getting some bandwidth in the sticks..

after being stuck in a newbuild dead-spot with no hopes of FTTP and a FTTPoD quote of 13k install (ouch) I decided to do some investigation on DIY high-speed-internet.

The results speak for themselves -
https://www.speedtest.net/result/9554028449.png

This is done using multiple 4G modems and a poor performing 30/5 FTTC line being combined to give one fat pipe...

My setup -

ee - Mikrotik CAT5 SXT-LTE pointed directly at the mast. (95%+ signal) - could probably do better wih a higher CAT modem with CA?

three - Sierra Wireless MC7455 with Carrier Aggregation (Band3, Band 20) with a USB3 adapter cradle running on a WDR3600 (much cheaper option than the SXT, and better performing)

talktalk - 30/5 FTTC (going to cancel it if this solution proves reliable)

VPS - internet aggregation point for the connections. using 'portfast' here but have tried 'OVH' too which works just as well.

Virtual machine running https://www.openmptcprouter.com/. This is awesome - instead of traditional load balancing it uses multipath TCP to combine multiple internet connections into a single connection and seems to work well with 'unbalanced' connections of different speeds/latencies.

all connections appear on the internet from a single IP - no problems with SSL and able to get full speed on a single stream.

OpenMPTCPRouter can run on any OpenWRT capable device I believe - going to move it from physical server hardware when i get another router ordered that can handle it.

Might help someone else get high-speed internet in the sticks. Total cost is < £100/pm including the VPS.

Edited by deleted (Thu 04-Jun-20 23:43:49)

Nice setup

I was looking at the Mikrotik products but am I right in saying that they only have 100 Base-T Ethernet connections which would limit your maximum download speed to 100Mbps.
Do they do any products with a GiGe connection?

I would avoid mikrotik for 4G to be honest - the SXT LTE6 still has a 100mbit interface. I cant seem to get more than 100mbit even with carrier aggregation on another 4g modem which does not have this limitation - I tried.

Mikrotik recently released a new consumer product that has a gig port and a decent (CAT12?) modem but not sure if its any good - its also pricey at £200 or so

https://linitx.com/product/mikrotik-chateau-home-rou...

I would double check your able to get more than 100mbit downstream anyway - my experience of three out here (band 3, 20 only) and carrier aggregation max I have managed is about 109mbit.

plenty of choice of mikrotik (non-4g) routers that are gig capable though or you could buy one with a minipci slot and install your own modem which would give you a gig port.

Edited by deleted (Fri 05-Jun-20 17:39:43)

In reply to a post by wifigeek:

I would double check your able to get more than 100mbit downstream anyway - my experience of three out here (band 3, 20 only) and carrier aggregation max I have managed is about 109mbit.

Sounds as if you are on Three with Band 3 (15mhz) and Band 20 (5mhz) and a CA device you are getting a maximum of 20mhz of spectrum.

If rural, other networks are unlikely to have deployed any CA, but you would would normally find EE with Band 3 (20mhz), or Vodafone or O2 with Band 20 (10mhz) as their base layers.

Good effort, have you tried a 3CA mobile on EE?


I've been out in the sticks testing in EE in the past and be absolutely amazed at some of the speeds on 3CA. Way over 200Mb.

If I could get that here I think I'd probably ditch their fiber.

nope - its in a CAT5 modem which doesn't support CA that is connected to that network. sounds worth a shot though - i might get another 4g modem and replace the mikrotik and see how that performs.

the ee mast also has band 3 and 20. so 2CA only that I am aware of

Download CellMapper and see if you can see what bands are transmitting from your local mast.

In reply to a post by wifigeek:

the ee mast also has band 3 and 20. so 2CA only that I am aware of

Interesting they added 20, it might be a push for extended rural voice coverage.

My local mast (in a town) only has band 3, but we have two deployments, 20mhz + 15mhz, and it was a cheaper install than adding new transmitter panels. Before lockdown I could regularly see 150+ Mbps, but now thanks to everyone at home, speeds can fall to around 15 Mbps quite often. Still only 2CA, but needs a device that can do 3+3 CA.

Not all masts are set up to CA, sometimes the mast will prioritise and push any connection that can see both b20 an b3 up to the b3; saving the b20 for those further away.

think it would be worthwhile upgrading to a device that can do 4x MIMO? cant tell if the mast supports that or not.

was looking at one of these for ee - https://ltefix.com/shop/modems/quectel-modems/quecte...

Edited by deleted (Sat 06-Jun-20 11:05:22)