Month: November 2013

HUAWEI E5372 4G Mobile WiFi Hotspot Test

Since we get the Huawei E5372 recently, we have another 4G mobile router in the test now. The Huawei E5372 is the little brother of the successful Huawei E5776 4G Mobile WiFi, and offers some improvements technically compared to other models tested before. The improvements includes, for example, supporting Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz range and a repeater function. The Huawei E5372 modem is already known by many operators: it offers 2G GSM, 3G UMTS and 4G LTE (Category 4 of up to 150 megabits per second for download). Huawei E5372 is a quite cheap LTE Category 4 Hotspot, even cheaper than the Vodafone branding model (the name is Vodafone R215). Now you can get the HUAWEI E5372 on 4gltemall.com .


The Huawei E5372 4G Router comes in a small cardboard box, which itself contains a micro USB cable and a quick guide next to the device. The E5372 can get power supply directly from the USB cable when connecting it with PC, or use a power adapter to charge power. However, the capacity of 1780 mAh battery is really disappointing when most of the 4G mobile hotspots are using battery of more than 3000mAh currently.

 

 

The first impression of Huawei E5372 is good. The optional white or black plastic is dull and does not attract fingerprints, the weight is 130 grams and the dimensions are quite pleasant with a 99 mm x 62 mm x 14 mm, which is very compact for an LTE-capable device. On the front, a small OLED display is placed, which displays all the important information and also allows certain settings in combination with the power button and the side menu button.

Manufacturer: Huawei
Model Name E5372 (E5372s-32)
Technologies LTE (4G) UMTS (3G) GSM (2G)
Frequencies * 4G LTE: 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz* 3G UMTS: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz

* 2G GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz
Maximum speeds * LTE: 150 Mbit/s down, 50Mbit/s up* UMTS: 42.2 Mbit/s down, 5.76 Mb/s up (when using DC-HSPA+)

* GSM: 384 kbit/s (when using EDGE )
Wireless * 802.11b/g/n up to 300 Mbit/s* 2 × 2 MIMO

* both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz repeater mode
Chip & Software * Chipset: HiSilicon V7R1 with Balong710 modem* firmware version: 21.221.19.00.00

* Software Version: 13.100.06.00.03
Other Features * MicroSD slot up to 32 GB* 2x External antenna connector( type TS-9 )

* display 128 × 128 pixels

* Removable Battery 1780mAh

 

Also on the side, there are two antenna connectors of type TS-9, so the Huawei E5372 is the first LTE Category 4 mobile Wi-Fi router with external antennas to be fully compatible 2 x 2 MIMO data transmission. Also a MicroSD slot for memory cards of up to 32GB is installed at the side of SIM card slot. Unlike HUAWEI E5776, the battery of HUAWEI E5372 is removable, user need to insert SIM card and cover the battery, then the device is working. Someone may ask where to buy HUAWEI E5372 Antenna, actually, we have already 4G LTE antenna (TS-9) from HUAWEI available on 4gltemall.com .

 

Huawei AF23 Surf stick Dock/Router Test

After a long time, HUAWEI offered a new router again– the AF23, which can help a number of users to surf the Internet with Huawei 3G & 4G surf sticks via LAN or WLAN. Huawei AF23 has no built-in modem, so it must operate with a USB surf stick. We must pay attention to the highest possible speed of the HUAWEI AF23: the amazingly small router provides speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s over Wi-Fi and it’s also suitable for excellent Huawei E3276 LTE sticks.

Included a USB cable and a power adaptor, Huawei AF23 is not expensive as a wireless router. Huawei AF23 is not integrated with a battery which keeps the price low, but the HUAWEI AF23 can’t work as mobile 4G router like HUAWEI E5776. So it’s better to use the HUAWEI AF23 as a stationary router. The English Short Guide describes the basic features, no further information is provided.

 

 

 

Huawei AF23 supports two modes of operation:

 

  1. Work as pure access point with the DSL or cable connection via WAN port on the back
  2. Operation with USB surf sticks to access the wireless Internet

 

Normally, it’s easy to let HUAWEI AF23 working as 4G wireless router if you have a 4G Surfstick: simply plug a Huawei surf stick into the router, wait a few seconds and then you can connect via LAN or WLAN to the internet. The APN will be entered only in rare cases, most SIM card and network provider are detected automatically. If some adjustments are necessary, user can enter the web UI (192.168.8.1) in the browser and change the parameter accordingly.

Like other routers, Huawei AF23 LTE Sharing dock also shows the important information such as the data consumption and reception strength about the mobile Internet. But the exact radio technology (only 2G, 3G or 4G) cannot be seen through this router. Nevertheless, the usual settings about the encryption can be made, and also an FTP server can be configured when using a memory card to the USB port instead of a surf stick.

 

The speeds of Huawei AF23 are amazing and convincing in every respect. This is evident for connecting to the internet: after 20-25 seconds, the router is connected to the Internet. Wherever many networks are available, HUAWEI AF23 will always choose the fastest network.  In the test with Huawei E3276, the Vodafone LTE network was connected in almost 20 seconds. At the same time, we test with the Huawei E3331, which takes only took a little longer to connect to the Telekom UMTS network. The integrated Wi-Fi module, unfortunately only works in the 2.4 GHz band and abandoned the use of the 5 GHz range. For the use of LTE Category 3, the almost perfect downlink speed could reach up to 90 Mbit/s in my test under Deutsche Telekom LTE network. But when working with AF23, the speed could up to 300Mbps via WiFi.

 

 

The range of the wireless network from HUAWEI AF23 could cover around 50meters, which is suitable for a small house or a bigger apartment with thick walls. LEDs on the AF23 dock router indicate the current operating status, so users can have a quick glance whether the device is connected to the Internet and working normally.

All in all, Huawei AF23 is a good WiFi router. The unit does exactly what it should do: to provide the Internet connection with a USB surfstick to support multiple devices quickly and easily surf. There are no compatibility issues there: all Huawei surf sticks manufactured since middle of 2009 are supported, future models can easily be added via firmware update.

Huawei E3531 New 3G Hilink USB Stick Available

On September 8th, 2013, A Surf Stick from HUAWEI comes to our eyes with white color. The model number is HUAWEI E3531. As a global leading provider of information and communication equipments, HUAWEI has release various 3G wireless USB stick with better and better technology and performance. Huawei E3531 is another model ease of use through plug and play, and supports mobile Internet with HSPA+ speed up to 21mbps.

Connects in few seconds without setup

 

If you have a wireless USB Stick, it’s better to quickly and easily connect with a desktop, laptop or Ultrabook and surf the Internet in high speed. The powerful HUAWEI E3531 is exactly this kind of USB Stick. Without driver installation, the HiLink technology in HUAWEI E3531 ensures an Internet connection in less than 15 seconds. The surf stick is simply plugged into the USB port of your notebook or PC and go. The small weight of only 30 grams and 84 x 27 x 10.5 mm size offers surfing fun for Windows ® XP, Windows ® Vista, Windows ® 7 and Windows ® 8; For the connection, HUAWEI E3531 could work on 3G (UMTS ) with HSPA+ up to 21 Mbit/s and 2G ( GSM, GPRS and EDGE). The 3G Supported UMTS frequency bands are 900 and 2100 MHz and 1900/1800/900/850 MHz for 2G. The multi-colored LED display shows the current status of the reliable connection.

“The Huawei E3531 is a surf stick that is ready for use through plug and play in a few seconds. We offer our customers a product available that can go on the road with the fast, reliable and easily online, “says Lars-Christian Weisswange, executive vice president of the Consumer Business Group at Huawei Technologies. As the partner model of HUAWEI E3531, the HUAWEI E3131 is one of the best sellers for 3G HSPA+ 21Mbps USB Stick.

 

However, this is not the end, here now we also get the unlocked Hilink USB Stick for DC-HSPA+ 42Mbps: HUAWEI E3251. It’s the fastest 3G USB Stick now with the best design. If you want to high speed and better surfing experience, HUAWEI E3251 would be considerable. Anyhow, HUAWEI USB Sticks are a series of reliable Surf stick on the go.

Vodafone R215 4G Mobile WiFi Hotspot Review

Vodafone R215 LTE Mobile Wi-Fi Router is the successor to the Vodafone R210 router. The device is manufactured by Huawei and again technically similar to the Huawei E5372 4G LTE Category 4 Mobile Hotspot, where Vodafone has naturally customized not only the exterior but also the firmware. Vodafone R215 Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is a new LTE Category 4 Mobile Router, which allows data rates of up to 150 megabits per second for downstream and up to 50 Mbit/s for upstream. All three LTE Frequency bands used in Germany (800, 1800 and 2600 MHz) are supported.

 

Replaceable battery and memory card
Just like almost of the LTE surf sticks, the R215 mobile Wi-Fi router can be common to insert a microSD memory card. The data stored on it could be shared to all devices that are connected to the hotspot R215 under request. Compared to other Vodafone LTE hotspot, Vodafone R215 has a special feature; it is the removable battery that can be replaced quickly. The R210’s battery can’t be removed or replaced. Unfortunately, the capacity of 1780 mAh is not very high, which can keep continuously operating up to 6 hours.

 

Technically speaking, a modem chipset of Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon is included in the Vodafone R215, which not only supports LTE with up to 150 Mbit/s, but also works on DC-HSPA+ network in the UMTS, and the EDGE/GSM network are backward. If the Vodafone R215 is working in areas with poor reception, user can be strengthen the signal through two external 4G antennas; through the two ports, the R215 Hotspot will even support MIMO in LTE network.

 

The Vodafone R215 LTE hotspot router will come soon in Germany on the market; the prices are not yet known. But if you like HUAWEI brand, it would be better to take HUAWEI E5372, the E5372 is SIM unlocked and would support most of 4G networks and 4G operators in Europe and Asia. Here now, the HUAWEI E5372 is available on www.4gltemall.com . If you can’t wait to enjoy the 4G 150Mbps, HUAWEI E5372 is a one of the great hotspot for you.

 

 

How to Unlock Netgear Aircard 340u

If you have a locked Netgear Aircard 340U, when your plug other carriers’ SIM card, the Aircard Watcher will show the error message “incorrect SIM”. So if you want to use with other carriers’ SIM card, you’d better to unlock it. But most of users don’t know how to unlock it. Below are the two methods to unlock the Aircard 340U. One is free but the order is not free.

 

Method 1: – Not free

  1. Download the DC-unlocker from here: https://www.dc-unlocker.com/downloads/get/FwREimE3 and install it on your PC
  2. Plug the locked Aircard 340U to your PC and run the Dc-unlocker to detect it
  3. Create an account in the DC-unlocker and unlock it

 

However, the unlock service is not free, and user need buy credits to unlock the Aircard 340u. This is the fastest way to unlock Aircard 340U. But if you don’t want to pay for the unlock service. You can follow below the method to unlock it.

 

 

Method 2: — Free

 

1. Plug your Aircard 340u to your PC and install the Aircard Watcher.

2. Contact your service provider and request the MEP code (8 digit number) for the AirCard. Only the provider that the device is locked to can provide the MEP code. Insert a SIM card from a different service provider, plug in your AirCard and open AirCard Watcher. The MEP Locked dialog box will open.

3. Enter the MEP code (8 digit number) into the text box and click Send.

4. The message ‘Pin verified’ will be displayed on the Watcher status section if the correct MEP has been sent.  Please note the SIM will become permanently locked if more than 5 incorrect attempts are sent.

5. Once the PIN has been verified, the new SIM will be detected and your Aircard 340u will be able to connect to the carrier network.

 

 

Difference Between HUAWEI E5776 and E5372

With the 4G LTE network development, more and more 4G LTE Category 4 devices are available. HUAWEI is always leading the mainstream of LTE trend. And more and more Huawei wireless devices are available. Today, we will have a look at the Huawei E5776 and Huawei E5372 4G mobile WiFi hotspot, the two very powerful mobile and wireless routers. They are both available on the 4gltemall.com now.

You may wonder where the exact advantages and disadvantages of each device are, you will see the details in following article. A common feature is the integrated cellular modem: both the HUAWEI E5776 and the HUAWEI E5372 is based on HiSilicon Hi6920 chipset which is for the LTE Category 4 with up to 150 MBit/s download speed. In addition, the modem is backward compatible with UMTS DC-HSPA+ technology and including GSM/EDGE.

 

Differences 

As we can see, the Huawei E5776 is in black color and made of plastic, but in China, the model HUAWEI E5776 is in white; and you can also see the Huawei E5372 is either black or white appearance, and with removable battery. This has some advantages, but the capacity of the E5372 battery is only 1780 mAh, which seems too much lower compared to 3000 mAh of HUAWEI E5776. This becomes apparent in the operating time: Huawei E5776 provides up to 10 hours of wireless Internet access, about 4 hours more than the E5372.

As the table shows, there is another difference: the Huawei E5372 wireless module transmits as desired in either the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz range. Especially for large events with dozens of Wi-Fi networks so you have an advantage with the E5372, because the terminals of course also support the 5 GHz band. Furthermore, a repeater mode has been integrated in the E5372, so you can also use a different wireless network for Internet access when needed. Both devices have a limitation of connecting up to 10 WiFi users, in addition, an eleventh device can access the Internet with the MiFi router via USB cable.

Model Huawei E5776 Huawei E5372
LTE Network Category 4, 150 Mbit/s for Dowload and 50 Mbit/s for Upload.Frequency: 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz
UMTS DC-HSPA+ up to 42.2 Mbit/s for Download und 5.76 Mbit/s for Upload.Frequency: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
GSM/ EDGE Frequency: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WLAN 802.11 b/g/n, 2×2 MIMO, up to 300 Mbit/s (2,4 GHz) 802.11 a/b/g/n, 2X2 MIMO, up to 300 Mbit/s (2,4 or 5 GHz), Repeater model available
Battery Inserted battery, 3000 mAh, working for  10 hours Removable battery, 1780 mAh, up to 6 hours working time
Interfaces Micro USB, Micro SD, 1 external Antenna( TS-9 connector) Micro USB, Micro SD, 2 external Antenna (TS-9 connector)
Dimensions and weight 107 x 66 x 16 mm, 160 g 99 x 62 x 14 mm, 130 g
Release In Quarter 4. 2012 In Quarter 4. 2013

 

 

For users who usually use their mobile LTE router in stationary, an external antenna can be useful. Here is important to note that only the Huawei E5372 has the necessary connections for the two MIMO technologies. The Huawei E5776 only has one TS-9 connector and is suitable only for UMTS antennas.

Conclusion

You decide which device ultimately, is a matter of taste. The Huawei E5776 has the advantage of significantly more powerful battery while the Huawei E5372 is technically more powerful in data transmission. At the main component, i.e. the modem, but both devices are absolutely equivalent and well equipped for the future.

More detailed information on the two devices you can get in the next article about test for the Huawei E5776 and Huawei E5372. Good to know: the Huawei E5776 mini is also available as a telecom Speedbox LTE, it costs a little less, but also slightly different frequency bands. Also the Huawei E5372 is cheaper available under a different name: Vodafone sold the unit from the 4th Quarter of 2013 under the name of R215 in its stores, also the frequency bands differ marginally from the original device.

Vodafone R212-Z LTE MiFi Router Review

Vodafone has unveiled the R212-Z 4G LTE router recently. The device is a small, portable wireless router (MiFi) with an integrated battery. As you can see the “Z” in the name, the Vodafone R212-Z is manufactured by the manufacturer ZTE and is the counterpart to the Vodafone R210 MiFi router, which is manufactured by Huawei and had been sold for many months. Both devices are very similar technically, however, there are still some differences between them.

 

LTE Category 3 and DC-HSPA+
On the technical side, Vodafone R212 router provides a modem chipset from Qualcomm, which is LTE category 3 supporting up to 100 megabits per second downstream. For upload, up to 50 Mbit/s data transfer speed is possible under LTE networks. In the UMTS mode, the data accelerator DC-HSPA+ is used, which could reach up to 42.2 Mbit/s downstream and 5.76 Mbit/s upstream.

 

The integrated wireless module operates on the 802.11b/g/n and allows up to 10 wireless devices to access the mobile Internet. The configuration is done via the web interface as usual; alternatively, the Vodafone Mobile WiFi app or the display can be used. On the display, the most important information such as battery level, network strength, data volume and the number of connected WLAN devices are displayed.

 

Strong battery and connectors for external antenna
The integrated 2800 mAh battery should allow 8 to 10 hours of run time, which is comparable with other LTE mobile hotspots such as the Huawei E589 or telecom Speedbox LTE mini (HUAWEI E5776). A special feature of the two connectors for external antennas can be connected to LTE MIMO antennas. In most other mobile routers, only one antenna connector is available, so that no MIMO function is guaranteed. Charging via microUSB, the port is on the side of the Vodafone R212. Also located in the device now, there is MicroSD slot in the Vodafone R212, which allows you to make data available on the network.

 

HUAWEI Will Invest $600 Million for 5G Research Before 2018

Huawei has announced that the company would invest at least $ 600 million before 2018, for the 5G technology research and innovation. This investment will focus on the study including a series of air interface technology, including key enabling technologies.

 

Huawei said that in 2020 it is expected to achieve commercial 5G mobile networks, mobile broadband users will achieve peak rate of more than 10Gbps, which is 100 times of the current 4G network speeds.

Huawei CEO Xu Zhijun said, “Innovation is an ongoing process, and we continue to upgrade the existing 4G network capabilities, within the next five years, we plans to invest at least $ 600 million, for the 5G mobile network technology research and innovation (excluding products of investment). As the increasing demand for high-speed networks, in order to meet the future needs from consumers, people can download multiple HD movies in a couple of seconds and get immersive video communications experience. ”

 

In 2009, Huawei began early 5G related technology researches, respectively, and in 2011 & 2012 Mobile World Congress showed the industry-leading peak rates of up to 50 Gbps 5G prototype base stations.

 

Till now, Huawei has been involved in the relevant EU cooperation projects and participated in the 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC) creation in the United Kingdom, what’s more, Huawei have carried out joint research with more than 20 universities worldwide. Meanwhile, China will also build 5G industry standards and make a positive contribution to the industrial chain, promoting 5G technology to become globally consistent standards in the industry.

Xu Zhijun pointed out that “before the truly commercial 5G networks, we have to solve a large number of outstanding issues, such as the 5G spectrum allocation. Moreover, we also face many technical challenges, including how to design network architecture, handle larger amount of data for more user at same scenarios, and achieve faster speeds as possible. ”

 

According to statistics, mobile data communications network number worldwide is expected to reach 6.5 billion by 2020. In addition, hundreds of billions of ‘Machines’, such as automotive, metering, medical equipment and appliances and so on, may be connected to the 5G networks.

It is understood that there are multiple 5G research organization worldwide, of which the EU’s METIS research project is most influential. It is reported that in November 2012, the EU set up a research project 5G – METIS (build Information Society with key technology of wireless mobile communications by 2020). It is reported that the project consists of 29 members, including major global telecom equipment vendors and operators, such as Ericsson, Huawei, Alcatel • Lucent, Nokia Siemens, France Telecom, Telefonica, NTT docomo, as well as AAU, Aalto, CTH, etc. And more than a dozen universities and research institutions, including even non-telecommunications industries BMW Group, Anite, Elektrobit and so on.

 

EU METIS 5G communications technology project team set 5G goals include: in terms of capacity, 5G communications technology to achieve data traffic grew 1,000 times in unit area than the 4G mobile; in the transmission rate, the typical user peak data rates increased by 10 to 100 times, i.e. transfer rate reach up to 10Gbps (4G as 100Mbps), end to end delay time shorten up to 5 times; in accessibility aspects, the number of connected devices can be increased by 10 to 100 times; in terms of reliability, the battery life of low-power MMC ( machine type equipment ) increased by 10 times.

 

According to EU METIS 5G project team, the EU 5G project plan to complete the explore the new framework, the basic principle and system concepts relevant basic theoretical work in 2015 and to reach consensus on a global scale; during the 2015-2018, with the further development of the basic principles, 5G will begin the system optimization, standardization, off- stage trials; during 2018-2020, 5G will enter the pre-commercial phase. So EU predicts 5G will be commercially available on a global scale.

 

 

Vodafone K5150 (HUAWEI) 4G LTE Stick Test

Vodafone has launched the K5150 LTE stick in this year. K5150 is a new USB modem on the market. The surf stick is manufactured by Huawei and comes in red and white design in the Vodafone stores. Supporting LTE Category 4 with up to 150 MBit/s in downlink, Vodafone K5150 is one of the fastest surf sticks on the market. Backward with DC-HSPA+ technology, connectors for external antennas and a slot for MicroSD cards are available. We have tested the K5150 modem for 2 weeks on the Vodafone network!

 

 

Vodafone K5150 Specifications
Vodafone K5150 LTE stick not only offers super-fast LTE with up to 150 Mbit/s, but also including UMTS DC-HSPA+ (up to 42.2 Mbit/s) and GSM. Vodafone is first operator in Europe to provide the maximum data rates. Under LTE networks, the practical downlink could reach approximately 120 Mbit/s, and the UMTS downlink speed could reach up to about 31 Mbit/s.
The USB port is protected by a small cap, unfortunately, the connection cannot swing as you wish like other high-end surfsticks HUAWEI E3276.  Especially for use in places with limited space, such as on the train, this function would be very useful.

 

At the side of the 4G Stick K5150, two connectors for external antennas and a slot for MicroSD memory cards have been integrated, so you can use the surf stick as storage media if necessary and can amplify the reception with an external antenna. The external antenna is TS-9, you could buy original Huawei 4G Antenna on 4gltemall.com.

Manufacturer: Huawei
Model Name: Vodafone K5150
Technologies: LTE (4G) UMTS (3G) GSM (2G)
Bands: 4G LTE: 2600/1800/800 MHz
3G WCDMA 2100/900 MHz
2G GSM: 1900/1800/900/850 MHz
Speeds: LTE: 150 Mbit/s downstream, 50 Mbit/s upstream (Category 4),
UMTS: 42.2 Mbit/s downlink, 5.76 Mbit/s uplink (when using DC-HSPA+)
GSM: 256 kbit/s (at Terms of EDGE)
Other: MicroSD slot for memory cards up to 32 GB, 2 x external antenna port TS-9 Software for Mac OS X and Windows

 

 
Vodafone K5150 LTE stick is in a very nice design, just like the 4G models that we had introduced, such as Vodafone R210 and from Vodafone K5007. The top of the K5150 can forwardly away, below is the slot for the SIM card.  Most users will not need the manual, since the installation of the Vodafone connection software is largely self-explanatory: after plugging it into a computer with Mac OS X or Windows operating system, the installation wizard automatically starts and guides in a few moments through the installation. After a short time it is already connected to the wireless network.

 

 

Speed and Reception
As you would expect from a modern LTE modem, the speeds are consistently good. However, the test was only on the 800 megahertz LTE network, even though, the performance on average is better than other 4G devices: downlink up to 55 Mbit/s were possible while the uplink of up to 23 Mbit/s. And the latency times were between 28 and 44 milliseconds, but usually in the range of 35 ms. The reception LTE800 was good, even in low-served regions, we could still surf with the Vodafone K5150 stably on the internet.

 

 

In the UMTS network, the receiving performance was also above average and was as easily one of the Huawei E3276. The data rates were about the same, however, various measurements showed about 13 Mbit/s for downlink via Vodafone DC-HSPA+.

 

 

Vodafone Connection Software
Vodafone provides with K5150 LTE stick from a piece of software which runs on both Windows operating systems and Mac OS X. For Windows XP, you need at least version with Service Pack 3, wherein the instructions to install even explains the basis of previously little common Windows 8.

 

The software has its good and bad sides. The advantages: The program is very easy for beginners to use and is pleasantly fast, if the PC is not too old. The detailed information and statistics about online time and data volume are exemplary. The cons: for experts, there are very limited possibilities to make adjustments and integrated into the software Manager interferes tremendously.

 

 

Conclusion to the Vodafone K5150 LTE Stick
The Vodafone K5150 LTE stick makes a good impression and is particularly recommended for Vodafone customers who just want a fast Internet connection without having to rely on special additional functions. Alternatively, the almost identical Huawei E3276 offers, for example, as Telekom LTE Speed Stick III of which does its job well in various router models.