Dual antenna on RBI

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Rikkitic

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Topic # 189109 17-Dec-2015 09:00

I have been trying without success to set up a dual antenna configuration on a LTE 4G RBI connection with a Huawei B315 gateway device. The transmission mast is in Flaxmere, Hastings.

Whatever I try, I cannot get any improvement over the single antenna. My download speed is always around 30 mb/s. I have checked the device parameters and it is set to 4G LTE.

I don’t know what I am doing wrong. Can anyone from Vodafone confirm if the Flaxmere mast is configured for dual polarisation with MIMO? My understanding is that others have made this work without any problem.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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Reply # 1452074 17-Dec-2015 09:00

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

- you have reset your modem and router

- your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing

- you are not being throttled by your ISP due to going over the monthly cap

- your tests are always done on an ethernet connection to the router - do not use wireless for testing

- you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

- Your ISP and plan

- Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)

- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

- Your general location (or street)

- If you are rural or urban

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

- Is your premises phone wiring impacting your broadband performance? (very technical)

- Are you receiving a substandard ULL ADSL2+ connection from your ISP?

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

kaihoka

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Reply # 1452911 18-Dec-2015 11:41

is your tower a fibre or microwave connected tower .
my tower is linked by microwave and i can never get faster than 30 with full bars and very good signal quality and strength

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1453074 18-Dec-2015 15:06

I don't know how the tower is connected and I don't know how to find out. I was hoping someone from Vodafone could give me more information here but I think I may have to wait until after the holidays.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

kaihoka

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Reply # 1453149 18-Dec-2015 17:30

you maybe able to tell from its location.
what tower is it,where is it
is there any fiber , vdsl or adsl near the road to it.
i know my tower is at least 20 kilometers away from the end of any cable

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1453156 18-Dec-2015 18:03

I think the tower must be a fairly major one. All I know is it is located in Flaxmere, a suburb of Hastings. I don't know exactly where it is located but I checked a couple of central addresses there and Vodafone says there is no fibre yet. One location has adsl, the other vdsl. Fibre is in the process of being installed to at least some locations with completion sometime next year.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

kaihoka

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Reply # 1453250 18-Dec-2015 21:18

see if this is helpfull
https://gis.geek.nz/celltowers#chorus_cabinets

NZFINEST

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Reply # 1453313 19-Dec-2015 04:44

Firmware on Huawei B315 is the issues stopping you. Also the site night need 2 be MultiRAB

Anything I suggest or say is my own thoughts and not provided by anyone else unless stated

kaihoka

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Reply # 1453317 19-Dec-2015 07:28

NZFINEST: Firmware on Huawei B315 is the issues stopping you. Also the site night need 2 be MultiRAB

Would you be able to explain further what multiRAB is.
Also would I be likely to have different firmware than someone else with the same router
My speeds are restricted to 30.
It is certainly fast enough but I am curious about the limit when I have such good signal.
My lte phone goes up to 60mbps off the same tower

tangerz

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Reply # 1453335 19-Dec-2015 08:19

Rikkitic: I think the tower must be a fairly major one. All I know is it is located in Flaxmere, a suburb of Hastings. I don't know exactly where it is located but I checked a couple of central addresses there and Vodafone says there is no fibre yet. One location has adsl, the other vdsl. Fibre is in the process of being installed to at least some locations with completion sometime next year.

Are you sure it's the tower in Flaxmere? Maybe someone from Vodafone can confirm this, but while there is a tower in Flaxmere, (near the intersection of Henderson Road and Stevens Place), going from the coverage maps it would seem 4G RBI in that area is being served from somewhere in Napier. The signal coverage directly around the Flaxmere tower is patchy to say the least, not what you'd expect if it was coming from there... unless of course the maps are out of date! ;)

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1453373 19-Dec-2015 09:34

kaihoka: Geekzone won't let me quote your post for some reason, but thanks for the link. It is interesting but the flags for fibre-fed do not seem to be there, although they are in the key.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1453374 19-Dec-2015 09:36

NZFINEST: Firmware on Huawei B315 is the issues stopping you. Also the site night need 2 be MultiRAB

Can you tell me more about this? What is the source for your information?

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1453385 19-Dec-2015 09:39

tangerz:

Are you sure it's the tower in Flaxmere? Maybe someone from Vodafone can confirm this, but while there is a tower in Flaxmere, (near the intersection of Henderson Road and Stevens Place), going from the coverage maps it would seem 4G RBI in that area is being served from somewhere in Napier. The signal coverage directly around the Flaxmere tower is patchy to say the least, not what you'd expect if it was coming from there... unless of course the maps are out of date! ;)

I was told by someone from my ISP that it is Flaxmere. I assume that is correct. We are at a rural location, about 20-25 km from the tower. Napier is in the same direction from us but it would be twice as far away.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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Reply # 1453401 19-Dec-2015 10:17

Multi Radio Access Bearer. It means 2 tunnels as such to 1 device carry data/voice
First the device must support it. Second it has to be enabled in the network. I have no idea if your device can do mrab or if vfnz have it enabled for 4G RBI for what you are wanting.
Also unless you know where the sites are and where to point the yagi if anything you might make the service worse. If the line of site was not to a cell and in between 2 cells sites you will start to bounce cells and maybe frequency as well. I'd just leave it how it was installed, unless you have a string radio back ground and know what you are doing,
Do you know that the 2nd yaii supports the right bands. BTW I am no radio exprt

Anything I suggest or say is my own thoughts and not provided by anyone else unless stated

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1453413 19-Dec-2015 10:54

The second antenna is identical to the first. The first was professionally installed, works fine on it's own, and is correctly positioned. I have not touched that one, other than angling it to 45 degrees. I used that as a reference to aim the second one. This was verified by connecting the second one on its own to check that is was working correctly as a single antenna.

The Huawei is designed for dual antennas and is meant to work with them. Someone else with the same configuration I have reports speeds over 100 mb/s, though that is with a different Vodafone tower. I have checked the Huawei settings and it is set to 4G, LTE, band 28. Nothing I can find about the dual antenna configuration suggests there is anything that would prevent it from working. I haven't seen anything about firmware, settings, tower capability, or anything else. From what I have read, if it is 4G, it should just work. However, it is difficult to find clear information about specifics which is why I have started this thread. I am hoping a Vodafone expert can clearly state if this should work with this tower, or if not, why.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

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Reply # 1453420 19-Dec-2015 11:02

The reason why you can't see a option for a 2nd antenna is because of the firmware it doesn't supports it ad this is the only firmware that VFNZ offers at resent. It may change going forward but for today I will be your vf expert on this.

Anything I suggest or say is my own thoughts and not provided by anyone else unless stated

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