Nighthawk M1 - selection of LTE Frequency/Band

[electroMechanic]

2.5 Mbps download, 17.6 Mbps upload on band 20.

39.7 Mbps download, 11.9  on band 3.

Download speed is generally more important than upload for most conventional applications.

[electroMechanic]

Edit: 39.7 Mbps download, 11.9 Mbps upload on band 3.

Just to add a little context, while the device was connected using band 20, the signal strength indicator was showing 4/5, whereas while connected using band 3, the signal strength was showing 2/5.

So the connection using band 3 was actually yielding a substantially superior download speed despite the fact that signal strength was apparently half that of the connection using band 20.

[VI_Jizzle]

Does anyone have a fix for this problem? I'm located in a rural area and my Nighthawk M1 is paper weight at the moment. I tried directional antenna but that has not fix the problem... I wish Netgear would do something about this. We did pay for a product that is extremely useless at the moment.They could make the changes to the software but they rather us suffer.lets see what they have to say now

[JSchnee21]

Good luck, we all wish you well.  But I wouldn't hold my breath.  Most "mainstream" USA devices do not permit this funtionality or the major carriers have lobbied for it to be turned off / hidden.

[krzysik]

Hello all.
I bought a router 3 days ago.
I am very disappointed that you can not choose the LTE band :(
There is no information on what band the router has aggregation. ; (
My current software: MR1100-100EUS_04.01.67.00
I called the netgear service in Poland. I did not learn anything. The website said that something might change in the future software.
I was disappointed with the capabilities of this router :(
Like colleagues formerly Huawei routers for $ 70 have this function.
Question for netgear programmers: when is the new software for my version of the router?

[electroMechanic]

There won't be any such update. If they do update it they won't provide band selection.

I bought an LB2120, and it is completely useless without band selection, because it jumps to band 20 all the time, randomly, where I get extremely poor download speeds. I informed netgear of this problem using their 90 day complimentary technical support and they didn't even reply, even though I was only asking about this as a suggestion.

Netgear have very poor customer support, and my advice to you is send it back now while you can still receive a refund. I was not so lucky, and the LB2120 is sitting in its box collecting dust (cost me €150).

[krzysik]

Thank you for your answer. In Poland, I have 14 days from the date of purchase. I bought a router from an authorized distributor. I will write to the website with Poland if they do not answer - I will give the router; (

[darkarbiter]

Hello~Jason

after i upgraded my Nighthawk M1 to the lastest firmware

my LTE band only use B3 only, even i changed 3 different iSP sim card and changed position for test

Use of B3 only maked my net speed became very very slow

it seems that CA function is totally malfunction

can you help us solve this condition?

i am sure that My Nighthawk M1 worked pretty excellent before update

there was other person had the same problem also

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Mobile-Routers-Hotspots-Modems/Nighthawk-M1-Optus-speed-slow/m-p/16...

thank u very much

or u can provide old version firmware?

thanks a lot

I am from Taiwan

[peeedroo]

Hi all

Sometimes my M1 stays stucked with the B20 band (the worst were i live)

I use this tweak that is working with me

I open the netgear android app, then i go to settings, then Network, and on "network mode" i switch to "manual"

The M1 then starts to check every band/internet provider and i think that it also test the speed of each band

Then i select manually my internet provider and then if i go to "advance info" i can confirm that it normally selects other band, and never the B20 (usually the B3 that in my region is much faster). That´s why i think that in manual mode it also tests the speed

Try this simple tweak just to check if the M1 selects other Band

Hope i helped

peedroo

[krzysik]

I have not got the answers from the website to my query:
1. What bands aggregates in Poland m1?
2. How to manually select bands for aggregation?

The service does not respect the customer. Today I decided - I return the router to the store.

[JSchnee21]

Hi @peeedroo,

Good suggestion, I usually just power cycle my device.

-Jonathan

[merlin666]

Hello,

I have the European model of this 4G router and I would like to manually choose the frequency band to use as it is the case on other routers on the market (see Huawei).

I know that some versions of the firmware allow you to choose the frequency band of the M1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJSIBm-K-X4

I use the latest firmware but I can't choose the frequency band!(https://www.netgear.fr/support/product/MR1100EUS.aspx#Version%2012.06.01.01.00%20of%20firmware%20(fi...)

When will this feature be available on the European model?

(see attachment)

[merlin666]

Up !

[merlin666]

Nobody ?

[JSchnee21]

Well,

I cannot speak for the European or other foreign versions of the MR1100 (nor can I speak for the US version either -- just offer my unsolicited opinion).

Few if any carrier affiliated devices in the USA permit configuration/selection/deselection or affinity of/for individual cellular bands.  Some don't even allow you choose which cellular technologies (GSM, 3G, 4G, LTE) are enabled.

Generally the carrier firmware version or carrier settings overlay hides/disables these options.

So, to that end, for the USA version of the MR1100 and M5 Fusion, I wouldn't hold my breath.  It's difficult enough to just find out what band you are on, let alone getting to choose.  

If you really want to lock down which band you're using you'll either need a foreign device (Huwei for example) or an industrial device (Mofi, Yeacom, Sierra Wireless, etc.).  But finding an industrial device with a modern LTE-A capable chipset is difficult and expensive.

[vojtarocek]

Tired of waiting, I already sold this piece of **bleep**. Netgear sux and community like this is just a big joke.

Wherever I go I advise everyone to not buying any Netgear products.

Way to go guys!

[merlin666]

By which exact model did you replace the Netgear router?

[JSchnee21]

While I don't disagree.  Unfortunately, there aren't really any better choices.  My ZTE Velocity 2 (discontinued) is almost as good.  Certainly was cheaper (only $79) but no Ethernet and much shorter battery life.  Download speeds slightly slower than MR1100 but upload speeds much better.  

I wish Samsung or Apple would make a carrier unlocked dedicated hotspot device.

[SirCosmin]

@JasonN When can we expect an update on this topic? A lot of people would find this setting very useful. I have the same problem, the router picks the worst cell, right now using B1 - when switching to B20 I get better signal and faster internet speed. I wish I could keep the router connected to that one!!! 

regards,

SirCosmin

[JSchnee21]

@SirCosmin ,

Well sir, I wish you the best.  But I think it will be a cold day in Hades before such a feature ever comes to the United States.  US carriers (and most US device manufacturers) actively try to prevent devices from offering band selection capability.  Netgear has ignored these requests for nearly a year now.

Regrettably, the MR1100 seems like a a dead man walking.  It hasn't even gotten the spiffy new "5GE" logo from AT&T yet -- which is available for most modern Android devices and is bundled in the new iOS 12.2 update coming later this month.  No new MR1100 firmware for 6 months?  Given the US announcement of the M5 Fusion, and the recent AUS announcement of the MR2100.  I think the days of the MR1100 are coming to an end.

Given that the M5 is a dumb, overpriced product with no Ethernet, no external LTE antenna connections, and cannot do simultaneous LAA and 5.8GHz Wifi, I sincerely hope the MR2100 comes to the USA soon.  And that it's CA, LTE MIMO, and QAM256 actually work (and are approved by the FCC) unlike the MR1100.  That said, if the MR2100 tracks the MR1100, we won't see it in the states until late Q4.

All the best,

Jonathan

[SirCosmin]

I'm sad to hear that my friend, however my concern is Europe as I own that version, I live in Poland. 

The good part is that I can see what this router is capable of, would be awesome if it would support the 5G frequency, but until the full release of 5G I am sure I will have fiber optic on this damn street I live because is the only one lacking fiber optics and thats why I was forced to buy this router. 

Happy to hear new firmware will be released however I would like to see the changes done, is there anywhere any documentation that explains what is changed/added in the new firmware versions!?

regards

SirCosmin

[Anton11]

I sended router to DC Unlocker team and thay made software for manual bands selection

Finally mine Netgear working as expected. ! Im happy.

https://www.dc-unlocker.com/netgear-mr1100-band-manual-selection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWlFu_oKPj4&t=4s

[Mapcoo]

hello,

I have bought 29 credits ( 29€) to test DC-UNLOCK to add bands LTE but I had an error with "Write command AT" when I would like to upgrade the bands list.

Didn"t work fine with me.

[olkitu]

Hello everyone! 

I wrote now instruction to my blog how to enable band selection for FREE to your Netgear MR1100 router. I have tested that on EU-version but i think should work also US and Australian versions. 

https://mt-tech.fi/en/enable-manual-band-selection-on-netgear-mr1100/

For other brands, please check with  AT!BAND=?  command supported bands because then you see all bands could add to list. Max 8 values possible add only if not remove default ones... 

[SirCosmin]

That's very useful but I would wait a bit until the release of next firmware update to see if this option will be included. I would really like to avoid changing the code wrong and have a faulty router 🙂 

However if this option won't become available on the next firmware I might give it a try!