The Huawei 5G CPE Pro router powers 5G home broadband services on EE, Three and Vodafone. You can also buy an unlocked SIM-free router.

If you’re looking for 5G home broadband in the UK, the chances are you’ll be provided with a Huawei 5G CPE Pro router to use on the service.

At present, the Huawei 5G CPE Pro router is available on EE’s 5GEE Home, on Three’s 5G home broadband service and on Vodafone’s GigaCube 5G. It’s also possible to buy an unlocked 5G CPE Pro from Amazon but it’s worth noting this is a slightly different model with extra bands and slower wi-fi (you’ll get the H112-372 rather than the H112-370 when buying the unlocked device).

In this article, we’ll review the Huawei 5G CPE Pro router, including how you can use it and the price plans available. We’ll also take an in-depth look at individual features of the router including mobile connectivity & 5G download speeds, home network connectivity including wi-fi and the design of the router.

What is the Huawei 5G CPE Pro?

The Huawei 5G CPE Pro is a popular 5G home broadband router. The device allows you to access high-speed 5G broadband with download speeds of up to 1Gbit/s or more available on the router. You can use 5G home broadband wherever 5G coverage is available. Unlike traditional broadband, there’s no need for a phone line or cable, making it possible for you to use it in places where fibre broadband isn’t normally available.

The name of the product, 5G CPE, stands for 5G Customer Premise Equipment. By this, Huawei means you’re able to install just one device in your home in order to benefit from a 5G connection across all of your wi-fi enabled devices. The router receives a signal from your 5G mobile network and then broadcasts a wi-fi network from it that your other devices can connect to. For instance, you’ll be able to use the 5G broadband connection on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, smart TV and other smart home devices (the only requirement is that your devices are able to connect to wi-fi or a wired Ethernet connection).

Because the 5G CPE Pro doesn’t rely on a landline or cable connection, it’s easy to set it up yourself without an engineer visit. Simply insert a 5G SIM card into the device and plug it in to a mains power connection to start using 5G broadband.

Price Plans

5G Broadband Plans

In the UK, the Huawei 5G CPE Pro router is currently offered on 5G home broadband plans from EE, Three and Vodafone. On Three, the device is also referred to as the Three 5G Indoor Hub. Meanwhile, on Vodafone, the device is more commonly referred to as the GigaCube 5G router.

The following table shows a list of 5G home broadband plans with the Huawei 5G CPE Pro router:

NetworkData AllowanceContract LengthUpfront PriceMonthly Price
Three
Three 5G Hub
Unlimited Data24 month contract£0£22/month
with 6 months half price
Three
Three 5G Hub
Unlimited Data1 month contract£0£25/month
Vodafone
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
100GB Data18 month contract£100£30/month
Vodafone
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
100GB Data1 month contract£325£30/month
Vodafone
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
200GB Data18 month contract£50£40/month
Vodafone
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
200GB Data1 month contract£325£40/month
EE
5GEE Home
500GB Data18 month contract£50£45/month
EE
5GEE Home
Unlimited Data18 month contract£50£50/month
Vodafone
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
Unlimited Data18 month contract£50£60/month
Vodafone
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
Unlimited Data1 month contract£325£60/month
To show you the most relevant plans, 4 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. .

On EE and Vodafone, the router will belong to you once you’ve signed up for the service. Meanwhile, on Three, the 5G CPE Pro router is only leased to you. This means you’ll need to return the router to Three once you cancel the service.

For more information, please see our in-depth reviews of EE’s 5GEE Home, Three’s 5G home broadband service and Vodafone’s GigaCube 5G. You can also see the official webpages from EE, Three and Vodafone for information about the individual deals.

SIM-Free & Unlocked

As an alternative to getting the Huawei 5G CPE Pro on a broadband plan from EE, Three or Vodafone, it’s also possible to buy the router on a SIM-free basis.

An unlocked Huawei 5G CPE Pro router will cost you around £410 at Amazon.co.uk. This is obviously a lot of money to spend upfront on a router. However, once you’ve bought an unlocked router, you’ll be able to use any 5G SIM card inside it. For instance, the following table shows 5G-ready plans with unlimited data:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly Cost
(may rise during contract)
SmartyUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
TalkmobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
12 months
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
24 months
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£17.00
12 months
ASDA MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£20.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£20.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£21.00
12 months
ASDA MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£22.00
1 month
Lebara MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£22.50
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£23.00
£18.40 for 12 months
24 months
ASDA MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£24.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£24.00
12 months
Lebara MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
1 month
Tesco MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
24 months
LycamobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
£9.99 for 6 months
1 month
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
18 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
24 months
Lebara MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£27.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£28.00
£22.40 for 12 months
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£29.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£29.00
24 months
spusuUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£29.90
1 month
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
1 month
Lebara MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
1 month
Tesco MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
£24 for 12 months
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£31.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£32.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£32.00
6 months half price
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£32.99
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£33.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£33.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£34.99
12 months
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
£28 for 12 months
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£36.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max
£37.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£38.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max
£39.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
6 months half price
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£42.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£42.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max
£42.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£43.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£45.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£45.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£47.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£49.00
12 months
To show you the most relevant plans, 41 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. .

Over time, it may work out to be comparable in cost getting a home broadband plan and getting your router on a SIM-free basis. To give an example, Vodafone charges £50/month plus £50 upfront for the Huawei 5G CPE Pro (GigaCube 5G) with unlimited data. Over the course of your 18 month contract, the total cost of ownership is £950. Compare this to paying £410 upfront for an unlocked router and then £30/month for Vodafone’s Unlimited Max SIM card. Here, the total cost of ownership over 18 months also come to £950.

Do note if you’re buying the Huawei 5G CPE Pro on a SIM-free basis, you’ll get the H112-372 version of the router. Compared to the H112-370 version of the router provided by EE, Three and Vodafone, this has support for a couple of extra 5G bands. On the flipside, you’ll be limited to slower Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) connectivity rather than the faster Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). You’ll also lose an RJ11 phone socket.

H112-370 vs H112-372

There are two versions of the 5G CPE Pro: the H112-370 (left) and the H112-372 (right).

When you buy the Huawei 5G CPE Pro on a plan from EE, Three or Vodafone, you’ll receive the version of the product with the model number H112-370. This is the optimum version of the product for use in the UK market. It has support for the n78 frequency band (3500MHz) which is used by all of the 5G networks in the UK. You’ll also get support for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 4×4 MIMO. This supports speeds on wi-fi of up to 5,100Mbit/s.

When you buy the Huawei 5G CPE Pro on an unlocked basis (e.g. from Amazon.co.uk), you’ll get the H112-372 version of the router instead. This supports a couple of extra 5G frequencies (bands n41, n77 and n79). These are not currently used in the UK, but can potentially be useful if you’re travelling abroad with the router and planning to use it in China, Japan, the USA or a few other countries in Asia. On the flip side, you’ll get slower Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) connectivity and you’ll also lose an RJ11 phone port from the device.

The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of the H112-370 and H112-372 router:

Huawei 5G CPE Pro (H112-370)Huawei 5G CPE Pro (H112-372)
Home Broadband Plans
Price:£364.99 unlocked
Mobile Connectivity
5G Connectivity:Up to 2330 Mbps downloadUp to 2330 Mbps download
5G Bands:5G NR band n785G NR bands n41, n77, n78 & n79
4G Connectivity:Category 19 LTECategory 19 LTE
4G Download Speed:Up to 1600 Mbps downloadUp to 1600 Mbps download
4G Upload Speed:Up to 150 Mbps uploadUp to 150 Mbps upload
4G Bands:LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 & 43LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 & 43
External Antenna:Yes, 2x TS-9 connectorsYes, 2x TS-9 connectors
Home Network Connectivity
Dual-Band Wi-Fi:YesYes
Wi-Fi Connectivity:802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Wi-Fi Devices:Up to 64 devicesUp to 64 devices
Ethernet:2 Gigabit Ethernet ports2 Gigabit Ethernet ports
Phone:1 RJ11 phone port-
Other
Model:Huawei 5G CPE Pro (H112-370)Huawei 5G CPE Pro (H112-372)
Colour:WhiteWhite
Review:5G CPE Pro (H112-370) Review5G CPE Pro (H112-372) Review

Through the rest of this article, we’ll be reviewing the Huawei 5G CPE Pro in more detail for each area.

Mobile Connectivity & Download Speeds

Over the past few years, Huawei has carved out a real niche in producing 4G and 5G home broadband routers. Following on from popular 4G routers like the Huawei B535 and the Huawei AICubeB900, the newer Huawei 5G CPE Pro router is currently the undoubted leader in the category of 5G home broadband routers.

The 5G CPE Pro is powered by a HiSilicon Balong 5000 chipset (this is also used in the Huawei Mate 20X 5G smartphone). In theory, you can get download speeds of up to 2.3Gbit/s (2,300Mbit/s) on the router, though present-day 5G networks will normally cap out at around 1Gbit/s. You can expect an average download speed of around 150-200Mbit/s when using the router on a 5G network. This is a good order of magnitude faster than 4G broadband, giving you download speeds that are even faster than standard fibre broadband connections. As well as supporting 5G networks, the router can also fall back onto 4G networks with up to Category 19 LTE speeds.

The router has its own built-in internal antenna for connecting to 4G and 5G networks. However, it’s also possible to attach an external antenna to the device using the two TS9 connectors at the back of the router. An external antenna can sometimes help to improve the speed and reliability of your broadband connection. One downside is that the Huawei 5G CPE Pro uses TS9 connectors instead of the more common SMA connector. It helps to save a little bit of space as the TS9 socket is smaller, but it also makes it a little easier for the antenna connection to come loose. Thankfully, however, you can buy a SMA-to-TS9 adapter fairly easily, allowing you to use a regular SMA antenna.

There are two versions of the Huawei 5G CPE Pro, supporting different 5G frequency bands:

  • Huawei H112-370 (EE, Three & Vodafone): Supports only band n78 (3500MHz) 5G coverage. This is used by all 5G mobile networks in the UK including BT, EE, O2, Sky, Three and Vodafone.
  • Huawei H112-372 (unlocked version from Amazon): Supports band n41 (2500MHz), band n77 (3700MHz), band n78 (3500MHz) and band n79 (4700MHz) 5G frequencies. These extra bands are not currently used in the UK but can be useful if you’re travelling abroad (e.g. to China, Japan, the USA or some other Asian countries). For instance, band n41 is used by Sprint and T-Mobile in the USA. Meanwhile, China Mobile uses band n41 and band n79 for their 5G coverage in China.

The Huawei 5G CPE Pro uses nano-sized SIM cards.

Wi-Fi & Home Network Connectivity

On the Huawei 5G CPE Pro, you can share your 5G home broadband connection with up to 64 devices at one time using wi-fi connectivity. The router broadcasts a wi-fi network that your other devices can connect to (including your laptop, tablet, smartphone, smart TV or other smart home devices). This works in much the same way as any other broadband router and you’ll still be able to connect all of the same devices and to do the same things on it. Huawei offers a free application called Huawei SmartHome which can be used for managing your router and optimising the location of the router in your home.

As well as wi-fi connectivity, you’ll also get 2 Gigabit Ethernet sockets for connecting wired devices to your network (one LAN port and one WAN/LAN port). You’ll also get an RJ11 phone port on the H112-370 version of the router.

The two versions of the router differ as follows:

  • Huawei H112-370 (EE, Three & Vodafone): Supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology (802.11ax) as well as older versions of Wi-Fi like 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. With 4×4 MIMO, speeds of up to 5100Mbit/s will be available on your local Wi-Fi network. You’ll also get an RJ11 phone port.
  • Huawei H112-372 (unlocked version from Amazon): This doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, it only supports up to Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) technology. With 2×2 MIMO, you can get speeds of up to 1167Mbit/s on your local Wi-Fi network. There’s no RJ11 phone port on this model.

For business users, the Huawei 5G CPE Pro has full support for IPv6, TR-069 and VPN pass-through using L2TP, PPTP or IPsec.

Design & Form Factor

The Huawei 5G CPE Pro has a modern design, sometimes described as resembling a Greek column. The router itself is in the shape of a tower, instead of the more traditional rectangular form factor used by most other routers. This is an evolution on from the Huawei B618 and the Huawei AICubeB900, both of which also had a tower-shaped design.

The router itself measures 99mm x 107mm x 215mm and weighs 700g (plus a little bit extra for the power adapter). It certainly isn’t something you’ll be able to carry around in your pocket, but it should comfortably fit in a handbag or backpack if you’d like to bring it with you to use in a different location.

The front of the device has a fairly discrete logo from Huawei along with three LED indicator lights for 5G, 4G and wi-fi. There’s also a WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button, making it easy for devices to join your wi-fi network without the need to enter a password.

On the back of the router, you’ll find two Gigabit Ethernet sockets along with a slot for your nano-SIM, two TS9 external antenna connectors, a socket to attach your power adapter and an on/off power button. There’s also an RJ11 phone port on the H112-370 version of the device.

The base of the Huawei 5G CPE Pro has a small sticker with your wi-fi network connection details and password along with the login details for the router administration interface.

More Information

For more information on the Huawei 5G CPE Pro router, please see the EE, Three, Vodafone and Amazon websites. You can also refer to Huawei’s official website for the 5G CPE Pro router.

Your Comments 59 so far

We'd love to hear your thoughts and any questions you may have. So far, we've received 59 comments from readers. You can add your own comment here.

  • BONIFACIO MARIANO said:

    Hi i just got my 5g hub, im using power adapter line to connect my desktop and my hive hub and my cctv,unfortunately it wont connect, is rhere any way that i can do to connect it?

  • Brian Syddall said:

    Hi just bought a Huawei H 112-370 5G Router cannot log in to the administration settings
    Tried passwords on bottom of router but it doesn’t work.
    Reset back to factory settings but still have the same problem.
    Can anyone help.
    Brian

  • Mr John Gomes said:

    I have just received my router from three, I power it up worked OK but speed low. So I powered down, unplugged and moved it to a window. Plugged it in, and now it won’t power up. Has anyone had this problem? Do I have to return it or can it be simply sorted. Pressing the power button on the back does nothing.

  • With regards to the two lan ports on the back – is there any difference at all with them? Currently I have the bottom on plugged into my Network Switch which provides cat 5 throughout the house and the 2nd as my primary BT Mesh Disk – just wondering if there is any preference in which should be used. Also, anyone else had the static IP address change on the router if its bump or power cycled?

  • Hi. I can’t tell you how useful this content is – brilliant job. I have a question as I’m going to buy a sim-free H112-370 unit, but I wanted to check if my existing Three Unlimited Data 4G sim card can just simply be used in it? Or do I need to contact Three to upgrade the sim card so its 5G friendly?

    The router I’m switching out is the Huawei AI Cube which is dropping connection on devices, requires constant restart via the mobile app and now speed dropping too.

    • Hi AJ,
      Thanks for your comment. Yes, I see no reason why you wouldn’t be able to use your SIM card from Three in this device. I believe all of their SIM cards are already 5G-enabled so I don’t believe there’s anything further you need to do.
      Hope this helps,
      Ken

  • Michal Tomasek said:

    Can I ask where you find info about three and lease router.
    I was ordered today 5g router and all info what I got is mixed, after 24 months that router could still mine and also they send some mix of 370 and 372. They is unlocked without phone line but with AX wifi 😂

    Did someone has already this router from three? My will come Tuesday

      • Michal Tomasek replied:

        Hi Ken again me thanks for link.
        I was check that and also I was ask three is well what is true.

        So that part in T&C yes it is there but that mean just if you cancel your contract in 30 days.

        Other ways if you got 24 months contract after is finish router is yours.
        I got screenshot from live chat.
        I can’t put there screenshot but you want to seen let me know I can send it.

        But really when I was read that info I take completely like you ooo no send it back. But no just if you cancel in 30 days, if you got contract 24 M after that is yours.

        • Hi Michal,
          Thanks for getting back to me! My understanding is that things are different for 4G and 5G broadband. On 4G broadband, the router is yours to keep. However, on 5G broadband, you’ll need to return it or they’ll charge you a non-return fee. The full terms and conditions can be found on this page (final link, dated 29th October 2020) – specifically this section:

          Equipment: Where we have provided any 5G Equipment this Equipment is not owned by you and is loaned to you for the duration of you taking our Services. The 5G Equipment is supplied to you at no cost and remains the property of Three at all times. When you stop taking our Services you must return the 5G Equipment. If you do not return the 5G Equipment within 28days we will charge you a non-return charge (see Section 9.7)

          So I do believe the agents on their live chat are incorrect, though happy to be proved wrong if things have changed!
          Ken

          • Michal Tomasek replied:

            😂 😂 Again thanks for that info. Looks they didn’t know properly T&C in live chat, sorry for post before. That is obviously clear there.
            I will have my paper today in email or tomorrow when router come so I will again check and read.
            Again thanks for that info.

  • Hi – we are thinking of getting Three 5G but we have three ethernet connections to our current (Virgin Hub3) and understand that there are only two ethernet sockets on this device – is there a way of achieving more ethernet connections ? eg a ‘splitter’ (one to many ethernet socket) to plug into one of the ethernet port, or something like that …

  • Hi Ken. I have a 5G CPE Pro, which I attach to a Netgear Orbi 6 with three satellites. I only recently updated to a 6 as was getting quite a bit of slowdown on multiple video calls in my house. I am getting same problem as David above (obvs different mesh system). The connectivity and speeds have dropped badly recently; I was regularly getting 95-105 Mbps throughout house, now I am lucky if my mesh network gets anything. My Huawei network is still managing decent speeds up to 98-100 Mbps, but won’t reach all areas of my house. Is there a ‘modem-only’ setting on the Huawei that might help?
    Cheers
    Nick

  • I purchased unlocked from Ebay, and now have a 5G SIM in it. Works OK. But… I live in an underground apartment, thus signal is not optimal. I cannot raise the unit any higher, altough keep it on window sill to receive 5G signal.
    Purchased external 5G ready antenna to it, to get the antenna a bit higher. Got the one with suction cup, to fit to the window. Connected to this Huawei CPE Pro, so far so good. I simply do not know how I can be sure that it uses the ext antenna ? The unit works, and I can use the internet.No problem. But I am not sure how to tell the Huawei CPE Pro to use the ext antenna. Or will it choose the ext antenna automatically?

  • Hi. Glad I stumbled upon this review and the very helpful Ken. Like a few in the comments I live in a rural area with no hope of fibre being installed. A neighbour already uses vodafone’s gigacube, so I know it works in my area. My question is does it support the use of wifi extenders? We’ve got tplinks set up around the house, its an old house with very thick walls that wifi doesn’t penetrate, and the router would have to be located upstairs on a wardrobe to get the best signal.
    Please say yes, I’m really keen to watch something. anything on netflix, or even iplayer!

    • Hi Kirsty,
      Thanks for your comment. Yes, the Vodafone GigaCube 5G (Huawei 5G CPE Pro) is compatible with mesh wi-fi systems such as BT Whole Home Wi-Fi and Google Wi-Fi. It should also be compatible with the TP-Link system you have, simply attach it to your GigaCube 5G using an Ethernet cable.
      Hope this helps,
      Ken

      • David Bartlett replied:

        Hi Ken,
        I have the exact same challenge as Kirsty. I also have BT Whole Home Wi-Fi from a previous provider before I switched to the 5G Gigacube (operating with 4G connectivity as that is all that is available in my area – and works fine). However, when setting up the mesh network, it cuts out regularly and BT said it is not compatible with the Huawei 5G CPE Pro as you say above. Do I need to set up some special settings to make it work, or is an Ethernet cable to the router from a satellite important, or both? I really don’t want to spend another £200+ on a new mesh network when I already have BT Whole Home now sitting in a cupboard!
        Thank you
        David

        • Hi David,
          Thanks for your comment. What do you mean by it cutting out – is this the Wi-Fi signal or the connection between your 5G CPE Pro and the Whole Home Wi-Fi system? As far as I know, mesh wi-fi systems simply connect to your router as a wired Ethernet device so there shouldn’t be any compatibility issues (leaving aside things like IP address assignment, double NAT issues, etc).
          Ken

  • I am planning to live in China for about 6 months, I understand that you can get a non-china sim from Macau/Hong Kong and turn on roaming. Has anyone done this? Would love to have quick speeds in China without the VPN.

    If you have, would love to hear your setup/provider.

  • Hi – can you explain what the RG11 socket is for. I assumed (but article doesn’t say do) that it allowed connection to an ADSL line for that you could have DSL as well as 5G? Is that right? Has anyone tried this?

    • Hi Jonathan,
      The RJ11 socket can be used to connect a telephone to your Huawei 5G CPE Pro. I don’t believe it’s possible to have an ADSL connection running at the same time as 5G on your 5G CPE Pro.
      Ken

  • Quick note to everyone else reading – the optimised version of Pro 1 (H112-370, wifi 6, 802.11ax, 4×4 MU-MIMO) as mentioned in the article is available in amazon uk, however only 3 reviews so far. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B5HV42V/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3NEPE1YX70P0P&psc=1

    But Huawei CPE Pro 2 vs Huawei CPE Pro (370)? Wondering if its better (and cheaper) if i purchase the unlocked newer Pro 2 version online (Pro 2 is not available in amazon uk yet, but i can source internationally from other websites online) and then buy a 4G SIM-only contract from EE? 5G is not available in my area, but I aim to have this just because its faster and allows better reception of 4G compared to smaller, other 4G/LTE modems/routers.

    Also, if i go through the route of purchasing the unlocked version (either Pro 1 or Pro 2) then getting sim card separately, do i have to enter/setup any APN settings for the EE sim card to work?

    • Gujimanz Tech Guru replied:

      Hi,

      I was going to purchase the pro 2 but caution:
      It doesn’t allow for extra antennas, keep in mind 5G doesn’t penetrate walls properly so you may not get 5G indoors without an external antenna.

      You can also purchase -370 on amazon shown in the link previously posted. I just ordered mine yesterday and waiting delivery in the coming week.

      • Thank you very much Gujimanz Tech Guru for the info on pro 2 version. I will now most likely leaning towards the pro 1 then. Cheers

  • Yes, great article and very clear. I have just bought the 372 (waiting for arrival) but wish I’d found an unlocked 370 now having read your piece. The WIFI 6 would have been useful in sharing the signal to others in the office (UK based).

    Any suggestions on upgrading the WIFI using one of the LANs, similar to Tom and his Google Mesh but with WIFI 6?

    • Hi Shouqat,
      Thanks for your comment. It should work on the EE network providing your device is unlocked. I don’t believe Three normally locks their devices so it should probably work on EE without any issues.
      Ken

      • Shouqat Tufail replied:

        Thanks Ken. What SIM can i use? I tried EE SIM but it does not work. Does it have to be data only SIM? also from your epxerience, do they hide APN settings? I cant see any APN setting to amend for EE.

        • Hi Shouqat,
          Thanks for your comment. Sadly, I’m not really sure about this. You can find EE’s standard APN settings here, which I presume should normally work on other devices as well. However, I’ve not tried it myself using an EE SIM card inside a Huawei 5G CPE Pro provided by Three.
          Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
          Ken

  • Hi Ken,

    Thanks for a great article. I have a Google (Nest) mesh WiFi system already. Is this router able to operate in modem mode so I can use my existing router setup? I see it has Ethernet ports, but can’t find anything explicit in the documentation.

    Tom

  • Mike Hitchens said:

    Ken
    Thanks for a very well written and comprehensive review, too. The documentation that comes with the router is good but not fulsome.
    You refer to the RJ11 phone port on the router a couple of times in your review.
    I have tried to get more information from Vodafone about what can be attached to this port, but they are unclear how it can be used.
    I tried it with an analogue telephone and could not place a call: does it need a VoIP telephone to be connected for it to work properly?

    • Hi Mike,
      Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I’m also not familiar with how the RJ11 port can be used on the Huawei 5G CPE Pro. Perhaps someone else reading this comment might have some experiences to share?
      Ken

  • H112-370 Also doesn’t seem to have an option for Static Routes, but the option appears in screenshots for H112-372. Also because I imported from China, I got the wrong power adaptor.

  • Hi Ken,

    If I were to buy the router from amazon, and then a sim separate, does the sim need to be a ‘data-only’ sim or can I insert a regular phone sim (I’m looking to get unlimited data).

    Thanks
    Stefan

    • Hi Stefan,
      Thanks for your comment. As of 2018, you can now use a regular mobile phone SIM card in any device (due to Ofcom’s ruling on net neutrality). There are, however, two things to be aware of:
      1. Some unlimited data SIM cards have restrictions on how much you’re able to download or how many devices you’re able to tether to at the same time.
      2. O2 also have an explicit requirement that your SIM card can only be used in a battery-operated device. I’m not sure if the legality of this restriction has ever been tested in the courts or by Ofcom, but it’s there in the terms and conditions so worth knowing if you want to avoid any hassle.
      Ken

  • I have recently signed up for Vodafone’s 5G Gigacube as I live in a rural area and fibre is not available and that Vodafone’s signal strength is advertised as good. I opted for the 5G version despite it not being available yet but relied on the device being backward compatible for the 4G network.

    I know a little bit about technology but not enough for it to be useful in this situation. The performance of the device is very disappointing with speeds ranging from reasonable (compared to my previous fixed line ADSL connection) 14Mbs to zero! I wonder if there is any configuration that I can do to make the speeds more reliable ? Also the signal strength appears to be ok (according to the device management app) but would an external antenna help in anyway?

    Your thoughts and expertise would be very welcomed.

    Best regards, Graham

    • Hi Graham,
      Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s really difficult to answer the question without knowing what is actually causing those speeds to be slow! The only way to find out is really through trial and error. First of all, I’d definitely test out different placements for your router. Even the location where you place the router in your home and the direction the router is facing in can make a big difference to speeds. You can then try out an external antenna to see if it improves the quality of the signal and the speeds you get. Finally, it could just be that your local mast is congested (i.e. with too many other people using the service where you live). If that’s the case, and if congestion on your mast is the limiting factor on download speeds, your only option might be to try another network which is hopefully less congested!
      Ken

  • Does the Huawei B900 Al cube from Three support 5G and is there any other versions or better routers for 4G and 5G that Three supply?

    • Hi Mark,
      Thanks for your comment. Sadly, the Huawei AI Cube B900 doesn’t support 5G coverage. Three does supply the Huawei 5G CPE Pro on their 5G home broadband service, or you can always use an unlocked 5G CPE Pro of your own.
      Ken

    • Hi Vitali,
      Thanks for your comment. You can use an existing 4G antenna if you’d like to boost the 4G signal or performance to the router. It won’t, however, help you with 5G performance. With regards to 5G, a couple of directional antennas have started appearing on the market including the Poynting XPOL-2-5G and the Huawei 5G Outdoor Antenna AF9E. I’ve not tried out any of those antennas for myself but possibly something to look into.
      Ken

        • Hi Kriter,
          Thanks for your comment. The important thing to look out for here is the bands supported by your antenna. As long as your antenna supports both high and low band frequencies, this should work correctly on the router.
          Hope this helps,
          Ken

    • Hi Jo,
      Thanks for your comment. Are you referring to the HTC 5G Hub? If so, I’d say they’re definitely very different devices – the 5G Hub is more of a 5G wi-fi hotspot dongle with some built-in Android tablet functionality. If you’re looking for maximal performance, I’d definitely recommend choosing the Huawei 5G CPE Pro. However, the HTC 5G Hub can be a good alternative if you’re looking to use it whilst you’re on-the-go.
      Ken

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