Netgear Nighthawk Questions Answered Rural Internet Update | Geek Out

[@cluebug]

This is an awesome video. I bought one of these 2 years ago. I am a travel nurse stay in a Motorhome and have a Verizon phone plan and bought the Night Hawk and have an AT&T plan which works out well for me! Thanks so much!!!

[@michellestanding1410]

Hi Great video I live in the country in Essex uk I will have trouble getting Internet signal I am having just bought the nighthawk Internet box And now I have great signal I’m on EE limited plan Thank you for the information Michelle 🇬🇧

[@Silentjackll]

What you need to do is get 2 external antennas called YAGI antennas (preferably 11dbi gain). You then set them up in a 45 degree MiMo configuration and aim them at the direction you get your best signal. I went from 15mbps download, 2mbps upload, to 230 down and 60 up. I live out in San Antonio farm country in the middle of nowhere. You need to understand that the M1 modem is capable of a thing called carrier aggregation x4 to be exact. What that means is instead of connecting to just one AT&T band like band 2 or 4, your modem will try to connect to up to 4 separate bands at the same time utilizing all 4 bands bandwidth and combining them. I use band 2, 14, and two band 66. You can program this modem to only use these bands or any bands you like. This modem also uses band 14 (firstnet) and yes you can totally connect to it without any problems or needing a subscription to firstnet. This is a lot to take in if you haven't been down this route. But this is exactly what you are looking for if you want more out of your Nighthawk M1.

[@rblongfellow]

maybe you should do a video on this, hamlock! you seem very knowledgeable on the topic

[@Silentjackll]

@@rblongfellow I was thinking about it. I have 2 separate yagi setups already installed. I could probably do a quick walk through of what is needed and some video of the setup. I'm not exactly sure how happy this Channels owner will be if I post one of my videos in his comments section. We will have to see if that's ok first. But yeah. I could put something together.

[@rblongfellow]

@@Silentjackll thanks I'm going to sub you and keep an eye out 👍

[@apt-nq5ep]

Are you using the m1 people are saying it's not working anymore

[@JesusGarcia-gu5en]

Quick question is your plan still working with you Nighthawk M1? If you still have it? Also did you have to change the IMEI on the M1 to mirror the iPad? And are you on the stand-alone att plan?

[@TheYankmchain]

Anyone who has a Spirograph on his shelf is just EPIC!

[@GeekTractor]

LOL!!

[@MrAgatto2]

not only one but 2

[@valerieadamephotography7657]

I was thinking the same thing!

[@obeythehustle]

i just got the night hawk m6 pro by atat.... im just curious if its going to hold up for live trading out here in phoenix az

[@jessicagray1684]

Thank you. You really give good information on how to use . Thank you . Love your videos

[@GeekTractor]

Thanks for your kind words.

[@jbartell68]

Thanks for your video. I've ordered a nighthawk to use in a rural part of Arkansas. Was wondering what booster you use in your house and what antenna(s) you ended up getting. I've been wading through articles on the antenna topic and it's a bit out of my wheelhouse. I think I understand the higher dBi rating the more power... the maps that show the horizontal and vertical broadcast/reception bubbles gets a bit more confusing. I know the AT&T towers I'll eventually point a directional antenna toward is west of the house. I don't want to reinvent the wheel if someone has already found a good solution. Thanks ahead of time for your time. God Bless

[@GeekTractor]

I have a Netgear Wifi extender that gives me about a 200 foot radius around the house. I opted not to get an antenna for the Nighthawk because I got an email from Starlink saying they would send out the satellite receiver by the end of summer, but that hasn’t materialized yet. I get about 2-3 bars from the ATT tower. That has been sufficient for our needs, so I haven’t got the antenna yet. The extender gives me enough signal to play Pandora down in the garden. I have had a number of questions about that, so I will probably put a video together about that.

[@jbartell68]

@@GeekTractor I'm trying out a google mesh network that seems to provide coverage to the entire house and a mother in law apartment... I hadn't put in a deposit for starlink yet, not going to be rolled out here in AR tell sometime next year. Appreciate all you share...

[@Viperh20008]

@@jbartell68 don't bother. I've had my deposit in since February and it just got pushed back until end of 2022. Star link logistics are ran so horrible

[@dmo848]

Zorida booster works pretty good 4 me

[@chadfield376]

Very thorough video on this device, I need to research this some as well as my family is all on Verizon in an ATT dominate area. All the Verizon plans I have seen on these hotspots are data capped so trying to find something that can act like a home WiFi but not be data capped but work through Verizon.

[@GrimolfrBrytrok]

This wasn't quite what I was looking for but I am glad I found ya. I had just bought a Netgear router in hopes it would help with latency after watching my wife watching a live video seminar. We're kind of on the side of a valley too, but the only place I can get two bars is between two particular oaks in a ditch, the front gate about a mile away, or on the roof of my house. I've been looking at a $600 cell signal amplifier from Wilson Amplifiers to try to get those two bars out of the air and into the house. The land lines out here suck as bad as the cell signals and our only choice is an expensive lag ridden Hughes satellite signal. Can't wait till Starlink rolls out for cental Texas. Hoping to kill the Dish TV, land line, and reduce the internet costs by half and use the money for a backhoe for the Deere.

[@GeekTractor]

I feel your pain man. I was going to get an antenna to see if we can add a bar or two to the two bars we are consistently getting. As good as it is with 2-3 bars it had to be better with some antenna help. I may hold off a bit now. Starlink has approved our location and I’ve paid the $100 holding fee. So I’m hoping to get that in sooner than later.

[@kanibis420]

@@GeekTractor Starlink , Lol

[@chadfield376]

I am like you but here in east Texas and literally live in an internet blackhole on waitlist for Starlink also. Rise Broadband line of sight literally stops at my neighbor’s house 50yrds away Lol. I will give Rise a kudos for effort as they even tried putting a 50ft pole on my barn and the tree line a mile off my property still cuts the signal. Only option is a 60 plus foot tower starting at $3k to get a broadband dish on. In mean time stuck with Viasat and $220mo for 150GBmo Data (which my family blows through in 10-15days and then throttled down to dial up speed until next month).

[@heart4Pahoa]

Thanks for taking the time to put the videos on this unit together. We are TMobile users and have a great grandfathered plan that we will never leave. That being said, we have probably 80% coverage in the Big island of Hawaii where we live and are generally content with it. There are a few areas where data cell coverage drops off entirely and we were looking to supplement our coverage with this unit and the AT&T plan ($300 prepaid for the year = 25GB per month, no throttling). It would be a backup ISP of sorts for home too in the event that our Home ISP went down for whatever reason. The plan I mentioned is only available in stores and not on their website in case anyone is interested.

[@GeekTractor]

Did the Nighthawk work well for you?

[@heart4Pahoa]

Picking it up next week, will let you know once we have an opportunity to test it for a bit.

[@mesalazar10]

@@heart4Pahoa could you let me know how that works for you. I was planning on going the prepaid route as well but planning on getting the new Nighthawk M5.

[@heart4Pahoa]

@@mesalazar10 Will do, No 5G advantage on the island, so there is no draw for me on the M5.

[@mesalazar10]

@@heart4Pahoa have you been able use the SIM card with the M1?

[@SmeshnoyMan]

what's the download/upload speeds? with this particular device there

[@dongrahl6181]

I been checking in to T mobile with the net gear router do you know anything about them I’m like you I live in the woods

[@Donavan1234456]

Very helpful video, thanks!

[@kanibis420]

I bought the unlocked version 2yrs ago on ebay for $280 dollars , best money I spent . I did some research and found a way to get unlimited At&t for $30 bucks a month . This thing is great and built like a tank , I've dropped it several times from 5-6 feet onto hard floors .

[@SoCalKevin]

Do tell

[@GeekTractor]

Same here. I dropped it hard one time and thought it was gone. Not even a mark.

[@grindgangent.5761]

How??? I need that ASAP

[@BigNateYT]

Hey does your nighthawk still work with at&t?

[@BigNateYT]

Yo how do u manage to get at&t

[@go_venture7512]

I’m just now coming across this video. You may have said and I didn’t understand but, My phone is through AT&T so if I bought the M1 through best buy can you simply buy a SIM card plug it in the M1 and it work ?

[@GeekTractor]

I had an iPad that I pulled the SIM card out of. If they will let you do a bring your own device, then, yes. But they may require you to supply the device IMEI id.

[@opb7262]

Did you have to provide an IMEI for your IPAD?

[@Jeilds]

Does this work in the country I clearly live in the middle of no where and I'm hoping that I can do hotspot because cable internet is so bad out here

[@GeekTractor]

I can’t get a Verizon signal, but I get up to 3 bars of LTE on ATT. That is enough with the nighthawk and a wifi extender to take us to the next level here. So if you can get a cell signal, then this works great.

[@abcsam]

how exactly do you get the unlimited extra plan for the hotspot? i have a 100gb data plan from at&t and already used it up. i really want to get the plan you have because i definitely use over 100gb of data a month

[@GeekTractor]

It’s called ATT Unlimited Extra. I got the hotspot for my iPad. Once I put the SIM card into the nighthawk I guess it thought it was like operating from the phone instead of the hot spot.

[@j.c108]

Hi! I have the same data plan as you and I bought this device on eBay and put my SIM card in it did the set up but it still show no service where it should flash blue it’s flashing orange. Any advice on what to do? Thanks?

[@GeekTractor]

If it’s the iPad’s nano SIM card, then make sure it is sitting in the slot correctly. I had a friend who had a similar problem. I went over and just adjusted the sim a bit better. I hope that helps.

[@zinzun222bear]

If I get a second line/sim card and use it with the nighthawk you think it would work??

[@GeekTractor]

I don’t see why not.

[@bobbyroberts7574]

I have att unlimited elite plan how do i get a sim card to use with that hot spot u have?

[@GeekTractor]

In my case I had a nano SIM card for my iPad. I had to provide my iPad’s IMEI id. I pulled that out of the iPad put it into the Nighthawk and it worked.

[@SlimDicky]

I have been reading that at&t has been blocking people from using a ipad plan in a hotspot as it goes against there term and guidelines. Is this true? Have you had any issues to date?

[@GeekTractor]

Still works fine here.

[@lgrn7944]

we are thinking to use the Nighthawk for our RV road trip. I know we will be in areas that will need a connection. I have a iPad with att. once I install my iPad SIM card into nighthawk, can I take it out and reinstall it back into my iPad? If I do this, will I have to go thru a resetting process for iPad or Nighthawk? Thanks

[@GeekTractor]

I took it out and put it into the iPad the other day and it worked fine, then it put it back into the Nighthawk. It’s working great.

[@epopsony]

i have question before one year i have buy this modem from amazon and have some isues restart some times and a lot of warm... . this happens to you ?

[@GeekTractor]

The battery can easily overheat if in the sun. I take out the battery and plug it in directly when I don’t need it wirelessly. It works marvelously.

[@Letter-Writing_GiGi]

Your scenario sounds almost identical to out situation. What area are you located? We are in Southwest Virginia.

[@GeekTractor]

We are in Southern Indiana. I just setup MIMO antenna and it has helped a lot. I will be posting a video on that soon. Still waiting on Starlink.

[@Letter-Writing_GiGi]

@@GeekTractor I am using a WeBoost my nephew setup and he was getting excellent service on his AT&T phone. We are also Verizon for our phones hence why we are buying a Nigh Hawk.

[@AaronMuertterOfficial]

@@Letter-Writing_GiGi we live 30min from Princeton WV. We put in a weboost also.

[@Kade70771]

Does it come with a sims card or I have to have a at&t device with sims card

[@Rene-kg7pf]

How's going with tractoring the starlink?

[@GeekTractor]

Tractor is getting repaired. I broke some bolts on the bucket chasis. Starling still has not come in. I know people in the area who are getting it, but not me. Hopefully soon.

[@sammymorales6723]

Do I need to purchase an iPad in order for this to work on my nighthawk or can I just buy the SIM card itself from at&t with an unlimited plan that’s intended to be used for my “iPad”?

[@GeekTractor]

I had an iPad, but technically you only need the SIM card.

[@mr_headcase2515]

Did you get the antennas 📡 ? If so, did the signal get better?

[@GeekTractor]

I kept getting hope that the Starlink satellite was coming in, then it kept getting delayed. I think I will go ahead and get the antennas. Watch! I’ll get them and the satellite will come the following week.

[@mr_headcase2515]

@Geek with a Tractor sounds about right 😆

[@tr3llfn643]

Can I connect a Ethernet to the net hawk and connect it to my gaming pc without having att?

[@GeekTractor]

You will need an LTE service to connect to the Internet. There is one CAT5 port on the Nighthawk.

[@jrthreadgill2594]

I just wanna use it on my PlayStation and phone when I go out because I’m tried of lag 😂 and I have T-Mobile and the closet tower here is like 2 hours away 😂 but there is a AT&T tower in my town tho a couple that’s less than 30 minutes away

[@dmorrison61]

Hi, lost my password, i wanted to see the speed test, do i have to go back to factory reset and redo everything inc apn.

[@GeekTractor]

A full reset on the Nighthawk won’t mess with your account connected with SIM card.

[@dmorrison61]

@@GeekTractor thank you, i did the apn too, all systems r o now.

[@muffy2632]

Would the nighthawk be a good option to power 4-5 security cameras? Will my monthly bill be high?

[@GeekTractor]

The Nighthawk does good about connecting to cell towers to provide Internet. Internally the Wifi signal is not strong. I connected the Nighthawk to a Netgear Wifi mesh extender. It reaches out about 200 feet, which is good enough for playing pandora in my garden. This is what I have here: amzn.to/3kxFVjM

[@Chellly572]

Hi there! Question. Can I connect the unlocked version of the nighthawk with my DSL service? I live in a rural area and looking for a way to increase our internet speed so our devices can stream without any problems. It’s about seven devices. Thanks!

[@GeekTractor]

Not to my knowledge. The nighthawk is designed to work with LTE service, then broadcast that locally via router/hotspot connectivity. In other words the same tower network cell phones use.

[@zzsdadYY]

You would have to have a router that supports dual ISPs and link aggregation. Not an easy thing to do or setup.

[@zompakto]

But setting up link aggregation is totally possible.

[@CoolRVEverything]

I have an ATT sim and when I out it in the Nighthawk it says it’s been disconnected. Any ideas?

[@GeekTractor]

What kind of SIM is it? Is it for an iPhone or iPad or something else? Are you sure it is attached to an active plan? Make sure the metal side of the SIM is facing down when inserted to the slot.

[@CoolRVEverything]

@@GeekTractor Ya, it’s in correctly. Our Verizon SIM works just fine, it’s just the ATT.

[@GeekTractor]

They is a good question. If it works in an iPad, then it should work fine in the Netgear LTE Nighthawk.

[@micheleself8002]

I have had the same model Netgear Nighthawk you have for about 2 years now and love it. I use it for my Wyze security cameras, also where there's no internet and also in my rural area of Alabama. I am having trouble though, in knowing what kind of booster to get for it because the signal does not go out to my utility buildings about 150 feet from the house. Can you make suggestions for me? Thanks.

[@GeekTractor]

Yeah, the wifi range on the Nighthawk is not the greatest. I have a Netgear Mesh Range Extender. I am able to 200-300 feet away from where the extender is and still get enough signal to play Pandora on my device. amzn.to/2TbIjTY

[@rossg9167]

@@GeekTractor can you explain on to connect the Nighthawk (from AT&T) to the wifi extender? I live in a rural area and I bought the Nighthawk to use as internet for whole house. However if you aren't within close proximity to the device you don't get good wifi signal and I have been trying to connect it to a router without success. Appreciate some guidance on how to connect to a router or a wifi extender. Thanks

[@N54ttv]

@@rossg9167 im following this as well I'm buying one as we speak and I'm gonna see how to connect to a router as well

[@BigNateYT]

Hey does this still work for you

[@PhantomHawk-hx3xt]

I just have one question, I have T-Mobile with unlimited data, if I take the sim card out of my phone, and use it in the net gear would that work as well. Also, my hotspot is 6gb before it slows down significantly, so when this does, does my hotspot from my phone download games faster, or does the sim card in the netgear device download things faster?

[@ryn1986]

If you’ve reached your 6GB limit the cellular company is going to throttle your speeds regardless of the device connected to the service.

[@GeekTractor]

I can just tell you what happens for me. My ATT unlimited plan says that hotspot throttling may happen after 15GB and after 50GB for direct device usage. When I put the SIM card into the Nighthawk and connect via multiple devices, I only get the 50GB text from ATT saying I may be throttled during high traffic hours. So being in the Nighthawk simulates being direct device usage. In our area we really don’t notice the throttling. We will often end each cycle with around 300GB plus of bandwidth usage.

[@mindy2215]

Can the yellow cable that goes from the modem to the Netgear Nighthawk device be replaced? Is it an universal cable or it needs to be a special one?

[@GeekTractor]

As far as I know it is a stand Cat 5 cable.

[@thenegotiator8148]

Hi, So do I get a plan from ATT for my iPad as a hotspot and just take that SIM card out of that iPad and put it in my Same netgear box? Thanks for any help. I am moving off the grid, getting Hughes satélite Internet and I also have Internet on my att cell. This is all new to me. And like you I need for my daughter to have clear connections because she’s in full remote classes. Thanks, Holly

[@GeekTractor]

That’s exactly what we did for our iPad. Then I just put the iPad’s SIM card into the Netgear Nighthawk. Worked beautifully.

[@mesalazar10]

@@GeekTractor i went to the at&t store and the rep there told me that there isn’t just a plan just for the iPad. I would need to have a cell plan with at&t to get the data plan for the iPad for $20 more. Any suggestions?

[@pamelaspiess7106]

@@mesalazar10 not true, they definitely do have a tablet plan. Maybe call and see your options. Currently on hold with them to set this up.

[@nytowl3166]

I wouldn’t get Hughes net there internet sucks I would get Starlink satellite internet if it’s in your area already you’ll get way much better speeds

[@GeekTractor]

@@nytowl3166 I totally get it. HughesNet is sub par. Starlink is ideal, but it is a hurry-up-and-wait scenario. I signed up last year. I have finally got the notice that allowed me to make the initial down payment. Even then they said we may not get it for a few months. We live in Southern Indiana. We are looking forward to that Starlink delivery :)

[@Chargerslegion]

Would this work while I’m on deployment (Poland) if I bought from Amazon? I need unlimited data for online college + off days I like to game. I also have verizon but I froze my account during the duration of my time in Poland. do I need a sims card? I’m not sure I’m not really good at technology

[@GeekTractor]

I can’t advise on other countries’ networks. All I can tell you is that the nighthawk works with LTE. You will need a SIM card and service plan that works in your area. It takes a micro SIM card, but a nano SIM card works as well. That’s what I’m using.

[@Chargerslegion]

@@GeekTractor I know the service plan you get on the net gear app or what not I just got to figure out the sims card situation

[@hlgrmdr9556]

will it work in a rural area with no phone reception?

[@GeekTractor]

You need some phone reception. At least a bar.

[@Jnemesis2007]

Just ordered the device and following your steps...hope it works for me will keep you posted.

[@mgl1220]

Did it work? And do you do online gaming?

[@GeekTractor]

I hope it works for you.

[@Shakkle]

So one question brother so from what I understand if I have a 15gb hotspot on the m1 and it goes past that it doesn't slow down?

[@GeekTractor]

That is a good question. I imagine the same rules may apply, but hotspot traffic seems to be treated differently than direct device traffic. The method I used operates like a hotspot (15GB limit) but reads traffic like a direct device (50GB limit). Let me know how it goes if you end up using the hotspot route. That could answer the question for others. Are you in a rural low traffic area? That will factor in as well.

[@Shakkle]

@@GeekTractor i found out a new way thanks for your help man great channel too. All you have to do is have a app called pdanet and plug it into any device via tethering. And it uses your phones data instead of hotspot its nice.

[@GeekTractor]

It seems to only work for Android. I don’t see an option for iOS. Is that correct?

[@Shakkle]

@@GeekTractor i believe so it is a crazy good feature though

[@GeekTractor]

@@Shakkle definitely

[@yulisalove384]

@Aaron queen how do u change the modems imei like is it a site or something

[@privatepo5876]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hn_IgH6vZbiDibc

[@implypiememe6974]

Is this the same as the mobile hotspot already in android phones? I used it on my att unlimited plan, but I keep getting kick out even after I changed the hotspot setting to never turn off.

[@leftyloose8576]

This is like those but way stronger. This basically a mobile modem

[@GeekTractor]

It is a standalone device which allows you to connect with up to 20 devices.

[@YoungFenti]

Do I need a mobile plan in order to use this device? I just need it for gaming and WiFi in my home.

[@GeekTractor]

Yes, you will need some sort of plan. I use one device on an ATT plan. It is about $55 monthly for unlimited.

[@chrism.7163]

@@GeekTractor Hey, there. With that plan is there any throttling?

[@joshuaragon6676]

@@chrism.7163 Those plans don’t exist anymore. ATT dropped it. The largest ATT data only plan they got is $55 a month for 100GB usage. There are ways to use a cell phone plan if you jump through some hoops.

[@MrAgatto2]

does it have to b an i pad sim... or can a android sim also work...

[@GeekTractor]

I don’t know. The iPad uses a nano SIM card. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. It depends on what plan you have too.

[@RichieRich-ug2wr]

If I buy the nighthawk from Best Buy does it come unlocked ?

[@GeekTractor]

I bought the ATT version from Best Buy because I needed it for ATT. Check the link in the description. The models are listed are listed. There is an unlocked version.

[@gregmckinney8710]

What netgear booster are you using?

[@GeekTractor]

I have a Netgear Mesh Range Extender. I am able to get 200-300 feet away from where the extender is and still get enough signal to play Pandora on my device. amzn.to/2TbIjTY

[@renegranados3065]

@@GeekTractor 2 questions, 1, can I buy a unlocked net gear m1 and put any active SIM card with a unlimited data plan into the M1? 2, how to connect the activated night halk m1 to the net gear mesh extender. I’m trying to connect WiFi in a 1,800 sf house. Currently my location doesn’t have any WiFi carriers at the moment soo this would definitely help for temporary lol

[@offairhead]

Thank you so much for all the information. Could someone please tell me what “nomad” is in this reference?

[@GeekTractor]

They are an Internet service provider focused on rural areas. I’ve heard mixed reviews, but hey rural internet in America is tough. nomadinternet.com

[@Aquagamer224]

Nomad is a WISP, there are many of them if you know where to look, and plans with them range from 55 dollars to 240 dollars a month. (Those numbers are from multiple providers not only Nomad)

[@pricansito2366]

Hi i got the unlocked version . I have visible but i only get 5 of speed . Can you tell me exactly what plan you got and is true you can use more then what they plans offer you ? I work from home and I'm trying to get better speed . I live in the country but celular towers around allot .

[@GeekTractor]

I have the unlimited plan with hotspot for my iPad. I took the nano SIM card out of that and added it to the Nighthawk.

[@Vans3489]

For people that work from home is this a good option??? Especially two people working home???

[@GeekTractor]

Absolutely! I work from home and my wife and four kids are using Zoom or watching videos. Plus I upload to KZbin weekly. Our frustration levels would be at boiling point if it weren’t for this little device and an ATT tower in range.

[@myarosecaron3728]

Does this work if I have no cell service?

[@GeekTractor]

No, but you can get an antenna to pull in a week signal.

[@sbrown2239]

5-7 Mbps? That’s burying the lead! Not streaming high def on Netflix, etc with that, right?

[@Leonel-rl4mw]

Sir I heard that they took out the unlimited plan for the routers on att I was just wondering when you got it and can I get it if I go next week?

[@GeekTractor]

I used the IMEI id of an iPad to get a SIM card for that. All unlimited plans actually have limits. The hotspot has 15GB and the iPhone/iPad has 50GB. However I run between 200-300GB per month without issue. Do you have an old iPad lying around? Signup with “bring your own device” method and use that IMEI. Then you should get the higher limit thresholds. But if you are in a rural area the chances of your speeds being slowed after their limit threshold will be unlikely. This has been my experience.

[@Leonel-rl4mw]

@@GeekTractor thank you so much so there are unlimited plans for iPads for me to but the chip in the router?

[@wmbecerra]

@@GeekTractor I noticed an IMEI ID when you removed the battery. Why didn't you reference this number with AT&T instead of using the iPad?

[@GeekTractor]

@@wmbecerra I started by using the iPad as a hotspot. The hot spot has 15GB limited “unlimited” plan, the iPad has 50GB. I’ve heard the Nighthawk IMEI may be like the hotspot. Perhaps that is why the iPad SIM card works like an iPad with the power of the Nighthawk.

[@2ndEng556]

Just moved out to the sticks. Having issues finding any internet. So what you’re telling me is just buy the nighthawk and throw the AT&T SIM card in it? That sounds loads better than HughesNet lol

[@GeekTractor]

To be clear it is the nano SIM card from the plan I had on my iPad. It has been working great for months now. A friend of mine just switched to the Nighthawk/ATT combo from HughsNet. Where they are the speed tests we’re getting 60-70 Mbps LTE download speeds. Compared to the 5-6 Mbps on HughsNet.

[@15gatorpatriot]

@@GeekTractor I ordered a nano sim from att and added a tablet plan onto my att account. Will I have to activate it with a tablet before I can use it in the nighthawk?

[@GeekTractor]

@@15gatorpatriot That is what I did with mine. I had it on the iPad already. I just took the sim card out and put into the Nighthawk, and it just worked. I did it a second time for friend who had an unlimited plan on his iPad. So you should be good doing that.

[@NyllaRaee]

The sticks😭

[@hukafuk4779]

@@GeekTractor so do I need to get the iPad in order to get the plan for the iPad or can I just order the sims card for an iPad plan nano size and use it? Explain this to me like I’m 5 lol

[@yulisalove384]

Do you know if you can play online gaming on the hotspot

[@GeekTractor]

I know my kids play Minecraft virtually with friends.

[@yulisalove384]

Did you just insert the SIM card and it automatically worked or did u have to change anything

[@GeekTractor]

@@yulisalove384 I just inserted the SIM card and it started working. Like it does when you put it into the iPad.

[@trwalker777]

So is this device the only device you have through AT&T or is included as an add on with a phone?

[@GeekTractor]

It is the only device we have with ATT. All our phones are on Verizon.

[@serggla924]

@@GeekTractor they have an unlocked version that you can use any SIM card in

[@MarcP5267]

@@GeekTractor how’s the AT&T data service?

[@GeekTractor]

@@MarcP5267 so far so good. We hammer it pretty hard here.

[@bobbysinclair3409]

in Australia i get 500GB PM with the nighthawk an my phone sim only unlimited calls an text for $98AUD if i go past that it lowers to 1.5mbs but no excess fees an so far its 70-80mbs down 20-25mps up an ping of 9 a vast improvement from the ADSL2+ i used to have.

[@GeekTractor]

Sweet!

[@spooky7998]

If I purchased an unlocked version of this product and bought say a T-Mobile unlimited data plan sim card off amazone would this be a viable internet option?

[@GeekTractor]

The footnote on the network brands supported says it works with T Mobile. kb.netgear.com/000060410/What-cellular-bands-are-supported-by-MR1100-Nighthawk-M1-Mobile-Router

[@RichieRich-ug2wr]

What do you mean unlimited T-Mobile data plan from Amazon ?

[@arielsanson929]

@@RichieRich-ug2wr I seen another video from another guy say that. He has the t-mobile unlimited data plan and he stuck his sim card in the nighthawk and got unlimited data kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaWzYZWrhLpghLc

[@joshuaragon6676]

@@arielsanson929 doesn’t work anymore. T-Mobile blocked this device on their network. There is a way around it but I wouldn’t bother. Check reviews of T-Mobile after the merge with Sprint. Service is basically non existent now. And won’t be for the next year. The merge was a huge mistake.

[@dawson_c1952]

What kind of SIM card do you use

[@GeekTractor]

The iPad’s nano SIM card. The nighthawk takes the micro SIM card, but the nano works.

[@dawson_c1952]

@@GeekTractor what ping or latency do you get?

[@GravyBabyCNB]

Does the unlimited tablet data work with the nighthawk still? I’m getting mixed signals of people saying they stopped it

[@GeekTractor]

It works for me. I got an unlimited data plan for the iPad. Then put the nano card into the nighthawk. Not sure if that’s the difference. But I just got the same setup working for a friend. He is super happy about it.

[@GravyBabyCNB]

@@GeekTractor did you actually have to get the iPad? Or will Att just sell the sim? I’m a customer already just don’t really have any use for another iPad lol

[@GeekTractor]

@@GravyBabyCNB I actually bought another iPad because my son hijacked mine (lol). But I think you can buy the SIM card in a bring-your-own scenario.

[@GravyBabyCNB]

That’s kids for ya lol. Mines just now walking so we’re still good for a little while. One last question is it a tablet stand alone plan or a tablet addon like when I go into my att to add a line it offers me the unlimited elite tablet plan

[@GeekTractor]

I only have one ATT unlimited with hotspot line. Our phones are on Verizon. I bought the Nighthawk later and just put the SIM card in and it acts as the iPad rather than hotspot. Not sure why, but it works on unlimited data instead of hotspot data. So we don’t get overages.

[@yesuwehjulaton301]

is that also functional in the philippines?

[@GeekTractor]

If ATT or Verizon can be used there, then I don’t see why not.

[@GlobalMycbhNetwork]

Has anyone been able to connect a cordless phone to the nighthawk in order to receive calls using the sim card's cell number?

[@estusflask982]

No, that's not possible. You can use VOIP with it though

[@sotq]

What plan do you have and how much is it?

[@GeekTractor]

It’s the Att unlimited plan. I pay $55 monthly. No overages.

[@sotq]

@@GeekTractor could you send me a link to the one you buy? I see one for $55 but I’m not sure it’s it’s the same one because it doesn’t say anything about hotspot

[@sotq]

@@GeekTractor because I’m not sure if these things use hotspot or data because I’ve just started looking in to them

[@GeekTractor]

@@sotq it does not use hotspot. I bought a SIM card for my iPad. I tried the sim card in the Nighthawk and connect to the nighthawk like a hotspot with multiple devices, but it acts like an iPad on data usage. Important. The iPad uses a nano SIM card. The nighthawk uses a micro SIM card. But the nano still fits into the slot. You just have to make sure the metal nodes are touching the chip. I’m guessing this is a hack, but it has been working for months now. I know others who have done this and continue to have success with this approach.

[@sotq]

@@GeekTractor ok thanks, I have a iPhone 6s+ and a ipad I don’t know what kind that both have unlimited data would one of those work if I put the SIM card in the nighthawk?

[@viralcompilations5796]

Does this work in Canada?

[@GeekTractor]

I don’t see why not. If you are using standard LTE, then it should.

[@offdagrid877]

Your phone and data plans are so expensive in the U.S. In the U.K. people put a phone sim in these devices. You can get a nano to mini sim adapter. I’m looking to get one of these with external antennas for my campervan My phone plan is 160Gb per month for £20 on EE. On EE you can use your data on what ever device you like. Phone plans tend to be better value and you get better data plans

[@GeekTractor]

The Internet infrastructure is quite behind what it should be here in the US. I attribute that to the land spread being much larger than you find in the UK. That is why we are excited about Starlink ramping up. I spend about $55 monthly and currently use 300-400GB per month. There is no noticeable slow down.

[@nickaigross3711]

If I put an unlimited data iPhone sims card in there will it be unlimited

[@GeekTractor]

It depends on the plan and Nighthawk you get. The nano SIM card works, but I couldn’t put my Verizon nano SIM card in because the nighthawk I bought was locked to an ATT service.

[@Rene-kg7pf]

Ok now u speak about an antenna (wrote comment on first video) ... but also think about getting an outdoor antenna mounted like on roof or something... since u so easy getting up there anyway ✌🙂

[@GeekTractor]

Lol! I responded to your comment on my other video. If it weren’t for Starlink letting me know I am about to get the satellite I would do something with an antenna.

[@terryhalavazis9172]

Can I stream tv with this Netgear?

[@GeekTractor]

We do it here. It depends on the strength of you service. And check if they throttle service after so many gb of bandwidth used.

[@michaeldiehm8230]

We bought this router under advisement from Nomad. And now a few months later we finally went to get a plan from Nomad. And they no longer support this router and don’t do a standard own your own router plan. It is now pay for a whole year at $800 a year. Didn’t make me very happy.

[@GeekTractor]

Yeah. I can’t speak to how Nomad works, but I can tell you we have been very happy with the AT&T LTE service out here.

[@thewizishere]

nomad sucks, i just now switched to bix wirelest

[@feartheancient]

Why does everyone keep saying you get unlimited hotspot data? We are using straight talk on our m1 and we do not get unlimited we buy the unlimited cards and it only gives us 20 gb at a time? How do I get unlimited hotspot data from straight talk?

[@GeekTractor]

I’m not sure how straight talk works, but I think this works because I used the nano SIM card from an iPad that it truly gives me the unlimited data as an iPad and not the hotspot shared data.

[@ej9236]

How does it work with straight talk? I want to get it and have straight talk.

[@Metoo24]

596 here thanks for you video

[@justintapia4728]

So what plan did you get from att?

[@GeekTractor]

AT&T Unlimited Extra. We have used 385GB this month and still have 9 days remaining on the month. No surcharges.

[@Jeralddoerr]

You have to make sure you make them think your getting it for a Phone or Tablet... They will not sell it for a hotspot.. Get the (DATA ONLY) plan do not let them talk you into getting a phone# for it. If you go into the store just bring a phone or tablet. If you order the sim-card online you will need the IMEI: # of one of there qualified devices (I use and old Samsung tablet IMEI:#). After you receive the sim in the mail you will need to call AT&T for quick setup. I us this with 2 NETGEAR 5G MR5100 $23.45 a month unlimited but I'm not lucky.. after I use the gig limits they slow my connection to a crawl 600k a second but If I use my Express VPN I'm right back up to 40-280 Mb Downloads 40+ Uploads a second. I'm not going to lie... Its not all pixy dust sometime VPN can be a pain with Amazon Prime Video on my Fire Stick as it hates VPNs.. If I switch VPN locations I can get it working. This is about the only irritating problem I have.. Sometimes I'll just use a free movie app to get around this. I'm looking to try a MR1100 as I'm guessing they might have something in the new MR5100 that detects this. Let me know if you have questions.

[@chrisg7323]

I have both the M1 4G and the M5 5G - as a Traveler (Truck Driver) both of these devices only work well in aeas with good signal areas if not your pretty much trying to find a good antenna that will pick up signal

[@GeekTractor]

True true.

[@Jeralddoerr]

Don't know if you can hookup a HiBoost 15k I use in my house way outside the city and it turns my 2 Nighthawk 5100 (5g) into beast mode.. easy 50-70Mbs x2 at home... and 250+ in the city by it self.

[@chrisg7323]

@@Jeralddoerr I got some antennas I'ma try out see how they work , I'm trying to go thr least expensive route on the booting part

[@Jeralddoerr]

@@chrisg7323Yeah.. Let me know how it goes.. I'm think about using indoors to most getting to my booster...

[@chrisg7323]

@@Jeralddoerr I'm Testing some dual 4G LTE 7dBi Magnetic Base MIMO TS9 Antennas on my 5G hotspot right now , in a couple days I'm going to upload the video review on my channel - I got other vids on there

[@juanjr.porras7450]

it's not designed to be used on a hotspot, ATT can terminate your service for misuse......so try at your own risk. your best bet is to go through 3rd party sellers and not directly ATT since theirs are allowed on hotspots

[@GeekTractor]

So far ATT has been working for months for us. Which third party do you recommend?

[@juanjr.porras7450]

@@GeekTractor nothing in particular, I’m using one from Houston, TX 4 months now. I haven’t been cut off, my speeds are usually 25mbps-70mbps, and if they ever put 5G towers around here, even faster. I’m on 5GE

[@brysepillsbury2484]

I am trying to find an option for unlimited data like around maybe 300+ gigs a month does your plan you got have the ability to do that and also how does this process work if you can explain

[@juanjr.porras7450]

@@brysepillsbury2484 I used over 300gb and I didn’t get cut off. on eBay look for those selling “unlimited att hotspot” they charge $55 to $110 depending on what you want. you pay for first month, then arrange to pay them monthly like through PayPal

[@brysepillsbury2484]

Thank you very much for the quick responded just one more question Would it be possible to pay with a card. You've helped me a lot

[@dethmaul]

Are you showing us private info? Aren't IMEIs unique?

[@brandonbrodbeck6688]

Starlink bro look into it

[@GeekTractor]

Already paid the deposit months ago. Just waiting for them to send me the system for my area.

[@abdullahnasir4874]

change the m1 imei and use wireguard

[@supernice_auto]

why

[@shodinn]

Nomad said NO on this device as of APRIL 2021 , so ... FYI

[@GeekTractor]

Bummer. It is still working with ATT here.

[@ronmasters3738]

I just bought the nighthawk m11000. I didn't buy a plan through netgear and just bought the unlocked device. I don't think there is such a thing as netgear plan. This works well with at&t and tmobile sim cards. Using verizon has somewhat slower speeds while using this device for some reason. I use this for remote work while traveling and it works great. As you stated,, bandwidth is dependent on the usage of the towers your feeding bandwidth from. Good info otherwise.

[@kaleighkorte475]

Can I go to Walmart and get a straight talk SIM card for a phone and put it in there? Or does it have to be for an iPad?

[@Chargerslegion]

I’m currently on deployment im overseas and I have Verizon which I froze my account which buying this still work? Do I still need a sims card? I’m not good with technology

[@ronmasters3738]

@@kaleighkorte475 that I'm not sure of. I would ask straight talk representatives.

[@ronmasters3738]

@@Chargerslegion verizon sim cards might not be the best for this mobile router since I was told that it works best for GSM services which are att and tmobile. It's recommended to go with a Verizon mobile router

[@snagrbuster7343]

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[@comingofkym]

If this is so cheap, so popular, and works so well, why is it so cheap?

[@GeekTractor]

It depends what you consider cheap. For many $200-$300 for the Nighthawk device is a heavy hit. The longterm cost to benefit ratio favors the benefit. The hardware itself is sturdy. I along with others in the comments have noted that we’ve dropped this device hard and it didn’t do a thing. It’s definitely not cheap, but inexpensive when you consider the alternative.

[@confidential8738]

Dude 17 mins and i couldnt understand an overall breakdown of what u actually do and use

[@GeekTractor]

Sorry it wasn’t clear. I use the Netgear Nighthawk (linked in the description) with an unlimited plan from AT&T I had on my iPad. I used the nano SIM card from the iPad and put it into the Nighthawk. Works marvelously.

[@confidential8738]

@@GeekTractor thank u. Does it have to be nano?

[@GeekTractor]

I believe so. If you get the micro SIM card that fits the nighthawk I’ve heard that they may charge for hotspot overages. Not sure why it matters. Just what I’ve heard.

[@HalbertS-wt5hr]

@@GeekTractor The size of the sim has nothing to do with it. It depends on what plan the sim was initially avtivated for. It's working for you right now because your sim was activated for a tablet, not a hotspot device like the Nighthawk. You all are looking for trouble if you think you can just be moving sims around between different device types. Unless some serious modification has been performed on the Nighthawk AT&T will discover, probably sooner rather than later, that it is not in a tablet and shut you down due to violation of Terms of Service. There is plenty of talk of this on Facebook, reddit, etc.

[@GeekTractor]

@@HalbertS-wt5hr thanks for your thoughts. If moving the sim to another device is violating the terms, then I am willing to accept the consequences. This literally is the only option with any decent level of speed out here. Personally I am in line for Starlink this summer. In the mean time this is working great. I think many ground networks are about to lose a lot of business in rural America as Starlink comes online.

[@rvfuntimes6144]

I have a ? How can u call me?

[@thewizishere]

(i just got this through bix wireless) I have a very poor signal out this way, but I needed something that can give me at least 10 down and 3 up. I found a sweet spot that I can get about 30 and 10 on two bars, if I could find a better signal it would be better. B.c this guy has a battery I can move it around to find a good spot even if it isn't plugged in. so far this is a great device, I would recommend that you go around your house and see what speeds you can get with your phone, that is what you can expect from this device.

[@GeekTractor]

I have spent a lot of time moving around my house with this device. I finally settled on a spot that works pretty good.

[@thewizishere]

@@GeekTractor bix wireless seems to be good too, have used 88 GB of data and have not been slowed down ( it unlimited so they shouldn't). I was with nomad internet and let me tell you, bix is world's better 😀

[@GeekTractor]

Good to know! Thanks!