Saturday, July 30, 2016

Huawei E5175 E5175s-22 4G Wireless Router Overview

In the past year, Huawei E5186 4G LTE CPE becomes well-known because it’s the world’s first LTE Category 6 wireless router for LTE-Advanced network with carrier aggregation technology. And till now, there is no newer model to be released from the Chinese manufacturer Huawei. Actually, there was a model which was released even before Huawei E5186. The model number is Huawei E5175, which is also a LTE Cat6 wireless router for the latest LTE networks.

 

Huawei E5175 Front

 

However, the Huawei E5175 is not presented at Huawei official site. We don’t know why, and as we know, many Huawei mobile broadbands are not listed there. So we can’t find the official specifications for Huawei E5175. But we can find the technical specifications somewhere.

 

Huawei E5175 Back

 

Huawei E5175 4G Router specifications:

* LTE Category 6 wireless router

* LTE CAT6 download speed up to 300mbps, and upload speed to 50Mbps

* Support 4G LTE Band 1/3/7/8/20/38 (FDD DD800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz, TDD 2600MHz)

* Support 3G DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/UMTS 900/2100MHz

* Support 2G GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900MHz

* WiFi 802.11b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz, support up to 64 wireless devices

* 4 RJ45(GE) interface + 2 RJ11 Interface + 1 USB host interface

* Two External antenna connectors

(Recommend Huawei E5175 4G Antenna: http://www.4gltemall.com/4g-antenna-two-sma-connector.html )

 

4G LTE Indoor Antenna (2 x SMA Connectors) for Huawei/ZTE 4G LTE Routers/Gateway/LTE CPE

 

Like its predecessors, Huawei E5175 is in flat design, it can stand on desk. The top front are the LED indicators for Power, Network mode, WiFi, Voice, Signal. And the Huawei logo is at the right side. On the back of the CPE E5175, there is a label which show many information about the device such as the model number (Huawei E5175s-22), Power Rating (12V, 2A), IMEI number, S/N number, Web site (http://homerouter.cpe), Web user name and password, SSID and WiFi key.

 

Huawei E5175 back label

 

Above the label, there is a plastic cover which could be open and below it, there are two connections for external antennas. The connector type is SMA. At the below side of the label, the interfaces are listed in a line. There are 4 RJ45 LAN ports, 2 RJ22 telephone interface, 1 USB host interface, 1 power plug hole and 1 power button(on/off). And on the back of the E5175, the body has many vents for heat radiation. At the bottom of the router, there are also many vents for this.  

 

Huawei E5175 Top side

 

The Huawei E5175 can work with SIM card directly. The SIM card slot is at the side body. Open the cap on the sim card slot, user can insert a valid SIM card. After power on, user can get connected with wireless network. Below the SIM card slot, the WPS and WiFi buttons are there. Between them is the hole to reset the Huawei E5175 to factory default.

 

Huawei E5175 bottom

 

From the appearance and interfaces, the Huawei E5175 is very similar to Huawei E5186 Router. We will take a test next time to see which one could provide faster wireless network. But from the specifications, Huawei E5175 is a good router which could work on 4G LTE/3G UMTS/2G GSM networks. Up to 64 wireless users could get connected with Huawei E5175. The most important is that it can achieve peak download speed to 300Mbps and upload speed to 50Mbps.

 

huawei E5175s-22 sim card slot and WPS button

 

Currenlty, there is few 4G routers which could support such high speed connection. If you are looking for a LTE Router with the latest technology supporting LTE-advanced network, Huawei E5175 is a trustful one to consider.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

ZTE Ufi MF970 4G LTE Cat6 Mobile Router Overview

We had known the model ZTE UFi MF970 4G Mobile Hotspot around the beginning of last year. It was first released by Chinese manufacturer ZTE almost at the same time like its competitor Huawei E5786. The Huawei E5786 was sold for one and a half year, but we still can’t get the ZTE UFi MF970 in the past year. Now we get the ZTE MF970 LTE Moible WiFi hotspot and we have the overview in this article.

 

ZTE MF970 Screen

 

Actually, when we get the ZTE MF970, we are not quite sure which model it is, because there is no model number indication on the body of the device. The ZTE UFi MF970 is in white color, and touch feel is good in hand. There is “ZTE UFi” on the front of the device and there is a little screen in the middle of the UFi.   On the back of the MF970, there are only the logos for CE, ROHS and WiFi. No more information is showed about the model number, WiFi key word, SSID and IMEI number, which should be printed on a label with the device.

 

ZTE MF970 Ufi Back

 

On the top side of the ZTE MF970, there is a USB 2.0 interface and two connectors for external antenna. The connectors are covered by a small cap, if user want to connect the external antenna, the cap has to be opened. The small caps are still connected with the ZTE UFi body. At the low side of the body, there are power button, function button (“FUNC”) and the slot for SIM card. The back cover can’t be opened because the battery is built-in. And there is no slot for MicroSD card.

 

ZTE MF970 USB interface

 

The battery capacity of the ZTE UFi MF970 is 2300mAh, which can make the device keep working for 8 hours. It’s just like other 4G mobile hotspots, and is enough for normal use, if user want to extend the working time, mobile power bank may be necessary to charge the MF970 when power is low.

 

ZTE MF970 external antenna connectors

 

ZTE UFi MF970 should be the first LTE category 6 mobile pocket router from ZTE to support LTE-advanced network. Its competitor Huawei E5786 is the first LTE Cat 6 pocket WiFi in the world. ZTE always follow the Huawei’s step to present its new products. The chipset of ZTE MF970 is Qualcomm MDM9230. Whether the processor Qualcomm MDM9230 is better or not than Huawei Hisilicon chipset, we haven’t taken such test. The ZTE MF970 could support up to 14 wireless devices to access internet through the WiFi, but Huawei E5786 could support maximum users only up to 10. But the most attractive feature for the two mobile hotspots is that they both support peak download speed to 300Mbps and upload speed to 50mbps.

 

ZTE MF970 Ufi power and function button

 

After plugging the SIM card and power on the ZTE UFi, the device quick starts in seconds. There comes Vodafone logo in red and then the screen shows the network provider’s name, network signal, network mode, WiFi signal, battery status. Press the FUNC button and it comes the options, including the “Data Connection”, “Device info”, “WiFi QR code”, and options for “Global Roaming” and “Quick Boot”. The power button is “OK” button and the “FUNC” is for Next. Press power button(Ok) when on the “Device info”, we can see the information about device name(Vodafone R226-Z), SSID, WiFi key, phone number, web URL(http://vodafonemobile.wifi), and password(admin). We can also see other features when choose other options. User can do basic settings through the two buttons “FUNC” and power button.

 

ZTE MF970 SIM card slot

 

At the beginning, we didn’t know the ZTE MF970 is the original factory model for Vodafone R226-Z, but now everything is clear. The ZTE MF970 was released and then Vodafone introduced the MF970 UFi to its product range. The Vodafone R226-Z is the same model to ZTE UFi MF970. And as we know, Vodafone R226 is the same model to Huawei E5786. Vodafone uses the two models for its own contract plans.

 

ZTE MF970

 

Just like the Huawei E5786, ZTE MF970 UFi also has two connectors for external antenna. If using the ZTE MF970 at the places with weak signal, it’s necessary to connect the external antenna. We had connected with the ZTE UFi from the smartphone, the surfing speed is good and stable. We will take a full test for the wireless connection next time.

 

ZTE MF970 Ufi external antenna 4g

 

In all, the ZTE MF970 UFi is a good pocket WiFi router which supports the latest network technology and could achieve high speed network connection wirelessly. Multiple users could connect with the ZTE MF970 pocket router. The battery is enough for common use. If user want better signal in rural area, there is ports for external antenna. And Vodafone has introduced the ZTE UFi to its product range, it proves the quality of ZT MF970 is trustful.  

 

If you don’t like ZTE brand, you can turn to Huawei E5786. And there is better model to recommend, such as Netgear Aircard 790s, Alcatel One Touch Y900. They all could support LTE advanced Cat6 networks.

Monday, July 25, 2016

What’s the Difference between Huawei E5787 and E5786?

A few weeks ago, Huawei's first 4G mobile hotspot with touch screen is available in Saudi Arabia. The name is Huawei Mobile WiFi Touch, and model number is E5787, which is the second LTE Cat6 mobile pocket router from Huawei. If you are familiar with Huawei E5 mobile WiFi, you may know the first LTE Cat6 hotspot is E5876.Here comes a question: what's the difference between Huawei E5786 and E5787? Today, we will have a talk about this.  

 

 

 Huawei-E5786 VS Huawei E5787

 

Appearance  

 

The body of E5787 and E5786 looks similar, but it's no doubt that the touch screen of Huawei E5787 is a big selling point. In the predecessors of Huawei E5 series mobile WiFi, there is not a mobile router which has a 2.4inch touch acreen like E5787. The E5786 has a small screen only to show the connection status. But the E5787 can be operated through the 2.4 inch touchscreen. And the E5787 feels better and much slimmer than E5786 due to the thinner body.

 

Huawei E5787

 

Chipset

 

Both the Huawei E5787 and E5786 are based on the Huawei Hisilicon chipset, but Huawei E5787 is using the latest one, which is a powerful 28 nm HPM Coretx A9 processor. The chipset could support the screen and LTE-advanced network very well.    

 

Technical specifications  

 

Both the Huawei E5786 and E5787 are based on the LTE-Advanced technology on LTE Category 6, they can achieve peak download speed up to 300Mbit/s and upload speed to 50Mbit/s on the perfect networking. In practice, user may not get the speed due to weak signal or internet congestion etc...   Multiple WiFi terminals could get connected with E5786 and E5787 through WiFi, the maximum connected users could be 10 units. The WiFi is working on 2.4GHz and 5GHz, which is great for most situations.

 

HUAWEI E5786 Speed

 

Here now there are three variants for Huawei E5786, including E5786s-32a, E5786s-62a, E5786s-63a. They support different combination of LTE frequency bands for different network providers in areas. Here now the Huawei E5787 has only the sub-model E5787s-33a. But we believe there will be more variants available in many markets such as Europe and Asia.  

 

Color  

 

There are only two colors for Huawei E5786: black and white. But there Huawei E5787 provides more options: there is gold color except that black and white.

 

Huawei E5878 E5878s-33a (5)

 

Battery  

 

The battery of Huawei E5786 MiFi is built-in, which means users cannot remove to change a new one, but the battery of E5787 MiFi is removable and changeable. The battery capacity of Huawei E5787 is 3000mAh, and it could support the device keep working for 12 hours per the official sayings even with the touch screen. To make the E5787 work longer time, a new chipset is inserted to reduce the consumption of power and extend the working time. The Huawei E5786 also has a battery of 3000mAh, and the working time is around 10 hours. But the thickness of Huawei E5787 is only half of that of E5786.

 

huawei e5786 mobile wifi app

 

Operation

 

Both the Huawei E5787 and E5786 can be operated via the web interface. And user can also download the Huawei Mobile WiFi app to manage them. But Huawei E5787 has a touch screen, so user can also setup or configure the settings via the touch screen.  

 

Summary  

 

Huawei E5787 and E5786 are very similar in the technical features, but Huawei E5787 seems more attractive due to the touch screen, which is more user-friendly to do the settings. They are both very good 4G pocket WiFi to recommend for latest network.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Huawei E5787 Mobile WiFi Touch Available

A few weeks ago, a new mobile LTE router from Huawei is available, the model name is Huawei E5787 Mobile WiFi Touch, which is the direct successor of the popular Huawei E5786 from the year 2014 and it’s the first Huawei hotspot with touchscreen operation. The E5787 Mobile WiFi Router provides LTE Cat6 with speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s in the downlink and up to 50 Mbit/s in the uplink. Unfortunately, the Huawei E5787 has been only available in Saudi Arabia now, but we suppose it would be available in other areas.

 

Huawei E5878 E5878s-33a

 

LTE Cat6 and touchscreen  

 

Technically, there is no big surprise in the Huawei E5787. The modem comes from Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon and supports LTE Category 6 with up to 300 MBit/s in the downlink and up to 50 Mbit/s in the uplink. The strong battery is 3,000 mAh and makes Huawei E5787 for an operating time of up to 12 hours. At the side of the unit, there is a USB port for charging the E5787 and for use to work as a wired modem. In addition, there are two connections for an external LTE antenna. The WiFi connection to devices such as laptops or tablets is via Dual Band WLAN ac (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).  

 

Huawei E5787

 

 

The operation of Huawei E5787 is carried out via a touchscreen for the first time at a Huawei Hotspot. The display is 2.4 inches in size and occupies a large part of the front. The software seems to run fast and fluent. Basically, the mobile LTE hotspot with touchscreen is nothing new, Netgear has offered some devices with touchscreen in the models AirCard 790 and AirCard 810.

 

Huawei E5787

 

Huawei E5787 versus E5786  

 

As the predecessor of the Huawei E5787, Huawei E5786 is still the best available model from Huawei. Although Huawei E5786 MiFi now is already more than 2 years old (our test from the year 2014), it has almost the same features as the E5787 technically; the biggest difference is actually the touchscreen. In the LTE speed and the WLAN, both devices are identical.      

 

Some improvements can be found at E5787 in detail: the battery is now removable and it can use not only normal Micro SIM cards with appropriate adapter but also nano SIM cards. Also, the Cortex A9 used processor is faster. Presumably, the new processor is necessary primarily due to the power-hungry displays and the more complex operating system. Overall, the Huawei E5787 MiFi is certainly the better choice comparely, but the huawei E5786 is still a very good hotspot.

 

Huawei E5878 E5878s-33a (5)

 

The Huawei E5787 is initially available only in Saudi Arabia. It’s offered 3 colors: silver, gold and black. They provide more options for user’s color preference. We believe the Huawei E5787 would be also a global model and it would be available for other network providers in Europe and Aisa. If you want like this mobile WiFi touch, you can pre-order it here: http://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-e5787-lte-cat6-mobile-wifi-hotspot.html  

Monday, July 18, 2016

Huawei New 4G LTE Cat6 Mobile WiFi Hotspot E5787 Available

The company "Huawei" in Saudi Arabia has launched through its agent a new mobile device - E5787 Mobile WiFi Touch (LTE Cat6 Hotspot), which offers advanced features for the connections to the Internet on the go from anywhere and at any time, and it provides the highest speed downloading and reliability possible connection. The connection speed is faster, almost double than the third generation communications technology. Huawei E5787 allows downloading high-definition movies in half a minute and speeds of up to 300 megabits per second based on the LTE-advanced CAT6 technology.

 

Huawei E5878 E5878s-33a

 

Huawei E5787 Basic Features  

 

Huawei Mobile WiFi Touch E5787 features a unique design; the experts relied on curved surfaces and low thickness, as well as the use of distinctive inscriptions and variations in the materials used, while maintaining the granulated users play button. The device uses a metal frame in the middle rear area, with the use of reinforced aluminum in the Play button.  There is a 2.4 inches touch screen which will help user to operate the setting and see important connection information. Actually, other vendors already use this feature in their devices, such Netgear Aircard 790s and Aircard 782s.  

 

Huawei E5787

 

Huawei E5787 is the world’s first device with HiSilicon LTE processor used Cat6 HPM Cortex A9 manufacturing 28-nanometer technology, which offers high performance levels and higher speeds communication, in addition to the low heat emitted and smoother interaction with the E5787, which is convenient for those who wish to surf Internet and play electronic games with others online, as well as watch the video. Huawei E5787 MiFi offers high accuracy without interruption, which also proves the high quality of the new chipset.  

 

Huawei E5787 Operation  

 

The operation of Huawei E5787 hotspot could be done through the colored glass touch screen, which contains the area light up periodically to indicate the status of the connection to the Internet at a glance, and without having to run the screen. Some features can be adjusted for displaying messages received from the telecommunications company, and modify WiFi network to be “local private” or “public for all” with the presentation of the names of all those connected devices to the network. Users can also modify the display language, and setup the amount of data consumption considering to the maximum data plan of the user, and edit password for using the device, and other options.  

 

Huawei E5787

 

What’s more, up to 10 people can connect to the Internet through the E5787 using the wireless network, as well as an additional user can connect via the "USB" port. Huawei E5787 mobile hotspot also provides a slot for flash memory cards. Other devices could share the data via the E5787 in the "Micro SD"card. By the way, the Huawei E5787 router works with Mini SIM card. With the strong battery, Huawei E5787 can keep working for almost 12 hours, and the standby time could be 600 hours.    

 

Summary  

 

The Huawei E5787 Mobile WiFi Touch uses a mobile screen with a diameter of 2.4 inches to modify options and display the data, with the ability to download data at speeds of up to 300 megabits per second. The device can work for 12 hours of continuous use or 600 hoursthanks to the built-in battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh per hour. The Huawei E5787 supports networks "Wi-Fi" technologies a, c, b, g and n and dual-band 2.4 & 5 GHz, with the support of the fourth-generation communications networks. The E5787 supports WEP encryption and WPA and WPA2 data protection technologies, with a thickness of only 7.5 mm, and a weight of 155 grams, and is available in white, golden and black colors. We can conclude the Huawei E5787 is more user friendly than its predecessor Huawei E5786, which is already the best seller of 4G portable router in 2016.    

Monday, July 11, 2016

HUAWEI E5186 4G LTE CPE Overview

Huawei E5186 is the top model for 4G router with support for LTE Advanced Cat.6 and receiving data rates up to 300 Mbit/s. It’s well suited as a professional solution for enterprise or medium-sized office.  Today, we write a review of this new router. Comparing with the price when the E5186 router come out, the price is now more acceptable for common users.

 

Huawei E5186 Front Side

 

  In most cases, you can get the E5186 router from local network provider, and the router is locked to the local provider’s networks, which means you cannot use other operators’ sim cards. What we get is the unlocked one, so we can use the Huawei E5186 with any compatible networks. The stationary router E5186 is powered from 220V (adapter), no built-in battery is provided. E5186 LTE Router supports complete set of frequencies and technologies, including LTE Advanced Cat.6 and everything below 4G/3G/2G. Wi-Fi support 2.4 GHz and 5GHz simultaneously. Connect up to 32 users over Wi-Fi, plus a four-port Ethernet and 1 Gbit/s for the wired connection.

 

Huawei E5186 Interfaces

 

Huawei E5186 Packaging & Design

 

With the original Huawei package, Huawei E5186 has only few accessories, including an Ethernet cable for connecting, a user manual and AC adapter for 12 V and 2 A. If the router was purchased with the tariff, you may also get a SIM card(Micro SIM). Without the tariff, the price may be better.  

 

Huawei E5186 External Antenna connector

 

The E5186 design is nothing special just like the predecessor model Huawei B890 and B593 LTE CPE. But it’s structurally made ​​interesting, front and rear panels are symmetrically curved in opposite directions. The color of Huawei E5186 is white with light gray sides. The power button is with the Ethernet ports. The WPS and WiFi control button is at the body side, above is the SIM card slot which is covered by a small cap. The E5186 dimension is 191x197x62 mm, which will not take much space on the table or windows.  

 

On the front panel, only the indicators are listed, including the Power, Network mode, WiFi, Voice and Signal indicators. All switching part are at the back. On the top back, there are two connectors are covered, user can open the plastic flap to use MIMO antenna when necessary. Actually, there is built-in antenna in the Huawei E5186 router, few people will need the external antenna. But if you do need antenna to enhance the signal, you can refer to the antenna below:

 

Huawei E5186 Ethernet and Telephone Port

 

 

The separate power switch for on and off is with four Gigabit LAN Ethernet-ports, one of them part-WAN port for cable connecting the router to your ISP. USB-connector is used for wireless sharing, such as an external drive or printer. Two telephone RJ11 connectors for the organization of an IP-telephone.      

 

At full load the E5186 router is properly heated. There are many vents in the body, we can see from outside, on top and bottom of the router, the small vents would help the heat radiation quickly.

 

Huawei E5186 Bottom

 

When the LTE CPE E5186 is working, the panel display in operating mode, for each color mode. Green when operating in 2G networks, blue for 3G and 4G when connected to an external provider of broadband internet. Perhaps there is not enough space for indicator of connected users, and traffic volume, but this would not hurt. Fortunately, enough free space on the panel. Apparently, the manufacturer assumed that the buyer of serious professional devices, they do not care such trifles, and if concerned, user can check through the Web-based interface.    

 

We are very pleased with the automatic backup with a priority of the external connection mode. When disconnecting a wired broadband router, the E5186 would switch to its own modem to connect an external source and it will automatically switch to the Internet to distribute it. Moreover, the entire switching procedure takes less than 15 seconds.  

 

Huawei E5186 Top

 

  Specifications   A set of technologies and bands are supported through the Huawei E5186 router, there is even support for LTE TDD. Here now, the Huawei E5186 has two variants, E5186s-61a and E5186s-22a, they could support different LTE frequency bands, but both TD-LTE and FDD-LTE networks are supported:  

Huawei E5186s-22a: LTE Band 1/3/7/8/20/38 (FDD 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz, TDD 2600MHz) * Huawei E5186s-61a: LTE Band 3/7/28/40 (FDD 700/1800/2600MHz TDD 2300MHz)  

 

The main selling point for the E5186 router is to support LTE Advanced Cat.6 and receiving data rates up to 300 Mbit/s. Theoretically, this connections speed is almost double of current LTE Cat4 speed (150Mbps). Ironically, most network providers haven’t upgraded their networks to LTE advanced, current mainstream is LTE cat4 network. So for many users, the Huawei E5186 router is future proof.

 

Huawei E5186 SIDE  

 

Another important advantage of Huawei E5186 router is simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi router in standard 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. "High" and not noisy Wi-Fi 5GHz is now ubiquitous even in low-cost routers. It's better than only 2.4 GHz with no options, but it is useless for a large number of connected users. All the same, we have to choose 2.4 GHz for compatibility with all devices.   Huawei E5186 can default create two independent Wi-Fi networks, and the user chooses the module based on the capabilities of your device, or the distance to the router. By the way, here we can for the first time face the Wi-Fi-transport as a "bottleneck": in a good reception, LTE Advanced router will not be able to deliver on the best speed for your computer, which is able to take from the Ethernet.  

 

 

Control

Like many other Huawei 4G LTE Routers, the operation of the Huawei E5186 router could be done via web-based interface or mobile phone application named Huawei Mobile WiFi, which now becomes even better and more convenient after a few updates.  

Operational and impressions

In a typical LTE network (LTE Advanced), the Huawei E5186 shows speed performance twice than what I had seen on other devices. Of course, we are talking about a specific place, and the SIM-card is rearranged in different devices. In our test, the Huawei E5186 consistently gave 30-50% speed more than other routers and modems.   The Huawei E5186 router can achieve 30 Mbit/s easily on measurements at almost any time of day, and the rate of "around" 40-45 Mbit/s is nothing special. Data transfer rate in the network for upload was always higher than 10 Mbit/s, which was also a pleasant surprise to me. From the point of view, the ordinary use of the Internet is very convenience, and I did not see the difference from wired connection.  

 

Summary

 

The price of the Huawei E5186 is a little bit expensive now. It is of course a progressive and avant-garde. But with the latest technology and good performance with fast & stable connection, the E5186 router is worthy this price.   If you already read our reviews months ago, you may also get to know another model from huawei for the LTE advanced Category 6. The model number is Huawei E5786, which is pocket router with a large capacity battery; user can take it for outdoor activities or business trips. If you are not interested in the stationary router E5186, E5786 may be the right one.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Huawei B315 4G LTE Router Overview

Huawei released a new LTE CPE B315, compact stationary LTE-router, which supports LTE cat.4 (up to 150 Mbit/s), and focused on the use of the house or in a small office. Technically, nothing is outstanding, but it works well and does what it should do.

 

Huawei B315 4G Router

 

Huawei LTE CPE B315s-22 Specifications

  • The full name for Huawei classification model - LTE CPE B315s-22
  • Supported network standards: GSM 900/1800 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, LTE-FDD 800/1800/2600 MHz, LTE-TDD 2600 MHz.
  • The data rate for LTE-FDD technology - up to 150 Mbit/s for downloading data and up to 50 Mbit/s for uploading data; for LTE-TDD technology: download up to 112 Mbit/s and data at upload to 10 Mbit/s.
  • The data transfer rate for DC-HSPA+ technology: up to 42 Mbit/s for download and up to 5.76 Mbit/s for upload.
  • Transmission speed via EDGE data: Up to 236.8 kbit/s for downloading and up to 118 Kbit/s for uploading
  • Support for 802.11 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, 2.4 GHz data rates up to 300 Mbit/s, intelligent noise reduction system.
  • Support for simultaneous connection of up to 32 Wi-Fi devices.
  • Support for automatic backup Ethernet-connection to the Internet.
  • Three LAN ports, one (fourth) LAN/WAN.
  • RJ11 port for connecting a wired phone.
  • USB connector for connecting an external drive or printer.
  • Support for receiving and sending SMS.
  • Support for voice calls SIM-card in both directions, including the LTE network (CSFB).
  • Dimensions and weight: 186 x 139 x 46 mm, 275 g

 

  Huawei B315 LTE CPE

 

After testing, I would describe Huawei B315 LTE CPE as a modern budget "workhorse" with a set of features sufficient for most users. But many desirable technical delights you will not find here. Supporting LTE cat.4, a theoretical maximum data rate of 150 Mbit/s for downlink and the data up to 50 Mbit/s for uplink could be achieved. Wi-Fi standard is 802.11b/g/n. Wi-Fi range includes only 2.4GHz, No 5GHz. The maximum number of connections for Wi-Fi is 32 users.

 

Huawei B315 4G Router2

 

Huawei B315 LTE Router supports network standards: GSM 900/1800 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, LTE-FDD 800/1800/2600 MHz, LTE-TDD in the range of 2600 MHz. There is no back-up battery. SIM-card is normal, miniSIM format. On the back, there are four LAN ports, one universal LAN/WAN. USB port is for connecting a printer or USB-drive. And there is RJ11 jack for connecting a wired phone. They write about the support VoIP and VoLTE on the next version of the software, CSFB support is present and works fine. Two Connectors for MIMO external antennas is there, the SMA standard, external antenna is not included with the B315 Router. If you need the external antenna for LTE CPE B315, you can check it here: http://www.4gltemall.com/4g-antenna-two-sma-connector.html

 

Huawei B315 Antenna

 

 

The B315 router can provide very good coverage of Wi-Fi. And it’s clear and fast to switching between wired and mobile internet in both directions. The advantages of the B315 are in compact size; there is almost no need to configure anything, a good reception on the built-in antenna, a clear work and visual indication. The disadvantages are lack of Wi-Fi range of 5MHz, no tweaks and additional features. For example, no built-in torrent client, the USB-port does not support a second modem connection etc..  

 

huawei-b315-4g-SIM card slot

 

The package box of Huawei B315 includes quite compact router, user Manual, an Ethernet cable, external power supply to the output current of 1 A. Once again, external antenna not included, and you will have to buy yourself if necessary. There are two colors available: black and white. The body of B315 LTE CPE is made of plastic but feel good if hold it in hand.  

 

huawei-b315-4g-Ethernet ports

 

As already written, all the connectors and other features are hidden on the back panel, including slots for external antennas, which in most cases you do not need and they are covered by a removable cap.    

 

The button to activate WPS is on the top of Huawei B315 Router, for the on-off, the button must be held down for 3 seconds. Besides the WPS button, it’s the power button. On the bottom of the CPE B315, all the necessary information about the network SSID, passwords, etc. are listed on the sticker. At the left side of the external antenna, it’s the SIM card slot, it’s for standard SIM card size. There is a plastic cover on the slot, user have to pull the cover out and then insert the SIM card.

 

Huawei-B315-WPS and power button

 

 

Control

 

The settings control of the Huawei B315 router could be done via the Web-interface (http://192.168.8.1 address) and mobile application. The WEB-interface, everything is pretty standard, and user can select the network mode manually, there is 4G-LTE, 3G and 2G variants provided. On the main page and in the status bar (top right) shows the type of Internet connection, which is currently running a router and distributes online consumers.  

 

Huawei B315 web interface

 

In the Statistics page, the traffic consumed via the mobile network is correctly displayed. Unfortunately, there is no settings for daily traffic accounting, only for the period of one month. The router can "broadcast on the air" to 4 SSID at the same time, enabled by default one.    

 

Work with external antennas can be flexibly adjusted using one external + internal, two external or two internal. By default, the internal antenna, so just connect external will not change anything; do not forget to change the settings to external in the WEB-interface. User can also run the latest version of HiLink under Android. In principle, the functionality of the application is enough in most cases. Send and read incoming SMS through it is too comfortable.  

 

huawei-b315-4g-lte-cpe

 

It’s declared by the manufacturer that the Wi-Fi coverage range is up to 250 meters. But manufacturers say a lot of things, but in practice conditions are always far from ideal. Switching from a wired connection to the cellular network and vice versa automatically works out for 2-3 seconds. The default priority is given to the wired connection settings.   Voice calls (incoming and outgoing) in the LTE network are also normal (CSFB). It’s promised in the next software update, the support for VoLTE will be supported.

   

Summary

The Huawei B315 4G Router is a common LTE wireless gateway and no special feature. But it’s a decent wireless router for home or small office. And it’s enough for daily usage. If you want 4G Router with higher configuration, you may check Huawei E5186 Router LTE Cat6 router or ASUS 4G-AC55U LTE Router.  

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Huawei E5180 LTE WiFi Router Overview

You may be familiar with the Huawei LTE routers; Unlike other 4G Routers, Huawei E5180 is in a special but nice appearance.  The device is called the LTE CPE E5180. It works well with all the network operators in Europe and Asia. And there is an Ethernet-connector in the Huawei E5180, and it is possible to connect VoIP-device easily.

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption]

 

Huawei E5180 4G LTE CPE Specifications
GSM Standards GPRS, EDGE
Data transmission 3G HSDPA, HSPA+, HSUPA
4G Data Transfer LTE to 150 Mbit/s
Receiving / sending SMS Yes
LTE Standards FDD: Band 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 (2600/2100/1800/900/800 MHz), TDD: Band 38 (2600 MHz)
Compatible with 4G LTE operators All Main Network Operators in Europe and Asia
Standard 802.11 b/g/n
type antenna internal
The range of Wi-Fi frequencies 2.4 GHz
Number of connected Wi-Fi devices 32
Data protection AES encryption, TKIP, WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK
Ethernet Ports 1 × LAN
The firewall (firewall) Yes
IP filter Yes
DMZ Yes
UPnP Yes
NAT Yes
DHCP-server Yes
Support for IPv6 Yes
VoIP-adapter There, SIP
The number of RJ-11 ports 1
Compatibility Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, Mac OS X 10.7, 10.8, 10.9
Food Adapter
dimensions 70 × 70 × 110 mm
The weight 250 g

   

Design, size, controls

 

At the beginning, I said that the most interesting thing in the router - it is the appearance, vaguely reminiscent of various things, for example, AirPort Time Capsule. The E5180 is in rectangular Hull form, with greatly smoothed edges. The upper part slightly recessed, and above it stands a large pedestal of frosted white. It has some functional and aesthetic burden: in the first case is a button and the second it is a light blue color. Button has a soft press and the average speed for using is very nice. A short press activates the backlight off, or, and long-term (more than three seconds) - Enables or disables the device itself. The ususal operation is quite convenient. 

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption]     On one side of the Webcube body, two indicators are located. One on the above is responsible for the mobile network, and the second, just below is for the Wi-Fi network. The second is in blue, and the top is red (in 4G) or blue (in 2G/3G). The glow does not hit in the eye during the day but is quite noticeable at night.

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption] On the reverse side, there are the standard Ethernet-connector and a RJ-11 port for connecting VoIP phones. At the bottom, there is a connector for power plug.

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption] At the bottom of E5180 glued sticker with information about the key access to Wi-Fi network by default, given username and password, as well as the IP-address. In any case, I will write them here in case the sticker is removed or broken.

  • IP: 192.168.8.1
  • User: admin
  • Password: admin
  • SSID: Huawei-E5180-2DD0
  • Wi-Fi Key: L8J2A871E01 (likely to be different in different devices)

  Blow the stick, there is a slot for microSIM-card. The slot is covered by a small plastic flap. 

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption] Above the lower platform rises a little rim of padded material similar to rubber. Overall, Huawei E5180 looks great in any interior. The only thing missing is a big angle LED screen. For example, the side indicator is not always clear whether the router is enabled or not, and it is unclear what kind of signal - 3G or 4G to be connected.

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption]  

Using the E5180 Wi-Fi-router

First, you need to install the SIM card into slot with support for Internet. Next, connect the power cord to the device and plug the adapter into a power outlet. The duration of the initialization is about 30 seconds, not fast. To connect to the E5180, you need to find a WiFi SSID named Huawei-E5180-2DD0 and enter the key / password printed on the underside of the unit. In principle, now you can already use the internet.   After connected to wireless network, the signal reception quality is about the same as a portable router MR-100-2, that is not the best. If you are unsatisfied with the signal, an external antenna should be necessary now, so that the signal gains a little higher. We should also say that you cannot connect an external antenna. Usually, the network mode "jumps" from 3G to 4G and back. However, it is more dependent on how well the operator can "give" network, not on the E5180 router.

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE[/caption] With regard to the WiFi coverage range, according to the manufacturer, it is about 250 meters along the line of sight. In practice, I can say that the E5180 is more powerful than Asus RT-N10P (bought only to test the functionality of Wi-Fi in the house). Huawei E5180 router distributes the Internet without problems in the apartment, even with the obstacles in front of him - two reinforced concrete walls.   The official site says that Huawei E5180 router can connect up to 32 devices. I did not have so much devices to real test, but a couple of laptops, three smartphones and a few other gadgets worked tolerably well in the network.

 

 

  HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE

 

For Huawei E5180 setup, you will need a special application and a smartphone or computer. If in the PC, everything is available on the IP 192.168.8.1 with login and password «admin». Below the screenshot of the WEB-version is for settings.

 

HUAWEI E5180  

 

To configure settings using a smartphone or tablet, there is a free “Huawei HiLink” APP on Google Play. It is very simple and visually displays information about the network and router settings.

 

HUAWEI E5180 LTE CPE 4G Router (10)

 

Conclusion

 

On the positive side, Huawei E5180 4G Router provides a cool, ergonomic design, and the operation on this router is very simple and easy. Another advantage is that the E5180 cube could work with all main European and Asia telecom operators in the fourth-generation network, and it’s easy setup. The only shortcomings should be the absence of the 5 GHz band for WiFi and missing of external antenna connector. For most users, the Huawei E5180 is good enough for common daily use.