Ettus USRP B210
Dual-channel USB 3.0 SDR transceiver covering 70 MHz to 6 GHz with 56 MHz bandwidth, ideal for 4G LTE and 5G NR testing.
Ettus USRP B210 — SDR Reference Platform
The USRP B210 is the most widely used SDR platform for cellular security research. It provides 2×2 MIMO capability across 70 MHz–6 GHz with 56 MHz instantaneous bandwidth per channel, making it suitable for LTE 20 MHz and 5G NR testing scenarios.
TelcoChisel Compatibility
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Driver | UHD 4.6.0 (pre-installed) |
| Kernel | 6.8.0-rt-telco (PREEMPT_RT) |
| Status | ✅ VERIFIED_STABLE |
| Max Sample Rate | 61.44 MS/s (single channel), 30.72 MS/s (MIMO) |
| USB Mode | USB 3.0 SuperSpeed required |
Supported Tool Integrations
- srsRAN 4G/5G — Full eNodeB/gNodeB stack with real-time RF
- OpenAirInterface — 3GPP-compliant gNodeB and UE
- GNU Radio — Custom flow graphs via UHD source/sink blocks
- UERANSIM — When paired with RF frontend for over-the-air testing
- Gqrx — Wideband spectrum monitoring
Quick Setup
# Verify detection
uhd_find_devices
# Download FPGA firmware
sudo uhd_images_downloader
# Test at LTE 20 MHz bandwidth
uhd_rx_samples_to_file --args "type=b200" --rate 30.72e6 --freq 2140e6 --duration 5 --file /tmp/test.cf32
# Check for underruns (should be 0 with RT kernel)
Known Issues
| Issue | Workaround |
|---|---|
| USB 2.0 limits bandwidth to ~8 MS/s | Always use USB 3.0 ports |
| Clock drift on long captures | Use external 10 MHz GPSDO reference |
| High CPU usage at 61.44 MS/s | Reduce to 30.72 MS/s for stable operation |
Purchase Links
- Ettus Research Store
- Digikey — Search "USRP B210"