Antenna and Router Suggestions Please

[CRD]

We are currently using a ZTE MU5001 5G CAT 20 router with an EE sim.

It’s generally quite good, however reception in some places we stay at frequently, like Abbey Wood, is patchy, and we occasionally hit not spots in Europe.

Is there a more reliable and powerful antenna/router solution, such as using a roof mounted aerial, available?

I realise that the MU5001 doesn’t have an aerial connection port, so that might have to be replaced.

Thanks, in advance.

 

[fishplug]

External antennas can make a significant difference - especially if you've got any foil based insulation in the van.

I've had good experiences with a combination of Teltonika routers and Poynting antennas.

Teltonika have recently released the RUTM54 5G router with eSIM. If you're not bothered about eSIM and would be happy with a RUT-50 then let me know as I'm seriously tempted to upgrade...

 

[AdrianChen]

We have a ZTE 5001 with EE sim, but it does have a couple of TS9 ariel sockets, so we have used them - didn't make much difference to be fair, but I might splash out on the new Netgear M3 plus their ariel to see if it's any better. Most of the time the ZTE has been good, just occasionally I have to try it in different places on the van, and sometimes it is better outside or in a roof hatch but the ariel isn't as good as when I find a good spot. Of course it could be a crap ariel.......

 

[Gellyneck]

We've got a ZTE MU5001 and it has aerial sockets. If required, and it isn't where we are just now, we plug into a Poynting MIMO-0003-V2 aerial.

 

[Jabstatt]

My poynting dome mimo antenna makes a huge difference.

It’s like batteries and solar.

More always feel better.

Get a good set up and stick with it.

How much data do you really need.

I know!

Tony

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[fishplug]

I've had cheap antennas actually reduce my speeds

Netgear kit is great and 'just works' (I had the M1) but it's quite limited in terms of configurability.

There's a bit leap in price for the 5G capable kit and I'd be doing some shopping around and looking carefully at how I was using it at that price point.

What I liked about the M1 was that you could just unplug it and take it with you - and that the battery really did last 8h! Can't do that with my Teltonika, but it's much more robust, gives me better security and much more granular configuration (I appreciate that most people don't care about having several different VLANs in their van....)

As a permanent install, I'm happy with my choice of the Teltonika. If I was looking for something a bit more portable, then the M3 might make sense (although until the 5G network is. bit more established a second hand M1 makes a lot of sense still...)

 

[CRD]

How strange. My ZTE MU5001 only has an RJ45 socket and no antenna ports at all :

Amazon.co.uk

 

[Neilh]

As far as I'm aware the ZTE MU5001 has 2 x TS-9 sockets you'll need ADAP-TS9-SMASKT Single Adapter TS-9 to SMA socket 2 £5.27 each from Solway.

 

[Kups]

As far as I'm aware the ZTE MU5001 has 2 x TS-9 sockets you'll need ADAP-TS9-SMASKT Single Adapter TS-9 to SMA socket 2 £5.27 each from Solway.

The ZTE MU5002 installed in my mh has two antenna sockets linked to a motorhome WiFi roof aerial. The 5001 only has an internal aerial.

 

[Neilh]

Interesting, the 5001 5G that I've ordered 100% shows that it has 2 TS-9 sockets and comes with 2 short antenna.

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[Neilh]

 

[treblid]

Teltonika have recently released the RUTM54 5G router with eSIM. If you're not bothered about eSIM and would be happy with a RUT-50 then let me know as I'm seriously tempted to upgrade...

Very nice bit of kit but I could not justify £550 + VAT for a van router! Great for commercial applications though.

 

[CRD]

So many great comments. Thanks. I can spend more tomorrow looking into them and rejoin this excellent conversation.

 

[MisterB]

Netgear M2 seems to outshine most ... you can also fit external aerial if you wanted ..

 

[Guigsy]

Teltonika have recently released the RUTM54 5G router with eSIM. If you're not bothered about eSIM and would be happy with a RUT-50 then let me know as I'm seriously tempted to upgrade...

You can put an eSIM adapter on a normal socket. Although you do need a phone app to manage it. So it's just reducing faff a bit.

I might upgrade my RUTX50 when there's a dual modem version. Twin SIM isn't as useful as I'd like.

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[fishplug]

A brief look into those esim adapters put me off them to be honest.

The only real reason to upgrade would be to make it easier to get cheaper roaming abroad - but the cost of the upgrade just doesn't quite add up yet.

I'll stick with what I've got for now I think - although I agree with your comment re: dual modems. While it's nice to have failover, I've yet to be in a situation where I've needed it.

 

[Steve and Denise]

On our last van we had a Motorhome wi-fi fitted, well what a complete waste of money, my phone picked up a better signal than the very expensive thing on the roof
Upon contacting them it was my fault not theirs don’t waste your money

 

[Gellyneck]

How strange. My ZTE MU5001 only has an RJ45 socket and no antenna ports at all :

Amazon.co.uk

There is more than one version of the MU5001.
Confusing yes!
Some have RJ45 connection others don't.

 

[MisterB]

On our last van we had a Motorhome wi-fi fitted, well what a complete waste of money, my phone picked up a better signal than the very expensive thing on the roof
Upon contacting them it was my fault not theirs don’t waste your money

Yet I found motorhome WiFi to be really useful for where I wanted to use it. It was another 'tool in the box' and came in useful a lot, however I think time may have moved on with more options now being available.

I found it was really useful to bring in free internet where it was available, ie Macdonalds or other free providers or where camp site internet in France only allowed one connection and no sharing. MH WiFi allowed us to utilise the signal and share with more than one user.

 

[CRD]

There is more than one version of the MU5001.
Confusing yes!
Some have RJ45 connection others don't.

It looks like I bought the wrong version

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[RowleyBirkinQC]

We changed an older puck antenna and HUAWEI mifi for a Poynting MIMO-3-17 antenna and RUTX50 router. Been very reliable so far, even when attending highly populated events (MotoGP, BSB etc). Solwise have (or had) a discount code if sourcing from them.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Yet I found motorhome WiFi to be really useful for where I wanted to use it. It was another 'tool in the box' and came in useful a lot, however I think time may have moved on with more options now being available.

I found it was really useful to bring in free internet where it was available, ie Macdonalds or other free providers or where camp site internet in France only allowed one connection and no sharing. MH WiFi allowed us to utilise the signal and share with more than one user.

Are you talking about the same device ours was a round aerial on the roof with 4G Motorhome wi-fi on it and a small router inside with a sim in it and was totally useless cost about £400
This was the one

 

[MisterB]

Are you talking about the same device ours was a round aerial on the roof with 4G Motorhome wi-fi on it and a small router inside with a sim in it and was totally useless cost about £400
This was the one
View attachment 1004507

The ones we had and still have are the earlier versions and weren't roof mounted and didn't have capacity for a sim card.

It basically located an existing free WiFi signal/network and allowed us to connect from further away than 'normal'. We could park up outside Macdonald's, pop in to get a coffee or something, then come out and still access their WiFi. It also worked on other establishments, restaurants, supermarkets around France etc

It was so much more convenient than sitting in the establishment itself.

 

[Neilh]

I'm waiting for delivery of a A-MIMO-4-15 from Solway, plus the MU5001, hopefully it meets our needs. My friend has the RUTX50, which he says works well, but can take a bit of configuration, hence me going for the MU5001, with a simple interface

 

[Gaston aires]

On our last van we had a Motorhome wi-fi fitted, well what a complete waste of money, my phone picked up a better signal than the very expensive thing on the roof
Upon contacting them it was my fault not theirs don’t waste your money

I found the same, so now I just tether to the phone. Mind you I don’t stream much TV even though I can with a Firestick.
Phil

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[CRD]

What I liked about the M1 was that you could just unplug it and take it with you - and that the battery really did last 8h! Can't do that with my Teltonika, but it's much more robust, gives me better security and much more granular configuration (I appreciate that most people don't care about having several different VLANs in their van....)

As a permanent install, I'm happy with my choice of the Teltonika. If I was looking for something a bit more portable, then the M3 might make sense (although until the 5G network is. bit more established a second hand M1 makes a lot of sense still...)

I like the fact that you can take a mifi router such as the M1 out of the van, as we have cancelled our home broadband and use the ZTE at home with our EE unlimited sim. We can get a strong 5G signal at home, and this works well.

The M3 looks good. I like the feature where you can take the battery out and use it on mains. It also definitely has 2 TS 9 ports!!

I’m not sure what benefits the much more expensive M6 and M6 Pro bring other than an Ethernet port, which I don’t need.

 

[CRD]

We changed an older puck antenna and HUAWEI mifi for a Poynting MIMO-3-17 antenna and RUTX50 router. Been very reliable so far, even when attending highly populated events (MotoGP, BSB etc). Solwise have (or had) a discount code if sourcing from them.

Sounds like a good solution. Have you attached the Poynting antenna permanently on your roof, or do you temporarily place it there in weak signal areas?

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Sounds like a good solution. Have you attached the Poynting antenna permanently on your roof, or do you temporarily place it there in weak signal areas?

Permanently roof mounted.

 

[CRD]

I found the same, so now I just tether to the phone. Mind you I don’t stream much TV even though I can with a Firestick.
Phil

It looks like the Motorhome WiFi setup is nowhere near as good as a Poynting/Teltonika/Netgear solution.

 

[CRD]

Permanently roof mounted.

Thanks!

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