Nighthawk M2 router

landy · Guru

Nighthawk M2 router

PeterD · Guru

It is a MIMO device. That link commences by saying:

In radio, multiple-input and multiple-output, or MIMO, is a method for multiplying the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmission and receiving antennas to exploit multipath propagation.

The device will work with one antenna if you are in a remote area where the signal is poor and you need external antennas. The handbook will tell you which is the best antenna input to use if you are only using one antenna. The maximum speed will be reduced a lot but you will still have enough speed to watch a high-resolution video.

MIMO antennas are available. They have two coaxial cables from them to connect to the device. They are more expensive than a single whip antenna or Yagi. The extra expense is probably not worth it if you are not unless you are transferring large amounts of data. You can carry out emailing and web surfing quite well on one antenna. (If you look at the other Telstra wireless modems, they also have two antenna inputs.)

Do you have a handbook with the device? If not it's available for downloading from the net. Let us know if you can not find it. If you don't have a handbook you can find the antenna port you should be using by trial and error. Just keep swapping the ports over and see which is the best.

-- Edited by PeterD on Wednesday 24th of March 2021 11:07:40 PM

landy · Guru

Thanks Peter, that's just the sort of information I needed.
Being a second hand unit that i picked up fairly cheap, it didn't come with the manual, I have downloaded one but it gives virtually no information, it shows a lead with two plugs and that's about it.
Disappointing really seeing it is 96 pages long. Landy

BarneyBDB · Senior Member

Some good info here.... www.telcoantennas.com.au/patch-lead-for-telstra-nighthawk-m1-mobile-router~79889

PeterD · Guru

There is an interesting bit on Barneys page:

Usage

Use Port-1 when connecting only one antenna.
We recommend the use of dual antennas in 4G areas to utilise MIMO capabilities.

That suggests you use external antenna port 1 if you are only going to use one antenna.

Do you have an antenna or are you in the market for one? The above link can lead you to some antennas. Another link is to a site recommended by Netgear for their Nighthawk M2 - Netgear Nighthawk M2. They are all MIMO and come with two leads.

-- Edited by PeterD on Friday 26th of March 2021 01:25:19 PM

Gundog · Guru

I think the night hawk antenna connector pins are TS9

In rural areas of australia the 4g network is the 700mhz band if you are looking at antennas.

Im in the process of purchasing 2 antennas for my telstra hot spot, I want the highest gain antenna that is only 700mhz band, one will be mounted above my Winegard Sensar Tv antenna, by adding a mast ext, thus folding down when traveling, the second will be a can style antenna mounted on the rear of the van, it will also be exclusivly for 700mhz 4g.

landy · Guru

All good info thank you Gundog, Peter, and Barny.
Like Gundog I have also been thinking about mounting an antenna on top of my Winegard .
Telstra are pushing to try and close off my ADSL at home and force me on to the NBN satellite broadband which is useless in this area. Although at home we are in a bad reception area. I do get some mobile reception through a roof mounted Yagi, so I am hoping I will also be able to connect the Nighthawk to the yagi when home and avoid the NBN satellite. Landy

kirraweebob · Veteran Member

I have been using my Nighthawk M2 for over three years. It is my only internet connection so I don't need the NBN and we spend around 6 months of the year away ftom home anyway. Even though we leave in suburban Sydney our 4G is not great (1 or 2 pegs) so I will connect antenna that I use when away in caravan. Interested in attaching antenna to my Winguard too so will keep watching thus conversation.

kirraweebob · Veteran Member

PS. Which is antenna port 1? Left or right when looking at front of nighthawk?

landy · Guru

Left kirraweebob.

PeterD · Guru

Page 12 of the user's manual I downloaded from the net indicates which antenna poet is which number. RF 1 port is next to the USB type A port.

-- Edited by PeterD on Wednesday 26th of May 2021 11:52:09 PM

mixedup · Veteran Member

Hi all - considering a Nighthawk M2 for caravan trip - do they give you a noticeable improvement in internet speeds compared to an iPhone (with Telstra SIM)? Could it be the case in some location you might get minimal connectivity on your iphone (slow webpage download, or not working properly), but with Nighthawk it might be OK with reasonable speed?

Gundog - mind if I ask which specific antennna's you were getting for the Nighthawk? (sounded like a good approach)

Mike Harding · Guru

mixedup wrote:
Hi all - considering a Nighthawk M2 for caravan trip - do they give you a noticeable improvement in internet speeds compared to an iPhone (with Telstra SIM)? Could it be the case in some location you might get minimal connectivity on your iphone (slow webpage download, or not working properly), but with Nighthawk it might be OK with reasonable speed?

Yes.

mixedup · Veteran Member

Mike Harding wrote:
mixedup wrote:
Hi all - considering a Nighthawk M2 for caravan trip - do they give you a noticeable improvement in internet speeds compared to an iPhone (with Telstra SIM)? Could it be the case in some location you might get minimal connectivity on your iphone (slow webpage download, or not working properly), but with Nighthawk it might be OK with reasonable speed?
Yes.

thanks Mike - would that be a yes without any external antennas connected? (just ramping up, so assuming it works as is without antennas, or you can also buy external antenna(s) to plug into it)

Mike Harding · Guru

mixedup: I think you need to do a lot more research in order that you may ask questions which make sense.

PeterD · Guru

mixedup wrote:
thanks Mike - would that be a yes without any external antennas connected? (just ramping up, so assuming it works as is without antennas, or you can also buy external antenna(s) to plug into it)

Yes they work well without antennas. I use this one - Over 20 years ago I started my internet connection via dial up (remember the 600 and 1200 bps modems.) Whilst on the road I used a couple of 20 minute "My Hour" free times each day, the wife used the other 20 minutes for free phone calls. Over 10 years ago I started with a wireless internet using the old "Telstra toaster" modem (anyone still remembers them?) The current modem is my third. I rarely have used an external antenna with any of these wireless modems. Frequently I can sit in the van with a good connection whilst the wife roams around the park to get a reasonable signal to make a phone call on a Telstra blue tick phone. If I am having problems receiving a good signal I can usually restore communications by shifting the modem around the van, possibly near a window. Once or twice I have placed it outside the van to get a signal. I use this service as my only internet service as I reside in a situation where I can't access the regular Telstra internet service.

I suggest you get your Nighthawk (or a modem like mine) without an external antenna. Try it without the external antenna first to see how you go. (Don't get a 5G model, you will probably be on your second or third modem by the time 5G spreads out where we go.) If you find out you need an external antenna then get one.