Slow 5G speeds with NR5101

SELBERG

If n78 is a standalone, just change to  NR5G-SA and check, don't disable any band.

John_t

SELBERG said:

If n78 is a standalone, just change to  NR5G-SA and check, don't disable any band.

My worry with selecting NR5G as the preferred access technology is that it will lose connectivity if for whatever reason it cannot connect to 5G as I suspect it is only connecting to the 4G bands. I'll wait until I'm near the 5101 again before I try this otherwise I think I'm going to have to send it back and purchase a different 5G router like the D-Link DWR-2101

SELBERG

@John_t Don't forget to unconnect ethernetcable from modem while doing speedtest @ wifi.... 

tonygibbs16

Hi all,

Vodafone said that their 5G network in the UK was being 5G standalone from July 2022, see https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/smart-living/everything-you-need-to-know-about/5g-everything-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=So%20including%20the%20UK%2C%20we,or%20in%20its%20Core%20network.
      - from 2019 until 2022, Vodafone 5G in the UK had been Non Standalone Access (NR-NSA).

So if you want just Vodafone 5G network only, then I think that you have to select NR5G.
    - but if you want the best of 4G and of 5G including NR-NSA then I think auto is it.

Zyxel even recommend Auto and Auto for access technology and band selection, see https://support.zyxel.eu/hc/en-us/articles/4404106191890-NR-5G-Series-Troubleshooting#h_01GKVJQBWM5WKG0VPTYA2D56RJ

Happy New Year.

Kind regards,
     Tony

SELBERG

But i think it is better just add n78 in band technology and check speed.....

John_t

I tried selecting NR5G at the preferred access technology and the NR5101 went offline (flashing red light):

have put back to auto and enabled band auto selection and suddenly much better speeds 250mb (although still not 500mb). This is the signal info now:

NR-NSA Information

MCC

234

MNC

15

Physical Cell ID

N/A

RFCN

628032

Band

n78

RSRP

-65

RSRQ

-12

SINR

34

Service Information

Access Technology

5G NR-NSA EN-DC

Band

LTE_BC8

RSSI

-34

Cell ID

4208140

Physical Cell ID

365

UL Bandwidth (MHz)

10

DL Bandwidth (MHz)

10

RFCN

3624

RSRP

-65

RSRQ

-14

RSCP

N/A

EcNo

N/A

TAC

24723

LAC

N/A

RAC

N/A

BSIC

N/A

SINR

6

CQI

13

MCS

17

RI

3

PMI

32

PSC

N/A

SCC Information

# 1

Physical Cell ID

233

RFCN

2850

Band

LTE_BC7

RSSI

-57

RSRP

-78

RSRQ

-9

SINR

8

# 2

Physical Cell ID

393

RFCN

323

Band

LTE_BC1

RSSI

-48

RSRP

-70

RSRQ

-11

SINR

8

I'm worried when the router next restarts it'll go back to the 4G / 70mb speeds again so will keep a close eye on it before I return it.

SELBERG

Maybe you need to buy a poynting x-pol 2 outdoor antenna.

The NR5101's external antenna and device ability support 3300-4200 MHz.

So you might get higher speed with that.

John_t

SELBERG said:

Maybe you need to buy a poynting x-pol 2 outdoor antenna.

The NR5101's external antenna and device ability support 3300-4200 MHz.

So you might get higher speed with that.

Just seems crazy that I need to use an external antenna when I'm only 30 metres away in clear plain sight from the mast.

I have a couple of spare Cisco 4G/3G Omnidirectional Dipole Antennas (4G-LTE-ANTM-D) would that also receive a 5G signal or no? Full spec: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/wireless/hardware/notes/4G3G_ant.html
I'd need to use some SMA to TS9 adapters

SELBERG

No @John_t because they don`t support 3300-4200 MHz.

Operating frequency ranges

•698-806 MHz •824-894 MHz •925-960 MHz •1710-1885 MHz •1920-1980 MHz •2110-2170 MHz •2500-2690 MHz

John_t

I used the Zyxel Air app and repositioned the NR5101 to a different window and now getting better speeds:

NR-NSA Information
MCC
234
MNC
15
Physical Cell ID
N/A
RFCN
628032
Band
n78
RSRP
-55
RSRQ
-11
SINR
37