AIRTEL 4G LTE – IS IT WORTH IT? AND ALL THE OTHER DETAILS!

After coming back to India after 6 months and getting used to high speed internet, I realized that I cannot stand my ISPs (BSNL – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) services. Despite paying for a decent plan, my internet connection would keep dropping at its own free will. Irritated and frustrated, after using the services of the public sector company for over 6 years now, I decided to change; and to my relief, Airtel (a private sector telecom service provider) had recently launched 4G/LTE services in my city (after Kolkata, Bangalore and Pune) and here's my review for the Airtel 4G LTE services - I'm more than happy!

The Airtel 4G/LTE router in all its glory
 After a bit of inquiry, I visited their store and was attended properly. I was told that in order to avail 4G services, a technician will visit my home to check the signal strength and inform further about the procedure to apply for the services. Since I wanted a solution for my family and not just me, I was interested in purchasing a router rather than a dongle which is restricted to one user at a particular time.
As promised, the technician visited my home the next day (only an hour later than the decided time – acceptable).

- After a quick demo, I was quite impressed by the speeds that the dongle (demos are given only via dongles and not routers) was giving (5-7 Mbps download | 2-3 Mbps Upload) via the speedtest.net website.

- I visited the store again to purchase the router and the SIM. Again, I was attended properly and all the formalities were completed in 20-25 minutes. Due to the unavailability of routers at that very moment, I was told that I would get the router in the evening and the employees were kind enough to deliver it at my doorstep (though I managed to collect it from the store on my own).

- Next was the verification process which took almost 2 days to complete. Surprisingly, I had to verify the details that I had provided, thrice.

- Being a typical service provider in India, I received no further assistance on the installation process. However, it didn't require any rocket science as it was quite easy. Pop in the SIM, power on the device and press the WiFi button on top and you’re done.

- The router worked perfectly for a day (ignoring 1-2 hiccups here and there) but started giving problems thereafter. I just couldn't get it to work. I tried switching it OFF and ON thousands of times, but to no success.

- Here is where the trouble started. Airtel has a dedicated helpline number for the 4G services but it is flawed. When you do manage to get connected to a customer care executive, they have absolutely ZERO technical knowledge. They transferred my call to the mobile helpline which asked me to call the dedicated toll free helpline number. What kind of sorcery was this? I WAS calling through that very same helpline number. After a huge argument, their so called ‘senior executive’ agreed to register a complaint and informed that they complaint would be resolved within 12 hours (to be precise, it was to be resolved before 3PM, the next day).

- The following day, around 12 PM, a technician visited my home and started doing something on his laptop. After half an hour of jostling and preparing a report, he asked me to pull out the SIM; put it in his cell phone (it required a phone which has a normal sized SIM tray) and switched on the phone. The cell phone displayed full signal strength and boom, the router started working again. Since then, I have had no issues.


So, the big question? If you can afford the tariff plans, should you go for it? I’d say, YES! I’m sure a lot of Indian readers have been a victim of slow, crappy internet at some point in their life. Most of us are still struggling on extremely poor internet speeds.

Internet speeds after installing 4G Router.
If you can afford it, 4G LTE speeds are a huge leap forward. There is no harm in paying a few extra bucks for internet speeds of 15-20 Mbps (at least).

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE JUMPING ON THE AIRTEL 4G BAND-WAGON

Like any other internet connection, the 4G also stops responding at times. It has happened to me twice. However, it has resolved on its own within 5 minutes.

If you plan to buy a router and since this service is SIM based, try keeping it next to a window. That area in your home has the maximum signal strength.

The router costs 5000 whereas the dongle can be purchased for 2500. As far as Punjab/Chandigarh region is concerned, this service can be availed only on a postpaid scheme and the detailed tariff plan is available here.

Airtel offers a lot of services for its users. For example:
  • Pay bills online.
  • Change plan online.
  • Graphical usage representation.
  • View outstanding bills.

All the data regarding your connection is available online
All these features are available in the application if you wish to use a dongle. To use these services for an Airtel 4G/LTE router, you can do so by clicking here.

If you require any further information or assistance, let me know in the comments and I'll be more than happy to help!

177 comments :

  1. Hm, sounds awesome! I wish I had extra money to throw away for something like this!

    ReplyDelete
  2. i used 4g lte for 6 months in blore amazing technology its flawed by bad zte routers why doest airtel realizie it i hope they could stick and stay withh hauwei routers but its unfortunate the stuck with zte.....its 3 times more expensive then brodband and i hav router replaced thrice the one exactly in pic above still technology is premature but as per 6 months bak airtel seem to b strivin hard to make connection better...and they better n get right or else ppl like me investin 3k a month 4 net usage will switch to reliance 4g which will b comming in some months time

    and fyi the speed i get is 25mbps yes TWENTY FIVE MEGA BITS PER SECOND !!!
    the down side s router acts funny and dissconects it has mind of its own hav to restore it repeatedly to get bak to its sense....i got bored callin customer care and havin device replaced 3 times i hav given up hope today applied for act broadband and decided to use airtel 4g lte on the lowest tariff just so i payed 5k for the router n it doesnt go in the drain:-(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can feel your pain Sreegandh. The router does act funny at times but a bit of patience is all that is required. Please let us know how the router is working now (after changing to the lowest tariff plan)?

      Delete
  3. Vinamra, thank you for the informative post. The following might be silly questions, but I will ask it nonetheless:

    1. To understand you correctly, the Airtel LTE router does not need any wired input connection other than power, right? In other words, there in no LTE cable or dish that needs to be installed?

    2. What are the different ports available at the back of the Airtel router?

    3. Do we need to use an Airtel router explicitly? What if I buy my own - can Airtel configure the same?

    4. Is there a usage cap on your Airtel plan? If yes, what happens after you hit this usage?

    5. Can you provide some more details about the recurring and non-recurring costs?

    6. Now that you would have used this service for a month and a half, is there any other detail that you would add for a user like me who is considering the switch to LTE?

    Thank you.

    Ashwin Bhatnagar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ashwin. The sole purpose of this blog is to share information. So please feel free to ask whatever questions you have in your mind.

      1. Yes, the Router requires an external power source only. No other wire/cable is required, unless you want to connect to your internet through a LAN cable. In that case, a cable connecting the modem/router and your computer will be required which comes bundled with the router.

      NO LTE cable, NO dish is required! The router is SIM based and works only when you pop-in the SIM card.

      2. The Airtel router contains a host of ports at the back. These include:

      Standard RJ11 connectors (For a telephone connection) - 2
      Ethernet connections - 4
      Reset button
      ON/OFF switch
      Power Socket
      Antenna extension - Connect external antenna (NOT included in box)
      Antenna ON/OFF switch (Switches between internal and external antenna)

      3. Sadly, yes. You need to use the router specified by Airtel. I doubt airtel will configure it for you. However, you might be able to do it yourself but it comes with an obvious catch - Airtel won't provide any technical help on devices purchased externally. The router looks sytlish and is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. I know 5000 bucks is a bit steep but at the end of the day, it is worth each and every penny.

      4. Yes there is a usage cap. Currently, Airtel offers 5 plans:

      ₹ 999/month - 6GB
      ₹ 1399/month - 9GB
      ₹ 1999/month - 18GB
      ₹ 2999/month - 30GB
      ₹ 4799/month - 50GB

      Once the limit is over, the internet becomes painfully slow. Speeds are reduced to 128kbps!

      5. If I'm not wrong, I think I explained the costs in the previous question. Let me know if you need any further details.

      6. Having used it more a month and a half, I'd say I'm quite satisfied with the experience. There were initial hiccups when I first installed the router, but they were resolved quickly and its been a smooth journey so far. Yes, post capped speeds can be a pain but I try to use the limit judiciously.
      I'm currently on the ₹999/month plan which gives me 6GB limit. For me, the ideal plan would be ₹1999/month but sadly, my parents think that its too steep a price for high speed internet!

      I hope I was able to answer your questions. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you have.

      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  4. Dear Vinamra
    I have a few queries about airtel 4g:
    1. Since u r on 999 plan, can u plz tell me about the total monthly bill inclusive of taxes etc.
    2. I am currently on Tata Photon max (I live in Chandigarh) and it gives decent 3mbps download speed , YouTube plays fine in fullscreen (480p)too, Skype works (barely good for low res)....
    3.the only hurdle-top most plan available is 5gb@1200. I can't get enough data when needed...feeling like a beggar even after spending a fortune. So I think airtel 4g will be a
    great deal considering nice PRICE: SPEED:DATA CAP ratio which it is supposed to give .
    SHALL I GO 4g.
    4.How consistent is the connection? Will it manage some HD Skype without hiccups.
    5. Last but most important:Where do u live in Chandigarh?I just wanted to know if u are in or near sector 36 so as to have a better idea of coverage and signal strength.

    PS: We share another bond! As u told ur grandfather is in Nangal, I couldnt control my feelings and would like to tell u that my parents work in BBMB and I have spent my life's first decade in Nangal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for sparing some time to go through my blog. It is this kind of activity on the blog that motivates me to write useful stuff on my blog.

      Coming to your queries,

      1. The connection is extremely stable and reliable to use Skype. Airtel 4G offers a cashback scheme in which they offer a discount of the rental of your plan over a period of 6 months. For example, if you take Rs. 999 plan, you will be offered a Rs. 999 cashback spread over a period of 6 months. So, my rental for the first 6 months will be Rs. 999 - Rs 999/6 (Rs. 166) = Rs. 832 + Rs 100 taxes (roughly), bringing your monthly cost to somewhere around Rs. 930 inclusive of taxes. Therefore, indirectly, you can say that for the 1st 6 months, you'll be paying Rs. 930 instead of Rs. 999.

      2. The speedtest result posted on my blog is absolutely correct and has been reproduced on several occasions.

      3. Yes! You should go for Airtel 4G! Signal strength indoors is 2/3 bars and the router has been kept in a room that receives maximum signal strength. However, before applying for a connection, you are given a live demo at your home (free of cost) to check the signal strength in your house. If the results are satisfactory, you may go ahead and fill in the formalities for a new connection. So don't worry, you get a chance to test the service before paying for it.

      Additional:
      Please remember that Skype works on the principle that internet connections are good/excellent on both the ends. You might have an excellent connection but if the other person has a poor or average connection, Skype call quality will be poor/average. Thus, to enjoy good Skype experience, make sure connections at both the ends are above average.
      When compared to internet connections abroad, Airtel 4G still lacks the technological advancements. However, it is certainly a step in the right direction. As long as your data limit doesn't exceed, you can enjoy a seamless internet experience.

      Word of Caution:
      Once you exceed your data limit and the speed gets capped to 128kbps, the experience is dreadful. But that is something that you have to learn to live with and use your data limit smartly.

      Its truly wonderful to see how small the world is! Though I've not spent time in Nangal and have only visited the dam as a tourist attraction, it is an absolute masterpiece.

      Delete
  5. 1. I am very grateful to you for clearing my doubts. But ur pt no. 2 worries me since the upload speed listed on ur blog appears quite low (0.52)mbps which is worse than 3g on my cell.
    I just wanted to know if that is an erroneous result or this is frequent. As speedtest gives low upspeed quite many times.
    I request you to take another speed test and post/mail me actual results with true upload speed.
    2 Based on ur skype advice, it proves that ur an expert in tech . I would like to clarify that the other party i.e. my uncle in Canada has a uber fast fiber net and the problem must be at my end.
    Since last week when I skyped him from someone else's BSNL (2mbps)net, it works really well.
    Thus I concluded that Skype needs low latency and continuous speed rather than bursts of high speed as Skype works in real-time and has no scope for buffering like youtube.
    Plz tell if this conclusion is correct since I am just a class 12 student and you are a software engineer who is obviously more knowledgeable about it.


    Speed test results on my phone are attached in mail (2.80 down ,2.07 up) and photon max also gives similar performance. Do send me ur own updated results or post them.
    Suggestion: Create attach image option on your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am just about to get 4g this week. Today I called Airtel team to know some details of Wi-Fi CPE but they seemed technically challenged. Here are those:
    1.Is the cpe a multimode device i.e can it run 2g also in non 4g areas.
    2.Is the power adapter micro usb type /circular pin
    3.Does the speed vary drastically with signal strength?
    Also do update me about ur further experience with it i.e reliability.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Amitojdeep

      Before I answer your queries, I must bring it to your notice that Airtel has moved away from ZTE routers and partnered with Beetel to manufcture their 4G Routers. The Beetel ones are cheaper, less attractive in design and come with small battery backup of an hour or so in case of power failure from the mains. My answers are based on what I have (ZTE manufactured model)

      1. Yes, they are multimode. They will switch between 2G and 4G connections. However, I don't understand the purpose of carrying them along as 2G is extremely slow, thus unusable in areas with 2G connectivity. Also, the switch will be between 2G (EDGE/GPRS) and 4G. You will not be able to use it as a 3G device.

      2. Circular Pin

      3. Yes, the speed varies drastically with 4G and Wi-Fi signal strength.

      What else do you want to know about reliability?

      Whenever you reply, please select the option of 'Reply' below this post. Just like I did for your post. It helps to maintain a continuity that is important for me and other readers as well.

      Delete
    2. Thanks but I am yet to take a demo; will do in a couple of days

      Delete
    3. Let me know how it goes!

      Delete
  7. Dear Vinamra, could you please let me know the difference between Beetel and ZTE routers? I am also planning to have the Airtel 4G connection. Moreover, I have the following devices:

    iPad 2, which is generally described as iPad4 the latest.
    Nokia Lumia 920 AND
    Lenovo laptop.

    Would the router connect all the three devices? Or do I have to take separate connections for them?

    Do reply.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Randeep

      The only difference that I'm aware of between a Beetel and ZTE router is that the former is compact and allows comes with a battery back up of 1-2 hours. Apart from that, both the routers have approximately the same range.

      All the devices will connect to all devices that allow for wireless internet connections.
      Also, iPad 2 is not described as iPad 4 the latest. Amongst the biggest difference is that the iPad 2 comes with an A5 processor whereas iPad 4 the latest uses an A6X processor.

      Delete
    2. Hi, I bet you must be getting highest speed on you Nokia 920 and the laptop and ipad2 use old wifi speed technologies.

      Delete
  8. HI ,

    I plan to get the Airtel 4G dongle in bangalore, I wanted to know if the 4G dongle is compatibale with any of the Wireless routers so that it can be used to create a wireless hotspot and have multiple devices access internet.

    Thanks

    Prashant

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Prashant,

      Routers with USB ports and 3G/4G compatibility can be your best option. For example, the TP-LINK TL-MR3020 Portable 3G/3.75G/4G Wireless N Router, available on Flipkart can do the job.

      However, if the dongle will remain indoors most of the time, it makes more sense to buy a router itself instead of a dongle to connect multiple devices.

      I hope that helps. Feel free to reply if you have any follow up queries or need any other help.

      Thank you.

      Delete
    2. Hi everyone!
      I have a TP LINK TL MR3020 and it works great on my photon max. Actually I bought it keeping in mind the supposed future use with AIRTEL 4G. Sadly there was no 4g signal when the company sales representative visited me , though comically there is full signal in sector 35 and 37 and my place in 36 lies in b/w the two. This clearly shows that 4g in India is not upto the mark as we have 2300mhz technology which has 8 times poor coverage than 800 MHz in US and also in the ultra reliable (but low on data limit)photon max.
      Coming to the point in this post I would advice Prashant to talk to TP link support @18002094168 since the modem isn't in compatibility list on their site (Google tp mr3020 compatibility list). I would like to tell you when you purchase the router you may actually need to configure it with your dongle's user and password as opposed to the company's automatic settings by default.
      The product is good and delivers full speed in a 15 ft range and then speeds may deteriorate farther if you have a 15-20 Mbps connection. If you want a better coverage and speed like say you live in a large bungalow, you may need to buy one of the other models listed on tp link website which feature dual antennae and lan output, lacking the USB powered portability of mr3020.
      Best of luck!

      Delete
  9. Hello Vinamra,

    i bought the Airtel 4G LTE Dongle on Oct 11,2013 for a data plan of Rs 999 ( 10 GB ).The very next day when i checked the data usage...almost 4.65 GB got over....the statistics section only show 2.34 GB Consumed....i haven't downloaded anything much...only Youtube and Social network....i mean it has consumed very fast....does improved speed consume data very fast?....what should i do?.....also when i have been using MTS Dongle before,which is pretty slow i managed to use 10 GB for a month....Airtel 4G on the other hand,consumed almost half of my data plan within a day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Vishal

      Well to be honest, I've never heard of this problem. Are you sure you were not watching YouTube videos in HD (720p or 1080p)? That seem to consume the maximum amount of data. An hour of youTube and Social networking can easily eat into your data limit quota and you often don't realise because your internet is working flawlessly.
      I didn't understand one thing though. Which statistics are you talking of? There is only one pie chart that reveals your data usage which can be accessed from the www.airtel.in/applications/airteldongle.jsp page. What figure does it show over there? 4.65GB or 2.34GB? I'm guessing it should be the latter with the amount of internet you seem to have used.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Hi Vishal,

      I noticed the similar issue when I started using the 4G connection using dongle. However, when I started investigating, noticed that multiple applications as also using the internet (utorrent, AV update, flash player etc.) which are set to auto-update/download. I suggest you stop those things. I did that and now the usage is showing exactly as I use.

      Hope this helps.

      Regards,
      Saura Tripathy

      Delete
    3. Hi Vishal,

      Initially I also noticed similar stats with my usage. However, when I started investigating, found that other apps which are set to auto-update / download (utorrent, AV update, flash player etc). I made the changes from auto-manual and that solves the case. Now the stats show as per the usage. Another point, the usage is based on both upload and download. So when you are watching a video in youtube, both send and receive in packets are counted as usage. 10GB limit includes both send (upload) and receive (download).

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      Saura Tripathy

      Delete
    4. Valuable suggestions, Mr. Saura Tripathy.

      Delete
  10. Hi,
    I am planning to buy airtel 4G router. before that i would like to clarify few things. What is the speed we get after download limit. They have mentioned 128kbps in their website. But my doubt is usually service providers mention bandwidth in thier websites, so in that case download speed would be 128/6=21.33. I want to know whether i get 128kbps or 21kbps while downloading a torrent, for example. Somebody who is already using it, please clear my doubt.
    Thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Abhi

      Download speeds are 1/8th of bandwidth speeds and by that logic, 128 kbps would give you a download speed of 16 kbps. To be honest, post your data limit, Airtel 4G is horrible. You will get 16-20 kbps download speed from a torrent if you're lucky. But during your quota of data according to your plan, there is nothing better than an Airtel 4G connection. I've had DOWNLOAD SPEEDS of up to 1.5 Mbps. If money is not an issue, I'd suggest you opt for a plan that has higher data limit.

      I hope that answers your query. Feel free to contact if you have any other doubts.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  11. hi vinamra,
    Currenty am using BSNL Combo ULD 950 plan which is 4MBPS up to 8GB,512 kbps after that.
    But those speeds are not actually download speeds.Those are Bandwidths.I am getting only 1/8 of those speeds as Download speeds.
    I am planning to shift to Airtel 4G LTE where i can get 10 - 40 MBPS as download speed for 10GB.and then 128 KBPS after the cap.
    I just wanted to check with you after the specidied limit which one works better 128KBPS download speed of AIRTEL 4G LTE or 512 KBPS Bandwidth of BSNL. Please let me know.It would be great help

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Srinivas,

      You are absolutely correct when you say that download speeds are 1/8th of the bandwidth. Like I mentioned in the previous comment, post data limit, Airtel 4G is horrible. It can take a couple of minutes to open a Google page. But then again, when you are within your data limit, Airtel's 4G is a blessing for people frustrated with slow internet speeds in India (including myself). Personally, I've kept BSNL and Airtel both. I have the option of doing away with my BSNL internet completely and in turn pay Airtel for a higher data plan but I'm too lazy to go to a government office and get my work done.

      I'd suggest you opt for a higher data plan and try to use it judiciously so that you can avoid post data limit speeds on the Airtel 4G. As for your question, a 512 kbps BSNL connection works much better that a 128 kbps Airtel 4G connection.

      I hope that answers your question. If you have any other queries, please feel free to contact.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  12. Hello,
    I wish to use this service in my medical care centre. So, all my reports, bills, CCTV will function on this. So, I need a reliable, fast and steady connection.

    Is this the one for me? Or is it too unreliable due to disconnections for use?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sujoy

      As far as my experience goes, Airtel 4G has been extremely reliable. I believe the newer routers (CPE) built by Beetel even have a small amount of battery backup so in case your power goes out, you have a small window to switch to other power sources.

      Since majority of your computer work at the medical care centre will be on this, it would be advisable to opt for a higher data limit plan.

      If you have any other query, please feel free to ask.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  13. How is the wifi connectivity / reach? I have a ZTE router and the reach won't go beyond 10 meters.

    Is it possible to connect an external router to the ZTE router?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Aditya

      Yes, reach is a bit of a problem but it's definitely more than 10 meters. I guess you meant connecting an extender to the router to amplify signals. Yes, you can certainly connect an WiFi extender to amplify your WiFi signals from your ZTE router.

      Delete
    2. Based on the above chain, can I assume that the Beetel router is better than the ZTE ?
      Is the Beetel router available in Bangalore?

      Delete
    3. Based on the above chain, can i assume that the Beetel router is better than the ZTE or Huavvei router?
      Is the Beetel router available in Bangalore ?

      Delete
    4. Which router is better ? ZTE or Huawei B593?

      Delete
    5. Hello Harish

      I haven't tried the Beetel or Huawei routers so I don't really know. But what I do know is that the CPE (wireless router) is always short on stock. You'll have to check for availability with your local Airtel store. Apart from that, Airtel offers 2 CPEs. The white one is truly portable and will switch between 4G/3G/2G networks depending on availability while the black one will only work on 4G.

      Delete
  14. Does anyone knows or tried putting an amplifier or repeater to the Wifi signal. Does Airtel have a restriction. The range might be good but unlike in US when the signal goes through brick walls it gets drastically lowered. It is like if I have the router at one place and I access it behind two walls there is almost no signal. I faced this with my netgear not sure how it would look with Airtel router.
    Currently I am using the Dongle which I took up frustatingly after waiting for the router for over a month. No want to buy the airtel router and use my netgear as a repeater in the 3 rd room. Anyone tried this before?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Satwik

      There should be no problem using the Netgear repeater. I'm hoping you're opting for a single mode router. If that's the case, just make sure your Netgear repeater supports Wi-fi 802.11b/g/n. Even it it doesn't, Airtel claims that the router it self has a range of 200 meters. Taking brick walls into consideration, you should not have any problems withing a 100 meter radius.

      From my personal experience, my router sits roughly 50 meters away from my work station and in between is a thick bricked wall. I have no problems receiving excellent signal strengths on phones and laptops. However, I do face problems when I go and sit in the adjacent room (that adds 5-10 meters to the initial 50 meters distance) farther from the router.

      I hope that answers your query. In case it doesn't, please feel free to voice your issues. Thank you.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  15. Dear Vinamra,

    I am planning to purchase Airtel 4G dongle.Could you please tell me its performance in pune regarding its connectivity and other things.

    Ambarish

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Ambarish

      Unfortunately I cannot tell how Airtel 4G performs in Pune since my connection is in Chandigarh and not Pune. Airtel personnel will visit your place and get the speed tested. If your location has 5 Mbps and upwards, you should go in for Airtel's 4G services. If not, you would probably be best avoiding it.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  16. Dear Vinamra,
    i am planning to buy airtel 4g router wireless connection. my question is that I have a dell pc, dell laptop, samsung and micromax mobile. if i buy this 4g router can i connect all this devices and use internet. and i have heard there are two types of modem i.e. rs2500 and rs4000. and can u tel me exactly the difference in detail. and what are the feature between them. and as i told i want to connect to these devices, can u suggest me wich one device is better?? please suggest me. thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Manollas

      Yes, all your devices will work. The difference is, One of them is multi mode and the other is single mode. Multi mode CPEs will work on 4G, 3G and 2G connections. While Single mode CPEs only support 4G connectivity. Since you're planning to buy a Modem and not a USB dongle, I'll suggest that Single mode CPE is the way to go.

      I hope that answers your query. If not, please feel free to ask.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  17. dear vinamra,
    wat ll be total bill that ll be coming to including tax for 999 plan. and if i buy the 2500 wifi router wat ll be the total amount i should pay to them (including the fixing charge). thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Manollas

      The total bill for the 999 plan is Rs. 1122 where Rs 123 are charged as taxes. I don't think there is any charges to get the modem 'fixed'. You need to pay for the modem and then pay during your billing cycle.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  18. Hi dude ,

    Thanks for the blog , what is the range you get from your airtel 4g router ? Do you get consistent speed for atleast around 40 feet radius?
    For me , within 10 feet (same room), speed is superb but once i move to another room , speed reduces consistently to around 512 kbps , are you facing the similar issue?

    -Deepak

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Deepak

      Yes I get consistent speeds in a 40 ft radius. Of course there is a ± 1 Mbps difference every now and then but I would say it is pretty consistent from one room to the other within a 40 ft radius.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  19. Ok, here is what I did. I picked up the airtel router from someone who wanted to sale it on OLX (He got an wired broadband).
    Got it to home late night and changed the SSID and all credentials. The good part - my phone, wife's phone, IPAD and TV all got connected.
    Bad part my laptop is not detecting the Airtel network. I changed the SSID but doesn't helps. I was using a mac book which looks up network super easily but I just couldn't find it. Tried the Join new network mode by providing the SSID and WPA2 key manually but same result. Ended in a connection time out. Assumed it to be a mac book problem and check it later I pulled out the work lappy only to see the same problem there, got wife's lappy same issue there and finally even tried on PS3. End result -
    Connected on Mobile phones, IPAD, Smart TV.
    Not connected - Laptops and PS3.

    I changed the channel from 13 to automatic, with no results. By then it was pretty late and left it there. Will go and try something with the frequency may be.

    Anyone has got any suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  20. BTW if anyone's thinking that my wireless driver/card got screwed thats wrong. I was able to happily discover my neighour's connection.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I fixed it, resetting the frequency to anything btween ch 1 - 5 detects it on laptop, I believe the laptop's cards are not designed to listen on high freq.
    The problem still is everytime the router is restarted due to power tripping it starts broadcasting on channel 13. Anyone knows how to permanently make it listen on a lower frequency channels.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi,

    I had purchased Airtel 4G with a Dongle (Huawei E3276 rotator model) , initially for one week it was working fine, I used to get ~7 Mbps download and ~1 Mbps upload speeds. Suddenly for the last one week I have been observing that the speed is too slow .. I could not even open google web site. Not sure if it is dongle problem or network problem. Has any one has idea what could be wrong ? are there any issues with Huawei dongles ? recently Airtel started selling ZTE dongles ...is this due to any technical issues with Huewei Dongles ? Now I am planning to buy Wireless router (multimode) how is the performance of this router ? do we get these routers outside ? any good vendor's models other than Airtel's ? Please advice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Ravibejugam

      I'm not too sure about a problematic Dongle but one of my friends uses a Huawei Router and faces similar problems. He'll be getting a replacement soon. So it is possible that you have a faulty device. I use a ZTE router and have not faced any issues. To be sure, you can head over to your local Airtel store where they have the 4G technology at display. You have every right to browse the internet from their Dongle/Router to check whether your city has intermittent 4G services.

      Get a multi mode router if you plan to take the router with you while travelling as the only difference between single mode and multi mode routers is the capability to run 2G/3G networks on the latter device. Other than that, they are pretty much the same.

      As far as routers from other vendors are concerned, you can try the TP LINK TL MR3020 which is available on flipkart provided it has a SIM slot.

      I hope that answers your query. If not, please feel free to ask again.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  23. Dear Vinamra,
    i m planning to buy single mode cpe and if i connect it to my mobile and laptop as wifi, do i gt the 4G speed. please reply. thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  24. dear vinamra,
    i am planning to buy a single mode cpe modem of airtel 4g. and if i connect the wifi of this to my mobile and laptop, do i get the 4g speed in my mobile als. please reply. thankyu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Manollas

      Yes you do.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  25. Hi Vinamra,

    Thanks for info.
    I have called Airtel Customer care and they sent their technician, he said , there is signal problem at my area and they are working on it .... no update for last 4 days from them ...still waiting ....btw .. my friend has TP Link MR 3040 battery operated wifi router, it has 3G/4G support tag on it but it is not detecting my Airtel Dongle ( Huewai E3276) ...tried to call TP Link support desk on their toll free number but no one is answering ....any idea how to make it use for my dongle ...

    Regards,
    Ravikumar Bejugam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Ravikumar

      Please make sure the TP Link MR 3040 is TL-MR3040 Version 2.0. The TP Link website clearly mentions this. You should also confirm that the Huawei E3276 Dongle is supported by TP Link MR3040. Additionally, connect the Dongle to the laptop to make sure there is good signal strength at your friend's place.

      To check which version your TP LINK Router is, click here.

      To see the complete list of dongles compatible with the TP LINK Router, click here.
      I did the search and it seems your Airtel Dongle (Huawei E3276) is NOT compatible with TP Link MR3040 Router.

      I hope that helped. If not, please feel free to contact again.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  26. Hi Vinamra,

    After I took airtel 4g connection I've to shift to other location where there is no signal of 4G and I am planning to get a BSNL connection. my doubt is if I can use this 4G wi-fi router(Huawei LTE CPE E5172) as a normal wi-fi router with BSNL modem to connect to my system or not.

    -Sajal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sajal

      You can definitely use it as a normal WiFi Router with a BSNL modem.

      I hope that solved your query. If not, please feel free to contact again. Good day.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  27. Hi Vinamara This is mudit here.i bought 4G LTE On 10 dec 13,demo was good,after activation of my sim card my lenovo laptop unable to connect this device now,that sales person stopped picking my calls now and he is saying that is ur laptop's drivers problem;i dont know after 3 4 days what happened all of sudden to my laptop drivers?can you help me out?i couldn't use this Airtel 4G LTE Even a single day in lenovo laptop after demo...plz help me out..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Mudit

      First, you need to tell me what device are you using? Are you using a CPE (Router) or a Dongle?

      In case its a Dongle, did it work on your Lenovo laptop initially? Also, was the demo given on your laptop?

      I'll surely help you out but you first need to answer these questions. Looking forward to hearing from you.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  28. Hi Vinamra

    i am using 4g Lte dongle,and while demo given to it worked in my laptop only,but now the connect button is disable just,it does not get enable and in blue colour now..at that day it worked in my laptop itself,,lenovo B560,window 7,32 bit,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Mudit

      Please make sure the software installed by the demo dongle is uninstalled first. Re install the software by attaching your dongle. Each software is registered to that particular device [dongle].

      I hope that solves your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      P.S. - Please make sure to reply to this comment instead of posting a new one so that it is easier to find answers to your queries.

      Delete
  29. Hi,
    Just ordered one of these in Kolkata. Any suggestions on the external antenna? I'm slight concerned that the internal antenna might not get a solid enough reception inside a residential building. What are your thoughts?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Nondob,

      I faced a similar issue when I first got my CPE installed. My room was just not getting a good signal strength and the reception kept dropping every now and then. The best solution was to just keep the router in a room which receives the best signal strength. Moreover, I haven't been able to find good external antennas in the Indian market that will do the job.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  30. HI DEAR VINAMRA

    THANX FOR ADVICE BUT YOU KNOW I HAVE DONE ALL THESE THINGS SO MANY TIMES;I FED UP WITH ALL OF THIS DOING AGAIN N AGAIN BUT THIS DEVICE NOT GETTING CONNECT,THE CONNECT BUTTON IS DISABLED ONLY,IT SHOULD COME IN BLUE COLOUR BUT ITS EXITS IN GRAY COLOUR,BUT THE DEVICE IS WORKING WELL IN OTHER LAPTOPS,

    REGARD;
    MUDIT ACHYUT SHARMA

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi,
    I have a PC running on Windows Vista. I want to connect the airtel 4G LTE router to my PC using the RJ-45 cable to access the net in my PC. What are the settings I have to do in my PC in order to do so?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Abioze

      Though I have never connected to the Airtel 4G Router via RJ-45 ethernet cable, it should be simple plug and play. The Manual for the router also contains the same information (i.e. plug and play).

      I hope that answers your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  32. Have you tried taking the router/ dongle outside Bangalore?
    Does it work / pick up 3G signals outside Bangalore and atleast function as a 3G dongle/router outside Bangalore?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Gokul

      Since I don't live in Bangalore, so no, I have not tried to do that. However, the Router will not work on 3G signals unless it is a multi mode router. Also, the spectrum distribution is beyond my understanding so I don't think the Router or Dongle will work on 3G networks.

      I hope that answers your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  33. Is it true that Airtel 4G has recently capped down download speed to around 10Mbps?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Tirtha

      Unfortunately, that is true!

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  34. Hi Vinamara,

    For 3 years I was using airtel broadband in Bangalore and was very happy with it. Never faced any disconnections and very good plans. But after shifting my house, airtel broadband was not available in the new place.

    Hence I have taken an Airtel 4g connection recently in Bangalore with wifi router (ZTE model - same as in pic above). The plan which I took was 10GB cap (Rs.999 per month). However I am facing the below issues:

    1) As per airtel website and their sales person, all their 4g plans are unlimited. After the cap is over, then speed will default to 128kbps.

    But for me, after 10GB cap got over, the router was not working at all. When I called customer care, what they said shocked me - "4g connection with router is not unlimited, the 128kbps post cap will not work with router since router cannot work at 2g speeds". So if u need unlimited plan, only option is dongle.

    Airtel is CHEATING customers by not publishing this information anywhere.

    2) I have 4 devices connected to this router - 2 android mobiles, 1 ipad and a laptop. The problem is connection is not stable, it will not work in all devices at same time. It will work in 2 devices and remaining devices will not get a connection. The internet also when it works it is good, but getting frequent disconnections. Has anyone else faced this issue ?

    3) Very less range with this router. With my previous dlink router, used to get full wifi range in all rooms, but now it is only having range in 2 rooms - room in which router is kept and next room. Has anyone else faced this issue ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Riu

      1) I have never faced this problem. Post cap limit, my Airtel 4G has extremely poor speeds (typical 128 kbps) but it works just fine. It is unlimited even if it means using it at reduced speeds.

      2) I have 2 computers, 1 iPad, 1 iPhone and 1 android device that work simultaneously on this one Airtel 4G Router. Never faced this issue. But yes, the connection can get disconnected at times but not to the point of becoming frustrating.

      3) Yes, this is a big shortcoming of this particular router. I get signals to literally half the area of my home. That's it.

      You should definitely visit the Airtel Office and get your unlimited router issue sorted. The reason given to you is completely unacceptable.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  35. HI Vinamra,

    Thanks for the quick reply

    1) Good to know that u are getting unlimited speed with same modem. But for me, in modem settings - network select, it shows only 3g and 4g - does it show 2g also in your case ?

    But will visit Airtel office for the same.

    2) It is not frustrating but compared to my previous exp with Airtel broadband which never used to get disconnected even with multiple devices, it is new experience for me.

    Regards,
    Riu Abraham



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Riu

      1) I get Automatic, 3G and 4G. By default, Automatic radio button has been selected and I have not changed that (it is greyed out which means I cannot change that).

      2) Hang in there. You'll get used to it and hopefully the experience will become a pleasurable one.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  36. I recently purchased the airtel 4g dongle , i live in kolkata, the 4g speeds here are good enough allowing me speeds of about 9.88mbps download.

    When i was contacted and approached by the airtel executive they said(he clearly mentioned) that after the cap i would get around 2mbps of speeds.
    I exhausted the my 3gb high speed data with the day of activation and now instead of the promised 2mbps i'm getting 128kbps.

    I feel like i have been cheated.
    I left my local internet to get the airtel because the speeds it offered even after 3gb high speed data was good.

    Now what should i do?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Soumyajyoti

      The Airtel 4G website clearly mentions that post data limit, you'll be given unlimited data at 128 Kbps speed. Unfortunately, that holds true and there is nothing much that you can do in this situation.

      I hope that answers your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  37. Hi Vinamra,

    First, thanks for a well researched and first hand experience based article. It restores the faith many who have suffered the dearth of net speed in India. I just have one more question for you, are you using Airtel 4G LTE in Pune?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello ThEpiphan,

      I live in Chandigarh, so that's where so that's where all the information from my side comes from. But I guess this information holds true for all the places that have received Airtel 4G support. So it doesn't matter if I live in Chandigarh, Kolkata, Pune or Bangalore.

      I hope that answers your query. Feel free to ping again if you have any doubts.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  38. Hi Vinamra,

    We were looking for a wireless wifi connection for our house, and zeroed in on Airtel 4G LTE. We are deciding between going for th dongle (which gives the advantage of using it on the move) and the router. The problem with the router - 1) Cannot use it on the move and 2) In case we decide to switch to a different service provider, the router worth 4250 would be useless.

    On researching a bit, I found out that one can configure the dongle with a USB enabled router from companies like TP LINK.

    Would you have any inputs or suggestions on this?

    Also, have you used the connection outside 4G supported areas? We intend to use it also in Coorg & Kerala, apart from in Bangalore where we spend majority of our time. What has been your experience?

    The sales person mentioned that the device seamlessly switches to 3g & 2G based on availability of network. I wanted to confirm if it is true.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Nisha

      I can completely understand your issues with the router. If you need internet on the go, the dongle would definitely fit the bill.

      I believe the Dongle can be configured but you see, if you go this way, you'll be using 2 USB slots. Usually a Laptop/Desktop has 3 USB ports so that way you're left with just one free port. Plus, more wires - more mess. But the latter is just something of a personal opinion and probably if I could do things my way, I would make every gadget/appliance at my place wireless.

      I have tested the router under 2G network and it does work but the experience is extremely poor. Unfortunately I have not been able to test the router 3G network so I cannot say much about that. I believe since it did switch to 2G, it should not have any problems switching to a 3G network either.
      Before buying the router, confirm from your local Airtel store about the 3G & 2G compatibility. It may sound crazy but if possible, even get it in writing that the router would work on 2G and 3G networks.

      I hope that answers your query. If not, please feel free to ping.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  39. Hi Vinamra Kokane-I am using WIFI router and for the past one month i am getting signals and sometimes no internet access. If i trouble shoot it is showing an error-DNS server not responding. I have given a complaing to airtel and they gave the TCP IPV4 settings manually and still sometimes the internet is not working. I am really getting frustrated because of issues and Airtel appealate team is also not attending the issues.
    Thanks-Murali

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Murali

      Are you getting this problem sitting in the same room as your WiFi Router? Also, change the TCP/IPv4 Properties and select 'Use the following DNS Server addresses' radio button. In 'Preferred DNS Server Address' enter 208.067.220.220 and leave 'Alternate DNS Server' field blank. Save changes and you should be good to go.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  40. Hi Vinamra, I just purchased a Huawei router and it shows no signals on the hardware device (the router) what can I do ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Agneev

      I faced the same issue when I got my Router installed for the first time. The technician who visited my place inserted the SIM into a normal mobile phone (not a smart phone) and it displayed signal bars on the phone. When he inserted the SIM back into the Router, it started displaying signal bars on the router itself. Doing that would be your best bet if you want to do it yourself. Otherwise, calling the technician to sort this out would definitely be something that I'd recommend.

      Also, make sure the Router is kept in a room that receives good signal strength (take cue from signal strengths on your mobile).

      Hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  41. Hi Vinamra Kokane, I am from Pune and got the demo of Airtel 4g with routher today. It showed 12mbps downloading speed and siomilarly the uploading speed as well. The cost of router is 4k.. u think I shud go for it? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Atul

      Yes you should go ahead without a doubt! Finally you can enjoy faster internet speeds! :)

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Okay great.. I shall keep you updated about the performance :)

      Delete
  42. Hi Vinamra,

    I already have a Airtel 4g dongle. I am planning to replace/upgrade it to a router. What is the process? And is there anything else to keep in mind before doing the same?

    Thanks,
    Sougat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sougat

      Firstly, Apologies for the late response. I believe there is no particular protocol to get your dongle upgraded to a router. You'll have to pay for the Router in full as Airtel wont take your dongle back. You should confirm with your local Airtel store if the same number will work or if you'll need to buy a new sim as well. If it's the latter, I'm afraid you'll have to go through the whole process of buying an Airtel 4G connection.

      I hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  43. Hi Vinamra,
    I had purchased a 4g dongle the previous week, the activation guys came, but I have not got my sim card number or my dongle number. I tried calling the helpline and the person from whom I purchased the dongle but both of them said I will receive it via sms, but have not got it for over 2 days. Help me out brother!!! Am stressed so as to what to do since all my work has stopped since then!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Siddhant

      Firstly, apologies for the late response. Your SIM card number is on the little red packet in which your SIM was enclosed when you first bought the SIM. Alternately, visiting the store is always a better option when you want information rather than contacting customer service.

      I hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  44. Vinamra, thank you for your generous support to so many. Your friendly approach is a gift! Thank you for being a blessing to this world. We are considering to use Airtel 4G for our webinar meetings with Anymeeting. (We facilitate an online program called Get a Life You Love => Get a World You Love to empower Changemakers) We had the demo and it showed 10 Mbps up and down. Lets hope that most hickups have been resolved since the launch. Thanks again Vinamra!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Airtel No. 9632888944 (Saikat Sur)
    CC complain no. 54911802

    I am fed up with Airtel's 4G LTE dongle. It is completely useless and the amount of apathy shown towards my repeated complaints is appalling. I live in Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore,
    till date, the network signal is so bad suddenly after using 2 months, that I cannot access the net at all. The signal strength is 0% now.

    Have called customer support regarding this many times.
    Have had someone come to my place and take readings. He told there is some issue with network and tower. He told it will be resolved in 2-3 weeks.
    Still no signal. After nearly more than 1 month.

    I am waiting for 1 month, but they never turned up. CC do not copy you the raised complaint tickets to your mail. Hence you can not track the complain.
    There is no follow up from CC. Worhtless serves from Airtel.

    I sugest, Do not go for it at all. I hope Airtel will recall this fake 4G product dongle and connection and will refund to cheated customers :P.

    Thanks,
    Saikat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Saikat

      Sorry to hear about your situation but out of curiosity, I just wanted to know, how was the Dongle performing when you were given a demo before opting for Airtel's 4G service?

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Saikat is very true. Airtel is the most ' sucking blood ' kind of service provider. Once you are with a postpaid connection and under their controlling purview, they will do all unethical things.
      Vide Ref. 13022798, Bill No. 754392966.

      regards,
      Raghav

      Delete
  46. Hi Vinamra,

    Good to see your post, today I called Airtel technician for 4G demo, I have seen the great speed of 10 MB to 25 MB based on the router location and room I was accessing from.

    I am leaning towards buying the 4G router but have a question on which router I buy, now there are 2 routers one costs 4000 and another 2500. I would like to know which one is best?

    Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sudhir

      Firstly, opting for a 4G connection is a great step forward towards faster internet India. Kudos for that. AS far as opting for a router is concerned, it really depends on what you want from your Router. Will you be carrying it with you everywhere? What range do you want the router to cover (assuming the more expensive one has a larger range)?

      For me, a router is something that will always stay at home and need not cover the entire length and breadth of my house (though ideally it would be great if it did, but I'm not too fussy on that one). So if you're someone like me, I'd suggest you save money ad go for the cheaper one as both the devices will only be performing one task - providing a high speed internet solution at your home/work place.

      Having said that, there is something that you should keep in mind - In order to avoid frequent disconnections and low signal problems, the router should be kept in a room which receives the maximum signal strength and preferably near doors or windows as they are clear of any obstructions that might cause decrease in signal strength received by the 4G SIM in the router.

      I hope that answers your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  47. Hey Vinamra, I bought the 4g lte airtel router few days back. The speeds good at 10Mbps however the range is very bad not even 30 -40 feet. Any suggestions if Linksys 5Dbi antennas will work with the router to give me access on my first floor? Or any other suggestions are welcome. The main issue is I would require the access in both my floors (G+1)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Gautam

      I don't think just an antenna will resolve your problem. But if you use any range extender, that should help. Bear in mind, the extender does NOT amplify signals. It merely increase the range of the Wifi. So if you place your extender in an area that receives 1/3 signal strength, your device using the Wifi connection will also receive 1/3 signal strength.

      I hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  48. Well I am having a terrible experience with the Airtel 4g as well, I have recently Bought a New 2 Connections of 4g LTE one as a dongle and the other as a router.

    I was given a demo on the Dongle and was quite satisfied, as I had already planned to take the router as well, i was informed that the router demo cannot be given but it will perform equally good if not better than the Dongle, So quite satisfied with the answer provided all the forms and details to buy both the options.

    Now after I received the 2 sim cards and the dongle as well as the router, and after the activation the Dongle Works superb without any problems, But the Main issue is with the router.

    the Only reason I have bought a router as well as I have an internal network and connect multiple computers and through wireless and a secondary router. And this router to have continuous connection is very important to me.

    So now this is not working Due to the router not able to resolve the DNS address, if you put in an IP address of a particular website it works but then the name is not getting resolved, one work around is to put the DNS name static in the IP configuration of the LAN/Wireless network properties. But that is not a right solution as I have many systems and changing them always is not the proper solution, and DNS resolution is one of the most basic functionality the router is supposed to do. Now I have raised complaints and after 3 visits by technicians and changing the router twice the problem still exists. each time the technicians come I have to explain the entire thing again and again and they try the same silly stuff, switching off and on and all that. After I tell them what the real cause is they don’t have any answers and they say we will check in the back ground and revert. This is so bad to see that Airtel's good service is going down the drains due to a new technology they have implemented but not trained their technicians well enough to handle.

    Now I am still waiting for this to get resolved... If any one of you have any Ideas on how to resolve this please do let me know. I cannot put in static DNS IP Addresses in each and every system the router has to resolve the Domain Names into IP addresses on its own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Anmol

      Thats a very peculiar problem and I haven't heard of it before. What you can try to do is, open your settings for the dongle and just replicate them for the the Router. There should be some conflicting setting that is causing this problem. Here are the possibilities that I can think of:

      1. Have you tried the router on different devices? Are they all requiring you to enter IP addresses of the websites? If you're trying on your computer (Desktop/Laptop), chances are, your antivirus may be causing the problem.

      2. Preferred DNS might not be set correctly. Try DNS address: 208.67.222.222, save and restart.

      I'm guessing Airtel will not be able to solve any technical queries as they are not well trained and doing it yourself is probably the best way to go.

      I hope this helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  49. Is there a way to change DNS in airtel 4g router?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Siddharth

      I'm not too sure about your query as I cannot check it for a confirmed answer since I've moved to a different country and now my folks use it. But you can check it out for yourself by going to the router's settings page.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  50. Hello Gaurav

    Yes you can. At home, I've had 2 android devices, 1 iPhone, 1 Windows laptop, 1 Apple Laptop, 1 iPad and miscellaneous other devices (off and on) connect to the Airtel 4G at the same time. You should have no problems using multiple devices simultaneously. Just keep in mind, if you use internet on all the devices at the same time, speed will slow down a bit.

    Hope that answers your question.

    Regards,
    Vinamra Kokane

    ReplyDelete
  51. Hi Vinamra,

    Firstly, thanks a lot for taking time to answer everyone's queries here :)

    Coming to my query, I had called the airtel guy a month back to give me a demo in my apartment in Bangalore and to my dismay, the speeds were pathetic (2 MBPS) as compared to my airtel 3G connection (which was giving me 5 MBPS) at the same time, though i had a high signal strength. They were unable to explain why the speeds were so low. He even told me that he had provided so many connections to other people in the same area without issues. I want to know if this is the norm or an exception.

    Secondly, are they selling the ZTE or the Huawei versions of the dongle now? Do these dongles work with any of the externally available routers (like TP-3020, 3220 etc)? If not, is there no way to share my internet connection if i decide to buy a dongle?

    Thanks once again...

    Regards,
    Shriram.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Shriram

      This is certainly an exception. I have friends in my vicinity who have the 4G connection and it works fine for all of us.

      ZTE is manufacturing dongles for Airtel. Unfortunately, these dongles do not work with external routers.

      I hope that helped.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  52. Hello Vinamra, just for few mins I was stunned to see what you have experienced, this is the exact thing which happened with me as well. My horrible and frustrating experience with Airtel 4G matches with yours word by word. I wonder whether Airtel has written a script :) ....but I am still unfortunate that the signal in my home keeps dropping between 7:00 AM IST - - 11:00 PM IST ...not sure what is the reason. However I am tired telling to Airtel Customer care tech support...useless tech support on earth...whenever I call them they tell me to take out the sim and insert it again :) ..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Anand

      I have no reason to believe that Airtel has written a script to provide intermittent services to its customers.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  53. Hello Vinamra, firstly I appreciate your good work on this blog thread and I respect your precious time that you have spent here which otherwise you could have used elsewhere. I am from Bangalore and I am also under similar requirements. I live in the outskirts of Bangalore and I tried to check on Airtel's website if they offer their 4G services in my area but this particular service on their website hardly works. Is there any better idea as you know that can help me better? Fortunately or Unfortunately I am not in India and hence it very difficult for me fet such vital informations back home.

    Regards
    Sudarshan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sudarshan

      Airtel's website will only give you the list of cities in which the 4G services are available. The best way to find out whether Airtel's 4G will work or not is to have the Airtel 'technicians' come over to your place for a live demo. In case nobody is available at your place for the demo, you can ask your immediate neighbours to oblige. I hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  54. Hi Folks,
    I have been having an Airtel 4g connection in Bangalore with the ZTE router. All was fine for 3+ months and now my connectivity is zero. Airtel n/w team visited my place and now say that there is no connectivity and they will need 3 months to install new antenas.
    What do I do with this router... they refuse to take back the router and do a refund (Rs. 4k)..
    I feel cheated.. I hear that this has happened in other cities too...

    I suggest not to go with airtel 4g... cheaters...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same thing happened to me , same story, I am cheated too. Luckily I did not discontinue another provider's connection. I am saved at least.

      Airtel has to be more customer friendly. They should jump upon the fulfillment of customer's de-satisfactions. They sucks in this area. No email they sends to customers for raised tickets. Customer unable to track their complains and I believe they wants that.

      Delete
  55. Down the wrong road

    I would like to share my thoughts with the readers.

    First, TRAI has not settled on the allowable 4g frequencies in India. But providers (Airtel, Reliance) have jumped the gun and started to offer 4g services, nevertheless. Airtel is employing 2300 Mhz frequency for 4g. This puts TRAI in a difficult position to determine the best allowable frequency slot, as now that have to accomodate the already built out network by these providers. And 2300 Mhz has not been the chosen favourite world over, baring China and South Africa. Standardized 4g frequencies means, better equipment portability, no vendor lockdowns, free market and open access.

    Second, the approach of offering locked down equipment is disappointing. You buy a dongle/4g modem but can only use it for Airtel. Instead, an open router would work irrespective of the vendor, just as you can get 3g speeds in a 3g capable phone by swapping SIMs. Airtel started the lockdown way, but has since starting offering 4g sims on request. Good luck finding devices supporting 2300 Mhz spectrum though.

    Third, the broadband scene is very bad in India. In USA, FUP limits are about 300 GB; Europe even more liberal. In India, it continues to be 8-20GB mark. Providers have not upgraded to the next gen wired technologies like Fiber to offer better speeds and FUP but are concentrating efforts on wireless broadband. And people are being attracted, as they hapen to beat the outdated DSL speeds and FUP limits.

    Fourth, general consumer is not informed and thereby, are tricked by the telcos again and again. This is where the TRAI needs to step in and up the ante. Enforce 25% speed increase per year for all DSL connections and enforce FUPs. DSL supports 24 Mbps/12 Mbps profile and the existing intrastructure can be upgraded to support it. FUPs are just an artificial bottleneck imposed for purely monetary basis. Same wire goes to your neighbour but he'll get better speeds if on a better plan aka costly plan!

    Advice - Buy a good unlocked router and access internet from it. Feed it internet access from whatever technology you got. DSL -> connect DSL modem to your router, 3g/4g dongle -> plug it into the router's USB port. 4g airtel router -> connect LAN port to router WAN port. Gives you the freedom to own your internal network and configure it as required.

    I wish I had the money to launch my broadband company in India :) With such poor service providers, I'll make a killing with same prices but much better speeds and FUPs. Hell, why are utility companies sleeping over this. They should build out the capacity and enjoy the returns to balance their almost certain loss quarter after quarter.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Hi.

    I have certain questions.

    I am currently using local cable internet .( download speed: 2.91MBPS and upload speed 1.45 MBPS. 1/8 is 250kbps which is quite ok. but the connection is fluctuating every now and then so I have decide to switch it to Airtel 4G LTE. . Now my question is are they offer peering speed as my broadband connection offer 35 MBPS peering speed ( through torrent) and moreover my broadband company are offering true unlimited upload/download under 3 MBPS and at night from 1 AM to 9 AM its 10 MBPS ( no fair user policy).

    Its a LAN connection so I am using a router ( linksys N900) and I am connected 2 smart phone, 1 IPAD, 1 smart TV and 3 desktops.

    The monthly charges are 2499 + 12.39% TAX..

    My usage is very high so is it a better idea to switch it to AIRTEL 4G LTE.

    link: http://alliancekolkata.co.in/images/tariff.jpg
    http://www.speedtest.net/result/3510129185.png

    Thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sam

      No, Airtel is not offering any peering speed. Also, I'm not sure how having many devices is equal to high usage. I hope that answers your question.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  57. Hi Vinamra,

    I recently took an Airtel 4G dongle which works pretty fine compared to Reliance Netconnect. However, I would like to use this 4G connection on other devices like tablet and mobile. Could you please suggest?

    Earlier I had tried downloads like connectify etc with Reliance netconnect but didnt work though.

    Laptop make is Sony vaio.

    Thanks,
    Hari.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Hari

      You need a pro version of Connectify to make your laptop work like a router. Even if you do buy the pro version, to enjoy uninterrupted usage of the dongle's 4G connection over your gadgets, you'll need to keep the laptop running at all times. Moreover, you might find the laptop relaying limited coverage. If you don't want to invest in any device, you can set up an ad-hoc network with internet sharing on your laptop. However, keep in mind this is only for your local area and it works decently (not exceptionally well) in a range of about 15ft, even though the setup suggests a range of 30ft. Moreover, you will still need to keep your laptop running at all times.

      I would recommend buying the TP LINK TL-MR3220 if the model of the dongle is either E1550 or E1731. Both these are manufactured by Huawei. Please note, if the dongle's model number is MF825A, the one manufactured by ZTE, the dongle will not work and you are out of luck in that case.

      If you want to learn how to setup an ad hoc for the required purpose, leave a reply and I'll reply back with the steps. Hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Hey Vinamra!

      Thanks for the post, really helpful. Even more helpful are the comment threads. I'm wondering what you think about these methods:

      http://mycompuhelp.blogspot.in/2014/04/configure-zte-mf825a-airtel-4g-dongle.html

      http://fl-ex.blogspot.in/2014/03/tp-link-mr3020-and-zte-mf-825a-making.html?showComment=1402599810936#c3282075556488092142

      One of them seems to use the openwrt firmware to get tp mr3020 to work with the zte mf825a. I'm still unsure and wondering whether I should take the risk and buy it. I already have the airtel mf825a.

      Thoughts?

      Delete
    3. Hello

      Yes, solutions given in these links may work but once you do overwrite with a custom firmware, you run into the risk of general compatibility for other devices. Meaning, the firmware can act funny at times and hence becomes a master of its own will. It can give stability issues in the future.

      Using the Dlink shareport seems to be a better solution but I have not tried it out personally.

      I hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  58. Dear Vinamra,
    I am planning of buying AIRTEL 4G WIFI but confused whether i should buy thw white one or the black one (both huawei) and can u tell me the speeds cuz i live in ludhiana which is nearby chandigarh only. plz mail me the speed test or can u plz plz plz mail me a video in which you open some sites and download a few small softwares so that i can know the speeds further....plz do it...will be waiting for your reply

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Purav

      I really don't know how much of a decision would the colour of a router be. Buy whatever colour you like! Unfortunately I won't be able to help you much when it comes to testing the speed because it varies largely from one geographical region to another. So much so that you might get full Airtel connectivity in one sector but the adjoining sector might not be lucky enough to enjoy the 4G speeds.

      To test the speed, you are given a demo by Airtel at your place to check if installing the router/dongle would be viable or not. But be assured that if your area has the connectivity, you can enjoy 10-12Mbps download speeds.

      I hope that helped.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  59. Hello Vinamra,
    I have a question :How much time does it take for activation,coz yesterday a guy came for verification,they told it would be activated within 24 hours and told to call them at 8 pm.Since then i have been calling but they are saying that your status has not been updated.I hope Airtel 4G is quite good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello

      Give them at least 2 working days. You might need to switch your router off n on couple of times after the status changes to 'activated'.

      I hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  60. hey buddy,
    have been using airtel 4g on the new router since a month now. about a week ago access to the internet has been zero however all my devices are connected to the wifi thru the stupid router. tried calling the usless airtel customer care but they had no clue. the router shows zero signal strength. i tried putting the sim in another phone, got full signal and put it back in the router. but no help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Kushal

      Usually the phone trick works but since it hasn't, you should try to call customer care and ask them to send a technician instead of asking for a solution over the phone. Also, make sure the router is kept in a room whoch receives full signal strength (try keeping it next to a window). If nothing works, you next best option would be to visit the store with the router and the sim and deal with them face to face.

      I hope your connection issues get resolved ASAP.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  61. Hi Vinamra,

    Excellent post. I made the mistake of calling both the airtel main customer care and a local ARC. The ARC sent a guy with router (that's what I wanted) and now I'm sitting with a wallet lighter by Rs2500 and a Huawei router and SIM. I've seen quite a number of comments about verification issues and you yourself seemed to have had to do some extra calling (judging from the post).

    What I would like to know is whether they send a person or call over phone to verify. The guy who sold me the router told me that someone would visit. In this case I'll have to skip going out for next couple of days so a few more details of your experience may help me decide. I don't want a rather futuristic looking plastic showpiece in my home so it is better that the verification is complete sans issues.

    Secondly, the dude who sold me the router gave me no documents - just the box and whatever was within it. Is this normal ? Or do I assume that these people are a bit too helpful ?

    Third, I communicated over phone that I want the Rs2000 monthly plan and they said they would "enter" that next to my name. Figure this is standard as well ?

    Also, the CPE has an alphanumeric SSID key printed in the base. The guy told me not to change it for a month after services begin. Isn't this a bit weird ?

    Oh BTW I live in Kolkata. I know I can't ask for a "if-then" answer since you've used 4G in a different city but a few suggestions would be helpful.

    Thanks in advance for your reply,
    Aritra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Aritra

      Coming straight to your questions:

      1. Verification for me was done over the phone. The only time someone visited my place was to give me a demo before opting for the service and a technician a day after the services refused to work. All he did was suggest placing the router in a room that receives maximum signal strength and to make the SIM 'work', he popped it into a mobile phone and the SIM started receiving signal. He did do some 'tests' on his laptop but I'm not sure if any of that made my connection work.

      2. You should have received a receipt of the purchase. If not, you're definitely entitled to one. Apart from that, I was also only given the router box which contained the router itself, power cord and some documentation from the manufacturer.

      3. Once services start, you can always check your plan details by logging in to the Airtel 4G webpage.

      I'd reckon they just do it to make sure the systems are fully up and running including one complete billing cycle. Just a precautionary measure I guess. I didn't even bother changing it after the services started; never had any unauthorised access.

      I hope this answers your questions.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Hi Vinamra,

      I'm not sure if my last message was posted since I'm reduced to using a 2G connection currently and connectivity isn't good. My last message was basically about the time taken for activation from the last verification call. Its been 24 hours but there is no trace of a signal so I'm getting a little edgy. I called 18001030405 and was told that another 24 hours may be required - there is still no database record in their program. I think I'll call up the ARC and send in a complaint to 121@airtel.in later in the day if the condition persists. Or would you advise more patience ?

      Also, just in case the last message didn't reach, I would like to thank you for the detailed answers. I can now breathe a little easier.

      Thanks again,
      Aritra

      Delete
    3. Hello Aritra

      How was the connectivity and speed in general when you were given the demo? Like I said, try keeping the router in a room which receives maximum signal strength (the room in which your phone receives the best signal) and preferably next to a window in that room. I know these suggestions seem childish and that is not how technology is supposed to work but unfortunately that is the only way to make sure you get the best possible signal.

      I'd suggest you give them at least 3 business days to make sure everything is working from their end.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  62. Hi Vinamra,

    Thanks for your patience and also for your quick reply. When the person came with the dongle, the speedtest.net result showed 9.8Mbps download. He didn't carry any router with him so I told him I would contact him later. I had inquired with another person before, and she sent the person who finally sold me the router. His demo gave 10.1Mbps. Both said that there were two bars worth of signal available.

    Your suggestion regarding proper location of the router isn't childish at all - the first person took the laptop (my laptop mind you, he didn't carry his own) around the house and concluded that the drawing room had best strength. My own room is right next to it, and that's where the router has been sitting. You're right - I'll take the router to the drawing room. Not so sure about phone signal strength since I don't use an Airtel SIM (Tata Docomo and Vodafone on my phone, which don't seem to discriminate between different rooms) but considering that my girlfriend has to run around her house to get a proper Docomo signal, I would have followed your advice if I had had an Airtel connection.

    It appears that a lot of people are interested in selling a connection to me - 3 sales people have called me so far, and out of exasperation I called Airtel (no entry in database yet) and then the person who sold me the router. He told me to politely turn down the requests (as if I needed to be taught this) and said it would be activated soon. I guess you're right, I am going a bit over the edge with worry. Perhaps I'll pester them again if the connection isn't on by Sunday.

    You've been extremely helpful and considerate with my queries. If you don't mind, I'll update this thread as and when something new happens, and you could advise me accordingly. I'm sorry if it appears as if I'm using your blog like a free customer care - this isn't my intention at all - and if you like, I can stop commenting after this.

    Thanks again,
    Aritra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Aritra

      I wouldn't count on anything being done over the weekend and thats the reason I said 3 business days. Please feel free to update this section with your information as and when you please.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Hi Vinamra,

      I understand I guess I was slightly edgy over the whole affair. I guess luck favoured me a bit since activation happened on a Friday evening.

      I ran a speedtest.net -
      http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/921421559

      I'll probably burn through my 40GB in no time at all, but that will be my fault entirely.

      Thanks again for everything, you've been a great help!

      Regards,
      Aritra

      Delete
  63. Hi!
    I am using net through desktop PC. PC is one room and router is in another... is it possible?
    Today one airtel sales man came and gave the demo of the router... speedtest shows 8.7mbps... he said 999, 10 GB, unlimited.. I am confused with 10gb and unlimited terms. Can you please throw some light?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello

      It is possible of your desktop has wireless ethernet card installed. It just means that after 10GB, your speed will be capped to 128 kbps till the renewal of the billing cycle.

      Hope that answers your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Thanks Vinamra! btw ur name is very meaningful... liked it... :)

      Delete
  64. Hi this is Raghav. I'm using airtel 4G wifi router since last 6 months in Bangalore. I've purchased it at Rs. 2500/- and its Huawei made. The router doesn't have any in-built battery. And this is the ultimate problem I'm facing when power cuts. If I'm in an important discussion and due to power cut I'm loosing the connectivity till the power comes.

    Can anyone suggest me the external power sources or power bank compatible with this airtel 4G wifi router, it will be a grat help.

    thanks & Regards,

    Raghav

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghav, You can use external rechargeable battery pack or Huawei has one more product upgrade of router supplied by Airtel. Check with Huawei India office for support.

      Delete
  65. Hi: I have been using he 4G router for the past year and half and had many issues with the router...on an average resetting it and turning it on and off at least 3-4 times a day. Well for the past 4 days i am completely unable to connect to airtel with my Mac. Says unable to connect or connection time out. On my iPhones, I have to literally be next to the router to sometimes connect. I am able to connect with my bsnl etc so, its not a problem with my laptop. Any help or suggestion will be great.
    Thanks
    Suresh

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Suresh

      I;m almost certain its a faulty router since you've been experiencing regular outages. Taking the device to Airtel would be your best bet. However, I'm not sure they'll be able to replace your device free of cost since its been over a year and the warranty has now lapsed.

      Hope that helped.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  66. Hi , I am plaining take Airtel 4G wifi .

    My question is -
    1) I want for Skype international US call and it needs 10Mps down and 2 Mps up speed. will this airtel 4g solve my purpose?

    Reg,
    Nishant

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Nishant

      Yes, the Airtel 4G is capable of excellent Skype calling qualities.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Should I go with Airtel 4g dongal or Airtel 4g Wifi router. Is there any difference between both the device for speed?

      Delete
    3. Hello

      With the Wifi router, you'll be able to connect multiple devices whereas the dongle is a solution only for a single device with USB port. There is no difference in speed for the dongle or router.

      I hope that helped answering your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    4. I have one more query, Can I connect TP-Link router to Airtel 4g wifi router as I am having issue to access the Airtel router in other rooms on my flat.

      Delete
    5. Hello

      I'm not sure if you can connect a router with an another router but what you can connect is an extender that increases the range of your WiFi router. That can surely be connected.

      I hope that answered your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  67. HI Vinamra,

    Greetings!

    I have just purchased 4G router. Got connected. Speed is superb in Pune. I get @ 30Mbps plus in 10' range.But data consumption is very fast. in a day time it consumed 1.27 GB. I just used it for surfing and no video download.
    As Saura Tripathi informed need to change the setting to manual download instead of Auto. I changed the setting in my android phone, but for laptop how we can change the setting for manual download for Adobe, flash player etc.

    Can anybody help me in this regard.

    Thanks and best regards.

    Atul Pandure

    ReplyDelete
  68. hello,
    im hoping to jump ship to Airtel 4G soon...but i have a querry. Do DVRs for cctv feeds work properly with the 4G routers considering the routers don't support static ip??

    ReplyDelete
  69. Hi Vinamra,

    What's your take on the new 4G HOTSPOT device from airtel (for Bangalore and Pune).
    Considering it is mobile and costs Rs. 3k would you recommend this to the router?

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello

      While the Airtel 4G is definitely a right step forward in regards to high speed internet in India, the only thing pulling it down is its inconsistency. While it might work exceptionally well in some locations, for other nearby locations, it might not be able to provide the same speed. Therefore, as of now, I wouldn't recommend the hotspot device.

      I hope that answered your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
    2. Sandeep Banerjee10/2/15 9:34 pm

      Your decision should depend on your need.

      If you want multiple devices to share the same 4G service while on the move (e.g. daily commute), it's a good device to have. It's the ZTE MF90 device with Airtel branding and web GUI.

      An alternative is the Wifi dongle, which requires a standard USB power source (e.g.: car charger or battery pack or laptop USB port).

      If you're looking to use 4G at a fixed location (home/office), it's better to opt for a wireline/fibre service, or buy the Airtel 4G wifi router or any other compatible 4G capable wifi router.

      Note that no device supports all LTE bands. Look for devices which work on LTE-TDD bands 38 & 40 (2300 Mhz). AFAIK, those are the bands being used by Airtel.

      I have bought a hotspot for my daily commute. The hour long ride each way is spent productively.

      - Sandeep

      Delete
  70. will 4G Huweii black router work at places where 2g/3g is available....i was missold saying the same, please guide

    ReplyDelete
  71. Airtel 4g is the best . I got a speed of 1 mbps in ground floor of my house , in 1st floor = 11 mbps , terrace = 25 mbps . Airtel is really way to fast . Thanks for this wonderful post Vinamra , and yeah , I live in bangalore .

    ReplyDelete
  72. Hi there Vinamra.
    I am a hardcore online gamer and my gmae connects to servers on Singapore.I usually play for like 4-5 hrs on weekdays and 8 on weekends.I am currently using Reliance netconnect and my latency is terrible.As soon as I heard about 4g wanted to try it but I have heard all these cooments saying that their data qouta gets over within a week or so.I am planning on using the Rs.999 plan which gives 10GB of data per month.With my amount of usage barring surfing and social networking will I exceed the data quota and is the latency to online servers good?Waiting for your reply.

    Thanking You.
    Pramod.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Pramod

      Since your usage is high, I'm quite certain that the 10GB data plan won't suffice you. You might have to go for the 25GB plan and possibly even the 45GB. You can check your monthly usage from your previous Reliance netconnect bills or its online web portal to get a better idea of your average data consumption in a month.

      While 4G is a good option as it provides reliable high speed internet, for gaming purposes, I would highly recommend against it. Stick to a broadband connection (preferably BSNL/MTNL or Airtel) and you'll be much happier while paying the bills.

      I hope that answered your query.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  73. Hello,
    I have been using airtel 4g lte with zte mf29 router. I have taken their 30 gb plan..since I am a high data user. I always used to face issues with this wifi right from the start . However, it used to get resolved in few hours max and I was able to get decent internet speed. However since the past two weeks.. My wifi signal has completely become almost zero.. With erratic speed at times. The blue lights in the router are always blinking including the signal strength one. I get like 0.2 Mbps download speed and it has become impossible for me to use my internet. I have booked complaints like 3 times with their customer care and they make me remove sim, restart router etc.. The same silly stuff again and again. When I researched it on google.. I read that the default DNS server provided by them in their router may be over loaded and that's why I am facing this sudden issue. I tried many ways to change the default DNS configuration in the router. It's not possible as far as my knowledge goes. I connect multiple devices such as my iPad, phone etc and I can't configure it individually for each device. They are not able to help me with this zero internet issue at all. Please answer my following doubts :

    1. Will buying of a wifi repeater help in solving my issue of inconsistent signal ?
    2. Is there a way for me to change the default DNS airtel server to google one or a public one on the router itself ?
    3. Should I go for a change in router itself .. Probably go for one that allows to configure different DNS addresses? If yes which router is compatible with my airtel 4g let SIM card ?

    Kindly help me out on this deeply frustrating issue. Thanks in advance for your time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Ranjini

      Sorry for the delayed response.

      1. It is most likely that a repeater would not resolve the issue of inconsistent signals.
      2. You can go to the router settings and check the DNS settings. I believe the address is 192.168.1.1 but I'm not sure. You'll have to try a few different addresses around this address.
      3. The only 3rd party router that I know of is the TP-LINK TL-MR3020 Wireless N Router that works with Airtel 4G. This router is available on Flipkart and other online shopping websites.

      I hope that helps in answering your question.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  74. Ever used mobile 4g sim in Airtel wifi router ? Works ?
    Want to share internet with 30 users - But without monthly bill. Prepaid. When I want !
    Possible. Please help.

    ReplyDelete
  75. when I bought airtel dongle I was getting the signal inside the home afterthat am not receiving single range inside the home if I am standing outside the home it is getting the signal 1 point only ,please suggest the solutions....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Manthiramoorthy

      Please check the signals you're getting on your phone. If the signal strength is poor, it is likely that the the dongle is also receiving poor signals. Hope that helps.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  76. Which sector of Chandigarh you are in? I am near 40 and Airtel only shows 2G signal.

    I recharged with 995 10 GB unlimited plan, thinking that it will give atleast 3G speed on my huwaei dongle/MOTO G if not 4G. But it is only showing 2G. Any suggestion/hep?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi

      Firstly, 10GB is not an unlimited plan. You have a data limit of 10 GB. Secondly, are you using it on your phone or dongle? Also, if the dongle was purchased from Airtel, you must have received a demo at your place before getting the services installed. Was that the case? If yes, try keeping the dongle next to a window or door and try again. I know these are quite primitive solutions but my Wi-Fi router works best in the room that receives maximum signal strength.

      I hope that helped.

      Regards,
      Vinamra Kokane

      Delete
  77. Airtel is at it again. I have been fooled by them again. I thought they would provide some value for more money. But their 4g dongle is just waste of money. I have been using internet dongles for many years now. Have used almost all brands. What airtel is good at is providing better coverage than anybody else. But when you talk about speed it is the most coslty service. Even the overall exp of using their dongle is no good. I have mts dongle also. It connects like zoom when you plug in the device. But their coverage is no good in this area. Thats why I bought airtel 4g. It took 5 days to get it activated and then when I plug in the device, it does its usual drama from “not-registerd” to “ready” to “connect failed” to “ready” to “connecting” to “connect failed” “to ready”. Then you click on connect button and it connects. And forget about the min 5mb speed as promised by vendor, I am not touching 2 mb speed. And to add to the irony there is an Airtel tower on the top of the building I am staying in. Just waste of another 1800/- for me. I am gonna continue with my broadband wired connection.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Hi thanks for your extensive research. Which is the best solution for using a 4G dongle to create a hotspot for 5 users as we do not stay in India for more than 2 months & we don't want to go through the hassles of post paid nightmares. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  79. Hello

    Airtel has started selling dongles too that are capable of hotspots. I guess that should be the best solution for your scenario. I hope that helped answer your query.

    Regards,
    Vinamra Kokane

    ReplyDelete
  80. Hi,

    I am planning to buy the hotspot device. Does hotspot device range is good and how is the device in long run.
    I mean is it worth to spend 2300/- on hotspot device.

    Please suggest

    ReplyDelete
  81. can i use my tplink adsl cum router d7 instead of huwaiii wifi router supplied with 4g airtel connection.thanks

    ReplyDelete
  82. Hi,

    I got Airtel 4G recently (in Pune) but the guy sold me the Hotspot device - ZTE MF90 (rather than the router I was requesting). It works fine, but
    1. Is there a way to directly connect other devices like Ipad/ printer to this device as on a regular Home network for printer/file sharing, streaming, etc? Does it require any setting changes?
    2. If it does not directly work as in 1, I am willing to buy a home network wifi router to connect to this Hotspot if that works - pls recommend one that works with this hotspot as the internet gateway.
    3. Alternatively, if now I spent more money to buy the Airtel 4G router, will the same SIM card work? (Do they even sell only the router?)

    Thanks for your help in advance
    Sharad

    ReplyDelete
  83. Hi

    I have a Airtel DSL connection with a Wifi Router at home for many years. Recently fitted a Airtel 4G Home wifi router. Both connections are presently active.

    ISSUES:
    1) My wife's laptop , a Dell Inspiron with Windows 7 OS cannot detect the 4G Wifi network. However when I connect it to the router with a LAN cable it accesses the Internet without any issues. All Android phones at home can easily detect & connect to the 4G Network. The Dell detects my DSL network as before & has no problems with that. I have tried uninstalling the Dell Wifi 1397 Mini-Card & reinstalling the driver.. No change in status.
    My Laptop , a Lenovo on Windows 8 Os detects & connects to both Networks without any issues.

    2) As mentioned above , all Android phones at home connect to the 4G Network. However my iphone5, although it detects the 4G network cannot connect to it. It says " Invalid Password" although I am sure that the password I am feeding in is correct. The iPhone connects to my DSL WiFi Network..

    Would appreciate it is you could suggest some solutions if any..

    Thanks
    YKP

    ReplyDelete
  84. is airtel lte 4g connection a ethernet [ EWAN ] CONNECTION.if i have a ewan port on my adsl cum wi fi router ,can it be connected or replace the existing airtel wifi router.thanks. wating for the revert.

    ReplyDelete
  85. Great blog Vinamra, please keep up the good work.

    Question for Airtel 4g guru... I have been using a dongle and 4g in Pune for over a year and have been raving about the service. Recently purchased Huawi 4g router and inserted the SIM in it. Now I see my usage jump without much activity. Upon investigation, I found about 10MB consumed every hour even though no devices are connected to router. It translates to 250MB per day of just idle usage, and over to 7GB of data usage loss per month, which's monstrous.

    1. Is this normal?
    2. Are these system keep-alives from the SIM?
    3. Is there a way to reduce these?

    Thx.

    NK

    ReplyDelete
  86. Don't rely on tests from speed test. Com. These cheater ISPs will allow full speed to the site but will throttle in actual usage. Test speed with multiple and less known bandwidth check websites to get actual speed result

    ReplyDelete
  87. Hi Vinamra,

    I wanted to ask you 1 question regarding the Airtel 4G dongle that I plant to use on my laptop In Delhi:

    * My requirement: I will be working from home and will be downloading/uploading heavy files.
    * My query: Which Prepaid plan should I opt for?

    Apologies if you have already answered such a query before.

    Best,
    Nidhi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nidhi

      I had a look at the prepaid plans in Delhi and it seems that Airtel is not offering any decent plans for high volume data download/upload at affordable prices. The one that "might" be a bit suitable is the 20GB plan for Rs. 3000. Its not a lot of data but it might work for you. I would've suggested the unlimited ones but they don't seem to offer a solution for data transfers.

      I hope that answers your query to an extent. Feel free to let us know which plan you opted. Cheers!

      Vinamra

      Delete
  88. Hello Vinamra,
    I have an airtel wifi router will i get battery for the same

    ReplyDelete
  89. Can you please tell me if this device can also work as a wireless router (connected to a adsl modem)?

    ReplyDelete
  90. Hello, Thanks for sharing the information. As far as I am concerned, I want to know whether to go for a router or dongle? Basically, I am from from Punjab, can't I get this service for prepaid connection?

    ReplyDelete
  91. Airtel broadband service is costly for economical users

    ReplyDelete