As a rule, home routers have a wired connection to the provider, which provides maximum speed and stability of the Internet connection. For obvious reasons, such devices cannot be used as an exit option. But this does not mean that if you are away from home, you only have a phone to go online. A wireless GSM/LTE router can easily replace a wired counterpart, providing decent speed performance, which will allow you to use it in any situation without the possibility of connecting via cable: in the country, on a trip, on vacation.
Description, characteristics ZTE MF920
The main advantage of this model is high mobility. With its small size, the router can be easily placed in a handbag or even a pocket – it is only slightly larger than a smartphone. The battery life of the device is a decent 6 hours, and if you use a powerful enough powerbank , then it can be doubled. In addition, the router can be powered from a car cigarette lighter or even a smartphone. And although the charger is not included in the package, you can restore the capacity of the built-in battery with a regular phone charger (for a single-ampere battery, the total charging time will not exceed 5 hours).
The firmware supports PCs and smartphones running Windows, MacOS, Android. The presence of a USB port allows you to connect other peripherals to the router, including tablets or game consoles.
To access the Internet, a SIM card from the selected operator is used, the most widely used ZTE MF920 routers with firmware from Beeline (in a white case) and Megafon in black.
Usually, ZTE routers are equipped with high-performance branded processors Mediatek, Qualcomm or HiSilicon, but due to a sharp increase in prices for these products, this model was equipped with a cheaper analogue of Wisefone 7520. This budget processor is an in-house development, manufactured using 28-nanometer technology and characterized by a low level of power consumption . At the time the router appeared in retail, its cost was 1200 rubles, but inflationary processes led to a more than twofold increase in the cost of the router.
At the same time, it still belongs to the budget category and has a rather nice design.
The main technical characteristics of the ZTE MF920 router:
- data exchange rate according to the GSM standard – up to 42 MB / s;
- data exchange rate according to the LTE standard– up to 50 MB / s;
- support for the HSPA standard at a speed of 5.75 MB / s;
- the range of the Wi-Fi network is up to 10 m;
- built-in battery capacity – 2000 mAh;
- the number of clients simultaneously connected to the wireless network – up to 8;
- dimensions: 107.5×63.6×14.8 mm;
- weight – 120 g.
Internet setup
The ZTE MF920 router is a “plug and play” device. No special settings are required to access the network. The only condition is that you need to insert a SIM card of the operator that provides you with Internet access services. The corresponding slot is located at the back and is closed with a plug. There is also a button to reset the router to factory settings.
After performing this operation, it is enough to turn on the router (the power button is also located on the rear panel), wait until the blinking LEDs calm down, and you can get to work.
However, the device has a setup utility where you can change the password and network name, find out the status of the router, and even send and read SMS messages. Access to it is possible both from stationary computers or laptops through a web interface, and from mobile gadgets (smartphones, tablets) through a proprietary application. The functionality of both programs is the same, but the interface of the mobile application is adapted to a smaller screen.
When connecting the ZTE MF920 to a computer, you can use the USB cable included in the package, and in the case of a laptop, a Wi-Fi connection is sufficient.
If you connect via cable, the computer will detect the router as a network card, this is normal. In most cases, the first time you connect, the installation of device drivers that are stored in the router’s memory will begin.
When the driver installation is complete, you can try to enter the ZTE MF920 settings through the web interface. To do this, in any working browser , we type the address 192.168.0.1 if the color of the router is black (the provider is Megafon) or 192.168.8.1 if the color is white (Beeline).
The interface is Russian-language, password-protected (the default value for both providers is admin), which is recommended to be reinstalled. The top status line contains information about the mobile operator: its name, network type and signal strength. There is also an icon indicating the direction of data transfer, an icon for the number of unread SMS messages, the number of clients connected to the Wi-Fi network, and the battery charge level. Below, but also in the status line, there are menu items for “soft” turning off the router, changing authentication data and exiting the web interface, as well as a language selection window.
The start page contains three elements in the form of a circle: the first shows how many and which devices are connected to the wireless network, the second shows the status of the device with buttons to navigate to the network connection and wireless network settings, the third shows the status of the current connection: how long, how long traffic received and transmitted during this time.
At the bottom there are buttons to go to reading SMS, to the phone book and advanced settings.
If you click on an element with a description of connected devices, a page will open with more detailed information about clients and the ability to create your own “black” list of devices that will be denied access to the network.
The instruction manual for the ZTE MF920 router does not describe how to set up Internet access, since it is installed automatically. But by clicking on the “Settings” button in the network status window, you can change some parameters (although the provider does not approve of such actions):
- connection type (automatic by default can be changed to manual);
- whether it is necessary to switch to work in roaming;
- network type (automatic by default, can be changed to 2G/3G/4G);
- the mobile operator used to connect (automatic selection is also present);
- APN settings.
The default values are considered optimal and should be changed only if the network is not working satisfactorily.
Configuring ZTE MF920 to distribute Wi-Fi
As with an Internet connection, the internal wireless network becomes available as soon as the device is turned on. Moreover, the router will broadcast even in the absence of the Internet – in some cases this can be useful. After turning on the router, you can connect any device to your home network by selecting the network name and entering the password for it. Both parameters from the provider are indicated on the label of the router, but it is recommended to change them to your own, or at least change only the password.
The ZTE settings responsible for the operation of the wireless network are almost the same as those of ordinary routers: you can change the network name (SSID parameter), password, prohibit publicly broadcasting the network name (connection with manual entry of the SSID and password), set a limit on the number of simultaneously connected clients.
If you go to the advanced settings, you will additionally be able to change the channel number, its width, and also select a different region. There are also settings for WPS .
You can also mention a feature that most budget routers lack: on the main page there is a QR code with an encrypted SSID and password, which makes it easy to connect to a Wi-Fi network from a mobile phone or tablet.
You can create a guest network with your own name and password.
Finally, the “Advanced Settings” tab also contains options related to the operation of the wireless module. So, in the “Energy Saving” section, you can adjust such a parameter as the power of the radio transmitter, thereby choosing a compromise between battery life and the range of reliable network reception.
It is possible to set a timer, upon activation of which the Wi-Fi module goes into standby mode if there are no connected devices or they are not active.
Reboot ZTE MF920, factory reset
To reboot the device, which may be necessary in case of unsatisfactory operation, you can use the shutdown button on the device itself or do it through the web interface. Since this router has a portable standalone design, access to the shutdown button is simplified, unlike wired counterparts, so in most cases it is easier to reset the router with the button. If remote control is required, then the reset button is located in the “Advanced settings” tab in the “Other” section.
And we remind you, just in case, that in the status line there is an item “Shutdown”.
The virtual factory reset button is located in the same place as the reboot. On the router itself, it is hidden under a cover on the rear panel.
Firmware update
You do not need to flash the ZTE MF920 yourself, the firmware is updated in a semi-automatic mode. To do this, in the “Advanced settings” tab, go to the “Software update” section and click the “Check” button. The device will automatically detect if a higher firmware version is available. If one is found, you just have to click on the “Apply” button.
ATTENTION. If the router is roaming, flashing it can be too expensive, so be careful to enable this option and the option to automatically check for new firmware versions.
We also note that you will not be able to connect the “white” router to the Megafon operator, and the black one to Beeline, since their firmware versions are configured only for their network. But if you really need it, you can try to perform such an operation at your own peril and risk by finding the appropriate instructions on the network.
Leave your comments in the form below if you still have problems with the firmware and configuration of the ZTE MF920 router. And see you soon!