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kamild1996
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Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Sun Oct 23, 2022 1:04 pm

I have 3 bands (B1, B3, B20) available from one station, but the router refuses to make full use of them for CA.
  • If I leave LTE bands on auto/unset, the router never uses CA and usually settles on the B3 band.
  • If I manually set LTE bands to either just 1, just 3 or just 20, it will use that specific band without much of an issue. So they definitely exist and work on their own.
  • If I manually set LTE bands to 1, 3 and 20 at once, it will usually engage 2CA with bands B3+B1 or B3+B20, but it never tries to 3CA all three bands. Also it eventually drops the CA band and doesn't use it anymore unless I disable and re-enable the LTE interface.
What should I do to make CA work fully? LTE firmware is on latest version (EG12EAPAR01A12M4G) and so is the router (ROS 7.5).
 
hecatae
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:01 pm

Hi,

Which carrier?
Are you using internal antenna, external antenna, 4x4 MIMO, 2x2 MIMO?
 
josepc
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:02 pm

Hello kamild1996,

Maybe your network operator does not allow carrier aggregation for those 3 bands. I also read that some network operator disable CA when there is no traffic, and only reactivates it when they detect traffic again.

I have Movistar in Spain, with firmware: EG12EAPAR01A12M4G and routeros 7.6 and is working:
CA.jpg
I have LTE bands on auto.

With EG12EAPAR01A12M4G firmware is the first time since i bought Chateau LTE12, that i have stable connections without drops, etc. for weeks.

Best,

Jose.
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kamild1996
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Tue Oct 25, 2022 12:55 am

Hi,

Which carrier?
Are you using internal antenna, external antenna, 4x4 MIMO, 2x2 MIMO?
Carrier is PLAY/P4.
Right now I'm using an internal antenna. I also have an external one already mounted, but not plugged in yet (Signaflex DUAL X-CROSS, I think it's 2x2 MIMO?). Haven't tested CA with it yet, just the signal strength.
Hello kamild1996,

Maybe your network operator does not allow carrier aggregation for those 3 bands. I also read that some network operator disable CA when there is no traffic, and only reactivates it when they detect traffic again.

I have Movistar in Spain, with firmware: EG12EAPAR01A12M4G and routeros 7.6 and is working:
CA.jpg
I have LTE bands on auto.

With EG12EAPAR01A12M4G firmware is the first time since i bought Chateau LTE12, that i have stable connections without drops, etc. for weeks.

Best,

Jose.
Thanks for confirmation that it should be doing 3CA on these bands. I haven't noticed it picking up the third frequency when under stress. I'll verify with my ISP whether or not they actually support it.
 
hecatae
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Tue Oct 25, 2022 11:12 pm

LTE12 only supports 2CA with 4x4 mimo.
 
hecatae
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Tue Oct 25, 2022 11:13 pm

Hello kamild1996,

Maybe your network operator does not allow carrier aggregation for those 3 bands. I also read that some network operator disable CA when there is no traffic, and only reactivates it when they detect traffic again.

I have Movistar in Spain, with firmware: EG12EAPAR01A12M4G and routeros 7.6 and is working:

CA.jpg

I have LTE bands on auto.

With EG12EAPAR01A12M4G firmware is the first time since i bought Chateau LTE12, that i have stable connections without drops, etc. for weeks.

Best,

Jose.
Do you see upload CA at all?
 
kamild1996
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Tue Oct 25, 2022 11:34 pm

LTE12 only supports 2CA with 4x4 mimo.
I'm looking up 4x4 MIMO LTE antennas and from what I can tell, they all come with 4 cables. Chateau LTE12 has just two external antenna connectors. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if your statement is true, then what sense does a device with LTE cat 12 and only two external antenna connectors make?
 
hecatae
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Wed Oct 26, 2022 12:24 pm

LTE12 only supports 2CA with 4x4 mimo.
I'm looking up 4x4 MIMO LTE antennas and from what I can tell, they all come with 4 cables. Chateau LTE12 has just two external antenna connectors. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if your statement is true, then what sense does a device with LTE cat 12 and only two external antenna connectors make?
You have two spare sockets on the back of the Chateau LTE12 to make 4 antennas external:
https://mikrotikon.pl/mikrotik-chateau- ... uteros-v7/

In default configuration, the Chateau has 4 internal antennas, main and div have int and ext on the board, and mimo1 and mimo2 are internal only:
https://mikrotikon.pl/wp-content/upload ... rau-17.jpg

If you open up the LTE12, convert mimo1 and mimo2 to external ports, you can connect all 4 to an external 4x4 mimo antenna, or to 2 2x2 mimo antennas.
 
kamild1996
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Wed Oct 26, 2022 12:49 pm

I see, thanks for the explanation. So basically hardware modification would be required to make full use of this cat. 12 modem. Weird design choice IMO. @josepc, do you have 3CA thanks to a 4x4 MIMO antenna as well?
 
josepc
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Wed Oct 26, 2022 9:55 pm

Do you see upload CA at all?
How can i check this?
I see, thanks for the explanation. So basically hardware modification would be required to make full use of this cat. 12 modem. Weird design choice IMO. @josepc, do you have 3CA thanks to a 4x4 MIMO antenna as well?
I am not using any external antennas. The chateau LTE12 includes 4x4 MIMO internal antennas
 
kamild1996
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Wed Oct 26, 2022 10:31 pm

I see, thanks for the explanation. So basically hardware modification would be required to make full use of this cat. 12 modem. Weird design choice IMO. @josepc, do you have 3CA thanks to a 4x4 MIMO antenna as well?
I am not using any external antennas. The chateau LTE12 includes 4x4 MIMO internal antennas
In this case, considering the fact I'm not using an external antenna right now, I should be getting 3CA - unless my ISP is in fact not supporting it/blocking it, I have asked them about it yesterday and I'm waiting for an answer.
On one side, I wish I had learned sooner that MIMO impacts carrier aggregation directly, before I decided to mount the antenna I purchased... On the other hand, considering the prices of 4x4 MIMO antennas and the fact that messing with the internals of the router would be required, I'm thinking I'd give it a pass anyway, and settle on 2xCA with an external antenna instead.
 
bourneagainsh
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Re: Chateau LTE12 not fully engaging carrier aggregation

Fri Nov 04, 2022 4:47 pm

If you have an Android Phone, put the SIM in it and install

NetMonster APP
https://netmonster.app/
that ill show you if your SIM/Phone can do CA.


If you have a Android phone with Qualcomm/MTK (root required)/ HiSilicon 990 chipset you can try Cellular Pro or Network Signal Guru...
to see more detailed network information and CA in action :)

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