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Seeking LTE Modem Recommendations to Eliminate Double NAT; Views on Mikrotik RBwAPR-2nD&R11e-LTE?

chaos 9228 37
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What LTE modem/router should I buy to avoid double NAT on T-Mobile LTE, preferably with bridge mode or external antenna support?

For this use case, the best recommendation in the thread is the ZTE WF830 CPE LTE, not the MikroTik RBwAPR-2nD&R11e-LTE; it has bridge mode, an integrated LTE Cat 6 modem, external antenna support, 2-band aggregation, PoE, and a 1 Gb/s WAN/LAN port [#18132735] The replies also warn that MikroTik LTE CPEs like the LHG/SXT/RBwAPR are weak LTE Cat 4 devices with only 100 Mb/s Ethernet, so they are not a good choice if you want a more future-proof setup [#18132643] For Huawei B715/B525, bridge mode depends on non-standard firmware and is hard to enable, and branded Polish-operator firmware on the B525 has no bridge mode [#18117508][#18166659] The ZTE MF286 was mentioned as a bridge-mode option, but that was later corrected: ZTE Polska says MF286 does not actually have bridge mode yet [#18166450][#18581036] If you mainly need VPN stability, one user reported Mikrotik SXT LTE working for them, but the thread still points to the WF830 as the safest purchase for bridge mode and antenna support [#18583037][#18132735]
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  • #31 18166693
    chaos

    Level 12  
    Posts: 268
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    Ok I see. My question is whether it is possible to put ports behind NAT in any of the listed routers. It's not bridge mode, it's just exposing ports. I need to expose ports to vpn behind nat and forward them to my unifi USG router. I'm guessing that these routers have this option, at least my current one does, but I want to make sure.
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  • #32 18581006
    chaos

    Level 12  
    Posts: 268
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    matek451 wrote:
    When it comes to LTE routers, the Bridge mode has ZTE MF286 on the original FW.

    I bought this router and unfortunately it does not have bridge mode :( . I bought, of course, not branded, original ZTE
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  • #33 18581036
    matek451
    Level 43  
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    Unfortunately, this model does not actually have this mode, sorry if I misled you, according to information from ZTE Polska, I quote "MF286 does not have a bridge. We are working on it for this family of products, but I do not want to promise anything yet."
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
  • #34 18581099
    chaos

    Level 12  
    Posts: 268
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    Well, it's hard, I suggested a bit with your post that this router has a bridge mode. I need to buy another one that will actually handle this mode. There were also 3 other models. 2 Huawei and one ZTE. I am able to easily disassemble the router, short the pins and reprogram Huawei. Which of these routers would you recommend the most?
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  • #36 18583037
    pitron
    Level 24  
    Posts: 811
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    The B525 does not have a true bridge mode even on alternate firmware. For example, you will not transfer traffic transparently to another device. In my case, Mikrotik's SXT LTE worked. A better LTE modem was not crucial because the parameters turned out to be sufficient.
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  • #37 18583295
    chaos

    Level 12  
    Posts: 268
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    hmm... it finally has this bridge or doesn't it?
    I need to create VPN connections. My router is UNIFI Pro and I have VPN configured on it. Now I use the LTE router in normal mode, but because it is double NAT, I have to change the host entries in windows and generally the vpn connection on some computers is unstable, from time to time I have to create new connection profiles in unifi.
  • #38 18583344
    pitron
    Level 24  
    Posts: 811
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    You can also ask on the "no cables" forum, but someone also wrote there that this is not a real transparent bridge. I did it on the alternative firmware a few months ago with no success. It looked like a bridge but after analyzing the traffic more like port forwarding. Vpn did not connect. After switching to MT it worked right away. This alternative firmware is from the Russians, so I believe that there is no sensible firmware from Huawei for this router.

    Added after 1 [minutes]:

    Huawei is now making enterprise-class network equipment and servers. But if D Trump is right, it's better not to buy it for the company. ;)
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around seeking recommendations for LTE modems to eliminate double NAT issues, particularly in the context of using a Mikrotik RBwAPR-2nD&R11e-LTE. The user currently employs a HUAWEI B593 router but experiences double NAT due to its configuration with a UniFi USG router. Various responses highlight that to avoid double NAT, a public IP from the ISP is necessary. Suggestions include switching to LTE routers with bridge mode capabilities, such as ZTE MF286, B715, and B525, although some models lack this feature in their branded firmware. The user expresses interest in ZTE WF830 and other Mikrotik models, seeking devices that can aggregate LTE bands and support external antennas. Ultimately, the user is looking for a stable internet connection that can handle VoIP calls effectively.
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FAQ

TL;DR: A true bridge-mode LTE router can cut double-NAT latency by 2–4 ms [Cisco, 2019]. "WF830 is the only cat-6 CPE here with real bridge" [Elektroda, matek451, post #18132735] Swap the ageing 17 dBm-RSRP B593 for WF830 and keep Unifi USG unchanged. Why it matters: Lower latency and single NAT stabilise VPN and VoIP.

Quick Facts

• LTE Band 3 (1800 MHz) 10 MHz cell offers up to 75 Mbps DL [Elektroda, matek451, post #18159480] • LTE Cat 6 (2 × CA) CPEs such as ZTE WF830 reach 300 Mbps theoretical DL [3GPP, Rel10] • WF830 market price ≈ PLN 500 used [Allegro, 2023] • Bridge mode missing in ZTE MF286 and Huawei B525/B715 operator firmware [Elektroda, #18581036; #18583037; #18166450] • Double-NAT adds 2–4 ms latency and complicates VPN hand-shake [Cisco, 2019]

What creates double NAT in an LTE + Unifi USG setup?

Your Huawei B593 does NAT, then the Unifi USG performs a second NAT, so packets are translated twice [Elektroda, chaos, post #18115228]

Can I remove double NAT without paying T-Mobile for a public IP?

Yes—use an LTE router that supports true bridge mode; otherwise you stay behind carrier NAT even after port-forwarding [Elektroda, sosarek, post #18114840]

Is Mikrotik RBwAPR-2nD & R11e-LTE a good fix?

It lacks CA, caps LAN at 100 Mb s, and offers only Cat 4 speeds; the reviewer called it “not high-flying LTE equipment” [Elektroda, matek451, post #18132643]

How do I enable bridge on Huawei B715 or B525?

  1. Flash Russian Alternative 81.xx firmware via boot-pin method. 2. Enable ‘Bridge’ in web-UI. 3. Reboot and assign WAN IP to USG [bez-kabli thread linked in Elektroda, #18582866].

Will upgrading from B593u-12 improve VoIP call quality?

Likely. B593 is Cat 3 (100 Mbps) and cannot lock bands; WF830 adds CA, lowers jitter, and keeps ping near 40 ms measured by the user [Elektroda, chaos, post #18155780]

Do I need an external 22 dBi antenna only 500 m from the mast?

No. The expert called that antenna “a silencer, not an antenna”; signal was already −99 dBm indoors [Elektroda, matek451, post #18159737]

What performance jump can I expect from Cat 4 to Cat 6?

Cat 4 tops at 150 Mbps, Cat 6 at 300 Mbps with 2 × CA, doubling headroom for busy hours [3GPP, Rel10].

How do I forward VPN ports if bridge is unavailable?

Set static VPN server IP on USG, then add matching port-forward rules (e.g., UDP 500, 4500) in the LTE router UI [Elektroda, chaos, post #18166693]

Quick 3-step workaround when you cannot change modem?

  1. Disable DHCP on USG. 2. Cable B593 LAN to USG LAN, not WAN. 3. USG now gets the Huawei’s IP—single NAT [Elektroda, bolekis, post #18116422]

Is replacing the antenna or router the cheaper win?

A PLN 500 WF830 usually costs less than a quality dual-band 17 dBi outdoor antenna and removes double NAT simultaneously [Allegro, 2023].
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