4G Broadband?
4G Broadband?
Hey everyone! I’m a bit confused about where to fit this topic, sorry if it doesn’t fit the usual networking spot. I’m from a rural area and have always faced slow internet. My speed test showed only 1.5mbps down and 0.7mbps up—definitely not great. I’ve started exploring 4G broadband options, specifically a Huawei HomeFi B311 plan in the UK with unlimited data for either 12 or 24 months. I’m also considering an external antenna to boost signal strength and speed. Do you know anyone who uses this setup? Have you tried it before or found a better solution? Looking forward to your thoughts! Thanks!
I rely on 4g for my home connection, it works just fine. Don't assume a constant 100mbit speed; most connections deliver 20-30mbit, which remains sufficient for reasonable performance. Latency is acceptable for gaming. I've learned that some users link their Huawei 4g routers to the main antennas and achieve consistently high speeds—around 90mbit. That said, the built-in router on phones tends to be less powerful than dedicated antenna setups. So rather than aiming for 150mbit, you'd typically get around 50.
If you're using an LTE device, the connection speed you experience is largely determined by your modem's capabilities (tested with a single link). I used a Huawei B315, which is similar to the B311 but includes four built-in Ethernet ports. My speeds were roughly 80-100Mbps with about 25-30ms latency, which worked well for gaming. This setup was fine until I upgraded to fiber, offering significantly faster performance than the VDSL2 available at my location.
Many users experience varying performance, from excellent to poor. Results depend on local cell tower traffic and available capacity. Generally, speed should be significantly higher than current connections, though likely not exceeding 50Mbit. The typical range for 4G providers is around 20-30Mbit, as they cover both strong and weak spots in data usage. O2 performs well in my area but comes with high costs due to limited free packages. Three offers a free 200MB/month SIM trial, though you'll need an extra device like a phone or router to access it.