Anyone has experience setting up mesh wifi involving umobile 5G modem/router ?

Because I intent to put the umobile 5G modem/router at the location with best signal, then I need to consider extend the wifi coverage to the other places in the house further away from the 5G modem/router. So I need to set up a mesh network.

Or there is a bundle where the a mesh router is bundled with the umobile package ?

I think xiaomi ax3000 should be okay. very economical, good chipset, coverage & speed. Just plug in via lan cable to the WAN rj45 port on the router & set up the ax3000 using mi home apps using phone. u also need to turn off WiFi broadcast from ur main 5g router.

You mean connecting connecting the WAN port of the Xiaomi to the LAN port of the the umobile box ?

This is double NAT, that means the internal Xiaomi LAN network will be natted twice.

And then the Xiaomi will have to have at least 2 units ?

Is there a way I could use the Umobile as the primary mesh node and just add ONE additional mesh node ?

This post has been edited by tmc: Jul 19 2024, 11:04 PM

I did turn off my ZTE wifi and then connect a tplink AC4000 router. I have never used MESH before but I definitely prefer setting the router to AP mode and place it in the middle of my house so that 1 router covers everything.

The best solution would be to just get a TP-Link X50 5G as your main node and have other Deco nodes for mesh

But it has its flaws and also cost

I dont think U Mobiles provided stuff supports EasyMesh
At least I see no mentions of it

If anyone has a spare MC888S for me to try it out...

2 or 3 units only if ur house very big & u want to cover more area. normally one ax3000 is enough bec the coverage penetration quite good (not the best but good enough).

sorry I can't remember my exact set up years ago. I did at my parent house but using one ax3000 only. connected using Huawei b618 with digi sim card inside. what I can recall is it's very straightforward. Just plug in both using lan cable then everything set up using mi home apps on the phone in just less than 10 minutes. need to connect to WAN port of ur umobile router, if I'm not mistaken.

This does not make sense. THe WAN port means the upstream. the LAN port means the downstream.

it only makes sense when the WAN port of primary node of the mesh xiaomi router, connects to the LAN port of the umobile router, designating the xiamoi router is seeing umobile router as upstream.



Minute 20:15

MC888S is the umobile/xte modem/router ?

The SIM slot which supports 5G sim, is expensive. So getting two umobile routers for mesh is waisting one of the SIM slot. The MC888S should form mesh with a (cheaper) router without SIM slot.

yeah. maybe I'm mistaken. ts should connect to Lan port then. sorry I just do it one time several years ago. can't recall anything. Just remembered that the set up is very easy. plug n play & took me less than 10 minutes using the mi home apps.

This post has been edited by xswatch: Jul 20 2024, 09:22 AM

Typically the WAN of the mesh router ( xiaomi in this case ) will have 3 types of connection, Static, DHCP and PPPoE for its upstream.

So what do you configure into xiaomi as for your connection using the umobile router as its upstream ? You probably have used DHCP I guess.

This post has been edited by tmc: Jul 20 2024, 09:46 AM

I am current using the TM mesh router ( dlink ). When the contract is over, I supposed the DLINK routers will be mine. I would reconfigure the PPPoE upstream of dlink to DHCP, to connect the WAN port of dlink to the LAN port of umobile 5G router and disable the wireless WIFI on the umobile.

That way I continue to have mesh router config, and using umobile as upstream.

The downside of double NAT taken from AI answer :-

Double NAT, or Double Network Address Translation, can introduce several downsides to your network. Here's a breakdown of the potential problems:

Limited Connectivity: Double NAT creates two layers of private networks, potentially hindering communication between devices on the different networks. This can be problematic if you want to access devices directly like gaming consoles or security cameras that are connected behind the second router.

Port Forwarding Issues: If you need to set up port forwarding for applications like games, VPNs, or remote access, it can become more complex with double NAT. You might need to configure port forwarding on both routers, which can be tricky and error-prone.

Reduced Performance: Double NAT can introduce additional processing overhead as packets are translated twice. This might lead to slower network speeds or higher latency, especially for activities that require real-time responsiveness like online gaming or video conferencing.

Troubleshooting Challenges: Diagnosing network issues can be more complicated with double NAT. Since packets are translated twice, it can be harder to pinpoint where the problem is originating from.

Security Concerns (limited): While some argue double NAT adds a layer of security by obscuring your internal network from the internet, this is a weak defense at best. A good firewall on your main router is more important for security. In some cases, double NAT might even interfere with certain security features.

Here are some additional points to consider:

The severity of these downsides depends on your specific needs and how you use your network. For casual internet browsing, the impact might be minimal.
If you experience connectivity issues or require advanced features like port forwarding, then eliminating double NAT might be beneficial.
In some cases, you might not have a choice if your ISP provides a router with NAT enabled and you also have your own router. However, here are some things you can try:

Bridge Mode: See if your ISP router can be configured to bridge mode. This essentially disables its NAT functionality and treats it as a simple modem, allowing your own router to handle all network management.

DMZ: Setting up a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) on your ISP router can expose a single device on your network directly to the internet, bypassing the double NAT for that specific device. However, use DMZ with caution as it can expose that device to potential security risks.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to address double NAT depends on your specific network setup and needs. If you're facing connectivity issues or require advanced features, then eliminating double NAT might be worthwhile.

It doesnt really matter... to be able to use it, you would have to set the router to AP mode which render the WAN port into a normal LAN port.

Haha I am confused more after this explanation.

Set router to AP mode, set it to which router ? The umobile router or the xiaomi mesh router ?

In one of the messages, he mentioned disabling the wireless wifi AP on the Umobile router, so I don't think he is using AP mode configuration. He is using natted configuration.

This post has been edited by tmc: Jul 20 2024, 02:54 PM

The one you wish to use for wifi.

It is my understanding that AP mode set up performs level 2 extension of original wifi of the coverage, when you set AC4000 router into AP mode, it actually disable the wifi on the AC4000, and it extends the original ZTE wifi using level 2 protocol.

It is quite confusing when you said you disable the original ZTE wifi.

It is when you use the natted mode, that you would need to disable to original ZTE wifi, and purely using the AC4000 wifi to provide the coverage.

Looks to me you actually have used natted configuration too.

This post has been edited by tmc: Jul 21 2024, 09:52 AM

Yes in AP mode, you can use either the WAN port or the LAN of the AP mode router.

But in my reading of the original xswatch posts he is connecting to the WAN port Umobile/ZTE router. That is the confusing portion.

Well, I'm still using the routing function on the um router (dhcp enabled), just disabling the wifi only.

I did try to disable dhcp and wifi on um router and use my tplink (router mode with dhcp enabled) and WAN to um router as direct connection for internet. It was kinda unstable using this method thus I stopped using it.

I tried to use bridge mode on um router after watching video on YouTube but was unsuccessful. I even tried another router model but just couldnt get it to work. Not sure why.

Whether you are using AP mode or natted mode, the physical connection is identical.

Only difference is one is natted twice, another is natted once,. AP mode natted on the UM router only. The AP mode extends the SSID of the UM router, and the natted mode use the SSID of the both routers, that why you have to disable one of them ( disable the one furthest away from you ).