MikroTik

Hello,

I would like to find out [without opening the case] if Chateau LTE18 ax external antenna conn. are for LTE or WIFI antennas?

Chateau LTE18 ax RouterOS LTE Modem menu shows no selection for external antenna.

For example Chateau LTE12 RouterOS has LTE Modem external antenna selection menu.

Thanks for you insight.

UPDATE:
external antenna conn. are for LTE
Chateau LTE18 ax has only CLI menu to switch between internal and external antennas
[aaa@mikrotik] > /interface/lte/settings set external-antenna=
auto both div main none

I do not know the answer to your question because I do not have any experience with this particular device.

For Celluar devices External Antennas are still a must so i venture to state that the LTE18 antennas are for the Cell Service.

For WiFi and specifically for AC. AX and wifi 7 devices external antennas are no longer in vouge --- manufacturers who use external antennas for these specific techs do so to massage the egos of those people who continue believe that external antennas are superior WHEN in fact they are not ---

Anyway this model is for external LTE antenna. If it not shows antenna selection, maybe it uses both simultaneously.

Regards.

Boy it be helpful if the antennas configurations were shown in the block diagram or something. It really isn't clear from docs.

The marketing page has photo shows 4 SMAs & LTE18 is 4x4 MIMO, so four antennas possible. And pretty sure all LTE. Dunno how it selects which ones, perhaps automatically, but dunno...

To confirm however, Wi-Fi ones are normally RP-SMA jacks, so you'd see a pin inside the SMA antenna socket if it was for a Wi-Fi antenna. However, if it's clearly a female SMA on back (NO pin inside jack, just a socket), it's LTE

Hi

Any update about this option?

https://imgur.com/a/lqjj1a0


Old Option
https://imgur.com/a/lqjj1a0


Also seems the terminal command /interface/lte/settings/set external-antenna=both
not working on 7.13.5

The OP clarified what was going on Chateau LTE18 ax. The antenna selection is CLI only:

UPDATE:
external antenna conn. are for LTE
Chateau LTE18 ax has only CLI menu to switch between internal and external antennas
[aaa@mikrotik] > /interface/lte/settings set external-antenna=
auto both div main none

If you added some terminal antennas, I'd think "auto" be fine. If you have some directional/specialized antenna, well, it get more complex. From CLI, "/interface lte settings print" should show what it selected.

You can try different options, then look at the LTE interface statuss for "RSRP" in winbox to look for changes (give 1+ minute to settle in after some change). Tip: RSRP is in dB's, closer to 0 is better (e.g. -90 is better than -105 in RSRP).

This thread elsewhere had some more details: https://confusedbird.com/thread-280.html – e.g. if you had an external 4x4 MIMO antenna, you'll need buy pigtails and open the unit up.

From my experience (on Chateau LTE12) when lte antenna is set manually, in Winbox "External Antenna Selected" is empty (this field is only for auto selection as mentioned here for external-antenna-selected), but from CLI:
When is set to auto, ROS decide which to use (internal or external) depending from which antenna has better signal (RSRP) as mentioned here for external-antenna.
But in my case when auto is set it always select only main not both, even I have two connected HGO-LTE-W antennas, one on main and other on div and I must set manually to both.