In this digital age, seamless and reliable internet connectivity is everything. The evolution of networking devices like routers and gateways transforms how we connect with the world. Today, we're casting the spotlight on LTE and 5G-enabled routers and gateways, exploring their potential and why they might be the ideal solution for your connectivity needs.
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An Introduction to Routers and Gateways
In the simplest of terms, a router is a device that forwards data packets on computer networks. It operates at the heart of the network layer of a LAN or WAN. The data packets consist of multiple layers, each containing different information. Of these layers, one is responsible for identifying the sender, data type, size, and, most importantly, the destination IP (Internet Protocol) address. The router reads this layer, prioritizes the data, and uses its dynamically updated routing table to decide the most suitable path for transmitting the data. Think of a router as your digital postman, delivering appropriate data to different devices in your network swiftly and efficiently.
In contrast to a router, a gateway acts as the 'gate' through which data enters or exits a network. A gateway not only sends and receives data but also translates it if necessary. For instance, it can connect networks that use different protocols and handle data conversion and translation so that the data transmitted from one network can be interpreted and used in a different network. A gateway is also commonly referred to as an edge router or modem.
While they may seem similar, routers and gateways play different roles in networking. While routers primarily connect devices within the same network and aid in directing internal and external communication, gateways enable data to flow seamlessly between different networks, often handling protocol translation along the way. Traditional routers and gateways rely on wired connections, typically Ethernet cables, for the best signal quality and data transmission rates.
Defining LTE & 5G Cellular Routers and Gateways
LTE routers offer benefits to the traditional connectivity in other routers. These cellular routers, also called wireless routers, have a built-in modem to connect to a defined broadband mobile data network-like 4G LTE or 5G-to offer users wireless wide-area network (WWAN) access. The same is true for cellular gateways.
This connection is established through the activation of a SIM card. An integral part of any cellular router, the SIM card enables the router to connect to the network of a specific telecommunications service provider, facilitating the transmission of data over the LTE or 5G cellular network. Because cellular routers and gateways connect to the internet wirelessly by utilizing the same technology and networks that mobile phones use, they offer excellent portability and flexibility. By removing the need for physical infrastructure, routers and gateways with integrated LTE or 5G capabilities are optimal for locations where wired internet access is not available or automatic failover is desirable.
Understanding the difference between Enterprise LTE Routers and Home LTE Routers
Wireless networks have become incredibly popular and convenient, leading to a surge in demand for LTE and 5G routers in the mainstream market. However, users need to understand the differences between enterprise and home routers before making a purchase decision. This understanding can help them make an informed choice and get a router that best suits their needs.
- Performance & Speed: Enterprise routers have a Central Processing Unit (CPU) that provides superior stability and faster performance. They also contain flash memory that will save unsent data during power outages or device restarts. This powerful feature, unavailable in-home routers, ensures no data is lost. Home routers also typically have less RAM than enterprise routers, resulting in slower speeds due to limited data throughput and forwarding frequency.
- Security & Network Integration: Home routers, designed for simple network environments, are not equipped with enterprise-grade security protocols, which makes them more vulnerable to hackers and attacks. Furthermore, enterprise routers come with more advanced routing protocols, enhanced security, and unified management protocols, which ensure their safe integration into hierarchical or large mesh network structures. Complexities found in enterprise networks require powerful routers to meet the requirement for additional WAN interfaces, higher bandwidth, load balancing, flow control, VPNs, and secure communications.
- Ruggedized Reliability: When it comes to M2M and IoT applications, such as video surveillance systems, digital signage, telehealth services, and more, only enterprise routers can pass the critical certification testing required for safe and reliable use. These high-end routers are designed with top-of-the-line components, making them ideal for use in rugged outdoor environments, mass transit, and even smart city infrastructure. Their ruggedized hardware can withstand hazardous industrial environments with high levels of electrical energy, explosive gases, extreme temperatures, dust, water splash, or vibration. Plus, a select few of these enterprise-grade routers are designed to operate in ultra-low power environments, such as those powered by batteries, solar, or wind. Home routers will not suffice.
- Quality & Price: One of the main differences between home routers and enterprise routers is the cost. Due to their enhanced design and functionality, enterprise routers are much more expensive, typically $500 to $2,000, while a regular home router costs only between $20 and $50. However, enterprise routers are designed to last for over a decade. In contrast, home routers are usually replaced after one to two years when users upgrade to a newer product.
Why LTE VPN Routers Are a Powerhouse for Secure Enterprise Networks
In our modern era, where data breaches are commonplace, securing your data has never been more critical. LTE VPN routers unite VPN (Virtual Private Network) support with the speed and reliability of LTE or 5G to provide a high-speed, private internet connection in enterprise networks. By integrating these two technologies, LTE VPN routers protect your data by creating a secure, end-to-end encrypted communication tunnel for your sensitive data. Sectors like healthcare, finance, legal, IT services, and others with stringent data security requirements can significantly benefit from such advanced levels of secure connectivity.
Choosing the Right Cellular Router or Gateway for Your Needs
Choosing an LTE or 5G wireless router
balances cost, connection speed, coverage area, technical specifications, and compatibility with your existing network and security infrastructure. Your varied needs, depending on the size of your business or goals, will ultimately determine which tool is best suited for you.
As we move deeper into the 21st century, technology continues to evolve at an unparalleled pace. LTE routers and gateways will become more efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly. Faster and more secure connections will revolutionize industries heavily dependent on strong and steady internet connectivity. From healthcare to logistics, the spectrum of industries that could see a marked improvement in their operations and services is vast and exciting.
In conclusion, cellular routers and gateways represent a powerful chapter in the evolution of networking devices, offering more comprehensive coverage, higher data transmission rates, and an unprecedented level of reliable connectivity. As we lean more into the digital age, embracing and effectively utilizing these networking tools will open doors of opportunities and advancements. Knowing and understanding the key differences in the technology tools available to you and your business can better prepare you for the ever-evolving digital world.
Selecting the correct 4G/5G Router for off grid Broadband
First of all &#;the basics&#;. The minimum requirement is a 4G router. A 4G router is basically a WIFI router that allows you to insert a sim card and receive a data connection from your local cellular mast, a &#;4G WIFI router&#;. Much like a Mobile , you can easily switch network on a 4G router with sim slot by simply switching out the sim card for another providers.
As described above &#; these 4G WIFI routers will require a sim card from a network provider to work &#; you can find out more here or use the button at the bottom of the page for guidance on 4G/5G network selection. major providers in the UK include, EE, O2, Vodafone & Three
4G router connections
PLUG AND PLAY Broadband KIT: As always you can skip all these steps and instead choose one of our ready setup &#;Plug & Play&#; router kits. If you would prefer to go it alone no problem, keep reading
Which 4G Router is best?
First of all we strongly suggest running a 4G signal check
Before you consider 4G WIFI/internet for your home or off grid use. The reality is that not all locations have adequate signal strength to provide suitable 4G internet speeds. Additionally your signal strength can vary significantly with different service providers at different locations. Having full knowledge of this will ensure you get the best possible speeds and reliability at your chosen location.
Do you need a 4G external antenna
If when you run signal checks it stated &#;strong outdoors & poor indoors&#; you will also require a compatible 4G antenna kit. Weak signal stated as &#;unsuitable for broadband&#; may also be resolved with a suitable 4G antenna so please don&#;t be disheartened.
Even in strong signal areas, an external 4G antenna kit will always increase your 4g WIFI speed and reliability. Think of it in the same way as one of those old hooped aerials you had sitting on your TV vs plugging into to a mast antenna installed outside your home. No comparison right? This is exactly the same concept. The down shot is that 4G antenna kits obviously make your setup more expensive so if you are in a strong signal area you have a personal decision to make.
4G Full Signal Survey
If you require a full signal survey to determine the best network and signal strength, we can provide this service for you below. This service provides a full study of each of the main UK service providers at your chosen location. Including mast locations, speed, reliability, and suggested 4G hardware selection that best match the results.
What about 5G off grid broadband?
4G Router ZTE 5G router
5G Router Options
If when you ran signal checks you had a strong 5G signal. You can also go with a 5G router option. 5G routers are still quite new to market, this means there are few models to choose from in comparison to 4G routers. 5G routers are also very expensive in comparison to that of 4G models. However they do offer extremely fast speeds in some cases 10x faster than that of 4G. When the infrastructure is in place to support across the country and hardware choice increases hence reduces in cost, this will undoubtedly be the way to go. However this is at least 3 to 5 years away in most rural areas.
5G routers Backwards compatible with 4G network
Also of note is that 5G router are backwards compatible with 4G signal. Meaning they will run off both 4G and 5G signals. If you want to future proof and not have to update again in future at further cost its may be worth purchasing a 5G router now and have it automatically kick over to 5G when that signal becomes available.
For further information on 5G routers and setup, try our 5G home internet guide here
4G off grid broadband Router selection
TOP TIP: There are a huge number of 4G routers on the market, many of which offer great value for money. For a good standard 4G router you can expect to pay between £90-300. Below we will describe the major points to keep in mind when choosing a router.
4G router Open to all network or unlocked
When choosing a 4G router you will want to ensure it is not locked to a single network. These routers can sometimes appear to be a great deal but will have the downside of locking you to single network. If the providers increase price or suddenly , have poor signal at your location you have no choice but to purchase another router or go with the price hike/poor signal and speeds. Unlocked routers or routers open to all networks will allow you to simply change the sim for that of one on the network of your choice. Below is a selection of our tried and proven 4G routers. Our go to router being the MR as it offers great reliability and speed on a budget. It can be upgraded with external antennas if required
If you want to learn more, please visit our website jija.
4G router antenna ports
Although not always needed, we would strongly suggest purchasing a 4G router that if required or wanted in the future, you can plug in an external 4G antenna kit to boost signal strength and reliability. The ports/sockets can vary in type, the most common being SMA. Don&#;t worry too much about the type of connection as they can all be converted via adapters very easily. Antenna ports/sockets are a must if you are in a poor signal area.
Please note that many routers will appear to have antennas that can unscrew and you can plug in your external antenna. However this is not always the case. Many routers look this way but in fact the antennas have a soldered connections direct to the circuit board. These antennas cannot be removed.
4G router antenna unscrew
Router category
Lets not make this too complicated. You may see routers advertised with a Cat4, Cat5, Cat6, Cat7 or Cat12 in their descriptions. There are other categories but these are quite rare on the mainstream market.
4G Router Categories
Basically A cat4 router is the minimum standard you want and is the most common on the market. The cat5 offers up to double the download speeds as cat4 and increased maximum uplink speeds. This makes it slightly better for gaming or video conferencing than the Cat4. Cat8 routers offer up to 4X&#;s the max download speed of the Cat5. We&#;re not sure how much gain you will get out of anything higher than a Cat5 in the UK but in basic terms if it&#;s Cat4 or higher then you wont have any problems.
TOP TIP: In practice you are unlikely to achieve anything like the top download speeds but you will see a real term difference in performance between the categories.
4G Router Brands
So we are not going to say that you have to buy an expensive brand name router in order for it to work well. However there are some big names in the world of 4G routers that have proven track record for reliability and capability. If you don&#;t want to be disappointed we would recommend sticking with the big guns when selecting your router. These include but are not limited to. D-Link, TP-Link, Netgear, Teltonica and Tenda
4G Router type
its important to pick the right 4G router for your purpose. There are a few specific categories of routers. Home 4G routers, Industrial 4G routers, Mobile Hot spot 4g routers.
Home 4g routers
4G Home routers are designed to live in a stress free environment. sitting on a sideboard or shelf somewhere, plugged into a home plug socket. Some may have external antenna ports or removable antennas which allow us to plug external antennas into them where the normally installed antennas are not adequate or suitable. These routers can range in category &#; we would recommend a category 4 or above. They also tend to be the most affordable of the 4G routers.
Our go to 4G home router is the TP-link MR. This is an extremely affordable router that is really easy to setup but also extremely reliable. It also has removable antennas that can be swapped out for an external antenna if required.
You can purchase this in our store at a great competitive price or even find it at all major stores such as Amazon, Argos etc&#;
Industrial routers
4G Industrial routers are designed for more robust use than that of Home 4G routers. They are designed for use in locations that could be vulnerable to fairly extreme conditions. This could be hot or cold environments, Humid conditions, or even areas where the router may be subject to bumps/rattling. These properties make these routers really great for use in vehicles such as motorhomes, campers, caravans, trucks, vans, boats etc&#; We find Teltonika provides the best routers in this sector.
Boosting WIFI Something we find great about industrial routers is that some can be used to boost WIFI signal &#; Such as free onsite WIFI and then only use the 4G data signal as a fall-back. This makes them ideal for caravans users, truck users..
Boosting WIFI
Something we find great about industrial routers is that some can be used to boost WIFI signal &#; Such as free onsite WIFI and then only use the 4G data signal as a fall-back. This makes them ideal for caravans users, motorhomes, and truck users..
Our go too 4G industrial router is the Teltonika RUT240. This router is quite affordable and offers great features. It can be used to boost WIFI but only has 1 WIFI antenna. To boost external WIFI signals effectively we would recommend upgrading to a Teltonika 4G router with multiple WIFI antennas such as the RUT951.
Mobile hotspot 4G routers
These routers differ in that they come with their own battery. This means you can get out and about with your 4G hotspot and use it anywhere. For those wanting even more speed 5G hotspot routers are also available but come with a premium price tag. 4G Hotspot routers range in price from as little as £15 to the really top end routers at £400-500We would recommend somewhere in the middle of that range at about £150 and as usual we recommend sticking to the well known and trusted brands such as ZTE, D-link, Netgear and Tp-link. At the really low end you would likely be better off using the hotspot functionality on your as it likely has higher performance, however once we get past the £100 mark you should experience significant performance gain over that of using your .
Mobile Hotspot external antennas Some Mobile hotspots come with external antenna ports. This makes them really flexible for use in both indoors and outdoors in poor signal areas. This isn&#;t a common feature and something that adds to the premium pricing.
Other router features to consider
Some great additional features that are common on 4G routers these days and worth looking out for include, Ethernet ports, gigabit Ethernet ports, VoLP and 4x Mimo.
Ethernet ports allow you to connect a ethernet cable directly from your router to a device. The device could be your smart tv for example. Using the ethernet cable rather than the WiFi connection will increase speeds and reliability of connection to the device.
VOP allows you to plug a VOP enabled into your router. Think of this like plugging your old landline into the wall socket. It allows you to have a static at your location.
That&#;s it for router selection. If you also want to or need to purchase an Antenna kit then move to the next step (STEP4: Antenna selection) or skip to (Step5: Setup)
Is there any easier way?
If the above seems a little to much to take in then we do have kits available which remove guess work for you. we have ready to go out the box kits. We have set the router up, run signal checks, provide direction to point your antenna(if required) and much more. simply plug the router in and you are good to go. check them out in our store.
OR If You don&#;t require an Antenna you can skip to Router Setup
Interested in 5G?
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If you have any feedback or questions feel free to us or use the comments box below &#; also we would be very grateful if you can help this information reach others by sharing via your social media. Its as simple as selecting one of the buttons below .
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Industrial 4g Router. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
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