Any modem recomendation T-Mobile LTE/5g in US

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hell,

Do you have any recommendations for the PCI-e modem I can use at L23UGSR-5HaxD2HaxD-NM to access LTE/5G bands from T-Mobile USA? T-Mobile has an extensive list of options (https://wholesale.t-mobile.com/iot/modules-chipsets-devices/), but I’m just not sure what to buy to get the best connectivity and speed and retain compatibility with the MT device.

I’d greatly appreciate any experience-based feedback or what to look for when selecting my option.

Thanks!

2

Did you ever figure out some options - kind of looking to do the same thing.

3

I’ve used the Telit LM960 since they are miniPCIe, but problem is there not 5G, but they are LTE CAT18 and work with all US/Canada carriers. Older modems like Sierra MC7455 work pretty well but be slow nowadays (and Sierra modem do not have RSRP/RSRQ stats, while Telit will report them in RouterOS).

Since MikroTik uses Quectel, those are also work… but I don’t have a lot of experience with them (i.e. I’ve always worried they’d be banned like Huiwei at some point).

You can use most 5G modems with L23, but they are often M.2… so you need an “Key B” miniPCIe to M.2 adapter.

In either case, you need to get the right pigtails, and often* need to issue AT commands to get the modem into MBIM modem and/or USB 3.0 mode.

  • Telit’s default, I believe, will work fine without AT command (unless you need GPS).
4

Cool

I see the LM960 might be discontinued now - wonder what the next best might be

I do have EM-12G that I’m hoping I can get to work in a LtAP (big one) but when using an adapter I won’t fit in the bottom slot - and in the top slot I’m struggling to get it to see it - might have to change it to USB2 for that.