to "push on" and keep the SIM in the slot.
My mast is on my door step almost at 200meters away and is with in sight with 3 I can receive 800mb and with a phone on ee I’m close to 700mb
My router is rebooting why?
How often?
I play fifa or PS5 games and go out 4-5 times a day. 1min starts again.
@@mogo9556 Are you sure it is rebooting? If you ping the routers IP address 192.168.0.1 (in windows ping 192.168.0.1 -t to keep it going) does that stop responding when your games go wrong ?
@@freename yes bro goes out under this ip address, do you have any idea what i can do to keep it from going out. I live in Germany and use Telekom 5G Unlimited
ZTE products are banned in the US, do you have any security concerns using this product?
Yes and no. Yes because there is an absolutely miniscule chance that ZTE have put in some sort of intentional bug or back door in their firmware (I'd say incredibly unlikely but still a non-zero chance).
No because there isn't much they can do if they do gain access to most consumer/home devices or networks. They can't intercept or do anything with your banking, facebook or any other https website.
The risk probably comes from using a ZTE or Huawei product in large industry where failure of your internet, network or access to your internal systems by a compromised router would cause disruption to energy, production, healthcare or other vital systems.
The same stands for Huawei products. And the inverse for things like Nokia and AdTran and other UK/US or "Five Eyes" country manufactured products being used in China! There is a non zero chance that those devices might have intentional bugs or backdoors to aid our "friendly" agencies getting into those countries networks.
@@freename Thanks for that. Am I right in saying that you don't own the router and have to return it at the end of the plan?
@@GRIFF22 I don't know and I had assumed, when I ordered it, that I owned the router.. I guess it teaches me for not reading the terms and conditions :) I've just had a look now and the order process links you to store.three.co.uk/footer/terms_and_conditions which the "most important points" on the page doesn't say anything about the unusual term of having to return the device.
The plan selection page links you to a generic www.three.co.uk/terms-conditions which seems impossible to identify the specific plan you are about to buy within the tens (or hundreds) of terms documents.
If someone does get billed for non-return the router I think it would be very easy to fight and prove that it really isn't clear that the terms are any different to the normal order of, for example, a mobile phone (which you get to keep).
Possibly the full terms are: www.three.co.uk/cs/Satellite?blobkey=id&blobnocache=false&blobwhere=1401255734537&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs "Home broadband plans for customers who joined or upgraded on or after 1 October 2021"
"5G Hub Device
If you decide to leave you must return your 5G Hub to us under our Terms
& Conditions. If you don’t return the hub a charge will be placed on your
account. Full details of our Returns and Exchanges Policy can be found at:
three.co.uk/support/device_support/returns"
It doesn't say what they charge for non return.
@@freename The reason I ask, is because in a review on Kens Tech Tips, there's a paragraph where he says the router must be returned at the end of the contract.
I do find the the Three deal a bid odd to say the least, in a good way. They're selling mobile phone sim's at £22 per month and yet you can get mobile broadband for lower with a router included? Because of the Net Neutrality rules, it's a mobile phone Sim thats being used as part of the package.
The ZTE router, is a £250 product, with a x55 modem. If its kept by the customer, then how on earth are Three making any money?
I agree, that's why I went for the deal :) my £6 per month Plusnet 4GB deal wasn't quite enough for my needs and I wanted to see how good 5G is. At the time I bought, the ZTE router plan was about £1 more expensive per month than the Three SIM only plan. (Still quite a bit more costly than plusnet though!). Well worth it.. (though I did assume I got to keep the router at the end). Even if I have to return it, I don't feel hard done by.
Can anyone confirm the specifications for the power adapter for this router. I know its a 12v 1.5a, but not sure if it's 5.5 x 2.1 or 2.5...or something else?
Gonna pop this in outdoor router enclosure and pole mount it outside and power it via a POE injector and POE splitter.
nice, my area has no coverage, how is it the world is currently inventing 7 G and i still dont have access to 5 G
I feel the same about full fibre to the house deployments.
@@freename yeh id have to pay to dig up the roads, fibre must be redundant now ? digging up roads to install cables seems like an expensive solution when you can get a 5G hub ?
@@freename maybe were a third world country now ? honestly does seem like were lagging in development compared to other parts of the world
@@johnmcafee9663 Nothing will beat fixed line connectivity. 5G (or better) might seem good now but it won't have the "bearer" capacity to cope with the same amount of usage as fixed line broadband. There is only so much radio spectrum to share between all customers. Where as fibre providers either have a 1:1 connection between their switch and the customer or 1 to many (but less than a cell phone mast) if using PON fibre.
Also in my tests the 5G signal disappeared when about 800 meters away. You will need thousands upon thousands of the things to provide sensible coverage.
@@freename okay so fibre is the way for best connection period ? im never going to be able to afford a fibre installation, i just want good ping and to be able to run a thousand tabs at once on 4 k because i can lol, so will they eventually roll out fibre to everyone for free ? because my situation is looking like i need to pay to have the roads dug up and fibre cables laid, i always thought 5G was the gen that beat wired connection and had hope for a cheaper solution, looks like ill be stuck with third world internet for quite some time
They are sma connections
No where in Denmark 3 can deliver that speed
How much 5G have they deployed?
Am I the only one who did not relieve Amy simcard?
I get 1000 mps with it .12 ping on most euro game servers with Ethernet
Yay :) do you know how close to the mast you are?
I have had a bad experience. The first 14 days went 3xcellent, on the 15th day, service dropped constantly and speed went down. Phoned them and just told to reset.
Inserted my ee SIM into this device and it was rock solid, no interference. So it is down to the network and mast.
Mast is about half a mile from my house.
I have managed speed upto 300mbps, but what's the point when you can't connect devices, they keep disconnecting, and speed varies.
The router is too small in my opinion, should have made it much larger with bigger antenna
It could be related to this: www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2022/05/three-uk-botches-firmware-update-for-new-5g-hub-router.html
Where's the password
On the sticker at the bottom.
400 mps danmm 100 upload
5 mins of reading a booklet seriously
UA-cam does come with a skip bar so you can find the bits of video that are interesting to you. Lots of people lose the manual and find that bit helpful.
be better to stick to 5g cpe pro 2.... ZTE MC801A 5G are crap got 1 bar on 5g. my old router full 5g @ down 600mbs up 60mbs
I have also found that the ZTE performs much slower than my mobile phone in some locations.
totally rubbish my phone doesnt even connect to wi fi, netflix lags, syncing Onedrive files takes forever, so working from home is definatily a big NO NO, cant even hold 5G for more than 5 seconds
As is the general experience with mobile broadband. Ok if you are lucky but so variable most other times.
@@freename very temperamental, manage to get 120Mb download speed at one point which is impressive back down to 2Mb
Make sure you try the router in multiple places and especially in and around windows on different sides of the house or flat.
If the ts9 moves even a little bit the router will never connect to 5G again. What a piece of trash.
The TS9 always seemed like a really small connector for heavy and often not very flexible antenna cables to be connected to.
@@freename You are connecting something very delicate directly to the PCB. Of course, applying even a bit of necessary force can cause the solder to break. Now I have to see if I can heat it up and re-solder the connections. The connectors didn’t snap, but the router no longer picks up 5G at all, whether using external or internal antennas. That's €300 down the drain. SMA connectors, on the other hand, are secured to the plastic case. I'm never getting a router that doesn’t have at least SMA connectors.
Hi , it’s trash do not buy t😖😖😖
What problems do you have with it?
Thanks for the Video.
You mentioned the router having a sip client
It does.
Try:
192.168.0.1/index.html#voip_setting
192.168.0.1/index.html#voip_settings
192.168.0.1/index.html#voip_advanced_settings
I got this strings from:
192.168.0.1/js/config/cpe/MF283U/menu_4ggateway.js
My router is a MF283U, so things cloud be different.
Let me know
I got this info from the browser
i.postimg.cc/0yDmbZ2C/capture2022-11-15-144725.jpg
Plugging a phone in immediately with the default config used the SIM to make and receive calls. However I and others have noticed that on some old phones ringing for inbound calls doesn't work.