In reply to a post by RobertoS:

If you have an Android 4G phone and put the or a Three SIM in it, the App LTE Discovery will point at the mast it connects to, and lots of info about the signal. It's possible of course at different parts of the house it would choose a different mast if things are as bad as you say.

I expect Apple have a similar app.

Indeed they do.
Open Signal has a locator along with coverage maps and a speed tester
Just follow the white arrow on the "find signal" tab

The App tells me that my Local Cell id is 10372305 and the Location Area Code is 1118 - located west of my current location.

In reply to a post by warweezil:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

If you have an Android 4G phone and put the or a Three SIM in it, the App LTE Discovery will point at the mast it connects to, and lots of info about the signal. It's possible of course at different parts of the house it would choose a different mast if things are as bad as you say.

I expect Apple have a similar app.

Indeed they do.
Open Signal has a locator along with coverage maps and a speed tester
Just follow the white arrow on the "find signal" tab

The App tells me that my Local Cell id is 10372305 and the Location Area Code is 1118 - located west of my current location.

The Open Signal app on iPhone does not know which mast you are connected to. It is just showing you the closest tower it knows about. It is not doing the same thing that LTE Discovery does.

If you want to know which mast you are connected to you need to use the builtin field test mode.

http://osxdaily.com/2018/05/02/use-field-test-mode-i...

The data in Open Signal, around me at least, isn't good either.

It shows masts where I know there are no masts. And the mast I know I'm connected to doesn't have the right info for cell id etc that my SXT shows when connected.

Post deleted by jchamier

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

the App LTE Discovery will point at the mast it connects to

Even outdoors on a Google Pixel or Moto E handset, the arrow is ALWAYS pointing in the wrong direction. I know, because I can physically see the two EE network cell sites near me. (one is right next door), and Cellmapper gets it right. I'm not sure you can trust LTE Discovery.

Cellmapper is a much better app. Sadly Android only (also Windows Phone I think).

Apple's security doesn't let apps talk to the hardware. The hidden Field Test mode is the only way. (Many Android phones have similar service modes, including Samsungs).

For those with rooted Android phones using Qualcomm cellular modems, look at Network Signal Guru for more technical detail about 2G/3G/4G than you'd ever want!

Edited by jchamier (Fri 30-Aug-19 16:58:54)

I find opensignal wrong in many instances too. Overall though it's probably 80 to 90% good.

can anyone confirm if there is an option within the HomeFi (B311) to check connection speed?

most other routers i have had show this but this is my first mobile broadband router...

also i tried many of those apps and they didn't really help me locate a better position for signal and speed.... reading information from downdector it seems three had had issues for 2 months and its caused by the 5g? if this is true i will cancel my contract as im still in the 14 days cool down

There's no such thing as "connection speed" on mobile broadband as in synch speed that you have on landline broadband.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

There's no such thing as "connection speed" on mobile broadband as in synch speed that you have on landline broadband.

Technically with LTE your best equivalent is the number of channels and the width of each channel, and the capability of your user equipment (ie, modem, usb stick, phone etc).

Devices that support upto 150 Mbps generally support 1 channel at a time.
Devices that support upto 300 Mbps generally support 2 channels at a time.
Devices that support upto 450 or faster support 3 channels at a time.

In many areas Three has multiple channels transmitting:
1 x 5 Mhz Band 20
1 x 15 Mhz Band 3

So with a 300Mbps of faster device with 2 channels and "channel aggregation" working, then 20mhz of LTE could be being received. This gives a theoretical maximum.

However mobile broadband is similar to US cable networks, where you share with everyone else connected to the same cell. This is why you want THE best receiver, with the most number of channels aggregated to give you the best capabilities.

Some android phones will show you what is being received in your area. The Cellmapper website often reveals the information from people whom have rooted their Android phones.

Edited by jchamier (Sat 31-Aug-19 18:20:45)

That too .