Question Problems with Zte MC888 Ultra SIM router and Digi Spain 5G carrier connection

[antonio8909]

Hello everyone,

I have a ZTE MC888 Ultra SIM router with firmware BD_YOIGOESMC888ULTRAV1.0.0B07 and I have the problem that I can't connect to Digi's 5G despite having more than enough signal. It is limited to 4G+ and no matter how much I try to connect it manually to the 5G network it's impossible.

Does anyone know a fix to this problem or a way to be able to use the 5G connection on this router?

Thank you in advance 🙂

 

[Ralston18]

This router?

https://oss.ztedevices.com/prod/cn/direct/mc888/MC888 Quick Start Guide V1.0_RED-0407.pdf

You mentioned trying to connect the MC888 manually to a 5G network.

Two immediate questions:

1) How is the router being connected? Are you able to provide a simple diagram show the devices in your network, the connections and connection types between the devices?

For example (line diagram) where ----> represents an Ethernet cable

ISP (Digi ?) === Coax, DSL, fiber) ===> Modem ----> [WAN Port] Router [LAN ports] ----> wired network devices and ~~~~> wireless network devices.

Where is the MC888 in the line diagram?

Feel free to edit and correct my line diagram as necessary to show your network environment.

2) The network performance/speeds will be limited to the speed of the slowest device in the network. Is the expectation that the network will be faster with the MC888 being part of the overall, slower network?

More information and detail is needed.

 

[antonio8909]

This router?

https://oss.ztedevices.com/prod/cn/direct/mc888/MC888 Quick Start Guide V1.0_RED-0407.pdf

You mentioned trying to connect the MC888 manually to a 5G network.

Two immediate questions:

1) How is the router being connected? Are you able to provide a simple diagram show the devices in your network, the connections and connection types between the devices?

For example (line diagram) where ----> represents an Ethernet cable

ISP (Digi ?) === Coax, DSL, fiber) ===> Modem ----> [WAN Port] Router [LAN ports] ----> wired network devices and ~~~~> wireless network devices.

Where is the MC888 in the line diagram?

Feel free to edit and correct my line diagram as necessary to show your network environment.

2) The network performance/speeds will be limited to the speed of the slowest device in the network. Is the expectation that the network will be faster with the MC888 being part of the overall, slower network?

More information and detail is needed.

Hello,

First of all, thanks for answering!

The exact model is MC888 Ultra. I found a Quick User Manual here. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3400397/Zte-Mc888a-Ultra.html#product-MC888A Ultra

Answering to your question, when I'd mention connecting the router to the 5G network manually I meant selecting the connection Manually instead of Automatic in network selection

Line diagram:

ISP (Digi Spain) === via SIM card) ===> Modem ----> [WAN Port] Router [LAN ports] ----> wired network devices (just 1 PC)

I don't understand the 2nd question. My main issue if that the router doesn't get connected to the 5G network even when it's enough signal available from the carrier and it gets stucked in 4G+

Thank you!!

 

[bill001g]

Does the ISP offer 5G service in the area and even if they do they offer the service to a device that is not a cell phone.

Making this even more complex is there is really no clear definition of what 5G means. What used to be called 5G is not really usable on a portable device. Because they wanted to sell new phones to people what they did was just change the names of what they used to call 4G and start calling it 5G. In your case what is the actual difference between 5G and 4G+

Could be the router calls it 4G+ and the ISP calls it 5G.

Even when you dig into the very technical details of how the data transmission is being done that they have to register with the government it is still extremely hard to figure out what name the marketing/advertising guys are going to call it.

 

[antonio8909]

Does the ISP offer 5G service in the area and even if they do they offer the service to a device that is not a cell phone.

Making this even more complex is there is really no clear definition of what 5G means. What used to be called 5G is not really usable on a portable device. Because they wanted to sell new phones to people what they did was just change the names of what they used to call 4G and start calling it 5G. In your case what is the actual difference between 5G and 4G+

Could be the router calls it 4G+ and the ISP calls it 5G.

Even when you dig into the very technical details of how the data transmission is being done that they have to register with the government it is still extremely hard to figure out what name the marketing/advertising guys are going to call it.

Hi,

Yes, my ISP offers 5G

According to the router, it differentiates between 4G and 5G.

I'm connected to 4G+ but when I look for more networks, 5G always appears

It can be confusing but Digi has an agreement to take the signal from another ISP (Movistar) so the registration must be done in Movistar to get access to Digi. After choosing the 5G connection, a Failure message appears and I'm forced to choose 4G again to get reconnected.

I hope this information helps.

Thanks

 

[bill001g]

It does not appear to be any setting you as a end user can change. This is not really a technical limitation the device is basically getting refused connections. Maybe call the ISP and see what they have to say. Could be some setting on their equipment that is incorrect.