₦airaland Forum

Renewed my sub and it seems like the bands I have to lock changed. Previously it was band 1 and 7 that I lock to even down to last night. Renewed my sub this morning, and locking to band 7 does nothing. I now have to lock to band 1, 3 and 8.

Is this a normal experience?

I’m not complaining though, just curious.

Obviouslyblunt:
Renewed my sub and it seems like the bands I have to lock changed. Previously it was band 1 and 7 that I lock to even down to last night. Renewed my sub this morning, and locking to band 7 does nothing. I now have to lock to band 1, 3 and 8.

Is this a normal experience?

I’m not complaining though, just curious.

If you use ZTE, just leave the bands and cells alone. The router will select the best one at any point in time. I know the other routers do the same but ZTE is better at it (I have ZLT X17m too).

My experience may be different but I have locked bands and cells with varying results. The problem is that the cells and/or bands you lock on, will, eventually, reduce in signal strength and quality - sometimes to the point that they become unusable.

For instance, in my location, cell 491 on band 7 at 3256 frequency, was the best band sometime late 2025. That cell has been overtaken by 489 on 3256 at 3400. If I force the router to be locked on it, it's always very slow and sometimes unusable.

Recently, band 1 also has good cells and frequencies, especially cell 174 on 250.

Because band3 has very strong signal in my place but with virtually useless cells, I disabled it and left the rest alone for the G5F to choose the best and that has been fairly good in terms of performance.

NSEstudent:
Nah, but I have contacts there. Are you close to Alaba?

Nope Ketu (mile12)

NSEstudent:
If you use ZTE, just leave the bands and cells alone. The router will select the best one at any point in time. I know the other routers do the same but ZTE is better at it (I have ZLT X17m too).

My experience may be different but I have locked bands and cells with varying results. The problem is that the cells and/or bands you lock on, will, eventually, reduce in signal strength and quality - sometimes to the point that they become unusable.

For instance, in my location, cell 491 on band 7 at 3256 frequency, was the best band sometime late 2025. That cell has been overtaken by 489 on 3256 at 3400. If I force the router to be locked on it, it's always very slow and sometimes unusable.

Recently, band 1 also has good cells and frequencies, especially cell 174 on 250.

Because band3 has very strong signal in my place but with virtually useless cells, I disabled it and left the rest alone for the G5F to choose the best and that has been fairly good in terms of performance.

oh. Thanks for the detailed response. I very much appreciate it.

I have never touched anything CELLS, only BANDS. Am I doing it right?

Abkid:
Nope Ketu (mile12)

Quote/mention me on a dead thread

Obviouslyblunt:
oh. Thanks for the detailed response. I very much appreciate it.

I have never touched anything CELLS, only BANDS. Am I doing it right?

Locking cells on the ZTE requires one JavaScript code like that, to be run on your browser console. So it's not straightforward to do.

The band locking is not bad, it ensures the locked band, its cells, and frequencies are what you'd be using. As a matter of fact, sometimes I lock band 7 alone because it's the best band. But there are times when all the cells in band 7 are misbehaving. That is rare but that's why I left them unlocked.

NSEstudent:
Locking cells on the ZTE requires one JavaScript code like that, to be run on your browser console. So it's not straightforward to do.

The band locking is not bad, it ensures the locked band, its cells, and frequencies are what you'd be using. As a matter of fact, sometimes I lock band 7 alone because it's the best band. But there are times when all the cells in band 7 are misbehaving. That is rare but that's why I left them unlocked.

How did you make the ZTE mc801a an IDU for the ZTE ODU?

Please I need to ask a few questions about the Airtel ODU. MTN FibreX refused to include the rest of our estate in their infrastructure, and I have already paid for the Airtel ODU.

I need to know if I will have the option to pick up the devices myself (i.e., the ODU and IDU). If yes, which setup would be better in terms of performance and battery life for someone who downloads games via a console (PS5 Pro), streams YouTube, and shares the connection among six people?

From the thread I am reading, I am seeing different types of setups. I also read that after 1TB of downloads, the speed is throttled.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Peterlove11:
How did you make the ZTE mc801a an IDU for the ZTE ODU?

The same way you connect the IDU that comes with it. You just have to put MC801A in Cable Broadband mode, select the LAN port you want to use as WAN and you're good to go.

Obviouslyblunt:
thanks a lot

Uwc

gambus007:
Please I need to ask a few questions about the Airtel ODU. MTN FibreX refused to include the rest of our estate in their infrastructure, and I have already paid for the Airtel ODU.

I need to know if I will have the option to pick up the devices myself (i.e., the ODU and IDU). If yes, which setup would be better in terms of performance and battery life for someone who downloads games via a console (PS5 Pro), streams YouTube, and shares the connection among six people?

From the thread I am reading, I am seeing different types of setups. I also read that after 1TB of downloads, the speed is throttled.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Any one U picked U won't have any regrets About it .. I think the zlt has the better battery and after using 1tb your speed get throttled

Tover:
Any one U picked U won't have any regrets About it .. I think the zlt has the better battery and after using 1tb your speed get throttled

Thanks.

NSEstudent:
The same way you connect the IDU that comes with it. You just have to put MC801A in Cable Broadband mode, select the LAN port you want to use as WAN and you're good to go.

Does the positioning of my indoor and outdoor units truly influence signal performance? I'm curious because I've been experiencing weak network reception lately. A friend recommended that I adjust the placement of both units. However, I'm puzzled about how to determine the ideal position that would enhance signal strength.

sauceEEP:
Does the positioning of my indoor and outdoor units truly influence signal performance? I'm curious because I've been experiencing weak network reception lately. A friend recommended that I adjust the placement of both units. However, I'm puzzled about how to determine the ideal position that would enhance signal strength.

It's the positioning of the ODU that matters. The IDU positioning matters only in terms of wifi signal reception.

The ODU is the main device.

For ZTE, an app exists to guide the positioning.

NSEstudent:
It's the positioning of the ODU that matters. The IDU positioning matters only in terms of wifi signal reception.

The ODU is the main device.

For ZTE, an app exists to guide the positioning.

Name of the app for ODU positioning?

Airtel bad today o

sauceEEP:
Name of the app for ODU positioning?

Install Helper

There is a bar code you can scan to download it, it's on the carton abi leaflet.

The app is also on Play Store.

My ODU sim was disconnected from 4G network, all efforts to reach Airtel customer service hasn’t worked.
Has anyone experienced this rubbish and what is the way around it.
Note: the 4g is only active on other devices except Airtel embedded devices.

NSEstudent:
Locking cells on the ZTE requires one JavaScript code like that, to be run on your browser console. So it's not straightforward to do.

The band locking is not bad, it ensures the locked band, its cells, and frequencies are what you'd be using. As a matter of fact, sometimes I lock band 7 alone because it's the best band. But there are times when all the cells in band 7 are misbehaving. That is rare but that's why I left them unlocked.

I appreciate your explanation. I’m well versed in Java/programing languages but it’s better to just leave Airtel like that with their cells. I’m using the ZLT . This is how the CELL thing looks on it.

NSEstudent:
It's the positioning of the ODU that matters. The IDU positioning matters only in terms of wifi signal reception.

The ODU is the main device.

For ZTE, an app exists to guide the positioning.

I’ll say, lock bands first and compare if you used to get good reception

Obviouslyblunt:
I’ll say, lock bands first and compare if you used to get good reception

I have experimented with that and have written my findings/conclusions on this thread.

One final question. Please if I have the power pack that came with the ODU plugged into the router and the charger plugged in to power without turning on the power pack , does it charge the battery? Or the router must be turned on for the power pack to charge?

Obviouslyblunt:
One final question. Please if I have the power pack that came with the ODU plugged into the router and the charger plugged in to power without turning on the power pack , does it charge the battery? Or the router must be turned on for the power pack to charge?

You can test this scenario since you have the device with you

Meanwhile, of course the UPS will charge any time it is plugged. What I noticed the G5F's UPS do is that it turns on immediately you plug it to grid, if it was turned off before plugging.

The other power banks probably won't charge if they are turned off because their switches are different.

I have just tried charging them. ZLT power bank won't charge if turned off. So to charge it, you have to turn it on. If you don't want to power the router while charging it, then you'd have to unplug the router.

NSEstudent:
You can test this scenario since you have the device with you

Meanwhile, of course the UPS will charge any time it is plugged. What I noticed the G5F's UPS do is that it turns on immediately you plug it to grid, if it was turned off before plugging.

The other power banks probably won't charge if they are turned off because their switches are different.

I have just tried charging them. ZLT power bank won't charge if turned off. So to charge it, you have to turn it on. If you don't want to power the router while charging it, then you'd have to unplug the router.

that’s a really dumb design. But thanks for taking out time to test this.

I’m not really sure it charges without being plugged in to the router. I think it shows as charging but doesn’t add, although I’m not sure about this.

Obviouslyblunt:
that’s a really dumb design. But thanks for taking out time to test this.

I’m not really sure it charges without being plugged in to the router. I think it shows as charging but doesn’t add, although I’m not sure about this.

Mine is always plugged and always has power supply via inverter. Maybe yours is like that too. When it's full, you won't know if it's adding or not, as is my case. But it obviously turns on and shows the red charging light once you plug it.

The problem with zlt especially the zlt x17m is that it can't lock onto bands it'll keep switching even when clearly a particular combination of aggregated bands give the best SNR I don't know why but this is annoying even wen you lock cell tower it keeps switching to different bands on that tower and that's why I want to upgrade

Obviouslyblunt:
I appreciate your explanation. I’m well versed in Java/programing languages but it’s better to just leave Airtel like that with their cells. I’m using the ZLT . This is how the CELL thing looks on it.

Nollie254:
The problem with zlt especially the zlt x17m is that it can't lock onto bands it'll keep switching even when clearly a particular combination of aggregated bands give the best SNR I don't know why but this is annoying even wen you lock cell tower it keeps switching to different bands on that tower and that's why I want to upgrade

If you can explain what you want to do, there may be a solution because it seems there is something you're not doing right. For the records, the X17M can lock onto a cell and when that's done, that cell becomes the primary cell.

Maybe you are locking a band, which is not bad, but when you do that the router will toggle between cells and/or frequencies in that band to get what it deems to be the best.

Abeg those using earpod which should I go for itel buds 5 or anker soundcore R50I there in close price range around 19k-24k

Good morning everyone,

My Airtel ODU has been showing “No internet, secured” for over a week now.

What's the most effective way of lodging complaints.

E saanu mi o

ODU is down here since about a few minutes ago. No internet connection even with all parameters normal. But normal Airtel sub working just fine.

CuteMaro:
ODU is down here since about a few minutes ago. No internet connection even with all parameters normal. But normal Airtel sub working just fine.

same here. I have restarted and resetted the router, same issue