topic Home Broadband Router - Full 4G Signal but no internet connection - Sim fine on other devices in Broadband

Home Broadband Router - Full 4G Signal but no internet connection - Sim fine on other devices

Poolio — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:30:23 GMT

Hi, I've got a bit of a strange problem and hoping someone else has experienced similar and there is a simple solution and I don't have to contact Three again.

In short my 4G router (ZTE MF286D) shows a strong 4G signal both on the hub itself and in the device manager, yet all my devices that are connected by wifi fail to connect to the internet. In the device manager incoming data shows at 0 b/s and is not lit green most of the time. This is the second new router with the same problem but if I take out the sim and put it in my ipad or phone then I get a good signal and can connects to the internet immediately and perfectly. Because of this it seems to me that there is no issue with the sim but that the router is at fault.

I have had this replacement hub a few hours and I haven't been able to connect to the internet at all during that time. The first hub I had did manage an uninterrupted connection for several hours and delivered good speeds but then randomly decided to deliver no internet for sustained periods too.

Putting the sim in my ipad I can run it as a hub and I get perfect internet access with no interruptions but I'd rather have a working router.

Have I been unlucky and received two faulty routers or is there another explanation?

Thanks for any help!

Re: Home Broadband Router - Full 4G Signal but no internet connection - Sim fine on other devices

JonathanB — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:05:14 GMT

Hi @Poolio,

That certainly is really strange. Your account/SIM must be provisioned for data services if they work in another device. And like you say, it seems really odd for 2 hubs to be faulty in succession.

If you haven't already tried this, there's a pinhole reset button on the top of that router. Insert a pin or paperclip for about 10 seconds and it should factory reset the device, the Wi-Fi light should turn blue to indicate this was successful. Please let us know if that helps sort the issue.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Home Broadband Router - Full 4G Signal but no internet connection - Sim fine on other devices

Poolio — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:27:33 GMT

Thanks Jonathan, yes I've tried the reset button a few times but to no avail. What's weird is the 1st router managed to connect to the internet for quite long spells whereas this router I can't seem to get any internet access.

Guess I just will have to call 3 and speak to tech - I'm not sure if they can send a router by a different manufacturer as from googling the problem that seems one way of resolving.