Help - need a 4G modem (modem only, with bridge mode).

Hi. I need a 4G modem to connect to my Asus router. Needs bridge mode, external antenna connection, and to be able to specify and lock onto chosen bands. No router/wife needed.

Any ideas? Each one I read up about ends up having issues.

Budget up to £200.

Thanks.

Edited by deleted (Wed 16-Jun-21 16:56:20)

I think there is almost no market for such a device. The technically high end products such as the Netgear M1 which have modern 4G modems inside are expensive. Older products, such as USB modems are horrendous in 2021. Being able to lock onto bands is a very advanced feature. You may be better with a rooted Qualcomm powered phone, tethered via USB, if you want to override what the network operators are designing.

MikroTik wAP ac LTE6 kit.

The unit itself can go outside, but if you still want external antennas then you can buy the pigtails and install the connectors yourself:

https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/UM/wAP+ac+kit...

You can bridge the LTE connection straight through to a physical interface or a VLAN to maintain management access to the device

https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Interface/LTE#...

In reply to a post by jpm:

MikroTik wAP ac LTE6 kit.

Category 6 LTE ?? Circa 2014 era technology.
When a £300 OnePlus Nord will give you Category 18 LTE and even 5G compatibility.

The modem market is seriously lacking.

I'm sorry but I can't add to the others comments around the 4G requirements.

No router/wife needed.

But I might be able to put you in touch with a divorce lawyer for the second part of your requirement

I thought he hadn't got SatNav, and needed a map-reader. (Also see his nick).

Edited by pluralist (Thu 17-Jun-21 11:42:33)

What about a Netgear LB2120 ? - not the latest technology & not sure if it can lock to specific bands.

Does the OnePlus Nord come with a honking big antenna to get a signal when in a remote location? Can it be powered over the ethernet cable and will it survive being outside 365 days a year?

Nope thought not. If you need a MikroTik LTE6 Kit then Cat18 and 5G are highly likely to be utterly useless to you anyway.

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

Nope thought not. If you need a MikroTik LTE6 Kit then Cat18 and 5G are highly likely to be utterly useless to you anyway.

Forget 5G, but being able to connect to multiple frequencies at once (5x CA) can be useful in rural locations when reception changes with weather and moisture in greenery etc.

People seem to assume LTE is UMTS, and does not change. If everyone in a rural area using LTE moved from Cat 6 to Cat 18 capable devices they would ALL see an improvement in speed. Without any transmitter work. Qualcomm has demonstrated this.

I think it is an assumption that the OP is rural, when we have no information. They may just want fast reliable speeds in a city where the fixed line broadband is long line FTTC or ADSL.

I find it depressing that the likes of MikroTik have not upgraded their products with newer chips, the antennas will be identical as the freqs were defined years ago. Qualcomm, HiSilicon and MediaTek don't make Cat 6 only LTE chips any longer. So what are they using?? Anyone taken the cover off?

The OP asks for band locking which is an advanced function that is easy with a Qualcomm powered Android using software such as NSG. The OnePlus devices are easily rooted to enable access to the Qualcomm modem for such functions.

I doubt you can run Qualcomm QPST against a MikroTik ?

Pluralist has shown the difference between a Cat 6 and Cat 18 device in his .sig
And the OP has not replied.

Edited by jchamier (Thu 17-Jun-21 20:26:47)

I agree it's bad that higher end routers (e.g. ones that have mounting options, PoE, bridging modes etc.) are limited to pretty basic LTE modems...but what can you do about it? It is what it is unfortunately. Even Cisco's new ISR routers only have CAT6 as an installed option, CAT18 is a pluggable module option and it's nearly a grand.