MoFi 4500 - how to change frequency bands for better speeds Print

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This article is specific to the MoFi 4500 Router regarding how to change the frequency band used by the router (usually used to get better speeds):

The first thing to know is that we configure the router for "auto" when we first send it out to the customer. This is done because every customer location is different..... different towers with different bands (frequency bands) being broadcast. It is important to note that all towers WILL NOT broadcast on all bands. It is important to know which bands are available in your area (more on this later). Also note, if you lock to a specific band, the router will ALWAYS use that band until locked to a different band, or set back to auto...... this is important for people in a mobile situation (such as a full time RV person).

The first step is to know what bands are available in your area. 

Scanning for available Bands
First, we'll use the band scanner to identify which bands are even visible to the MoFi.

  1. Log into the MoFi's web browser at 192.168.10.1. The default username is root and the password is 'admin'.

  2. In the left-hand menu, Select Network --> Internal Modem --> Band Scanner

  3. Click Start Scan

  4. Note the available bands after the report finishes

There are 2 other realistic ways to do this (not nearly as easy or accurate). One is by "trial and error" which simply means to try a band to see if it works, and just keep moving through the bands until you find the one that works, and works best for you. The second way is to try to look up the towers and bands in your area. To do this, you can use www.cellmapper.net website. First select your carrier (AT&T mobility, or T-Mobile USA) then enter your address in the "find location" box. If the map does not find your exact address, just put in the closest town/city and move the map to your location. Keep in mind, this map is not 100% perfectly reliable..... it is NOT OFFICIAL..... this map is "crowd sourced" which means it has the info that other users have added to it. But..... it is a good guide to get a good idea of what is around you.

Next, you need to know what carriers use which bands. For each carrier, the bands with a * are the PRIMARY bands (and usually the most congested). Here is a list for you:

Carrier 3G Frequencies 4G Bands
Verizon CDMA 800, 1900 PCS 2, 4, 5, 13*, 66
AT&T GSMA/HSPA/HSPA+ 1900 MHz, 850 MHz 2, 4, 5, 12*, 14, 17*, 29, 30, 66
T-Mobile GSM/HSPA/HSPA+ 1900 MHz, 1700/2100 MHz 2*, 4*, 5, 12*, 66, 71*
Sprint CDMA 800 MHz, 1900 MHz 25*, 26, 41

 

HINT: for AT&T band 14 is usually the best, and for T-Mobile band 71 is usually best......... but not always.... just a hint.

Now that you know what bands each carrier uses, and you have used the band scanner as described above, or you have looked up your area to see what is used in your area (not required)..... now it is time to lock the router to bands and test it for best speed.... The following steps are presuming you have not changed any settings on the router (default settings we sent it to you with)......

Locking the MoFi to a Band

Next, let's try locking to the different bands. You'll try for each of the available bands and do a speed test after the device reboots to determine the fastest band available in your area. Note: The strongest band is not always the fastest.

  1. Log into the MoFi's web browser at 192.168.10.1. The default username is root and the password is 'admin'.
  2. In the left-hand menu, Select Network --> Internal Modem --> Band Lock
  3. Select the band you want to lock onto and click next and follow the process to lock the band.

  4. Wait for the MoFi to come back online and then browse to the website speedtest.net. Click the large "Go" button to perform the test and take note of the upload and download speeds. Repeat this test several times with several minutes in between to get a good idea of consistency. For reference, in order to seamlessly stream an HD video, an internet connection capable of at least of 10 Mbps download speed is recommended.

  5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each available band in your area and finally lock the MoFi to the band that reported the most consistently fast results.

Give it about 90 seconds each time to connect and run a speed test using www.speedof.me to see the results. PLEASE NOTE: please only use www.speedof.me for speed tests as it is most reliable for hotspots. 

So..... You have now locked to a specific band and tested it. If it does not work at all, follow the above steps to try a different band. If it does work and you are satisfied, then you are finished. If not satisfied, then repeat the steps above with different bands each time until you find the one you like best. PLEASE NOTE: just because a band is good "right now" does not mean it will always be..... just like you are changing bands, other people do as well. You may need to do this again from time to time if you begin to experience problems.

Happy surfing!


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