The Netgear Nighthawk M5 5G WiFi6 Mobile Router (MR5200) is a versatile, mobile router and represents a big step up from the M1 (MR1100) as it expands supported radio bands including CBRS via the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X55 5G Modem-RF System. In this article, we review onboarding the MR5200 to a Celona CBRS network and throughput performance.
Test setup
MR5200 Firmware version:
NTGX55_12.04.10.01Celona network with SIM, indoor AP and Celona Edge
Onboarding with Celona
Note that when you initially plug in a Celona SIM on a new MR5200 out of the box and see signal bars, that pings to any name (e.g. google.com) will be redirected to the router at 192.168.1.1.
>>> ping celona.io
PING celona.io (192.168.1.1): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=2.440 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=20.801 ms
^C-
-- celona.io ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0.0% packet lossround-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 2.440/11.620/20.801/9.180 ms
>>> ping google.com
PING google.com (192.168.1.1): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=4.398 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=24.063 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=28.315 ms
^C
You will need to configure an APN (Access Point Name) to be routed out to the WAN/internet. For illustration purposes, we will configure an APN (Access Point Name) on the MR5200 via its web interface at 192.168.1.1, using the default admin login password printed on the underside of the device. This operation can also be performed on the touchscreen interface of the MR5200.
Click on Submit to start the process for setting up an APN.
Type in celonadns for the APN Name and APN. Leave all other fields as their default values. Click Add to continue.
Verify the new celonadns APN entry.
Verify proper DNS resolution and reachability via ping.
.>>> ping google.com
PING google.com (142.251.33.206): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 142.251.33.206: icmp_seq=0 ttl=98 time=103.853 ms
64 bytes from 142.251.33.206: icmp_seq=1 ttl=98 time=104.041 ms
64 bytes from 142.251.33.206: icmp_seq=2 ttl=98 time=100.668 ms
^C-
-- google.com ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 100.668/102.854/104.041/1.548 ms
>>> ping celona.io
PING celona.io (99.83.190.102): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 99.83.190.102: icmp_seq=0 ttl=115 time=35.952 ms
64 bytes from 99.83.190.102: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=67.978 ms
64 bytes from 99.83.190.102: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=69.538 ms
Verify connectivity to your favorite websites.
Performance tests
We performed a basic throughput and latency test via nperf.com with the Celona indoor AP in an office setting - about 50ft away, with cubicle obstructions.
We noted -84dBm RSRP and 30dBm SINR at this location via the Diagnostics page in the MR5200 web user interface.
To see the Nighthawk in action on a Celona network, enabled with critical apps that you care the most about, feel free to request a custom demo here.