NR5101 - much Problems

Antennenfreak

Hello,
I have bought the Zyxel NR5101 because it is the only 5G device at the German market with antenna connectors. But I am not happy with this device. I planned to use it at home with Vodafone 5G network (700 MHz). But the router seems not able to find the 5G network. Also it seems that it is not able to seek for 5G (or 4G) networks. And fully unhappy it is that there is no manual for the router in the download area and not in the delivery box. If I set the network to "NR5G" (What is NR5G ?) the router find nothing. If I set it back to auto he also find nothing - no 4G network, no 5G network. What it is for an alpha version ? I paid 600 Euro for an 5G device that can`t use 5G ? And for what is the int/ext switch at the back of the device ?
It would be nice to get help for that device.

tonygibbs16

Hello @Antennenfreak

Zyxel Support Campus have just posted 4 days ago an initial setup video for the NR5101 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-VKIXlUves

The user guide is available from this page https://support.zyxel.eu/hc/en-us/articles/4403365084818-Advanced-Downloads-for-5G-devices if you select NR5101 in the model selector.

I hope that this is helpful.

Kind regards,
    Tony

tonygibbs16

Antennenfreak said:

Hello,
I have bought the Zyxel NR5101 because it is the only 5G device at the German market with antenna connectors. But I am not happy with this device. I planned to use it at home with Vodafone 5G network (700 MHz). But the router seems not able to find the 5G network. Also it seems that it is not able to seek for 5G (or 4G) networks. And fully unhappy it is that there is no manual for the router in the download area and not in the delivery box. If I set the network to "NR5G" (What is NR5G ?) the router find nothing. If I set it back to auto he also find nothing - no 4G network, no 5G network. What it is for an alpha version ? I paid 600 Euro for an 5G device that can`t use 5G ? And for what is the int/ext switch at the back of the device ?
It would be nice to get help for that device.

Hello @Antennenfreak

The int/ext switch switches between the Internal and External antennas for cellular reception.

The connectors for Ant1 and Ant2 are half way down the back of the device, behind a panel I think, see https://www.zyxel.com/uk/en/products_services/5G-NR-Indoor-Router-NR5101/photos and are SMA connectors, see Hardware Specifications at https://www.zyxel.com/uk/en/products_services/5G-NR-Indoor-Router-NR5101/specifications

If you have external antennas connected to Ant1 or Ant2 or both, then you need to move the switch to Ext position in order to use the external antennas to improve your cellular reception.

Kind regards,
    Tony

Antennenfreak

I have installed the newest firmware and newest modem firmware. Now I have SOMETIMES 5Gbut not every time at the same position where the Huawei CPE 5G Pro2 has 5G every time. The firmware is buggy, in the manual I see the possibility to switch between internal and external antenna but that is not in the firmware. 5G I had only after I canceled Band20 at LTE. The switch at the Router between internal and external antenna seems to be no function. The RSRP is the same, also when I have no antenna at the router. When I switch to NR5G only I have no network, 5G I gave only in automatic mode. 
It seems to be an alpha version of a device. It is definitely not the best device of Zyxel. 

Bob_C

Hi @Antennenfreak, 

NR5G mode is for the 5G SA mode. 
I suppose that Vodafone's 5G network is in NSA mode, so you have to use automatic mode. 

Regards, 

Bob

OWB

Hi,

It’s not my meaning to ”hi-jack” from thread starter, only sharing similar experiences with my NR5101.

I’m using it for travel, most of the time located in Denmark, using the Danish provider TDC, which have great 5G covering and the NR5101 is performing very well and satisfying.

I have been traveling in Austria (Tyrol), using the same TDC SIM in the NR5101 which of course then roaming, however can’t remember provider. The experience was very well, 5G covering and great performance.

But my experience using it in Germany is quite disappointing. I have been at different locations, and the experience is pretty much the same. Very poor performance, or no connection at all. Right now, I’m located in Niedersachsen, and I can’t get any connection with the NR5101. However, the “Cellular connection status” states that I’m connected, roaming on Telekom.de. But there is absolutely no internet connection.

Besides the NR5101 I’m bringing a little Huawei 4G “pocket modem” equipped with similar TDC SIM. What surprises me is, that it’s providing decent 4G internet connection, even the NR5101 is not. I notice that the Huawei is roaming on Vodafone.de, which make me wonder, if that would be of any better result for the NR5101 to use. But I have not succeeded to find out, how to force the NR5101 to use Vodafone.de instead of Telekom.de. I have tried from Network setting->Broadband->Cellular PLMN, disabling PLMN Auto Selection, and then trying to chose Vodafone.de from the list. But it seems that it’s somehow not working, it’s not changing.

Not saying it’s all about the NR5101, I’m not mobile broadband specialist at all, but I’m a bit incomprehensible to, that it’s not at least doing it as well as my 65 EUR Huawei 4G “pocket modem”

Any suggestion on how to get better result?

Best regards Ole

MCal27

I must agree. I bought the NR5101 a couple of months ago as we recently got 5g coverage here in the uk. I realise that most of the issues will be with our providers here in the uk, but I had to switch back to my Draytek 4g router which provides substantially better performance and a much better UI. The zyxel feels amateurish by comparison. Weirdly if I test 5g with my Motorola 5g phone it provides fantastic speed, the Zyxel even with a good quality external antenna in the same location is way slower. Plus the firmware updates are virtually impossible to find! I had to dig around obscure zyxel tech sites to find the 3rd update and I can't find a 4th revision of the firmware anywhere even though I've seen it mentioned.  Al

SELBERG

Did you use same simcard in all units you compared with, also in your phone?
Telia simcard for data in Sweden for example is not open for 5G just 4G.

You need to let it stay at auto instead of 5g, as the 5g settings is only the sa mode, and auto is "nsa"
and select the fastest 4g and 5g bands manually from your isp so you wont connect to the low speed bands. The lower bands maybe have better signal......

Zorrobazz

Upgraded mine here tonite in NOrWAY and i jumped up from orange led lamp 4G to Blue 5G led lamp after upgrading the firmware to the latest one NR5101

Firmware Version

V1.00(ABVC.6)C0

i use ICE.no micro simcard they use telia.se i think instead of the telenor.no

Even my phone on Telenor network cant get 5G here (lol i left Telenor for ice.no) on the second of january.

Hope it last like this beacuse i went from 20Mb to 125Mb speed :-)


https://support.zyxel.eu/hc/en-us/articles/4403365084818-5G-Devices-Advanced-Downloads-Firmwares-and-other-resources-

Noddy

Hi all,

It is worth noting that the NR5101 will not use the EXT antenna for 4G connectivity.  It still relies upon the internal antenna.  If like most locations you do not have full fat super amazing stand alone 5G (5G-SA) and instead, like most, use the "fake" 5G-NSA then you will still rely upon 4G connectivity behind the scenes.  And if you already have a weak 4G signal then you will struggle.  The EXT antenna will only utilise the higher freq. range.

The ability to move between INT and EXT antenna is not in the GUI.  It is done via the physical switch on the rear.

All of the above is the reason that I actually just keep my NR5101 solely in 4G mode as a secondary device.  I use it as a failover from my main NR7101.

So @Antennenfreak as mentioned, do not set "NR5G" as this is pure 5G stand alone only.  And it sounds like where you are does not have this. Leave it on "Auto".  Now if it still isn't finding 5G (non-stand alone) or 4G then that is a placement issue.  What does the signal info show?  I would recommend installing the Zyxel Air App on your phone and connecting to the WiFi on the NR5101 and then move the Router around to watch the signal information on your phone.  As you move around, find a good spot.  Remember to take your time, don't rush, as it has to take time to check / refresh the information. 

It is also important to watch as well as the signal strength what connection it is using.  You may get full strength but be on 4G whereas less strength but on 4G+ will yield better results and of course, 5G better again.  As an example, I get full strength on 4G in some spots (green light on the front) but choose a different spot where I get 4G+ (with an amber light on the front). 

It isn't an alpha version - you just need to understand a bit more how it works.   I've had a few 5G Routers now.  TCL Link Hub, Oppo Omni, Huawei, etc.  The Zyxel is by far the most informative and has the better interfaces to use.  You can find out a lot of detailed information.  Some devices I've tried are so locked down and restricted you can't do anything (or find out anything).

Firmwares can be found in the link above.

Hope this helps.