[SOLVED] TP Link MR200 4g speed slow compared to previous mobile hotspot

[funkytwig]

I was using a Alcatel link zone 4G mobile hotspot () around the size of a credit card) and it was working quite well but decided to upgrade to an Archer MR200, mainly to increase the wifi range. The 4G speed is massively slower with the MR200. I've got the latest firmware. I'm very disappointed. Any ideas?

 

[kanewolf]

I was using a Alcatel link zone 4G mobile hotspot () around the size of a credit card) and it was working quite well but decided to upgrade to an Archer MR200, mainly to increase the wifi range. The 4G speed is massively slower with the MR200. I've got the latest firmware. I'm very disappointed. Any ideas?

First verify performance with a wired connection to the MR200.

 

[bill001g]

Cell stuff is still messy. They still make a lot of equipment that will not run on all providers. You need to match the LTE bands used by your provider to the router. The alcatel uses 2,4,12 which is common for most cell in the USA..except sprint. Form what I can tell the mr200 uses 1,3,7,8 and a few more. There might be different hardware versions of this router but from what I can tell that router is mainly designed to run in Europe or India. You need to see if the router has a menu or the documentation tells you which bands it supports.

If it is dropping back to GSM or if it connecting to a tower farther away that does support one of the bands the router supports you will get much slower speeds.

 

[funkytwig]

Cell stuff is still messy. They still make a lot of equipment that will not run on all providers. You need to match the LTE bands used by your provider to the router. The alcatel uses 2,4,12 which is common for most cell in the USA..except sprint. Form what I can tell the mr200 uses 1,3,7,8 and a few more. There might be different hardware versions of this router but from what I can tell that router is mainly designed to run in Europe or India. You need to see if the router has a menu or the documentation tells you which bands it supports.

If it is dropping back to GSM or if it connecting to a tower farther away that does support one of the bands the router supports you will get much slower speeds.

Thanks, I'm actually in the UK.

 

[bill001g]

It maybe the internet is being too smart. I get tmobile models of that router and am having issues find others. Tmobile of course will use a USA channel. There maybe a EU model. This is what makes mobile broadband so hard when the same part name actually is different depending on where you buy it.

In any case you want to verify what LTE channels each supports and then see what LTE channels your provider uses.

I guess you first need to see if it the mobile broadband or the wifi. Since the new router has ethernet can you connect via ethernet just to test.