BUY IT: Get 5% off Waveform antenna and signal booster products with this link: www.waveform.com/natertater or just use code "NATERTATER" at checkout. Then you can go to the Peplink BR1 5G Pro product page: www.waveform.com/products/peplink-max-br1-pro-5g?variant=39840236535911 Cheetah 5G Router (use COUPON CODE NaterTater for $45 off): chestertechrepairs.com/products/wifi6-industrial-lte-5g-nr-wireless-modem-router-unlimited-hotspot-rv Invisagig - chestertechrepairs.com/products/invisagig-os-qualcomm-sdx62-rm520n-gl-standalone-modem-nr5g-4g-lte USE COUPON CODE for $20 OFF : natertater20off Be sure to see my other Verizon and T-Mobile Home Internet Videos: Verizon: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNSOcTz7L6sHiuWVQXwUT4my.html T-mobile: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNQHp0KWk8gG8XXvaKzaoSB3.html Peplink cellular devices: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNTZR2vUJWyd6kmmDD6ediym.html
I know it probably sucks wearing that camera on your head but that view was really good to understand everything going on. Plus the pictures helped out a lot.
I just took mine apart to install my Waveform Antenna, a quick tip for the sticker is just peel it at the corner, its a very thick heavy duty label that is more plastic than paper so you can just peel it to remove the screw and just put it back in place again that way there is no evidence that you took it apart.
Same, I only just started taking mine apart, but took a razor blade and carefully slid it under the corner and lifted the label up, only enough to get to the screw, and gently laid it back down.
Way beyond my pay grade! What was the USB port for? I wish there was an external antenna that could be used that didn't require hard-wiring to the gateway.
I love you, man. And, I'm sorry in advance. Just shot an unboxing and setup of a new Arcadia & Waveform 4x4 on an exterior galvanized pole ... none of which would have existed before you. We're building a house in the country and getting by with Starlink RV. Then we found your videos on this setup. Initial speeds were 40'ish down / 13 up. After sufficient cussing with the disassembly and UFL connectors, and a quick test mount about 10' up, we're now at 264 down / 17.8 up. I end up mentioning your name a bunch in the video... probably too much. Sorry if it sounds like some creepy man crush. 😘🤪
I just disassembled my NEW Arcadyan KVD21. As far as the Sticker goes I used a real thin surgical knife and went under it. Then I used a pair of wide tweezers to lift it up enough to get to that screw out. Until I am sure this will work with the external 4X4 Log Periodic Direction Antennas. Nate the old Silver Trash Can bit the dust after 3 weeks. Got me a new one. Also Waveform is sending me a new 4x4 cable. The #2 cable had a dead short and that is what took out the Trash Can, Band 71 would not stay connected and kept dropping out. I also have to take down the 4x4's this weekend until the cable gets here. I suppose I could do a 2X2 until it gets here. I will keep you posted on the results.... Take Care Guy. Dave
@@NaterTater I guess it came that way Nate. Because when I put it up the Gateway kept dropping the N71 band. Then the Gateway just shut down. When I used a VOM it showed a dead short. When I took it down with no antennas it still showed a short. But I got in touch with Waveform and Jose said he would send me a new cable. Really nice customer service there. I am wondering why my upload speeds are 4 X faster than my download speed. I reset my NIC to default and did a factory reset on the gateway but nothing changed.
Perfect! Thank you Nater! Easy to understand, excellent quality DIY video production imho. VERY helpful : ) P.S. Nice forensic screwdriver technique and tips (ie.bottom plate hooks point out). Even more nice: No broken tabs 😅
thanks, T-mobile just dropped 2 of the 3 towers near me so I went from 150Mbps to 5Mbps...I just ordered the external antenna, I took the back sticker off with a hair dryer and that small screw also has a "Warranty sticker" stuck to it as well under the main one.
Just got mine and waiting for 4 antenna connectors. Am I correct in thinking m and d are the only two I should hook up? My area is broadcasting 600,700 lte and 5g. I get no mid band 2 or 4. Looks like M1 and M2 would be useless for me.
Thanks for the demo on disassembly. I wonder if the sticker could be heated slightly and peeled back, without damaging further of course. I'm looking forward to seeing how the antenna connections go and maybe the back screw can be left alone. Also looking forward to seeing more about the open ports. Great stuff!
@Mame A you're on a rampage... 😆 I have returned gateways without issue as have many others. In fact I have never heard of one charged for carefully using an antenna and returning the unit back to stock undamaged (notwithstanding a sticker).
I'm glad I decided to try this out, got stuck at getting the whole case off, geez, now I know how to take off case, I was going in the opposite direction. Funny as hell though to watch you jump at each snap 😂. right now just as it stands I have very good service, whereas with the can no service so far I'm impressed with this unit. T-mobile is very aware that I will be connecting an external antenna. It does look like a waveform is more promising than my little white mimo, but if I can use it and get a better boost YAY ME, I will stick with my little mimo. Thanx Nate! for another great video!!!
Hi there, do you know if the tmobile hotspot device can still be moved to another location, after you've done this modification for the waveform mimo? I like being able to bring my hotspot with me while traveling, but be able to connect with the mimo waveform when at home. Thank you
I'd suggest buying a used tmobile gateway online for cheap and just move the SIM card from the home unit with waveform to the "mobile" unit when needed.
Writing this 8/20/22 and I have the newest version. Hold a hair dryer to the corner of the sticker nearest the screw and warm it up until it’s warm to the touch. This makes it easily peel. CAUTION: there are now 2 “warranty seal” stickers on top of that screw under the sticker and one on top of a screw on top. Be careful not to scratch or crease these or maybe even heat them up too much. Gently peel them off and place on something like wax paper to be put back later if you need
You sir, have saved T-Mobile the ability to rip off probably many people from doing little more than damaging a sticker so the customers can be happy to pay for the T-mobile services! Those warranty stickers can make sense, but when it is proven that only the sticker is damaged and all else is fine, yet the company still will try to charge you for the full cost, that's just wrong!!
"Most consumers don’t know that these stickers are actually illegal-and that’s because manufacturers don’t want you to. Under the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the Feds mandated that you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of your warranty says. That makes all of that inconsistent (albeit crafty) language used by the 50 manufacturers surveyed by the U.S. PIRG illegal." "16 CFR Part 700 - INTERPRETATIONS OF MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY ACT"
@@joeneighbor That is awesome to learn! Thanks!! Edit: Since the 5G gateway is 'rented' I wonder if that could make an exclusion to this as a warranty item...
I have the gray t mobile gateway. I bought the 4x4 antenna. The top 2 ports on the gateway I get 0 internet. The bottom 2 ports on the gateway I get great signal. What am I doing wrong? This is the second gateway I bought bc I thought I messed the first one up.
Does anyone know why it would say no SIM card I do a factory reset everything that customer service has told me to do troubleshooting wise. And then I insert a random SIM card in it. and then I put the SIM card that came with it back in it and it works for like 3 weeks and then it does it all over again??? PLEASE🙏🏼HELP
Curious... can one of those unused ports be used to repeat the signal for a regular cell phone? Meaning, can I connect an Omni antenna to one to help my cell phone signal?
Since ports 4 and 5 do not have any antenna attached, I am wondering if they may work if I connect leads from my Waveform 4X4 to them as I broke the U.FL connectors from both D and M2. The only two existing ports not damaged are M and M1. Gateway is working with some impovement, but wondering if these spare ports are operational. Secondly, I suspect MANY people break the U.FL connectors. Who can repair them?? T-Mobil, phone repair shops, board replacement???
the cellular antennas point multiple directions. I have found the best signal is have the LCD screen facing the tower or a little left of the tower. But that might vary for you.
Pro tip: 1 drop of isopropyl alcohol on the edge of the sticker is enough to neutralize the adhesive. Then take a sharp knife and slowly peel back the sticker to access the screw on the back. Tmobile will never know.
I’ve been using the Arcadyan for about a month now, connecting to bands n41 and b66. I was originally getting 150-250 down and 15 up, compared to my 20 down & 1 up with my Windstream DSL, so I was incredibly happy. Then T-Mobile did an unannounced tower upgrade, and I lost service for most of the overnight. When it came back the next morning, I was on bands n71/b2, with speeds of 250-300 down and 50-60 up. This lasted for a few days, and then the gateway reconnected to n41/b66, and back to the slower speeds. I know that this band combination SHOULD give me better speeds, but strangely, it does not. Do you know of any way to force specific bands, perhaps disconnecting certain antennas?
For the screw under the sticker on the back gently lift the sticker. The may be a void warranty label over the screw. You can slip the warranty label off unscrew and the replace the label when you are done.
I got lower speeds after installing the antenna. Does it matter which ports go to which wires going to the roof antenna? They are labeled 1 2 3 4 Do they work best going to specific ports? Like 1 to M 2 to D 3 to m1 4 to m2 ???? Any help appreciated
@@NaterTater thanks, I'm gonna have to contact waveform support.... My speeds have fallen from 20mbps before install to now 6mbps with the antenna pointed at my tower
Do you have any suggestions for an indoor external antenna to be used with the T-Mobile home internet router or there's no difference unless the antenna is posted outside? Please advise?
In a major metropolitan area, where I'm at, personal backyards don't exist nor attics, only penthouses. That's why I'm inquiring about an external indoor antenna option-double-digit stories from the ground level.
i like it a lot but my only issue, the speeds flucuate majorly up n down quite a bit. now maybe its where we live has a lot to do with it?. we live a couple miles outside of our town in the country. i wanted to be a twitch streamer/gamer but it lags soooooooo bad.
I just took mine apart and there are some slight differences that I discovered. TM must be watching your videos because now there are small circular stickers on some of the screws that say "Warranty Seal". And the screw under the sticker was right in the middle of my UPC code. I chose to peel the sticker up rather than poke thru it, but either way it's gonna be obvious that the unit has been taken apart. And that screw had one of the Warranty Seal stickers on it. You can remove them carefully, but they will tear, as I did to one of them. Oh well........... Although I didn't totally break anything, the guides on the side did partially break, but I was able to push them back in place. I don't plan on returning this router, so I'm not too concerned at the moment.............
@@NaterTater Hahahaha....keep up the good work! Just watched your latest vid and I'm looking forward to learning what those two other antenna ports are there for?
is there a way to buy a gateway or have your own? So I dont void the warranty of my rental device? In the past I've used old satelite dishes and modified them to hold a emptied soup can with coax in it to boost a signal attached to a router of mine.
@@spaztic1 used TMHI gateways have been known to be blacklisted and thus won't work. It's rolling the dice as there isn't really a legitimate way for the devices to be for sale. 3rd party gateways work with settings adjustments.
Do you (or does anyone reading) know if there is a microphone inside? I was hoping that the disassembled guts tour would go over everything inside. I'm curious to know if these new gateways have any surveillance capabilities. I know it can't be voice commanded like an Alexa or Google home, but is it "listening" or gathering data? I interested in privacy concerns.
The microphones inside an echo dot look like little flat chips. So, I'm having trouble seeing in this tear down or any others I've looked at whether or not any of this are microphones. No one has confirmed nor denied it.
hey which one of the antenna are the 5g? its wierd if i disconnect one of the cables the signal goes up lol i had 4 bars but then it poped up saying no internet its almost like the antennas or hard ware is holding it back on signal idk lol
@7starblade the order matters, follow the waveform instructions. There is no 5G port but rather a collection of them. See th-cam.com/video/Qb0nTV9rev0/w-d-xo.html
@@NaterTater do you have any idea why every so often it says no SIM card then after I mess with it put random SIM cards in it then the SIM card that came with it back in it it will work
Keep up the good work! My nokia is going bad with "modem storage overload" warnings, tmobile is sending me a new modem, it may be the new one! Crossing fingers.
That warning doesn't mean anything much. Or at least it hasn't been an issue for me. It's from the amount of message you are getting I've heard. It's been showing on mine for at least 6 months..
13:00 Whoops. Don't know how that GPS antenna got removed, T-Mobile! 😀 Sorry, now you can't track where I install it. (Well, they'd see which tower it's communicating to.) (I know, GPS could possibly be used for tighter signal timing tolerances and you might be shooting yourself in the foot if you disconnect. 😆)
Nater Tater, I found, after watching this video, that the top plate comes off very easily without breaking the tabs, if you pry directly up on the corners going in from the outer edge of the corner and pry up, popped off way easier than what you did on your first disassembly example, just FYI. Now, hopefully you can guide me on the U.FL cables, I royally screwed up the connector on the circuit board of the gateway when my screwdriver slipped when I was trying to press the connector on. I guess my only alternative is to call T-Mobile and tell them I messed up their equipment and need a new one??? Any other suggestions?
@@NaterTater Nate, in your video on adding the external antenna, you say you got best signal connecting to the "M" and "M1" connectors, but the instructions form Waveform say to connect to the "M" and "D" connectors for the 2x2 antenna, can you confirm which ones I should be connecting to? I think I found a shop to repair the damaged connector on mine, and want to have them go ahead and connect the cables so I won't screw it up again.
U.FL cables on the link don't snap to the circuit board, seem undersized. The original cables fit OK. Any suggestions for a different supplier or trick. Great vid.
Those are the ones I used. Maybe they changed the design or you got a bad batch? It does take some precision to align and snap on. Waveform.com also sells some and here's a discount: Get 5% off Waveform antenna and signal booster products with this link: waveform.refr.cc/natertater
Do you think using a heat gun or hairdryer would help make the plastic more pliable for disassembly? Also you may use heat to remove the sticker intact
IWut I need to know is, wut are your mobile speed vs Gateway speed! IMy phone gets ~700 Mbps...so wut shoudl I expect the gateway to get? Pretty simple...
Check out my full playlist of TMHI videos: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNQHp0KWk8gG8XXvaKzaoSB3.html I have your exact request here: th-cam.com/video/_8IYKKc911M/w-d-xo.html
good point, but that might be a spouse separator too. haha. I would typically do this stuff in the barn but too far to move my "studio" equipment...and my barn is overfilled currently.
Nate, thanks for the video, it was a great help. However, when I finished, the results with the external antenna were similar to those without it? I am about 2 miles away line-of-site from the T-Mobile antenna. Using the T-Mobile Internet app, I receive 4 bars on 5G. Before and after metrics did not change much; RSRQ -10 now, was -7; RSRP -96 now, was 93; SINR 8, was 7. My Proxicast 2x2 antenna is in the rafters pointing to the tower. I am connected to the M and M1 terminals on the gateway. Did I do something wrong? The antenna does seem to work because my metrics change when I move/tilt the antenna. Any suggestions much appreciated.
Nate, perhaps you can help me. I was chatting with Waveform, but they couldn't help me and suggested you could help me. I am trying to disassemble a KVD21 to connect an antenna. (4x4 Mimo) I have watched your video and scrolled through their (Waveform) steps to disassemble. My KVD21 does not have a screw/screw hole under the label. The Waveform person I was chatting with basically said that wasn't possible, but it is. No screw /screw hole under the label. Will I be able to get it apart? I am still working on getting the top cover off. No luck so far. Will try what you suggest in your video. Any help you can give would be appreciated.
@@NaterTater Removing the screw from behind the label was to be able to remove the back of the case, correct? I have the top and sides off but I don't see any way of removing the back (the screw isn't there, seriously). Unless you have something for me to try, I'm stuck.
Wish you would give close-ups on all of your videos. This way it's like your videoing for a 4 year old ,which many of us mentally are. This would also greatly increase your viewer clicks
I would do this to take out the antenna to make a wifi network to turn it into a modem rather than a router so I can enable sort of a bridge mode and use it with my Eero
Have not played with my waveform flat panel on this yet but I do actually have a 2nd Arcadyan down at shop on the other side of the property…. It sits up high on a shelf and during the process of experimenting with rotation the left side (as you are facing the unit) is pointed in the direction of the towers… that side seems to be the ticket….. I get a 4G b2 or b66 from 12 miles away and I’m getting n41 from a newly rebuilt sprint tower only 1.1 miles away…. Both towers are closely aligned with my line of sight…. I wish there tools to easily determine where your 5G is actually connected to 🙄….. oh and my speeds are very good 120 to 230 down but only 7 to 12 up ….. expecting 30 up when I get around to hooking up the antenna again
When I first got this router and set it up I had 5G with 3-4 bars signal for the first day then it went down to 4G with 2 bars signal the next day. Can anyone answer why that would happened? I look at a cell map and the 5G signal cuts out about a mile from my house away so there is that. Just weird that when I set it up it was strong and now is weak. Would it be worth getting external antennas?
I suggest holding in the tiny reset button for 30 secs for a hard reset. See if it does the 5G signal again. If it does it might be deprioritization kicking you off 5G due to congestion. If thats the case an antenna won't help. The cell mapper "coverage map" is not accurate at all use this th-cam.com/video/m5z9fsoYqKQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for these Arcadyan videos. I've watched them about 10 times following your steps exactly. I got my unit yesterday, it worked right out of the box for about an hour following by an area-wide outage. I took that opportunity to dissect it and I'm ready to hook up my outdoor antenna leads (watching the video one more time to see which connections you recommend). I currently have an AT&T LTE gateway that's outperforming the T-Mobile Arcadyan about 2:1 in speed but I'm not real techy in this area and I'm not sure if it's overall better or worse. I'm hopeful, with the external antenna, that I can hit a T-Mobile tower in the same general area as the AT&T. It's not the one I typically hit with my 5G phones, but it comes in from time to time with an OK signal. Fingers crossed! If that doesn't work, I'll get my ladder out. (BTW, I didn't break my sticker, it peeled right off ! )
Update. Still getting a steady signal and good thruput considering that I'm pretty far from any tower. I didn't like having the modem so exposed to damage but don't want to reassemble it either. I really had a hard time getting it apart in the first place. My solution was pretty simple and others might like this too. All I did was find some wiring heat shrink tubing that barely fit over the 6 side tabs. Cut it to length and reassembled the case. I DID NOT USE ANY HEAT AS THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY DAMAGE THE CASE !! The tubing was heavy enough to keep the tabs from catching but not too heavy as to prevent reassembly. For the top, I just put some padded double sided tape on each of the 4 tabs lightly pressing it into it's original holes without latching them. This also leaves the needed clearance for the antenna wires which I secured with small zip ties to prevent any movement. With the exception of a little extra gap in the top plate it looks perfectly stock and all the delicate pieces and parts are protected.
Update. So I don't know if it's related to the mod but here's something to consider. My modem went belly up about a month after installing the external antennas. That's not surprising but what is is that it would not master reset untill it was back to its out of box configuration. Once I put it back together it reset and began working again. Didn't take long after that that it had to be replaced. I'm not going to modify this one just yet.
Well, AT&T "Homebase Home Internet" pulled a fast one on me, switched my plan and took away the "land line" service so it's time for T-Mobile Home Internet to become my primary instead of my secondary ISP. I put the pigtails on the Arcadyan KVD21 and working with the equipment I already had for the AT&T setup, I attached two 2x2 MIMO Eifagur (698 - 2700 MHz; 11dBi gain) panel antennas in a vertical configuration about 8 inches apart. I saw some other videos that recommend using a 90 degree stacked configuration to get an additional 6 dBi gain but I need to drill a few holes in my mounting hardware to do that. The "numbers" (based on my limited ability to interpret them) don't seem great; however, the speeds are about double what I was getting with the stock gateway. I plan to upgrade to the Waveform 4x4 but in the meantime, have you tried various configurations using (2) 2x2's and can you point me to that content or share your experiences. I'm a little skeptical that I'll see a 6 dBi gain.
DANG man...it's almost like they don't want anyone to take these things apart ! Imagine that...maybe they should just build it with the ports for external antenna and an extra battery !?
I was able to peel the sticker off. Have my waveform antenna connected now to the LTE-D and M. Speed Tests so far are less impressive than the Nokia. Although the signal metrics are better on both the 4G and 5G. My t-mobile app still allows me to see the RSRP SINR BANDS etc. Weird that the connection is slower....I am giving it some time to see if things improve. Also considering keeping this gateway even if things are not quite as good, due to the ability to aggregate 2 5G signals
I'm having an issue where my 4g LTE is faster than my 5g, will these antennas help keep my 4g connected instead of swapping over to the 5g? Or maybe boost the 5g to make it as fast/faster than what I'm getting with 4g?
@@NaterTater I'm not entirely sure with the metrics. As for signal strength I I can get 2 bars with 4G and only 2 with 5. I'm at work right now but can send you a detailed metrics overview when I get home
I'm wondering if T-Mobile box is creating an open Hot Spot for their customers, on this box, much like cable internet ones like Xfinity does with their WiFi routers? I've heard you cannot turn off WiFi on this T-Mobile box BUT can you just disconnect the WiFi antennas while in the box? Maybe you can test this and let us know. Good video.
@@NaterTater Thanks for the info. Just found your channel and lots of good info from you on these devices. I'll check that one out and watch for new videos as well. Thanks for keeping us all informed.
@@NaterTater Says 15V, 3A on the box so 45W. Should be able to power it off a lighter socket but it has the USB C which isn't a common plug type > 5V. I'm 'guessing' it would run off 12V. Maybe not.
I was yesterday years old when I learned what PD really meant for USB-C and found a 12V adapter to Type-1C which works splendidly. Sorry for the noise.
Hey, is the LTE("4G") antenna dedicated / separate from the NR ("5G") antenna[s]? Because if so I'm totally taking mine apart and UN. PLUGGING. the 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 LTE antenna. I've got this problem where... okay so I live maybe 20 or so miles west-by-northwest of B.F.E. but there's ONE. spot in my house where I can pick up a usable-enough 5G signal. I can literally put my OnePlus 9 down SITTING ON TOP OF the dang Arkadyan, and it connects right to 5G (and in SA mode if I force it), resulting in a still-not-fantastic but USABLE data rate (...I'm talking the difference between like ~30ish mb/s and more like 0.5-2 mb/s here). If my OP9 can pick it up the KVD21 sure as hell should, but no, T-Mo locks down the firmware so you can't change ANYTHING WHATSOEVER about what bands / etc their device wants to connect to, soooo... because it can "see" B71 a bit "louder" than N-bands (n71 OR n1) their crappy firmware goes "oh I should connect to that then" and I get... maybe 3-4 megabits, intermittently, on the VERY BEST of days... ...and I'm SO DONE with the "we're modernizing the towers in your area" excuse they've been using as a way to get off the phone for literally YEARS now.
4/5 no change assume those aren't functional. D/M Well not sure more stable but low uploads speed. Being not schooled in this field and learning as I go. Going to try something different, if it doesn't work I believe it's because I'm in an LTE area not able to get my upload speed any higher. Have to wait for the update to finish on the T-Mobile tower. Feeling bummed 😓.
@@NaterTater thanks for the reply, seriously considering buying one for testing. have a great connection for $20 untrottled thru att but its 4g lte and id love to see what 5g can deliver
@@NaterTater They throttle the speed on those plans hard af wondering if the 5g tmobile sim is completely unthrottled?? thats the million dollar question!
BUY IT: Get 5% off Waveform antenna and signal booster products with this link: www.waveform.com/natertater or just use code "NATERTATER" at checkout. Then you can go to the Peplink BR1 5G Pro product page: www.waveform.com/products/peplink-max-br1-pro-5g?variant=39840236535911
Cheetah 5G Router (use COUPON CODE NaterTater for $45 off): chestertechrepairs.com/products/wifi6-industrial-lte-5g-nr-wireless-modem-router-unlimited-hotspot-rv
Invisagig - chestertechrepairs.com/products/invisagig-os-qualcomm-sdx62-rm520n-gl-standalone-modem-nr5g-4g-lte
USE COUPON CODE for $20 OFF : natertater20off
Be sure to see my other Verizon and T-Mobile Home Internet Videos:
Verizon: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNSOcTz7L6sHiuWVQXwUT4my.html
T-mobile: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNQHp0KWk8gG8XXvaKzaoSB3.html
Peplink cellular devices: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNTZR2vUJWyd6kmmDD6ediym.html
I know it probably sucks wearing that camera on your head but that view was really good to understand everything going on. Plus the pictures helped out a lot.
oh, I thought I looked cool with it on. I don't? 😳 haha, thanks for watching!
I just took mine apart to install my Waveform Antenna, a quick tip for the sticker is just peel it at the corner, its a very thick heavy duty label that is more plastic than paper so you can just peel it to remove the screw and just put it back in place again that way there is no evidence that you took it apart.
Same, I only just started taking mine apart, but took a razor blade and carefully slid it under the corner and lifted the label up, only enough to get to the screw, and gently laid it back down.
Way beyond my pay grade! What was the USB port for? I wish there was an external antenna that could be used that didn't require hard-wiring to the gateway.
It's easy really
I love you, man. And, I'm sorry in advance. Just shot an unboxing and setup of a new Arcadia & Waveform 4x4 on an exterior galvanized pole ... none of which would have existed before you. We're building a house in the country and getting by with Starlink RV. Then we found your videos on this setup. Initial speeds were 40'ish down / 13 up. After sufficient cussing with the disassembly and UFL connectors, and a quick test mount about 10' up, we're now at 264 down / 17.8 up. I end up mentioning your name a bunch in the video... probably too much. Sorry if it sounds like some creepy man crush. 😘🤪
Haha, awesome. Great improvement in speed! Thanks for the shout outs.
I just disassembled my NEW Arcadyan KVD21. As far as the Sticker goes I used a real thin surgical knife and went under it. Then I used a pair of wide tweezers to lift it up enough to get to that screw out. Until I am sure this will work with the external 4X4 Log Periodic Direction Antennas.
Nate the old Silver Trash Can bit the dust after 3 weeks. Got me a new one.
Also Waveform is sending me a new 4x4 cable. The #2 cable had a dead short and that is what took out the Trash Can, Band 71 would not stay connected and kept dropping out. I also have to take down the 4x4's this weekend until the cable gets here. I suppose I could do a 2X2 until it gets here. I will keep you posted on the results.... Take Care Guy. Dave
Bummer on the cable. Did it come like that or short over time? Looking forward to hearing the results.
@@NaterTater I guess it came that way Nate. Because when I put it up the Gateway kept dropping the N71 band. Then the Gateway just shut down. When I used a VOM it showed a dead short. When I took it down with no antennas it still showed a short. But I got in touch with Waveform and Jose said he would send me a new cable. Really nice customer service there.
I am wondering why my upload speeds are 4 X faster than my download speed. I reset my NIC to default and did a factory reset on the gateway but nothing changed.
Thanks!
I have an Arcadian gateway Are there any options without having the hard wire it to boost the signal I'm using it in my RV
Love your videos, very excited for the next video. Good work!
Thanks!
Lt. Dan! I’m sure you get this all the time but you look just like Gary Sinise! Great video thanks!
🥸
My sagecom freeking cc cord always breaks is there a way around powering it other then the cc port, was wondering if i cojld use the usb port ?
@@NaNasBarrio how does it break? You can't power it via the USB.
Perfect! Thank you Nater! Easy to understand, excellent quality DIY video production imho. VERY helpful : )
P.S. Nice forensic screwdriver technique and tips (ie.bottom plate hooks point out). Even more nice: No broken tabs 😅
Glad you enjoyed it!
Looking forward to the antenna video - great work!
You and me both!
Is there another device that the T Mobile Gateway KVD21 sims card will work in that has a external antenna thanks.
The short answer is no.
Ok thank you. Is there someone that installs external antenna on these devices.
@@sheabryan6174 not that I know of
Thanks for the detailed disassembly. Two open U.Fl ports...interesting.
6x6? 🤞
6 X 6 - has any one tested?
Was there ever a video of the antenna instal for this ? Have been snooping around and couldn’t find it
@javisalvatierra8687 yes. th-cam.com/video/tqyGXm3yASc/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/_5eERL3Rc40/w-d-xo.html
thanks, T-mobile just dropped 2 of the 3 towers near me so I went from 150Mbps to 5Mbps...I just ordered the external antenna, I took the back sticker off with a hair dryer and that small screw also has a "Warranty sticker" stuck to it as well under the main one.
Nate great video looking forward to the next, you are my morning cup of coffee most of the time.
Awesome!
Just got mine and waiting for 4 antenna connectors. Am I correct in thinking m and d are the only two I should hook up? My area is broadcasting 600,700 lte and 5g. I get no mid band 2 or 4. Looks like M1 and M2 would be useless for me.
Thanks for the demo on disassembly. I wonder if the sticker could be heated slightly and peeled back, without damaging further of course. I'm looking forward to seeing how the antenna connections go and maybe the back screw can be left alone. Also looking forward to seeing more about the open ports. Great stuff!
I would think you could heat/peel but 50% of the time I get a bigger sticker tear, with screwdriver poke I knew exactly what I would get...lol
What about using ethanol to loosen the tackiness but at the same time not destroying the tackiness for reapplication afterwards?
I heated mine with a hair dryer and peeled the sticker with no tearing--
@@NaterTater At least try otherwise CONFIRM that T-Mobile won't charge people the full cost for a RETURN!!!!! FOR REAL!?
@Mame A you're on a rampage... 😆 I have returned gateways without issue as have many others. In fact I have never heard of one charged for carefully using an antenna and returning the unit back to stock undamaged (notwithstanding a sticker).
Thanks. A lot of good information here. Saved a lot of time.
I'm glad I decided to try this out, got stuck at getting the whole case off, geez, now I know how to take off case, I was going in the opposite direction. Funny as hell though to watch you jump at each snap 😂. right now just as it stands I have very good service, whereas with the can no service so far I'm impressed with this unit. T-mobile is very aware that I will be connecting an external antenna. It does look like a waveform is more promising than my little white mimo, but if I can use it and get a better boost YAY ME, I will stick with my little mimo. Thanx Nate! for another great video!!!
you're welcome! Good luck on the signal boost!
@@NaterTater Thanks!
1.22.22 Great video Nate. Sounded like all the plastic snaps got broke. Can't wait for the next antenna tests. Thanks again Nate.
Agree, snaps sounded bad but all OK!
Hi there, do you know if the tmobile hotspot device can still be moved to another location, after you've done this modification for the waveform mimo? I like being able to bring my hotspot with me while traveling, but be able to connect with the mimo waveform when at home. Thank you
I'd suggest buying a used tmobile gateway online for cheap and just move the SIM card from the home unit with waveform to the "mobile" unit when needed.
Great advice. Thank you!
Writing this 8/20/22 and I have the newest version. Hold a hair dryer to the corner of the sticker nearest the screw and warm it up until it’s warm to the touch. This makes it easily peel. CAUTION: there are now 2 “warranty seal” stickers on top of that screw under the sticker and one on top of a screw on top. Be careful not to scratch or crease these or maybe even heat them up too much. Gently peel them off and place on something like wax paper to be put back later if you need
You sir, have saved T-Mobile the ability to rip off probably many people from doing little more than damaging a sticker so the customers can be happy to pay for the T-mobile services!
Those warranty stickers can make sense, but when it is proven that only the sticker is damaged and all else is fine, yet the company still will try to charge you for the full cost, that's just wrong!!
My antenna didn't come with the little clips were can I get them?
"Most consumers don’t know that these stickers are actually illegal-and that’s because manufacturers don’t want you to. Under the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the Feds mandated that you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of your warranty says. That makes all of that inconsistent (albeit crafty) language used by the 50 manufacturers surveyed by the U.S. PIRG illegal."
"16 CFR Part 700 - INTERPRETATIONS OF MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY ACT"
@@joeneighbor That is awesome to learn! Thanks!!
Edit: Since the 5G gateway is 'rented' I wonder if that could make an exclusion to this as a warranty item...
@@ihatesignupsgrrrrrrrof course, that only applies to devices you own
I have the gray t mobile gateway. I bought the 4x4 antenna. The top 2 ports on the gateway I get 0 internet. The bottom 2 ports on the gateway I get great signal. What am I doing wrong? This is the second gateway I bought bc I thought I messed the first one up.
Did you ever make a video that shows how to hook up the external antenna ports I have all the pieces I just don't know how to finish it
th-cam.com/video/tqyGXm3yASc/w-d-xo.html
Does anyone know why it would say no SIM card I do a factory reset everything that customer service has told me to do troubleshooting wise. And then I insert a random SIM card in it. and then I put the SIM card that came with it back in it and it works for like 3 weeks and then it does it all over again??? PLEASE🙏🏼HELP
Great info, thanks. But, what crawled across your desk at 14:12?????
Stink bug. It's in frame at the start of the video.
pictures help out way more than the video, thanks
Curious... can one of those unused ports be used to repeat the signal for a regular cell phone? Meaning, can I connect an Omni antenna to one to help my cell phone signal?
You can't
Wondering if you heated the label if you could peal it back to reveal the screw?
yes probably
Since ports 4 and 5 do not have any antenna attached, I am wondering if they may work if I connect leads from my Waveform 4X4 to them as I broke the U.FL connectors from both D and M2. The only two existing ports not damaged are M and M1. Gateway is working with some impovement, but wondering if these spare ports are operational. Secondly, I suspect MANY people break the U.FL connectors. Who can repair them?? T-Mobil, phone repair shops, board replacement???
Looks like when facing the LCD all the antennas are to the left implying that’s the surface to ‘point’ in the direction of your tower?
the cellular antennas point multiple directions. I have found the best signal is have the LCD screen facing the tower or a little left of the tower. But that might vary for you.
Pro tip: 1 drop of isopropyl alcohol on the edge of the sticker is enough to neutralize the adhesive. Then take a sharp knife and slowly peel back the sticker to access the screw on the back.
Tmobile will never know.
I’ve been using the Arcadyan for about a month now, connecting to bands n41 and b66. I was originally getting 150-250 down and 15 up, compared to my 20 down & 1 up with my Windstream DSL, so I was incredibly happy. Then T-Mobile did an unannounced tower upgrade, and I lost service for most of the overnight. When it came back the next morning, I was on bands n71/b2, with speeds of 250-300 down and 50-60 up. This lasted for a few days, and then the gateway reconnected to n41/b66, and back to the slower speeds. I know that this band combination SHOULD give me better speeds, but strangely, it does not. Do you know of any way to force specific bands, perhaps disconnecting certain antennas?
Maybe a band pass filter?
How do you tell what bands it connects to? The app doesn't seem to give any information.
@@karykrismer1448 The android app does say, but not the web page for at least the two newest models!
Can the WiFi on the modem be disabled/turned off like White box can? Plan on using it as a modern then using Cat6 to my own external wifi modern.
For the screw under the sticker on the back gently lift the sticker. The may be a void warranty label over the screw. You can slip the warranty label off unscrew and the replace the label when you are done.
The epic unboxing music is beautiful 😂
I do my best!
I got lower speeds after installing the antenna. Does it matter which ports go to which wires going to the roof antenna?
They are labeled 1 2 3 4
Do they work best going to specific ports? Like
1 to M
2 to D
3 to m1
4 to m2
????
Any help appreciated
Yes, order matters. www.waveform.com/a/b/guides/hotspots/t-mobile-5g-gateway-arcadyan
@@NaterTater thanks, I'm gonna have to contact waveform support....
My speeds have fallen from 20mbps before install to now 6mbps with the antenna pointed at my tower
@14:17 that bug crawling across the desk....lmao
Indeed
Would a moax convertor work that takes coax to ethernet if I spelled that right
i cant use any of the line of sight antenna... only 1 window an facing other direction
Where can I see the next video? I can't seem to find it.
th-cam.com/video/tqyGXm3yASc/w-d-xo.html as part of th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNS1HuMabIm8hspYa7nlXpPP.html
Do you have any suggestions for an indoor external antenna to be used with the T-Mobile home internet router or there's no difference unless the antenna is posted outside? Please advise?
The external antennas work best outdoors. 2nd best is attic. Indoors and basement is worst.
In a major metropolitan area, where I'm at, personal backyards don't exist nor attics, only penthouses. That's why I'm inquiring about an external indoor antenna option-double-digit stories from the ground level.
@@NaterTater My attic is poor. It has an aluminum skin on the bottom of the roof decking (heat reflective). Just a thought.
i like it a lot but my only issue, the speeds flucuate majorly up n down quite a bit. now maybe its where we live has a lot to do with it?. we live a couple miles outside of our town in the country. i wanted to be a twitch streamer/gamer but it lags soooooooo bad.
I just took mine apart and there are some slight differences that I discovered. TM must be watching your videos because now there are small circular stickers on some of the screws that say "Warranty Seal". And the screw under the sticker was right in the middle of my UPC code. I chose to peel the sticker up rather than poke thru it, but either way it's gonna be obvious that the unit has been taken apart. And that screw had one of the Warranty Seal stickers on it. You can remove them carefully, but they will tear, as I did to one of them. Oh well........... Although I didn't totally break anything, the guides on the side did partially break, but I was able to push them back in place. I don't plan on returning this router, so I'm not too concerned at the moment.............
oh interesting! Good thing a warranty seal sticker won't do much to stop aspiring cellular internet super users. Thanks for sharing.
M1 and M2 are to be used with the WaveForm 2x2 panel Antenna?
I have a feeling your subscriber base is about to explode.....
OK with me!
@@NaterTater Hahahaha....keep up the good work! Just watched your latest vid and I'm looking forward to learning what those two other antenna ports are there for?
is there a way to buy a gateway or have your own? So I dont void the warranty of my rental device? In the past I've used old satelite dishes and modified them to hold a emptied soup can with coax in it to boost a signal attached to a router of mine.
Sorta. Some have successfully bought used TMHI gateways online and swapped their sim into them. There are risks with that though.
@@NaterTater risks how so? the simcard not working on a used device?
@@spaztic1 used TMHI gateways have been known to be blacklisted and thus won't work. It's rolling the dice as there isn't really a legitimate way for the devices to be for sale. 3rd party gateways work with settings adjustments.
Which ports did you end up with for 2x2 and 4x4
I think that's covered here th-cam.com/video/_TUEWAaaG-E/w-d-xo.html
Do you (or does anyone reading) know if there is a microphone inside? I was hoping that the disassembled guts tour would go over everything inside. I'm curious to know if these new gateways have any surveillance capabilities. I know it can't be voice commanded like an Alexa or Google home, but is it "listening" or gathering data? I interested in privacy concerns.
The microphones inside an echo dot look like little flat chips. So, I'm having trouble seeing in this tear down or any others I've looked at whether or not any of this are microphones. No one has confirmed nor denied it.
@@jones9810 no microphone
hey which one of the antenna are the 5g? its wierd if i disconnect one of the cables the signal goes up lol i had 4 bars but then it poped up saying no internet its almost like the antennas or hard ware is holding it back on signal idk lol
this is while plugging it up to the quad mini not sure if there is a specific way to hook these up or not lol
@7starblade the order matters, follow the waveform instructions. There is no 5G port but rather a collection of them. See th-cam.com/video/Qb0nTV9rev0/w-d-xo.html
@@NaterTater do you have any idea why every so often it says no SIM card then after I mess with it put random SIM cards in it then the SIM card that came with it back in it it will work
Can we take the sim out and put in a cell phone and get data only on the phone?
Not without adjusting the IMEI and other things
Nice vid! You look just like Gary Sinise, im sure youve heard that alot.
Thanks. Yes I have!
Keep up the good work! My nokia is going bad with "modem storage overload" warnings, tmobile is sending me a new modem, it may be the new one! Crossing fingers.
will do, thanks!
That warning doesn't mean anything much. Or at least it hasn't been an issue for me. It's from the amount of message you are getting I've heard. It's been showing on mine for at least 6 months..
My gateway box won’t turn on plugged in and everything any solution?
Make sure its plugged into the correct USB port (there are two) and the little push button below the usb is pushed in.
13:00 Whoops. Don't know how that GPS antenna got removed, T-Mobile! 😀 Sorry, now you can't track where I install it. (Well, they'd see which tower it's communicating to.)
(I know, GPS could possibly be used for tighter signal timing tolerances and you might be shooting yourself in the foot if you disconnect. 😆)
Nater Tater, I found, after watching this video, that the top plate comes off very easily without breaking the tabs, if you pry directly up on the corners going in from the outer edge of the corner and pry up, popped off way easier than what you did on your first disassembly example, just FYI.
Now, hopefully you can guide me on the U.FL cables, I royally screwed up the connector on the circuit board of the gateway when my screwdriver slipped when I was trying to press the connector on. I guess my only alternative is to call T-Mobile and tell them I messed up their equipment and need a new one??? Any other suggestions?
If the connector on the board is messed up your only option is getting a new one.
@@NaterTater Nate, in your video on adding the external antenna, you say you got best signal connecting to the "M" and "M1" connectors, but the instructions form Waveform say to connect to the "M" and "D" connectors for the 2x2 antenna, can you confirm which ones I should be connecting to? I think I found a shop to repair the damaged connector on mine, and want to have them go ahead and connect the cables so I won't screw it up again.
@@Ltngdrvr correct. See the deep dive for details why th-cam.com/video/_5eERL3Rc40/w-d-xo.html
and they have cell phone booster would that help
Yes but not as much th-cam.com/video/bboYE4qcfDM/w-d-xo.html
U.FL cables on the link don't snap to the circuit board, seem undersized. The original cables fit OK. Any suggestions for a different supplier or trick. Great vid.
Those are the ones I used. Maybe they changed the design or you got a bad batch? It does take some precision to align and snap on. Waveform.com also sells some and here's a discount: Get 5% off Waveform antenna and signal booster products with this link: waveform.refr.cc/natertater
Has anyone done a test to see if reception is better with the housing disassembled and left that way?
Like 1 bar increase is what I got. Not enough by the way. Better if you take it apart. Today I'm ready to install my mimo antenna.
Do you think using a heat gun or hairdryer would help make the plastic more pliable for disassembly?
Also you may use heat to remove the sticker intact
Yes
IWut I need to know is, wut are your mobile speed vs Gateway speed! IMy phone gets ~700 Mbps...so wut shoudl I expect the gateway to get? Pretty simple...
Check out my full playlist of TMHI videos: th-cam.com/play/PL8d9FovK2dNQHp0KWk8gG8XXvaKzaoSB3.html I have your exact request here: th-cam.com/video/_8IYKKc911M/w-d-xo.html
My phone shows the same whether on cellular or T-Mobile home internet. I get about 600 down and 100 up
@@warholfactory9188 That's amazing speeds. You got lucky!
At 14:12 - By his left elbow; I believe that was a digital stink bug. LOL 😜
He actually makes an appearance several times as my backup dancer. He starts at the very beginning on the last D on the DAD picture frame thing!
Nate, when I disassemble something I find that a muffin pan makes a great small parts/ screw holder/ seperator
good point, but that might be a spouse separator too. haha. I would typically do this stuff in the barn but too far to move my "studio" equipment...and my barn is overfilled currently.
Bro, an ice cube tray.. step 1, first cube, step 2, 2nd cube, etc..
@@fantastical63 its 6 screws.... I'll survive. 😃
Nate, thanks for the video, it was a great help. However, when I finished, the results with the external antenna were similar to those without it? I am about 2 miles away line-of-site from the T-Mobile antenna. Using the T-Mobile Internet app, I receive 4 bars on 5G. Before and after metrics did not change much; RSRQ -10 now, was -7; RSRP -96 now, was 93; SINR 8, was 7. My Proxicast 2x2 antenna is in the rafters pointing to the tower. I am connected to the M and M1 terminals on the gateway. Did I do something wrong? The antenna does seem to work because my metrics change when I move/tilt the antenna. Any suggestions much appreciated.
Your RSRP and RSRQ got worse, did you try some different locations for the antenna (not just orientation)?
@@NaterTater not yet, i will be try to shift the antenna stand slightly left-right and up-down to see if my metrics improve. Thanks!
Nate, perhaps you can help me. I was chatting with Waveform, but they couldn't help me and suggested you could help me. I am trying to disassemble a KVD21 to connect an antenna. (4x4 Mimo) I have watched your video and scrolled through their (Waveform) steps to disassemble. My KVD21 does not have a screw/screw hole under the label. The Waveform person I was chatting with basically said that wasn't possible, but it is. No screw /screw hole under the label. Will I be able to get it apart? I am still working on getting the top cover off. No luck so far. Will try what you suggest in your video. Any help you can give would be appreciated.
What is the SKU or model number of your device? Printed on the sticker.
@@NaterTater KVD21
@Mark DuPont first I've heard of a change then. They'd typically atleast add a suffix to model name.
@@NaterTater Removing the screw from behind the label was to be able to remove the back of the case, correct? I have the top and sides off but I don't see any way of removing the back (the screw isn't there, seriously). Unless you have something for me to try, I'm stuck.
@Mark DuPont perhaps they changed the design some but they had a way to put it together so there's gotta be a way to take it apart.
How many watts draw active? When unplugged overnight does it forget settings (WiFi password)? Thumbs up and subscribed!
~8.5watts. does not forget
Thanks, you're awesome!
Wish you would give close-ups on all of your videos. This way it's like your videoing for a 4 year old ,which many of us mentally are.
This would also greatly increase your viewer clicks
does it work with all operators ?thanks
No, just t-mobile
@@NaterTater can't unlock it?
@Gnafo trust me you dont want it. Just get a 3rd party 5g gateway
Does anyone know if the 4 and 5 antenna do anything?
I am from Europe, I am thinking of ordering one of these used from the US. Would they work here in Europe? Are they SIM locked?
I would do this to take out the antenna to make a wifi network to turn it into a modem rather than a router so I can enable sort of a bridge mode and use it with my Eero
Do you like the black or gray one?
Neither
What's the chipset that they are using?
Mediatek T750
@@NaterTater Thank you. Do you think the antennas in the CPE are PCB or FPC?
Getting modem overload on mine is there a way to get the new gateway?
call tmobile but they are highly recommending to not get the Arcadyan yet.
@Nater Tater how come watching the testing vid now
@@petechrist6056 mostly firmware bugs/issues. New firmware coming out in Feb
The bug crawling across the desk at 14:10 🤣
Check it out at the very beginning (and later) climbing on the DAD picture frame
Have not played with my waveform flat panel on this yet but I do actually have a 2nd Arcadyan down at shop on the other side of the property…. It sits up high on a shelf and during the process of experimenting with rotation the left side (as you are facing the unit) is pointed in the direction of the towers… that side seems to be the ticket….. I get a 4G b2 or b66 from 12 miles away and I’m getting n41 from a newly rebuilt sprint tower only 1.1 miles away…. Both towers are closely aligned with my line of sight…. I wish there tools to easily determine where your 5G is actually connected to 🙄….. oh and my speeds are very good 120 to 230 down but only 7 to 12 up ….. expecting 30 up when I get around to hooking up the antenna again
When I first got this router and set it up I had 5G with 3-4 bars signal for the first day then it went down to 4G with 2 bars signal the next day. Can anyone answer why that would happened? I look at a cell map and the 5G signal cuts out about a mile from my house away so there is that. Just weird that when I set it up it was strong and now is weak. Would it be worth getting external antennas?
I suggest holding in the tiny reset button for 30 secs for a hard reset. See if it does the 5G signal again. If it does it might be deprioritization kicking you off 5G due to congestion. If thats the case an antenna won't help. The cell mapper "coverage map" is not accurate at all use this th-cam.com/video/m5z9fsoYqKQ/w-d-xo.html
Was there any over heating issues with this unit compared to the Nokia
The Arcadyan appears to be better off, less overheating issues but it still relies only on passive cooling so some are adding fans.
How do i bypass the data throttle down?
There is no data throttle on TMHI.
@@NaterTater Lite
@@reneaguirre9745 upgrade to unlimited with qualifying address. Or get MVNO and use appropriate TTL. See my Chester Cheetah vids.
It would be great if they would design these with external antenna connections already built in.
Indeed
It is obvious they do not want you to install outdoor antennas. Probably for lightning reasons.
which way does the sim card go in because my whole thing is acting up and i believe it’s because of the way it was inserted
It only fits one way. You do want to be gentle with it and make sure its fully seated.
@@NaterTater like the way where the little picture is? thank you for answering i’ve been very desperate for answers lol
@@Tony-lu2uo the angled corner goes in first and on the top.
@@NaterTater thank you so much it worked😭 i took like 40 minutes trying to put it in to connect thank you so much .a life saver
Thanks for these Arcadyan videos. I've watched them about 10 times following your steps exactly. I got my unit yesterday, it worked right out of the box for about an hour following by an area-wide outage. I took that opportunity to dissect it and I'm ready to hook up my outdoor antenna leads (watching the video one more time to see which connections you recommend). I currently have an AT&T LTE gateway that's outperforming the T-Mobile Arcadyan about 2:1 in speed but I'm not real techy in this area and I'm not sure if it's overall better or worse. I'm hopeful, with the external antenna, that I can hit a T-Mobile tower in the same general area as the AT&T. It's not the one I typically hit with my 5G phones, but it comes in from time to time with an OK signal. Fingers crossed! If that doesn't work, I'll get my ladder out. (BTW, I didn't break my sticker, it peeled right off ! )
Awesome.
Update. Still getting a steady signal and good thruput considering that I'm pretty far from any tower.
I didn't like having the modem so exposed to damage but don't want to reassemble it either. I really had a hard time getting it apart in the first place. My solution was pretty simple and others might like this too.
All I did was find some wiring heat shrink tubing that barely fit over the 6 side tabs. Cut it to length and reassembled the case. I DID NOT USE ANY HEAT AS THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY DAMAGE THE CASE !!
The tubing was heavy enough to keep the tabs from catching but not too heavy as to prevent reassembly.
For the top, I just put some padded double sided tape on each of the 4 tabs lightly pressing it into it's original holes without latching them. This also leaves the needed clearance for the antenna wires which I secured with small zip ties to prevent any movement.
With the exception of a little extra gap in the top plate it looks perfectly stock and all the delicate pieces and parts are protected.
Update. So I don't know if it's related to the mod but here's something to consider. My modem went belly up about a month after installing the external antennas. That's not surprising but what is is that it would not master reset untill it was back to its out of box configuration. Once I put it back together it reset and began working again. Didn't take long after that that it had to be replaced. I'm not going to modify this one just yet.
Well, AT&T "Homebase Home Internet" pulled a fast one on me, switched my plan and took away the "land line" service so it's time for T-Mobile Home Internet to become my primary instead of my secondary ISP. I put the pigtails on the Arcadyan KVD21 and working with the equipment I already had for the AT&T setup, I attached two 2x2 MIMO Eifagur (698 - 2700 MHz; 11dBi gain) panel antennas in a vertical configuration about 8 inches apart. I saw some other videos that recommend using a 90 degree stacked configuration to get an additional 6 dBi gain but I need to drill a few holes in my mounting hardware to do that. The "numbers" (based on my limited ability to interpret them) don't seem great; however, the speeds are about double what I was getting with the stock gateway.
I plan to upgrade to the Waveform 4x4 but in the meantime, have you tried various configurations using (2) 2x2's and can you point me to that content or share your experiences. I'm a little skeptical that I'll see a 6 dBi gain.
@@josephlopez6989 have you added a second 2x2 yet? Looking for the comparison.
I have the same black box t moble 5g but there no way I could do what your doing can I pay you to do it for me
Unfortunately no.
What did you end up doing?
DANG man...it's almost like they don't want anyone to take these things apart ! Imagine that...maybe they should just build it with the ports for external antenna and an extra battery !?
Better yet they should stop telling us that it will definitely work in your area when they don’t.
It's due to FCC compliance I'm certain.
I was able to peel the sticker off. Have my waveform antenna connected now to the LTE-D and M. Speed Tests so far are less impressive than the Nokia. Although the signal metrics are better on both the 4G and 5G. My t-mobile app still allows me to see the RSRP SINR BANDS etc. Weird that the connection is slower....I am giving it some time to see if things improve. Also considering keeping this gateway even if things are not quite as good, due to the ability to aggregate 2 5G signals
Forgot to mention, I am on B66 and N41 just like the Nokia
I am very hopeful on dual 5G CA too!
Nate, have you tried the 2 new empty connections yet?
video coming tonight/tmrw! 😁
How did you get it?
I'm having an issue where my 4g LTE is faster than my 5g, will these antennas help keep my 4g connected instead of swapping over to the 5g? Or maybe boost the 5g to make it as fast/faster than what I'm getting with 4g?
It would most likely boost your 5G (and 4G) signal and improve your speed. Are your 5G cell metrics poor?
@@NaterTater I'm not entirely sure with the metrics. As for signal strength I I can get 2 bars with 4G and only 2 with 5. I'm at work right now but can send you a detailed metrics overview when I get home
3 bars with 4g**
@@remarkabel174 yeah so I would bet an external antenna outside would help your speeds significantly.
What's the cpu/wifi chipset and OS?
14:08 Holy that bug on the right on the desk
You can check him out at the very beginning of the video on the "DAD" picture frame. He's going for a stroll the entire video!
I'm wondering if T-Mobile box is creating an open Hot Spot for their customers, on this box, much like cable internet ones like Xfinity does with their WiFi routers? I've heard you cannot turn off WiFi on this T-Mobile box BUT can you just disconnect the WiFi antennas while in the box? Maybe you can test this and let us know. Good video.
Here's how to turn off the wifi th-cam.com/video/FTI9AOaYedc/w-d-xo.html
@@NaterTater Thanks for the info. Just found your channel and lots of good info from you on these devices. I'll check that one out and watch for new videos as well. Thanks for keeping us all informed.
great info skip the shaky pip it makes me DIZZY!
Has anyone found a way to power the KVD21 off 12V? Through USB-C? Without an inverter? Or just wire in a standard cable?
I think its 19v if I remember correctly
@@NaterTater Says 15V, 3A on the box so 45W. Should be able to power it off a lighter socket but it has the USB C which isn't a common plug type > 5V. I'm 'guessing' it would run off 12V. Maybe not.
I was yesterday years old when I learned what PD really meant for USB-C and found a 12V adapter to Type-1C which works splendidly. Sorry for the noise.
Hey, is the LTE("4G") antenna dedicated / separate from the NR ("5G") antenna[s]?
Because if so I'm totally taking mine apart and UN. PLUGGING. the 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 LTE antenna.
I've got this problem where... okay so I live maybe 20 or so miles west-by-northwest of B.F.E. but there's ONE. spot in my house where I can pick up a usable-enough 5G signal.
I can literally put my OnePlus 9 down SITTING ON TOP OF the dang Arkadyan, and it connects right to 5G (and in SA mode if I force it), resulting in a still-not-fantastic but USABLE data rate (...I'm talking the difference between like ~30ish mb/s and more like 0.5-2 mb/s here).
If my OP9 can pick it up the KVD21 sure as hell should, but no, T-Mo locks down the firmware so you can't change ANYTHING WHATSOEVER about what bands / etc their device wants to connect to, soooo... because it can "see" B71 a bit "louder" than N-bands (n71 OR n1) their crappy firmware goes "oh I should connect to that then" and I get... maybe 3-4 megabits, intermittently, on the VERY BEST of days...
...and I'm SO DONE with the "we're modernizing the towers in your area" excuse they've been using as a way to get off the phone for literally YEARS now.
No, they are intertwined but would still help you lock onto n71.
4/5 no change assume those aren't functional. D/M Well not sure more stable but low uploads speed. Being not schooled in this field and learning as I go. Going to try something different, if it doesn't work I believe it's because I'm in an LTE area not able to get my upload speed any higher. Have to wait for the update to finish on the T-Mobile tower. Feeling bummed 😓.
Im dyeing to know if the router contains a simcard???
Yes
@@NaterTater would love to see what that mf could do in a 5 g industrial router with high output antennas
@@NaterTater thanks for the reply, seriously considering buying one for testing. have a great connection for $20 untrottled thru att but its 4g lte and id love to see what 5g can deliver
@@GravesPartyArmy you can get an unlimited tablet plan for cheaper if you're going to do that.
@@NaterTater They throttle the speed on those plans hard af wondering if the 5g tmobile sim is completely unthrottled?? thats the million dollar question!
Love u doing this 1st! Let's me have a beer as I watch lol.