T-Mobile Expands Home Internet Service.. Will this be the next Clearwire Disaster?

[mdob07]

On 2/9/2021 at 4:41 PM, mdob07 said:

I signed up for this today to try it out, I'm getting tired of Spectrum constantly going out for hours at a time. My home tower is fully upgraded with n41 and n71 so hopefully performance is pretty good. The equipment is currently backorder for 3-4 weeks as of today. 

Looks like the equipment shipped out yesterday. Its just coming from across town so it might come today, but UPS is very delayed right now from this winter storm. They shut down Worldport last night for the first time I think since 9/11.

[mdob07]

On 2/16/2021 at 9:51 AM, mdob07 said:

Looks like the equipment shipped out yesterday. Its just coming from across town so it might come today, but UPS is very delayed right now from this winter storm. They shut down Worldport last night for the first time I think since 9/11.

Well, I still haven't received my package. UPS is apparently having trouble recovering from the one day shutdown. This literally just came from across town and it has yet to make it to my house. Its been out for delivery 3 days in a row and still hasn't made it to my house. I also have a Ubiquiti package stuck in the system too, though something I just bought from Newegg Wednesday showed up today from UPS which makes me think they are operating in a last in first out mode.

[mdob07]

So I finally received my gateway and got it setup last night. So far I've been very impressed with this thing. Speedwise I've been getting between 50-120 down and 50-70 up, which is insane coming from 5-10 upload with Spectrum. Obviously with cellular there's been plenty of fluctuations but none I would have noticed without running speed tests constantly and comparing them. Ping has typically been 40-90 ms to whatever server speed test app picks, which isn't all that much worse than my Spectrum service that averaged around 55 ms consistently. 

The device was super simple to setup, and is even wifi 6 capable if you're using it for your WiFi. In my case I have a Ubiquiti UDM Pro running my network with several switches and APs. There is no WAN port on the T-Mobile gateway so I have to use 1 of the LAN ports to connect to my UDM Pro. Even with the extra router hop I can't see much performance loss. If they add features to the gateway down the road and add bridge mode that should make it even better. The UI on the gateway is super simple and lacking a lot of advanced setting typically found on most home routers. About the only thing you can change are SSIDs for wifi and transmit power. I tried to turn the wifi off on the gateway since I don't need it but it keeps turning back on. 

I've also noticed I'm only getting N71 NSA by the signal strength reading, and not N41. So if it is allowed to use N41 in the future speeds should go way up for me. My phone sitting next to the gateway on B2 and N41 easily gets 300mbps consistently. There is no way to know what band you are connected to by the web UI, but using the T-Mobile home internet app it will tell you the primary band, but not the secondary. The gateway also has a built in battery, which would be handy for those that don't have their networking equipment on a UPS. If anyone has anything in particular they'd like to know or for me to test please let me know. I'll probably post more in the coming days, including taking it outside and using the built-in wifi to test speed with it outdoors and clear LOS to the tower. 

[MarshieZ]

17 hours ago, mdob07 said:

So I finally received my gateway and got it setup last night.

Have you run into any issues with double NAT or such running it the way you are? Those are very impressive speeds though!

[mdob07]

On 2/24/2021 at 2:13 PM, MarshieZ said:

Have you run into any issues with double NAT or such running it the way you are? Those are very impressive speeds though!

I haven't noticed any so far. Looks like they pushed an update out since I was last looking at the gateway on Monday night, I now have a status tab that shows more cellular detail, though that's about the only difference I've seen. 

Here are some side by side tests for comparison. Both B2 and N71 are 15x15. 

T-Mobile Gateway testing on my PC connected through my Ubiquiti network:

T-Mobile Gateway testing using the gateway's WIFI network:

Spectrum on my PC: 

 

 

[mdob07]

5 hours ago, mdob07 said:

I haven't noticed any so far. Looks like they pushed an update out since I was last looking at the gateway on Monday night, I now have a status tab that shows more cellular detail, though that's about the only difference I've seen. 

Here are some side by side tests for comparison. Both B2 and N71 are 15x15. 

T-Mobile Gateway testing on my PC connected through my Ubiquiti network:

T-Mobile Gateway testing using the gateway's WIFI network:

Spectrum on my PC: 

 

 

Update! I'm now connect to N41 for the secondary signal, getting speeds well over 300mbps now on my wifi. I actually had to up my 5GHz bandwidth on my APs to take advantage of it, lol. Keep in mind this is with the gateway in my basement no less. 

[mdob07]

9 hours ago, mdob07 said:

Update! I'm now connect to N41 for the secondary signal, getting speeds well over 300mbps now on my wifi. I actually had to up my 5GHz bandwidth on my APs to take advantage of it, lol. Keep in mind this is with the gateway in my basement no less. 

My PC with the Gateway on B2 + N41. Testing from the gateway's wifi I'm getting well over 400, so seems like I'm losing a little between my gateway and UDM Pro. I'll do some more testing later as see what I can figure out. 

[dkyeager]

On 2/26/2021 at 10:05 AM, mdob07 said:

My PC with the Gateway on B2 + N41. Testing from the gateway's wifi I'm getting well over 400, so seems like I'm losing a little between my gateway and UDM Pro. I'll do some more testing later as see what I can figure out. 

Is this all one unit or is the modem part separate?  Any pics of equipment your using?  Thanks

[mdob07]

48 minutes ago, dkyeager said:

Is this all one unit or is the modem part separate?  Any pics of equipment your using?  Thanks

I'll grab some pictures when I get home, but I'll warn that it's a bit of a messy setup right now. I need to reorganize some stuff to make the gateway fit where I want it. 

[mdob07]

7 hours ago, dkyeager said:

Is this all one unit or is the modem part separate?  Any pics of equipment your using?  Thanks

Here is the gateway:

Here is my full setup, the gateway LAN port connects to the WAN port on my Ubiquiti UDM Pro under my switch. 

[belusnecropolis]

We tore this thing down. It has external antenna ports available on the SoC. They are U.FL/MHF1 if you guys want to get modding this thing too.

[iansltx]

Was finally successful in convincing a friend to switch from Spectrum, which has given him constant issues, to T-Mobile, as there's an n41 site <1200' from him, plus another ~3500' in a different direction. 306/36 with 22 ms ping and 6 ms jitter. If I had a better n41 signal I'd absolutely pick a unit up myself.

EDIT 2:

From a few minutes ago. That ping is downright excellent for cellular.

Edited March 5, 2021 by iansltx
More info

[ingenium]

On 3/2/2021 at 10:28 PM, belusnecropolis said:

We tore this thing down. It has external antenna ports available on the SoC. They are U.FL/MHF1 if you guys want to get modding this thing too.

Is it easy to put back together in a way where they wouldn't know that you look it apart?

[iansltx]

As of tomorrow, home internet is $60/mo, up from $50. Apparently $50 is so disruptive a price point that TMo can't keep routers in stock I guess, across their now-much-larger service area for the product.

[iansltx]

Per today's investor call, T-Mobile still expects 7-8 million home internet subscribers on their network eventually. They had 100k by the end of last year. Wouldn't be surprised if that number has doubled since then.

[mdob07]

On 2/24/2021 at 2:13 PM, MarshieZ said:

Have you run into any issues with double NAT or such running it the way you are? Those are very impressive speeds though!

 

On 2/25/2021 at 6:52 PM, mdob07 said:

I haven't noticed any so far. 

Well I have finally noticed an issue with the double NAT. I run Unifi Voice on my Ubiquiti UDM Pro and when I'm on my T-Mobile connection I can't make or receive calls on my IP phone. As soon as I switch to my Spectrum connection it works fine. Assuming this is because on T-Mobile it shows a 192.168 address for WAN connection. I'm hoping to port my existing Spectrum phone number to Unifi eventually and get rid of Spectrum all together and save about $100 a month, but I guess I'll have to find or build a cellular router that can pass though the public IP to my UDP Pro. If nothing else this proves that this is a viable option with the right equipment. 

[dkyeager]

On 3/18/2021 at 3:24 PM, mdob07 said:

 

Well I have finally noticed an issue with the double NAT. I run Unifi Voice on my Ubiquiti UDM Pro and when I'm on my T-Mobile connection I can't make or receive calls on my IP phone. As soon as I switch to my Spectrum connection it works fine. Assuming this is because on T-Mobile it shows a 192.168 address for WAN connection. I'm hoping to port my existing Spectrum phone number to Unifi eventually and get rid of Spectrum all together and save about $100 a month, but I guess I'll have to find or build a cellular router that can pass though the public IP to my UDP Pro. If nothing else this proves that this is a viable option with the right equipment. 

I think you would need to go IPv6.  At least T-Mobile is more honest than Starlink about obviously showing you it is double NATed.  VPNing back the router was also an issue.  The key weakness to Starlink is the actual upload speeds.  In many ways IPv6 is still not ready for prime time in terms of the detailed ways people use IPv4, but we must adopt to IPv6, especially in the mobile world.

[ingenium]

On 3/18/2021 at 3:24 PM, mdob07 said:

 

Well I have finally noticed an issue with the double NAT. I run Unifi Voice on my Ubiquiti UDM Pro and when I'm on my T-Mobile connection I can't make or receive calls on my IP phone. As soon as I switch to my Spectrum connection it works fine. Assuming this is because on T-Mobile it shows a 192.168 address for WAN connection. I'm hoping to port my existing Spectrum phone number to Unifi eventually and get rid of Spectrum all together and save about $100 a month, but I guess I'll have to find or build a cellular router that can pass though the public IP to my UDP Pro. If nothing else this proves that this is a viable option with the right equipment. 

I'm assuming that Unifi voice also maintains a connection to a remote server, rather than relying solely on port forwarding and the server initiating a connection for a call? If so, see if you can decrease the keep alive interval. It's possible that T-Mobile's NAT kills the connection due to inactivity. Some NAT implementations are aggressive at closing connections if they haven't seen a packet in a certain period of time.

Otherwise, you'll never get a public IPv4 address on an LTE network. They're all CGNAT. Sprint had the option, but they were the only one 

[DurhamHusker]

I tried to sign up yesterday. Buying a house near Spring Hill KS and was showing as available a few weeks ago at my new address. Today it is not available. Seemed odd. Maybe they're limiting signups?

[andrejpesockij920]

On 10/9/2020 at 6:00 AM, 4GHoward said:

T-Mobile is Expanding Home Internet Service. Will this be the next Clearwire Disaster? Please leave a comment if you plan on signing up or what you think of this broad expansion.

 

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-expands-home-internet-to-more-than-450-cities-towns-left-high-and-dry-by-att

 

 

hi Spectrum constantly comes out for hours it's not cool. I'll try your product, see how it goes ..

[andrejpesockij920]

On 10/9/2020 at 6:00 AM, 4GHoward said:

T-Mobile is Expanding Home Internet Service. Will this be the next Clearwire Disaster? Please leave a comment if you plan on signing up or what you think of this broad expansion.

 

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-expands-home-internet-to-more-than-450-cities-towns-left-high-and-dry-by-att  https://www.worktime.com/employee-time-tracking-software

 

I signed up for this today to try it out, I'm getting tired of Spectrum constantly going out for hours at a time. My home tower is fully upgraded with n41 and n71 so hopefully performance is pretty good.

[4GHoward]

FYI..

https://www.tmonews.com/2022/12/t-mobile-wants-you-to-make-xfinity-your-ex/

 

[dkyeager]

21 minutes ago, 4GHoward said:

FYI..

https://www.tmonews.com/2022/12/t-mobile-wants-you-to-make-xfinity-your-ex/

 

Comcast offers multi gigabit service. Easily has worst customer support. Hangups on polite customers. 

Technically Charter would be an easier target.