Hi all,

I am running tests with the MC7710 in an RB912.
I pay my operator an extra monthly fee to obtain highest possible LTE speed available in the network, they promise at least 40 Mbps.
Running with a Pointing dualpol antenna capable of both 800,1800 and 2600 with Rx signal in the 60s, I never get above 20 Mbps.

This is pretty consistent, in the speedtests the gauge is stuck at 20 Mbps and never more.
I have examined the docs for the 7710 but it says maximum 100 Mbps (although theoretical)
I have also contacted my operator, and the techs there sees my card ok and claims there are no limitations or shaping applied.

If there were other factors limiting my connection, the achieved speed would vary somehow, but it is the same all the time.
From my observations I am pretty confident that my connection is somehow shaped at 20M.

Any of you guys that have experience with the 7710?
Which download speed do you get?

Hello Bomber67,
I have reached 42.95Mb/s at one of our mobile provider.

Interesting.
Then I know that there is nothing about the hardware or RouterOS that will restrict me.

Bomber67, if you can, try this card with laptop and see the speed.

Don't think I have a laptop that will accept the 7710...seems that each PC BIOS is made to work against only a small number of specific cards.
If I get the time I'll try it with the RB14eU in a desktop computer.

Made another enquiry against my operator yesterday, they will have their techs look at it more thorougly.
Hopefully I can get into a dialogue with them and discuss it, not just receive a standard SMS with ".....everything is ok....actual achieved speed may vary with signal strength, type of equipment and number of users on the tower....."

I isolated 20-th pin on my card an then my laptop can see it.

Tested today Sierra Wireless MC 7710 via Mini PCI-E Wireless to USB Adapter Card With SIM Card Slot Test WWAN Module #T1K on Windows Vista.
Got 34,97 Mbit/s

Do you know how to force 3G/LTE modes?
I don't want card to fallback to GSM mode.
This option is not given in the lte menu.
Furthermore, I tried various init modem settings according to the official MC7710 manual with no success.

@wolfeyes: see my post here (2nd in the thread): http://forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=87107

Thanks RogerWilco

I didn't know that value 11 was an option, because in respective reference manual I find the following:

Parameters:
<ratInd> (RAT configuration index):
• 00=Automatic
• 01=UMTS 3G only
• 02=GSM 2G only
• 03=UMTS 3G preferred
• 04=GSM 2G preferred
• 05=GSM and UMTS only
• 06=LTE only
• 07=GSM, UMTS, LTE
• 08=CDMA, HRPD, GSM, UMTS, LTE
• 09=CDMA only
• 0A=HRPD only
• 0B=hybrid CDMA/HRPD
• 0C=CDMA, LTE
• 0D=HRPD, LTE
• 0E=CDMA, HRPD, LTE
• 0F=CDMA, GSM, UMTS
• 10=CDMA, HRPD, GSM, UMTS

I'll test it!

No worries. Let me know how you get on.
I have the SW 320U modem so I'm not sure if all Sierra Wireless modems support it. If you run that command your modem will show what it does support.

Just remember though if you force it to LTE only (06) and the 4G signal drops, it won't connect to 3G.

Wolfeyes:
I think you've got it in here already, but from below list I believe it should be 12 instead of 11 as 0x0C = 12 in decimal (CDMA and LTE).
Kind of interesting discussion although we have moved a little OT.

I have done quite a bit of testing with the 7710 on moving veichles, and I see that scripts for monitoring the status of the LTE interface and the connection to a reliable host, including USB power reset, and even further reboot of the routerboard, is an absolute neccessity.
This is possible to cope with.

The tricky part is what is covered in this thread, i.e. at any given time maintaining the available service with the highest possible speed, i.e. EDGE, HSxPA or LTE.
When the card has locked on one of the two latter services there are no big issues.
The problem arises when service is lost, the card starts to scan for network and it connects on EDGE (GSM) Then it stays there way too long before it switches to a better service, although WCDMA or LTE is available. Meanwhile, this means very poor speed for the users.
Fallback to GSM is absolutely neccessary for rural areas where that is all that's present.

I don't know why the 7710 itself does not contain algorithms for quickly "upgrading" to a better connection itself, when such is available. As mentioned in this thread, this is what phones and mini routers do.

What I need is some kind of scripting that continously monitors all available networks/signal strengths and switches to the best service available that has good enough signal.
Any of you guys that achieved this?

Thanks RogerWilco

I didn't know that value 11 was an option, because in respective reference manual I find the following:

Parameters:
<ratInd> (RAT configuration index):
• 00=Automatic
• 01=UMTS 3G only
• 02=GSM 2G only
• 03=UMTS 3G preferred
• 04=GSM 2G preferred
• 05=GSM and UMTS only
• 06=LTE only
• 07=GSM, UMTS, LTE
• 08=CDMA, HRPD, GSM, UMTS, LTE
• 09=CDMA only
• 0A=HRPD only
• 0B=hybrid CDMA/HRPD
• 0C=CDMA, LTE
• 0D=HRPD, LTE
• 0E=CDMA, HRPD, LTE
• 0F=CDMA, GSM, UMTS
• 10=CDMA, HRPD, GSM, UMTS

I'll test it!

Guys, I think we are all on the same boat...

I've also tried many things with MT devices and and GSM modems starting with usb dongles. At that time automated scripts for resetting modem using ATDT commands or full board reboot were absolutely necessary. But also now using various mini-pci modems, scripts are necessary to overcome modems' hangs.
The only thing I have to mention is that RB912UAG-2HPnD seems ideal because of the usb power reset option for the mini-pci cards. However this board does not operate properly/smoothly with MC7710. I tested two different boards and temperature was very very high (actually you couldn't touch the metal case) and after few hours leading to very poor wifi performance. Note that I used 4 different ping tails and 4 omni antennas. I know it is weird, but it happened without being able to identify the route cause.
Same does not happen with RB411U board. Performance is dramatically increased for MC7710 but board lacks of usb power reset option.

What type of board are you using on your installations?

About mobile network mode in the area that devices are used and deployed, 3G coverage is very satisfying but we also need to take advantage of the LTE radios if possible. Furthermore GSM/EDGE even it is an option for remote device maintenance, hosted application is not operational with such limited bandwidth so it should be excluded as a mode.
And this because I also noticed that when modem switches to GSM, even if 3G is available it does switch quickly to the faster 3G mode and locks for extended interval of time. What I noticed is that if GSM signal is stronger that 3G for the same area of interest, modem will not switch. This is the reason that I need to force modem only on 3G/LTE modes.
More or less, I have the same problem as Bomber67.
The ideal solution would be the following scheme, but I cannot figure out how can be achieved:

1) GSM (if only available for rural)
2) UMTS 3G preferred
3) LTE preferred (over 3G existence)

Firmware used as also recommended by MT for MC7710 is: SWI9200x_03.05.23.02