Router For Streaming

[qw3rt1]

Hi Guys,

I could use some advice. I do outdoor livestreaming in the mountains, and sometimes I'm in areas with weak signal strength. I'm looking for ways to improve my upload speed and have considered two options:

1. Teltonika RUTX50 powered by a power bank using a PD trigger to provide 12V.
   
2. Mikrotik LtAP mini LTE kit powered directly through the USB port.
   

I'm leaning towards the RUTX50 because it's more user-friendly and offers better upload speeds. Although I have some understanding of technical aspects, I find working with Mikrotik devices to be quite complicated, involving some programming that I'm not familiar with. Also, I am concerned about the RUTX50's price, the workarounds required, and its higher power consumption. I usually stream for 8+ hours and don’t have the option to recharge my power bank during that time. This means I'll need at least two 30,000mAh power banks, which are quite heavy, to power the router, my phone, gimbal, and other devices I use.

If the increase in upload speed is significant, it might justify these downsides. Can anyone suggest better solutions or offer some advice that fits my needs? 

Thanks!

[Seán]

The Teltonika RUTX50 has a much more capable 5G modem with a Cat 20 rating on 4G, so can handle a wide range of carrier aggregation combinations including upload carrier aggregation. The MikroTik LtAP mini LTE kit has a basic 4G modem with a Cat 4 rating, which does not support carrier aggregation. Most Teltonika 4G routers are also Cat 4 only and the few they have that are Cat 6 or 12 capable are very close to Teltonika RUTX50's price. From my experience, 4G Cat 4 modems have a shorter maximum range limit (around 30 to 40km) from the cell tower than Cat 6 and higher modems, so I would avoid Cat 4 altogether.

Unless you need 5G such as to do bulk uploading / downloading, I suggest operating in 4G mode during your livestreams. When 5G operates in NSA mode (which most networks do), this is more power intensive as the network depends on the 4G carrier for control signalling.

The network signal strength has a significant impact on the power consumption while uploading, so I recommend getting a USB power monitor to check the wattage. The weaker the signal, the more power the modem consumes to transit to the cell tower. Before you start a livestream, you can try a private test livestream to check the wattage and reposition the router / antennas to get the wattage reading as low as possible.

You can also use the USB power meter to calculate an approximate runtime. A 30,000mAh power bank may deliver 80Wh to 100Wh of usable capacity depending on efficiency, battery condition, etc. So assuming 80Wh and the power meter shows 12V 500mA (=6 Watts) during a test livestream, then you can expect around 13 hours of operation powering just the router.

[qw3rt1]

Thank you, Sean, I think I'll go with the RUTX50.

Currently, I use 4G on my phone. Not only does it help with battery life, but I've also noticed that in areas with low coverage, the livestream quality is actually better on 4G.

The idea of using a USB monitor is great! I usually walk around, but when I stay in one place for an extended period, it could be very useful.

Do you think it's worth considering any portable omnidirectional antennas that could replace the stock ones?

[Seán]

From looking at the antennas available taking size and weight into consideration, the only portable aftermarket antenna I came across worth considering is the MikroTik mANT LTE 5o which is a 5dBi omni-directional antenna that measures about 13 x 13 x 3.5cm and weighs 272g. It does not include the cables, so I suggest getting a pair of 2m RG58 leads with an SMA connection on each end (avoid cables with similar looking incompatible RP SMA connectors).

You can use the antenna in place of two of the stock antennas. As a 4G modem only uploads using one or two antenna ports, there is no benefit in getting a second or 4x4 MIMO antenna, especially with the additional load you will need to carry. To test which stock antenna ports to swap, first run a speed test with the stock antennas, then swap out the outer two stock antennas with the aftermarket antenna and repeat the test. Try one more with the second right antenna swapped, i.e. counting from the left - mobile ports 1 and 3. If the speed test is similar, then it is likely just using antenna port 1 for uploading, i.e. no upload carrier aggregation.

The vast majority of other omni-directional antennas I came across are heavy (1.5kg upwards) or very large. For example, if you mainly travelled by car, I would recommend getting the QuSpot for RUTX50 or the directional Poynting EPNT-2. Both of these are 4x4 MIMO and you install the router inside the antenna, which can then mount it on a tripod. These antennas are unfortunately heavy (about 2kg with the router installed) and bulky.

[qw3rt1]

The MikroTik mANT LTE 5o is exactly the antenna I was considering, as there aren't many options available that suit my needs. I wasn’t sure if ordering two would improve upload speed, but now I understand why it’s better to use just one and how to choose the right ports.
Thank you very much for your time and for taking an interest in helping a newbie like me with this valuable information
I have just one more question for clarification: Is there a specific reason for using 2m leads instead of shorter ones?

[Seán]

I meant to write "or shorter" The 2m would be my suggested max for RG58 to provide enough reach to clear a wall, hedge, parked cars, etc. depending on the scenario where you set up the router.

Go with the shortest leads you can get away with, particularly if you can place the router on a raised object to raise the antenna height. RG58 is a good compromise between being low loss and flexible to easily pack away. Avoid RG174 cable or other thin coaxial cables as these have a very high signal loss, 2dB to 3dB per metre on the high frequency bands.