Hi,
I'm new to Mikrotik/RouterOS.

We have been using consumer grade devices called 'Speedport 2' (from T-Mobile) to get mobile internet access for our desktop pc on our boats.
Results have been mixed and we have been looking to replace them.
We bought the LtAP LTE6 kit with the added SMA female pigtail and connected an external marine grade LTE antenna to it. The antenna is called MAO5Gv1 from BatLink. It works omnidirectional at the frequencies 698-960, 1710 - 2700 and 3400 - 3700 MHz and has a 6-9 dBi gain.

I integrated the AP into our network and everything is working in that area, but the internet speed we're getting is not what we expected.

We still have the old device in place and are able to easily switch back to compare the internet speed. The old device (without any external antenna) is always at least twice as fast (both download and upload). We tested in different locations and also switched to another boat (identical but not the same antenna). Last test I did on the company parking lot (boat on trailer), the old device reached 84.5 Mbps download and 38.3 Mbps upload, while the LtAP LTE6 got 3.2 Mbps and 3.3 Mbps.

On paper the external antenna should be the right one and before I order a different one I wanted to ask if I may be missing something in the router configuration. Some kind of rookie mistake. I ticked the boxes for the network modes GSM, 3G and LTE as well as the bands 1, 3, 7, 8 and 20 (location is germany).
Sim cards in both devices are both from T-Mobile on the same kind of plan and when switching devices for testing, the other device has always been switched off completely.

Uncheck the gsm and 3g boxes. You do not want the LtAP LTE6 to use those as they are much slower than LTE.

I will try that.

The idea behind leaving the boxes ticked was to have those as a fallback in areas where LTE is not available. I thought the AP would priotize LTE automatically if available.

From my experience it seemed to connect to whatever has the strongest signal. The modem doesn't care about your connection speed, it just wants a solid signal. If you're moving in and out of coverage areas, then go with what works best but just prepared for your connection speed to be potentially slower. I strongly suspect your old device is not using GSM and may not be using 3G. No way you are getting 84.5 Mbps on a GPRS connection and I can't remember if 3G can be that fast either. You are likely expecting the LtAP to do things your other device doesn't and/or couldn't do.

Some research has confirmed. Per this https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... WjMMLwkH7e

The maximum speed for 3g is 7.2 Mbps. LTE can be 150 Mbps. Your old device is a using LTE only.

The maximum speed for 3g is 7.2 Mbps.

Actually UMTS/HSPA (3G used in Europe and hence Gernany) can be a bit faster, but not many MNOs kept up with 3G development after they rolled out LTE. Most HSPA networks go up to 21Mbps (DL), another step is 42Mbps (but that's sort of CA, not many HSPA networks supported it as most rather re-used same 5MHz channels for 50Mbps capacity in LTE instead of 21Mbps on HSPA).
And these are speeds supported by R11e-LTE6 modem, built in LtAP device.

@mkx fair enough then. OP should disable the GSM option and then test the 3G by itself to see what speeds he gets. If they are decent he could leave the 3G and LTE enabled. If 3G is crap, then disable it and stick with LTE only. Unfortunately this is how it works with Mikrotik gear. You have to dial things in and do some trial and error.

Try only activating LTE bands 2, 5, 12 and 41n (?) as these the only ones both provided by T-Mobile according to their FAQ and supported by your device according to the product's page. See https://www.t-mobile.com/support/covera ... le-network and https://mikrotik.com/product/ltap_lte6_kit

If I'm not wrong, bands 5 and 12 will provide you with a high range but low speeds, and band 2 will provide a good balance between range and speeds.

Note: As none of the above bands are in the list of bands you have activated, I guess that you're running on HSPA+ when doing your tests, which is available in Germany, is supported by T-Mobile (the Speedport LTE II can use it according to its specifications) and, from what I read, has a typical download/upload speed of 4Mbit/s (although tests I found reported up to 25Mbps down).

Try only activating LTE bands 2, 5, 12 and 41n (?) as these the only ones both provided by T-Mobile according to their FAQ ...

The bands you're mentioning are not used in Europe. Bands, mentioned by @OP in OP, are just fine.

Following - Same problem here, but on BELL (Canada)

Access Tech - shows I'm at LTE (CA2)

I did limit the bands to only what is here - but still getting 10-15mb where my iPhone6 gets x5 that.

Any other things to look at? MTU? I did uncheck the 3G.... but still the same.

The plan is a modem/tablet one so they shouldn't be limiting speed.

@ctop what bands are used in Canada? The LtAP LTE6 sold by Mikrotik comes with a modem that is tuned for European bands. If Canada uses European bands then you definitely have something worth looking into. I would think Canada however would utilize bands like those used in the USA. Therefore, the LtAP LTE6 with the stock modem will not provide good service. You can purchase a North America modem like a Quectel EP-06A but that is a separate purchase and not included in the device at purchase.

According to Mikrotik's product page for the LtAP LTE6, it can used the following:

2G bands 2 (1900MHz) / 3 (1800MHz) / 5 (850MHz) / 8 (900MHz)
3G Category R7 (21Mbps Downlinks, 5.76Mbps Uplink) / R8 (42.2Mbps Downlink, 5.76Mbps Uplink)
3G bands 1 (2100MHz) / 2 (1900MHz) / 5 (850MHz) / 8 (900MHz)
LTE Category 6 (300Mbit/s Downlink, 50Mbit/s Uplink)
LTE FDD bands 1 (2100MHz) / 2 (1900MHz) / 3 (1800MHz) / 7 (2600MHz) / 8 (900 MHz) / 20 (800MHz) / 5 (850MHz) / 12 (700MHz) / 17 (700MHz) / 25 (1900MHz) / 26 (850MHz)
LTE TDD bands 38 (2600MHz) / 40 (2300MHz) / 39 (1900MHz) / 41n (2500MHz)

We've established that using 2G (GSM) is going to result in very poor network performance. 3G may be somewhat better but is still cruddy from my experience. LTE (more specifically LTE CA) is where it is at.

According to Google:

Bell Mobility LTE Frequencies and Bands:
700 MHz Band 12, 13, 17, 29
850 MHz Band 5
1700/2100 MHz Band 4
1900 MHz Band 2
2600 MHz Band 7

The LtAP LTE6 does work with band 2 and 7 and seemingly 5 and 12 but I do believe there was some limits as to which bands it can use concurrently and some are more performant than others. Then, you're talking about signal strength etc. Bottom line, the stock LtAP LTE6 modem is not what you want to be using for North America.

I think you nailed it for me - I did test a ROGERS sim and much better

I do have a EP06 and EM12 have to dig them out, oh also a MC7455 - need to test those.

Glad I could help. As long as your EP06 is the A variant and not the E you should enjoy a much better experience. I used my LtAP in Kuwait with an EP06E and was getting 150 Mbps download easily. Yes, I know, the default modem should have worked. It did, but I heard the Quectels were a little more performant and the stock LTE6 modem was a bit flaky when they first came out. Believe firmware version was like 16 or 17 when I got my LtAP. I think it's up to 35 now.

Rogers largely follows AT&T in US. And Bell largely follows Verizon – so it's Band 13 that's your problem with Bell.

The nitty gritty on using a Sierra MC7455 is here: viewtopic.php?t=186137#p953868
That should work fine on either Rodgers or Verizon. I'd recommend upgrading the firmware before installing it if you have the PC and USB-to-miniPCIe adapter.

A longer discussion on LTE Bands in US (which largely be same as Canada) is here: viewtopic.php?t=199087&hilit=Band+66

So, I unchecked the 3G and GSM Boxes and I am have a download of 20 Mbps and an upload of 16 Mbps.
The old device has a download of 40 Mbps and an upload of 9 Mbps.

I have no idea how the results can be that different.

What I noticed as well the (my) LtAP seems to only have one working antenna socket. That seems like it shouldn't be this way, right?

What are the 2 sockets for? Different frequencies? I tried both antennas on both sockets, together and on their own. Only one socket is working.

I also read that germany has 'deactivated' it's 3G. The freed up frequencies are used for LTE. Does the LtAP ignore those frequencies if I uncheck 3G?

What sockets are you talking about? Can you provide a picture? I personally spent a bit of time doing some tests to determine which bands where fastest in a CA configuration. For me (in Kuwait using Zain) it was band 1 and 20 or 3 and 20 depending on the time of day. So I only enabled those three bands in the modem settings. You should experiment some as well

The LTE antenna is internal on the cover. There is GPS port near ethernet jack, but that's not LTE.
AFAIK, there are no external jack by default. The LtAP can be mod'ed to have external jack for either LTE and/or Wi-Fi & if so you'd have to open it to see where they go.

So, I unchecked the 3G and GSM Boxes and I am have a download of 20 Mbps and an upload of 16 Mbps.
The old device has a download of 40 Mbps and an upload of 9 Mbps.

Time of day often matters a lot. And doubt there is 3G or 2G in Canada, perhaps but unlikely. So by unchecking, you skip a potential search.

Your limited since there is no Band 66, nor 4x4 MIMO, on the R11e-LTE6 modem... which is how you'd get higher speed. Assuming similar to US carriers plans, those numbers look like changing from Band 2 and 12 & look typical for this modem.

If you post the signal data from the LTE interface, that give us some more clues to see if anything can be done.

amm0 OP is in Germany not Canada. The Canada angle was introduced by another user.

I also read that germany has 'deactivated' it's 3G. The freed up frequencies are used for LTE. Does the LtAP ignore those frequencies if I uncheck 3G?

The 2G/3G/LTE checks are about technology, not about frequencies. So you can safely uncheck 2G and 3G, your LtAP will not ignore LTE on B1 and B8 (those are 2100MHz and 900MHz bands respectively, which were used for UMTS in Europe).

The 2G/3G/LTE checks are about technology, not about frequencies. So you can safely uncheck 2G and 3G, your LtAP will not ignore LTE on B1 and B8 (those are 2100MHz and 900MHz bands respectively, which were used for UMTS in Europe).

Thank you. That helps a lot.

The LTE antenna is internal on the cover. There is GPS port near ethernet jack, but that's not LTE.
AFAIK, there are no external jack by default. The LtAP can be mod'ed to have external jack for either LTE and/or Wi-Fi & if so you'd have to open it to see where they go.

Yeah. It is modded. I already opened it and it seems fine by the looks of it. I will investigate further.

If you post the signal data from the LTE interface, that give us some more clues to see if anything can be done.

If you post the signal data from the LTE interface, that give us some more clues to see if anything can be done.
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Will do. I already did screenshots of both devices, but I left that on the ship and I'm not reagulary on it :/. That's also why I am answering so slowly. Sorry for that.

Back to the antennas. Are there two of them because of Mimo? In that case I would have to install the external ones in a certain way I guess? I read about them having to be in a 90° angle to each other.

I read about them having to be in a 90° angle to each other.

Yup if you have external terminal antennas, then 90º angle to each other is what you'd want.