HUAWEI B715s-23c White Router 4G++ 3CA LTE LTE-A Category 9 Gigabit WiFi AC 2 x SMA for external antenna B715

Amazing item and we can use

This router is not UK but Finnish stock (from the DNA Finland network). It does not work with UK Vodafone, no data connection is established using a SIM card that works in multiple other devices. It is useless for the intended purpose and also had only a 2-pin European plug in the box, not a UK 3-pin plug. The user interface and instructions are in Finnish - it just happens I understand the language but this product is not suitable for the UK.

I had a B525 that was freezing randomly (which I will be returning) so after searching Amazon for another router I chose this one as it was advertised as having Bridge Mode availability which was important for me. Yes, the router is from Finland with custom firmware, but as soon as you log on to the home page (192.168.1.1 - not the usual 192.168.8.1 that Huawei use) you can change the language to English straight away, so no problem there. Everything about this router is better than the B525 - signal, firmware, phone calls (using a standard phone plugged into the back), speeds (~100mb down & ~25mb up on the 3 network) - but especially the custom firmware, it is smooth & very easy to navigate unlike the clunky Huawei firmware. Bridge Mode is listed under the Router settings, not the security settings as in Huawei firmware too which makes much more sense. Firmware updated straight away without issue too. For reference, the logon password is 1234, not admin like stock Huawei firmware. The 2 pin EU plug is the same output as the B525 so you can use that if the 2 pin plug annoys you or you don't have an adaptor too. This is a good upgrade/improvement on the B525 & I'm very happy with the results - recommended.

Arrived in just 2 days! I can confirm this router WILL work with some UK SIM cards and allow you to access the voice minutes, woo hoo! It works fine with Plusnet (EE) and SMARTY (THREE) SIM. The RJ11 socket on the back can be used as a standard RJ11-BT style socket converter allow BT landline-style equipment to be connected, I have no idea of the REN value though. Initially, I had trouble getting it going as the instructions were in Finnish incl. the front end menu! Once you figure how out to switch to English you are greeted by a splash page from the Finnish network ISP 'DNA'. All documentation is in Finnish but if you email the supplier they a send you a simple English setup guide, not a full manual though, presumably because of this a not a normal retail product but rather a badged' version from the Finnish ISP\4G provider DNA. There's a bit of a gotcha here because if you don't have a SIM installed or WAN ethernet connection it seems to get stuck on the DNA splash page, at least on a PC with Chrome anyhow (pop-up issue maybe?). In the end I used the Huawei app on an Android phone to get past the splash page, from there you can get basic access to the original Huawei menus with access to basic router settings (APN selection, LAN, WiFi passwords). I'm not sure why they use the weird splash screen, the original Huawei logon screen is far easier to use. Once you've jumped through the various hoops the router works fine, including plugging a conventional landline phone into the RJ11 socket and using the available minutes on the SIM card. The same port can also be configured as a SIP port if preferred. I couldn't find a VISITOR WiFi set-up option, just 2.4 and 5.8GHz, 4 x 1GB all of which worked as expected. WiFi performance seems just as good with the internal antenna as with the supplied external ones, and I get about 80Mbps down 35Mbps up from a local 4G site. It came with a European power plug+UK Power adaptor. I have since tested a number of Huawei 4G routers that have sockets marked TEL and they all seem to work, just be careful not to confuse that socket with the one used on ADSL routers, the 'TEL' is the clue..

Getting 68MBps down /19MBps up on 4G with 4/5 bars strength, with or without an external antennae. Much faster than land-line equivalent in my area. Router is not professional grade (options wise) but certainly good enough, and definitely fine for normal home use. Even Sky Q is happy with it, and that takes some doing! Combine with a Three 100GB monthly SIM and you're all set.