Hi.
Is there any rumors regarding a WAP 5G or something else I can use to get 5G connectivity in a boat? I need to have the antennas outdoor/in the top of the mast (15meters+), so a POE solution is a much better deal than running passive antennas to a Chateau...
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Something like this (though not being a rumor)?
https://mikrotik.com/product/netbox_5_ax
Do you require 802.11ax or is 802.11 ac sufficient?
Any other requirements?
https://mikrotik.com/product/netbox_5_ax
Do you require 802.11ax or is 802.11 ac sufficient?
Any other requirements?
Re: Outdoor 5G?
I might have been unclear - 5G as in cellular, not wifi.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Not really. ATL is closest you get, but only in Europe. With an wAPacR or LtAP with pigtail/added modem modules, you can DIY to some degree. But even there most true 5G modems using M.2, so DIY for 5G/LTE get even more tricky (since you'd need M.2 to miniPCIe convert to use any newer 5G modem with Mikrotiks).I might have been unclear - 5G as in cellular, not wifi.
But LTE/5G gets bit more complex outdoor. Some of the benefits of 5G involve carrier aggregation, sometimes from multiple towers. So typically where there is 5G there are also multiple towers, so a classic outdoor antenna pointing at a single tower may not be as helpful in the 5G world, since you limiting yourself to one tower. To this point, if you in a city with 5G... perhaps putting a Chateau in a waterproof box on roof/pole/etc may not be the worse option if you want to stay in the Mikrotik family (although clearly not idea) — just being outside in free space often has a dramatic different in LTE/5G signal with same "indoor" equipment.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
MikroTik is working on many new 5G products, but it may be a while until announcemnt and then shipping. Until then, maybe something creative like this? https://www.reddit.com/r/mikrotik/comme ... tdoor_box/
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Well, that's creative 
But a bit big to put on top of a 15+ Metre sail mast.
How about putting a 5G miniPCIe in a wap ac LTE kit, and add an xtra 2x2 antenna with short cables? Anyone tried?
But a bit big to put on top of a 15+ Metre sail mast.
How about putting a 5G miniPCIe in a wap ac LTE kit, and add an xtra 2x2 antenna with short cables? Anyone tried?
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Yeah, 15M is a LONG way for a passive antennas. And a wAPac would fit nice on a mast.
Since Mikrotik offers nothing beyond very old 4G modems for US market, we've long installed third-party modems instead into various Mikrotik board. Past few years used the Telit LM960s using 4 x external pigtails on wAPacR which has worked well – except recently, since 16MB flash causes problems in latest releases (which MT is working on, I'm told). The LM960 is more 5G-ish, but likely highest end modem you can get in a miniPCIe form factor and works with Mikrotik.
If your in the EU... I'd bet the newer wAPac (2024 edition) might work pretty well. It's not 5G or high category modem, but just judging from the forum... the same Fibocom it uses have way less issues than previous modems they've used. Since the 5G modem part are actually relatively pricy. You could use TWO cheaper wAPac-LTEs with different carriers to achieve some redundancy that just one 5G unit couldn't offer. Although the two unit setup take some custom config to make use of since Mikrotik just offer primitives like VRRP and load balancing/failover take custom routing/firewall rules/scripting & there is no bonding options for LTE.
Since Mikrotik offers nothing beyond very old 4G modems for US market, we've long installed third-party modems instead into various Mikrotik board. Past few years used the Telit LM960s using 4 x external pigtails on wAPacR which has worked well – except recently, since 16MB flash causes problems in latest releases (which MT is working on, I'm told). The LM960 is more 5G-ish, but likely highest end modem you can get in a miniPCIe form factor and works with Mikrotik.
If your in the EU... I'd bet the newer wAPac (2024 edition) might work pretty well. It's not 5G or high category modem, but just judging from the forum... the same Fibocom it uses have way less issues than previous modems they've used. Since the 5G modem part are actually relatively pricy. You could use TWO cheaper wAPac-LTEs with different carriers to achieve some redundancy that just one 5G unit couldn't offer. Although the two unit setup take some custom config to make use of since Mikrotik just offer primitives like VRRP and load balancing/failover take custom routing/firewall rules/scripting & there is no bonding options for LTE.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Oh whoa, the LM960s are expensive alright...
Might try to fix the wap ac LTE6 that "developed" extremely low SNR last season then, and hope the wac ac 5G is released soon instead.
Thanx!
Might try to fix the wap ac LTE6 that "developed" extremely low SNR last season then, and hope the wac ac 5G is released soon instead.
Thanx!
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Well costs is linear largely modem's "category", typically the number after the LTE on Mikrotik's. e.g. The Chateau 5G is $530 retail, Chateau LTE12 is $229, and the LTE6 one is $149. Only major difference is the modem. Now the Chateau LTE18ax uses better CPU and better Wi-Fi at $299 ( LTE18ax is likely similar speeds to the LM960, but the Telit it has more frequency bands so modem is slightly more costly for same CAT18)....
But only higher-gain is going to help with SINR, the LTE6 isn't going to magically help – more that they newer LTE6 modems Mikrotik do seem to be stable from reports. But it's 4x4 MIMO that gets you speed on modems that supports it, so not having 4 antennas is going to limit speed on anything. e.g. "carrier aggregation ("CA") uses multiple 4G bands etc but often needs more antennas to do it, so possible a 5G modem with 2x2 antenna may be slower than CAT12 with 4x4.
Why I do kinda think adding SMA pigtails on any of the Mikrotik LTE router and keep router indoors, then use a high-gain 4x4 antenna outside might be better... if speed/performance is a goal. I use the Poyning antenna sometimes, but the antennas are similar expensive. I haven't used the XPOL-24 antennas specifically, but at ~$300, https://poynting.tech/antennas/xpol-24/ it's the same price as modem.
Basically everyone has figured out how to charge you more things that make LTE faster. And...we're starting with there isn't plug-and-play outdoor 5G LTE device at this point.
But only higher-gain is going to help with SINR, the LTE6 isn't going to magically help – more that they newer LTE6 modems Mikrotik do seem to be stable from reports. But it's 4x4 MIMO that gets you speed on modems that supports it, so not having 4 antennas is going to limit speed on anything. e.g. "carrier aggregation ("CA") uses multiple 4G bands etc but often needs more antennas to do it, so possible a 5G modem with 2x2 antenna may be slower than CAT12 with 4x4.
Why I do kinda think adding SMA pigtails on any of the Mikrotik LTE router and keep router indoors, then use a high-gain 4x4 antenna outside might be better... if speed/performance is a goal. I use the Poyning antenna sometimes, but the antennas are similar expensive. I haven't used the XPOL-24 antennas specifically, but at ~$300, https://poynting.tech/antennas/xpol-24/ it's the same price as modem.
Basically everyone has figured out how to charge you more things that make LTE faster. And...we're starting with there isn't plug-and-play outdoor 5G LTE device at this point.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
..Looks like Zyxel has some (FWA710 and NR7101).And...we're starting with there isn't plug-and-play outdoor 5G LTE device at this point.
Not very interested in going off Mikrotik though.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Kinda figured. Why a bosun chair and a 2024 wAP-LTE or wAPac-LTE6 seems dirt simple and cheap - let this 5G stuff sort itself out. The ethernet down mast and PoE/DC tie-in be same regardless of 5G, so easy to swap later if more speed was needed.Not very interested in going off Mikrotik though.
You might check out cellmapper.net if you haven't already, see what band/carriers are available & then compare bands on the routers/modems.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
I have actually had a WAP AC LTE6 for a long time, with WIFI (to some guest harbours) preferred over 4G. But it haven't worked great. Finally had time to look at it yesterday, turned out that the R11e-LTE card was defective. (Tried swapping with another older card).
Getting a new LTE-card now, together with raising the WAP a bit up in the mast for this season, and will revisit 5G later.
Thank you all!
Getting a new LTE-card now, together with raising the WAP a bit up in the mast for this season, and will revisit 5G later.
Thank you all!
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Building your own 5G modem isn't that expensive or challenging. I have a setup with a simple 5G M.2 PCB with ethernet that I connect to a Mikrotik (CCR at home vs hAP for travel) and it gets amazing speeds. Total price is $300 and most of that is the 5G module.Well costs is linear largely modem's "category", typically the number after the LTE on Mikrotik's. e.g. The Chateau 5G is $530 retail, Chateau LTE12 is $229, and the LTE6 one is $149. Only major difference is the modem. Now the Chateau LTE18ax uses better CPU and better Wi-Fi at $299 ( LTE18ax is likely similar speeds to the LM960, but the Telit it has more frequency bands so modem is slightly more costly for same CAT18)....
But only higher-gain is going to help with SINR, the LTE6 isn't going to magically help – more that they newer LTE6 modems Mikrotik do seem to be stable from reports. But it's 4x4 MIMO that gets you speed on modems that supports it, so not having 4 antennas is going to limit speed on anything. e.g. "carrier aggregation ("CA") uses multiple 4G bands etc but often needs more antennas to do it, so possible a 5G modem with 2x2 antenna may be slower than CAT12 with 4x4.
Why I do kinda think adding SMA pigtails on any of the Mikrotik LTE router and keep router indoors, then use a high-gain 4x4 antenna outside might be better... if speed/performance is a goal. I use the Poyning antenna sometimes, but the antennas are similar expensive. I haven't used the XPOL-24 antennas specifically, but at ~$300, https://poynting.tech/antennas/xpol-24/ it's the same price as modem.
Basically everyone has figured out how to charge you more things that make LTE faster. And...we're starting with there isn't plug-and-play outdoor 5G LTE device at this point.
Re: Outdoor 5G?
Perhaps. Everything is relative. We've done that for years starting with RB953 before LTE... you'd do have to ignore the time costs, especially for a one-off. And Mikrotik RouterBoard series has languished (e.g. marginal CPUs for true 5G, 16MB flash, and still need M.2 adapter for newer 5G modems).Building your own 5G modem isn't that expensive or challenging.
We're talking about a boat here, so few other factors make it bit harder of a problem. e.g. it's going to bake in sun, vibrate/move slightly (wind), and perhaps be in salty air. So even @normis's reasonable and fun suggestion to 3D print a case for a Chateau, requires a high-temp printer to use something other PLA.
Plus, 4x4 MIMO works best when the orientations are in right angles (and distant), some fiberglass spars at calculated angles be even better. But I haven't seen many creative 4x4 antenna designs for a boat. Most are squares with 90º angles for the 4 antennas.
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