4G Router Recommendations...

Davehuge · 1 Aug 2020 at 15:49

HI all

For the past few years I've been using the Huawei B310 and also the B315 4G routers. I've had excellent results with them. They seem to be very good at working with a weak 4G signal and have the option of connecting an external/outdoor antenna. They also provide good wifi coverage in the house.

Now these are a few years old I was wondering if there's anything much better on the market? I'm really looking for a router I can connect an external antenna to. I'm not interested in 5G, just 3G/4G.

Can anyone recommend anything?

Thanks, Dave.

Davehuge · 2 Aug 2020 at 10:19

I'm in a rural location in the South of France. My nearest mast is 5km away over a hill, so I use a flat panel directional antenna with my Huawei B310. I've hit speeds of over 40Mbps but generally it's around 25Mbps which is fine for me. I guess the reduction from 40 to 25 is due to the number of people connected to the mast.

I tried a number of different antennas, many didn't improve the connection at all, I think the internal antenna of the Huawei B310 / B315 actually works very well. In the end I settled with a flat panel antenna from Panorama Antennas, it works really well.

http://www.panorama-antennas.com/site/index.php?route=product/product&path=25&product_id=292

Davehuge · 2 Aug 2020 at 14:45

RSR said:
You'll probably need to look at something like these:

Thanks RSR, have you had any experience of using them?

Davehuge · 2 Aug 2020 at 15:58

RSR said:
You'll probably need to look at something like these:

MikroTik LHG

https://linitx.com/product/mikrotik-lhg-lte6-cat6-4g-outdoor-long-range-router/16312

MikroTik SXT

https://linitx.com/product/mikrotik-routerboard-cat6-lte-modem---sxt-lte6-kit/16283

Am I correct in thinking that those two units don't incorporate WiFi? You can only connect to them via Ethernet, so you could connect them to a WiFi access point via Ethernet and then connect other devices via WiFi?

Davehuge · 3 Aug 2020 at 08:43

Kobi said:
Huawei and MikroTik 3 bars, teltonika 4 bars.

Interesting, what exact models were you testing? In particular which Teltonika? Did you use any external antennas?

Of course 4 bars signal on one brand/model might not equate to 4 bars on a different brand/model.

Back to back speed tests, repeated a number of times, using same mast and SIM card would be more interesting.

Davehuge · 3 Aug 2020 at 09:24

WJA96 said:
you want CAT6 over CAT 3 or 4 and CAT12 if you can get that. If, for a given signal, a single chain (CAT3 or 4) gets you 30Mbps, then a bonded CAT6 device will get you up to double that and a CAT12 device up to double that again.

Thanks for the detailed info. Do you know if most 4G network providers support 'channel bonding' to make full use of a CAT6 device?

Also, am I correct in thinking the Huawei B525 is a CAT6 device?

Davehuge · 3 Aug 2020 at 15:48

Kobi said:
Will do 3 speed tests and see what the outcome is.

Thanks, that would be interesting to see.

What antennas do you use on the Teltonika RUT240? Just the satndard ones that are supplied with it?