Router switch?
Router switch?
I own a Huawei B535 4G router that came with a special package when I changed my internet service. From what I’ve experienced with Huawei devices, they don’t always perform well. A friend who uses the same provider but got a router from a local shop for about $80 reported faster speeds than mine (paying for the same rate). I can see his router from my location, roughly 10 meters away. While I doubt that distance alone causes a 10-20 Mbps difference, it’s possible. That’s why I’m wondering: would it be worthwhile spending around $100 (or less) on a TP-Link AX10 instead? Please note, I haven’t had any hardware problems with my router—even when using a brand-new exact copy, I got the same speeds.
Having internet access tied to a cellular network won’t stay steady unless you’re extremely close to a cell tower. Understand that this CPE must link to a nearby tower that’s vying with other 4G/LTE devices. While using a 4G/LTE CPE in a university apartment, speeds never remained stable. Performance dropped more when relocating the device inside the building; I ended up positioning it near a balcony screen for better results. The situation was similar in an apartment where many peers used comparable CPEs. Are you checking speeds over Wi-Fi or directly connected to the CPE? If using Wi-Fi, compare results with a wired connection. Also, perform a wireless survey via WiFi Analyzer (available in the Microsoft Store) and capture screenshots of the ‘Analyze’ page for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Begin testing first. In theory, offloading tasks from a combo unit can free up CPU and memory, allowing it to handle specific jobs more efficiently, which should enhance performance.
You receive varying speeds depending on your phone's WiFi settings on the 5GHz network/SSID. Avoid using cellular data during testing. Consider turning off the wireless radios on the CPE and restarting the device to see improved results. Check if the CPE shows a 4G/LTE signal strength indicator.
Using my 5GHz Wi-Fi connection on my phone shows only a slight drop compared to my computer tests over Ethernet. (About 5-10mbps slower). My results don’t improve when disabling all wireless connections. It’s unclear if this matches what you’re seeking, but this seems like the most likely explanation based on your experience and the speeds you’ve seen elsewhere.
In short, the built-in modem from your ISP doesn’t perform well for radio connections. You should consider purchasing a better router instead. If you decide to go with a router, connect it via Ethernet to the modem and turn off its radio feature to avoid interference with the router’s Wi-Fi signal.
You can purchase the router you're interested in. To achieve the highest speed, connect it to your ISP's router or modem using an Ethernet cable.