Inseego 4G/5G Routers Now Available at 5Gstore

Think back to the first time you saw or used a mobile WiFi hotspot. That’s where our new partner, Inseego got its start. For the past 25 years, they’ve been leading the way by creating entirely new types of devices that allow users to connect wherever they are. 

By staying at the front of innovation, Inseego has earned the trust of leading wireless operators, technology titans, business users, government agencies and consumers.

From 2G to 5G, they’ve been through it all. In the 1990s, they started with Industry’s First Modems for Mobile Broadband.

In the 2000s,  they invented MiFi® hotspots, enabled the First Cellular Amazon® Kindle®, and the First USB Memory Stick Modem Combos for nationwide and global use. 

In the 2010s, they came out with the First Touchscreen Mobile Hotspot, with Advanced Enterprise Features and were known to have the “Highest Performance in the Market.”

Now, Inseego has released its First Commercial Mobile Hotspots and its First Complete 5G Portfolio. This includes the S2000e Enterprise 5G, FX2000e Enterprise 5G, FW2000e Enterprise 5G (Outdoor), and the FG2000e Enterprise 5G.

Inseego also invents new technologies, which make their products work more efficiently. The company holds key patents for antenna designs, thermal performance, quick response algorithms and other know-how that sets them apart from the rest of the industry. They also work with industry leaders to design, develop, test and deploy successful, end-to-end solutions.

Something else we really favor Inseego for is the simple fact that they are designed and developed in the USA. Per Inseego, “That translates into the highest quality, security, performance and reliability that service providers, enterprises and government users demand.”

We’re happy to announce that we will be carrying these new 5G products along with a LTE solution, at 5Gstore – most of which we have available today! So let us not delay our introduction any longer. 

First, for 4G LTE support only, look at the compact Skyus 160. With a small, rugged design and multi-carrier support, it keeps you connected almost anywhere for both primary and failover communications. Its Cat 6 LTE modem supports speeds up to 300 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload. It also comes with a built-in battery for backup, so the Skyus 160 can support your most important workloads. 

Popular use case applications include mobile applications like creating a vehicle hotspot, setting up a temporary job site, or working from home. It’s also ideal for fixed environments such as SD-WAN installations for retail locations or branch offices.

Next, we have the S2000e Enterprise 5G. The Inseego Wavemaker™ 5G industrial gateway S2000e brings the best of 5G to a wide range of enterprise environments, from factories and warehouses to ports, fleets and smart city networks. This powerful, high-performance gateway can deliver multi-gigabit speeds, low latency and secure, reliable connections for facilities and distributed operations in virtually any location, from urban centers to rural areas. Use the S2000e to bring 5G to an existing router, or to connect remote surveillance cameras, kiosks, digital displays and other IoT endpoints.

Combining six antenna ports and 4×4 MU-MIMO with Inseego’s proprietary thermal mitigation technology, it delivers sustained high throughput even at the edge of the network. The S2000e provides ethernet, USB and I/O ports along with multiple power options and mounting options, offering the flexibility for almost any deployment scenario. 

Pair your S2000e with the Inseego mobile app and simplify self-installation. Inseego Connect™ cloud management makes it easy to configure, monitor and maintain the S2000e remotely. With unsurpassed RF performance and device-to-cloud intelligence, the S2000e industrial gateway opens the door to many new business solutions.

Whether you’re an operator providing high-performance fixed wireless access to your small business and residential customers, or an enterprise organization with distributed offices and remote employees, the FX2000 series is a great solution. It works well in homes, retail stores, restaurants, branch offices, medical clinics, dormitories, apartments and more.

In particular, check out the FX2000e Enterprise 5G. This is a compact indoor router that delivers fast, reliable 5G/LTE broadband to homes and businesses. It offers support for private networks, including CBRS, and boasts Wi-Fi 6 technology and ethernet with secure connections for up to 30 devices. A host of smart security and management features let users connect with confidence in their data privacy and protection.

The Inseego Mobile app makes it easy to find the best location to set up and remotely manage settings like network name and password. Users can also use the Inseego Connect™ platform to monitor, configure and troubleshoot a single FX2000 or an entire deployment of FX2000 series devices from one user-friendly platform. You can set alarm rules, schedule and run reports for data usage, signal quality, and alarm history, and group devices together to push widespread configurations.

The FX2000e offers dual SIM support and allows for auto-switching between SIMs based on signal strength, data usage, service availability, and quality. Multi-carrier firmware allows the FX2000e to be used on most major global carriers.

Look at the FW2000e Enterprise 5G (Outdoor) for more rural and suburban customers who might be at the edge of network coverage. Or, use this to provide 5G connectivity for private enterprise networks. In either case, the FW2000 series outdoor Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) uses high-gain directional antennas to extend the reach of carrier networks, providing 5G fixed wireless access (along with 4G LTE fallback at LTE CAT 22 speeds) to serve customers in more places.

The intuitive Inseego Mobile app makes it easy to find the strongest network signal and best mounting location for the FW2000 series outdoor CPEs. Once up and running the, IP67-rated FW2000 series is designed to stand up to harsh weather conditions and temperature extremes while protecting your network with enterprise-grade security.

Lastly, we have the FG2000e Enterprise 5G. The Inseego Wavemaker™ indoor router FG2000 series delivers blazing-fast internet access to homes and businesses worldwide with breakthrough 5G and 4G LTE speeds. From fast streaming to lag-free video conferencing, the FG2000 series delivers a superb 5G user experience with best-of-network performance anywhere.

The FG2000 series offers support for private networks, including CBRS, and boasts Wi-Fi 6 technology with gigabit-class data speeds with secure connections for up to 128 Wi-Fi devices. An optional RJ11 port provides VoLTE-enabled high-definition voice service. A host of smart security and management features let users connect with confidence in their data privacy and protection.

The FG2000e offers dual SIM support and allows for auto-switching between SIMs based on signal strength, data usage, service availability, and quality. Multi-carrier firmware allows the FG2000e to be used on most major global carriers. The Inseego Mobile app and Inseego Connect™ platform is also available with this device. 

If you have any interest in mobile broadband, fixed wireless access, IIoT (Industrial IoT), Enterprise SaaS, or Edge Computing, look no further than to the specialty products from Inseego.  

Contact our sales team today if you have any questions!

How to select an outdoor antenna for a 4G/5G Router

Before you start the search for an outdoor antenna for your router, consider the following questions:

  • Do you need a cellular antenna, WiFi, GPS, or something that combines these connections?
  • How/ where do you need to mount and how far is it in relation to your cellular router?
    • This will help determine the amount of cable needed.
    • Does the antenna include cable? Is it enough or will you need more?
  • Will your application be traveling or stationary?
    • Most travel applications and locations in more suburban/ urban areas should use an omnidirectional antenna
    • Use a Directional antenna if there is little to no obstructions between your location and the cell tower, and:
      • You are in a weak signal location  
      • There is only one tower in your area
  • What cellular frequencies does your router support?
    • Ensure you select an antenna that covers the same, or more frequencies than your router. These are listed in the specifications of your router and the antennas.
  • What type of connectors does your router use, and how many ports are there?
    • This will allow you to confirm the connector type(s) needed on the antenna cable. 
  • Does the antenna need to meet certain size requirements?

Gain

Gain is another factor to consider when selecting your antenna. Gain can be thought about like focusing the signal. The higher the gain, the more focused the antenna is on the signal in a particular direction. For an omnidirectional antenna, imagine a ball that flattens, extending outward. For a directional antenna, imagine a cone is made longer but the base of the cone is made smaller. A lower gain antenna might not have as much range as a high gain antenna, but it does allow for a wider degree of sight to the tower. This can be important to note for mobile applications, especially marine as boats will rock on the water at varying degrees. 

Frequencies (from Peplink)*

  • Low band: 600-960MHz
  • Mid band: 1700-2700MHz
  • High band: 3400-4200MHz (5G)
  • ISM band: 5100-6000MHz (5G)

*The frequency band naming is not official and was made for easier explanation and comparison.

Example Antenna Solutions

Note the specs at the links below. Some include cable, which range in length from 6-15ft, others do not include any cable. 

*MiMO Antenna Solutions

When you have a device that requires multiple antenna connections, look mainly at products from MobileMark, Panorama, Pepwave, and Poynting.

5G/ Cat 18 Cellular ONLYLTE Cellular ONLYWiFiLTE & 5G Cell + GPSLTE & 5G Cell + GPS + WiFi
Omnidirectional Antennas
Panorama MAKO Dome Antenna for 4×4 Cellular/5GPanorama Omnidirectional MiMo Wall Mount AntennaPepwave Mobility 02 2 x WiFi Dome AntennaPepwave Mobility 40G 5-in-1 Dome Antenna for LTE/GPSPepwave Mobility 22G 5-in-1 Dome Antenna for LTE/WiFi/GPS
Directional Antennas
Panorama 4×4 MiMo 4G/5G Directional AntennaPanorama Directional 2×2 MiMo Wall Mount AntennaDirectional WiFi Panel Antenna (2.4Ghz)Pepwave IoT 20G Panel Antenna for MiMo Cellular/5G & GPS

*SiSO Antenna Solutions

When you only need a single antenna connection, look mainly at products from MobileMark, Panorama, Poynting, and SureCall.

LTE5G/ Cat18 (Limited Range)5G/ Cat 18 (Full Range)WiFiGPS
Omnidirectional
MobileMark Covert Mount 3G/4G/LTE AntennaSureCall Ultra-Wideband Outdoor Omnidirectional LTE/5G Antenna9.5″ Outdoor Omni WiFi Antenna (2.4Ghz)
LairdThru-Roof Phantom Antenna
Directional
SureCall Wide-Band YagiSureCall Ultra Wide Band Outdoor Yagi AntennaMobileMark Wideband Log Periodic AntennaOutdoor Directional WiFi Panel Antenna (2.4GHz)
Wilson Outdoor Directional 3G/4G/LTE Panel AntennaYagi Wifi Antenna (2.4Ghz)

Location of Install

If needed, further narrow down results by the type of location you will be installing the antenna.

*Fixed MiMO

This list includes mobile antennas, which can be used with included or additional mounting hardware for fixed installation.

LTE5G/ Cat18 (Limited Range)5G/ Cat 18 (Full Range)Cell + GPS + WiFiWiFi
Omnidirectional
Panorama Omnidirectional MiMo Wall Mount AntennaPepwave 20G Maritime Antenna for MiMo Cellular/5G & GPSPanorama Dome Antenna for 2×2 MiMo Cellular/5GPepwave Mobility 40G 5-in-1 Dome Antenna for LTE/GPSPepwave Mobility 02 2 x WiFi Dome Antenna
Directional
Poynting XPOL Directional MiMo 4G/5G AntennaPanorama 4×4 MiMo 4G/5G Directional AntennaPepwave IoT 20G Panel Antenna for MiMo Cellular/5G & GPS

*Mobile MiMO

LTE5G/ Cat18 (Limited Range)5G/ Cat 18 (Full Range)WiFi
MobileMark LTM Thru Roof AntennaPepwave Mobility 22G 5-in-1 Dome Antenna for LTE/WiFi/GPSPanorama Dome Antenna for 2×2 MiMo Cellular/5GPepwave Mobility 02 2 x WiFi Dome Antenna
Pepwave 40G Maritime Antenna for 4×4 Cellular/5G & GPS

If you need assistance selecting an appropriate antenna, don’t hesitate to reach out to the 5Gstore team by phone or chat!

2021 Top Products at 5Gstore.com

The scoring of 5Gstore’s top products comes from a combination of their popularity as well as the number of customer reviews they received and the average rating customers gave the product. Many of this year’s winners, like the IP Switch (both the single outlet and dual outlet versions) and Pepwave Max BR1 Mini are perennial favorites and have appeared on our “best of” lists for years. Others, like the Wilson Wide-Band Yagi antenna and MobileMark LTM antennas are new to the list this year.

Congratulations to all of the manufacturers of our 2021 top products!

If you ordered any of these products (or any others!) from 5Gstore, don’t forget that you can log in at 5Gstore.com and write a review of your own. We post all reviews – good and bad – and always appreciate the feedback!

RankProductReviews
1Pepwave MAX BR1 Mini Routers

Affordable router with embedded LTE (cat 4 or cat 6 LTE Advanced) for home, travel, and small business.
“Overall a must get in my opinion. We are trying them out for our fleet and so far it has showed to be a great solution. Quality feels good and for the price it is a great deal.”

“Excellent full function mobile router, InControl makes for easy remote management.”

Read more reviews
2Dual Outlet Remote Power IP Switch


Allows you to remotely monitor and reboot up to two pieces of equipment via smartphone app or cloud.
“It’s important to me to have my router power cycle while I’m away from home for extended periods of time. The Remote Power Switch provides the ability to set specific power cycle schedules to fit my request. It’s convenient to program the switch remotely via software.”

“This will save me alot of travel time having to reset everything.”

Read more reviews
3Single Outlet Remote Power IP Switch

Allows you to remotely monitor and reboot your equipment via smartphone app or the cloud.
“The EZ-62b IP auto-switch is a great little piece of hardware. It seems to work better than a previous model, the EZ-22b which was a little hit and miss. I’ve tested the EZ-62b extensively and for the money, I’m really impressed.”

“Does exactly what it’s supposed to. If only they could help with my kids!”

Read more reviews
4Pepwave MAX Transit Mini

Vehicle router with 1 embedded Cat 4 LTE modem for failover or bonding.
“Excellent product which I purchased as an upgrade to my NetGear LB1120 for home Internet connectivity. All I can say is that I am extremely impressed with all the networking options available.”

Read more reviews
5Pepwave Surf SOHO

Easy-to-use, feature-rich 3G/4G router for home and travel.
“Plugged in ATT air card and it picked right up and worked. Easy install and a solid product.”

“The security on this SOHO WiFi router is comparable to professional grade equipment. It’s the 2nd one that I have purchased. I am quite satisfied with this router. I am using this one with an internet stick as the primary link and it is working flawlessly.”

Read more reviews
6Pepwave MAX BR1 Classic

Affordable and feature-rich LTE router.
“Excellent product for the application.”

“The best bang for the money.”

Read more reviews
7Panorama WMMG and WMM4G MiMO antennas

Powerful wall-mount antennas for 2×2 or 4×4 LTE/5G.
“I am currently using this antenna in combination with a Pepwave MAX Transit Router With Cat 18 LTE Modem in my home office. I mounted the antenna to a pole outside, pointed it towards the correct cell tower and BAM!!! DL speed 90-96 Mbs, UL speed 45-50 Mbs. Very pleased!”

“This antenna provided 12 dB of improvement for my application. Yeah the antenna is only good for 9 dB gain, the rest must have come from raising it higher on the building to shoot over some trees. I’m very happy with the results, downloads of 40Mbit now (compared to 20Mbit before).”

Read more reviews
8MobileMark LTM Antennas

Thru-roof style, MiMo antenna with frequency support for LTE connections, as well as WiFi and GPS support on some models.
“The MLTM301 seems to be a solid built unit that feels beefy and with good materials and workmanship of assembly. Wire harness and fittings are likewise of good quality material.”

“Superb antenna. Works great!”

Read more reviews
9Cradlepoint IBR600C

Semi-ruggedized compact router with Cat 4 LTE.
“Consistent performance. Works great for a remote interface with a static IP address. Easy to set up.”

Read more reviews
10Wilson Wide-Band Yagi Antennas

Directional antennas with wide range support for LTE frequencies. Newest model adds support for Band 71.
“Used with a CradlePoint router. Was only getting 5 to 15 Mbits/s download with the supplied paddle antennas. Connected this Yagi antenna pointed at the cell tower and now get consistent 25 Mbits/s download speeds.”

“I have been fighting weak signal problems for five years now because of my remote location .. Finally I can connect at 4g speeds thanks to this antenna.”

Read more reviews

T-Mobile Certifies the Sierra Wireless XR Series Routers on the 5G Network

Sierra Wireless, a world leading IoT solutions provider, announced today that its AirLink® XR Series cellular routers architected for 5G performance, are certified to operate on T-Mobile’s 5G network – the largest, fastest and most reliable in the United States. This includes the models XR80 and XR90. 

The supercharged AirLink XR90 is purpose-built for public safety and transit with available dual-5G cellular radios and dual independent 4×4 MIMO Wi-Fi 6 antennas. It is the highest performing, most flexible router in the Sierra portfolio. The AirLink XR80 is optimized for fixed and mobile applications. The available dual-5G cellular radio and 5X4 MIMO Wi-Fi 6 delivers flexibility for customized configurations. 

These solutions deliver the full performance of 5G across any network (5G, Wi-Fi 6, Ethernet) enabling customers to leverage the higher data speeds and lower latency of 5G, required for real-time video streaming in mission-critical and high performance business-critical environments. Security is designed into the routers with device to cloud security including secure boot, cryptographic keys, and support for WPA-3. Each model can accommodate expansion modules and are purpose-built for rugged environments. 

In addition, both are fully-supported, out-of-the box solutions complete with integrated device management, advanced mobility reporting and 24/7 technical support. AirLink Connection Manager delivers complete VPN security and their AirLink Professional Services maximizes your system performance and customer satisfaction. 

Yet another added benefit to your remote access and out of band management – an embedded LPWA cellular radio, connected through Sierra Wireless Global Connectivity, provides an always-on link to ALMS (AirLink Management System (ALMS), is a cloud-based management platform which includes remote device management and mobility-focused reporting through AirLink Premium). This unique capability ensures the ongoing operational success of these 5G deployments.

“The XR Series is our fastest, most intelligent, flexible, and secure router yet,” said Tom Mueller, Vice President of Product Enterprise Networking, Sierra Wireless. “The XR Series routers are purpose-built for advanced, mission and business-critical 5G applications. With a passively cooled industrial design, future-proof flexibility offering single and dual 5G as well as Wi-Fi 6 radio options, always-on connectivity, rapid response, and strong multi-layered end-to-end security, they boast best-in-class reliability. When you combine this performance with T-Mobile’s industry-leading 5G network , it’s easy to see why you should choose Sierra Wireless to enable your next-generation applications.”

For more information about these products, contact your friends at 5Gstore!

Working Remote in Rural Kentucky on LTE

In our business, even before the pandemic, we’ve been helping customers find ways to work remotely. As an experiment I wanted to test this out for myself. So, I took a week trip to our family farmhouse in Isonville, KY. This is in a remote area with lots of hills and little to no cellular reception. In the recent past we have been able to achieve a better signal, though it usually teeters around one bar, if we are lucky!  

Knowing the challenge of getting a good enough cellular signal – and that I would need to be able to maintain VoIP calls and load webpages and videos correctly – I decided to go with two styles of antennas. One would be an outdoor omni-directional antenna and the other would be an outdoor high gain Yagi antenna. The Omni-directional antenna I went with was a SureCall Ultra-Wideband LTE/5G Antenna. The Yagi antenna was a SureCall Ultra Wide Band Outdoor Yagi Antenna

My antenna setup

I also decided since this would be a test for future use, I wanted to do a temporary setup. I bought some standard 2 foot length 1.25 inch PVC tubing from the local hardware store and a few fittings to fashion a temporary mounting pole in the upstairs room of the farmhouse. The Peplink router I used was a Pepwave MAX BR1 Mini LTE-A

Armed with my Pepwave Max BR1 Mini, the antennas and the PVC I went to work on getting the antennas mounted and aligned for the best signal acquisition I could obtain. I used the data from cell mapper to get an idea of where I needed to aim the Surecall Wide-Band Yagi Antenna and an app on my phone (which I use when I go hiking) called GPS Status (iOS Link | Android Link) to aim the antenna precisely.

Results from GPS Status

Using the stock antennas on the Pepwave Max BR1 Mini on the second floor I had a signal value of -119dBm, and this is a horrible signal to be sure. After connecting the omni-directional antenna to Cellular Main and the Surecall Wide-Band Yagi Antenna to Cellular Diversity I was able to acquire a signal value of -73dBm. This was a HUGE improvement. I ran a speed test with the stock antennas, and I was only able to get about 4.5Mbps down and 0.4Mbps up. With the antennas in place, I was able to get 19.8Mbps down and 8.7Mbps up. This was about 15.5 miles to the nearest tower from the farmhouse.

Distance from farmhouse to tower; Frequency bands use in the area

As another test I decided to try and use my old cellular router, a Netgear LB1120. This is what I had used prior to receiving the Pepwave Max BR1 Mini. With the stock antennas I had absolutely no signal. With the SureCall Wide-Band Yagi antenna, I aimed it at the one and only cellular tower that had the band it supported in the area (Band 4.) The result was staggering, to say the least. I went from no signal to a signal of -89dBm. Now while that doesn’t sound like a huge improvement, let me explain why this result was so jaw dropping. The tower I was connected to was just shy of 24 miles away!

Distance from farmhouse to cell tower
Additional frequency info for the area

My results with these antennas have given me the ability to have a future permanent setup at a very remote rural location that I can reliably work from. With a relatively low budget. I know that other people in “Rural America” have this exact same issue with not being able to get steady service in an area that is usually not serviceable. My results are a testament to how well these antennas perform.

You can check out the products we used (just with longer cables) at the following link: https://5gstore.com/cart/33660

If you have any questions please give us a call and we will be happy to assist you Monday – Friday 9am to 6pm CST (833) 547-8673.

Tests performed and addressed in this article were done, and details written by David W. with the 5Gstore team.

Poynting antennas for LTE, 5G, WiFi, and GPS now available at 5Gstore

Poynting antennas in stock at 5Gstore warehouse

5Gstore is pleased to announce the addition of Poynting antennas to our catalog. One of the world’s leading innovators of antenna products, Poynting owns more than 50 patents and designs which are used in their unique antenna solutions for enhanced wireless communications for LTE, Wi-Fi, and other applications.

We have a variety of Poynting’s most popular antennas in stock, from all-in-one vehicle antennas that cover MiMo LTE, WiFi, and GPS all in one unit to high-gain directional antennas for buildings and even marine-grade LTE antennas. Shop all Poynting antennas or use our Antenna Guide to find the best antenna for your needs, or contact the experts at 5Gstore and we will be happy to make a recommendation!

Puck-style vehicle antennas for MiMo LTE with optional WiFi and GPS

Understanding RSSI, RSRP, and RSRQ

Whether you are going to install and manage a cellular router or deploy a cellular signal booster or amplifier system, there are a few acronyms that you’ll frequently encounter. RSSI, RSRP, and RSRQ. 

While these things may sound daunting at first, we’ll break it down to what you need to know and provide a real-world example of how this info can be used.

RSSI is short for Received Signal Strength Indicator and is a measure of cellular signal strength. RSSI is displayed as a negative number from 0dBm (best signal) to -110dBm (weakest/no signal). RSSI is used when measuring the strength of 3G networks. A cellular router or cellular amplifier may show an RSSI of -70dBm, which would be a strong connection.

RSRP is short for Reference Signal Received Power, used when measuring 4G LTE networks. A cellular phone or another LTE-equipped device would display signal strength in RSRP, measured 0dBm (best signal) to -110dBm (weakest/no signal). An RSRP of -95dBm would be a strong signal whereas -115dBm would be very weak. Many devices show RSSI for LTE connections along with RSRP, but RSRP is a better indicator of signal strength.

RSRQ is Reference Signal Received Quality. This again only applies to 4G LTE networks and is a measure of the signal quality of a cellular connection. RSRQ is typically displayed in a range from 0dB (highest quality) to -20dB (lowest quality). Typically better signal quality results in a more reliable connection.

Say you’ll be installing a Pepwave MAX BR1 for cellular backup in your home or business. To get the best performance out of the cellular connection, you will want to check its RSRP and RSRQ. If you have a weak RSRP of -105dBm and an RSRQ of -18dB, the resulting cellular network may be slow or unreliable. To improve the signal you could try to relocate the router closer to a window, or an external cellular antenna may be needed if the cellular signal is blocked or there is a metal roof on the building, for example.

Here is a quick breakdown of the numbers:

RSSI – For 3G frequencies. -70dBm is excellent, -110dBm is poor or no signal

RSRP – For LTE frequencies. -90dBm is excellent, -120dBm is poor or no signal

RSRQ – For LTE frequencies. 0dB is no interference, -20dB is high interference

Installing or troubleshooting any cellular equipment should always include checking cellular signal strength and signal quality, and improving signal strength and quality often results in a more reliable, consistent connection.

Finding and Interpreting RSSI, RSRP, and RSRQ

For cellular signal boosters and amplifiers, signal information is often visible on an on-device display showing the frequencies and the gain on each. Some amplifiers have companion mobile applications or web interfaces where signal information is available. Refer to the user manual for your specific amplifier for more detailed information.

Cellular-enabled routers typically have a web user interface where cellular signal details are displayed. While all manufacturers have different locations in their web interface for signal information, it is typically found in a ‘Details’ or ‘More Information’ tab.

In a cellular-enabled Peplink or Pepwave router, log into the web interface at 192.168.50.1. From the Dashboard page, click on ‘Details’ to the right of the cellular interface.

In the WAN Connection Status, you’ll find the connected Band along with relevant signal information.

In the above example the RSRP is -101dBm, and the RSRQ is -11.5dB. While the signal strength isn’t bad, the signal quality is low. Moving the router to another location may provide a better signal quality, since this router is installed in a lower floor of a home. If moving the router isn’t an option, an external antenna run outside to the roof would improve signal strength and quality.

For a cellular enabled Cradlepoint router, login to the web interface at 192.168.1.1 From the login page, select ‘Status’, ‘Internet’, ‘Connections’, and select the built in modem.

Signal information will be displayed below, along with other device information. The above example has an RSRP of -86dBm, and an RSRQ of -9dB. This is an excellent signal strength, and while not perfect, the signal quality is within acceptable levels but should be kept in mind if cellular performance is inconsistent.

Improving Signal Strength and Signal Quality

As mentioned above, there are a few ways to improve cellular signal to devices like embedded routers. Let’s use the Pepwave MAX BR1 MK2 as an example, as a device that is commonly used for home and businesses for cellular backup to a primary connection. The included stock antennas are adequate for installations where signal is moderate to good, but in weaker signal areas, or in areas where the install location has a blocked signal, an additional antenna may be required.

A popular antenna to pair with the MAX BR1 is the Panorama Outdoor Omni. This is omnidirectional, meaning it doesn’t need to be aimed directly at the cell tower, simplifying installation. Since the BR1 has two cellular antenna ports, the Panorama antenna also has two 16’ lengths of cable to connect directly to the router.

The antenna can then be wall or pole mounted on the side of a home or business, on a roof, or even on a mobile command center that requires cellular connectivity.

For deployments where a router is installed in a server rack, weatherproof case, or other enclosure where signal can be blocked, other antenna options are available. Vehicles are another source of interference for cellular signal, especially since cellular routers are often installed below the dashboard or hidden away from eyes, and signal.

The Panorama MAKO antenna is designed for vehicles, and supports up to 4×4 Cellular for Category 18 and 5G modems, WiFi, and GPS connectivity options.

5Gstore has also created a ‘Guide Me’ feature to help in the selection of an antenna for your deployment. Select the kind of connectivity you’ll need, and we’ll narrow it down to the best options for the job. Need additional assistance? Contact the experts at 5Gstore online by email or chat, or give us a call at 833-5Gstore (833-547-8673).

2020 top products at 5Gstore.com

The scoring of 5Gstore’s top products comes from a combination of their popularity as well as the number of customer reviews they received and the average rating customers gave the product. Many of this year’s winners, like the IP Switch (both the single outlet and dual outlet versions) and Pepwave Max BR1 Mini are perennial favorites and have appeared on our “best of” lists for years. Others, like the Pepwave Max Transit and Panorama WMMxG antennas are new to the list this year.

Congratulations to all of the manufacturers of our 2020 top products!

If you ordered any of these products (or any others!) from 5Gstore, don’t forget that you can log in at 5Gstore.com and write a review of your own. We post all reviews – good and bad – and always appreciate the feedback!

RankProductReviews
1Pepwave Max BR1 Mini with LTE

Affordable router with embedded LTE (cat 4 or cat 6 LTE Advanced) for home, travel, and small business
“Overall a must get in my opinion. We are trying them out for our fleet and so far it has showed to be a great solution. Quality feels good and for the price it is a great deal.”

“Excellent full function mobile router, InControl makes for easy remote management.”
read more reviews
2Single Outlet Remote Power IP Switch

Allows you to remotely monitor and reboot your equipment via smartphone app or the cloud
“The EZ-62b IP auto-switch is a great little piece of hardware. It seems to work better than a previous model, the EZ-22b which was a little hit and miss. I’ve tested the EZ-62b extensively and for the money, I’m really impressed.”

“Does exactly what it’s supposed to. If only they could help with my kids!”

read more reviews
3
Dual Outlet Remote Power IP Switch


Allows you to remotely monitor and reboot up to two pieces of equipment via smartphone app or cloud
“It’s important to me to have my router power cycle while I’m away from home for extended periods of time. The Remote Power Switch provides the ability to set specific power cycle schedules to fit my request. It’s convenient to program the switch remotely via software.”

“This will save me alot of travel time having to reset everything.”
read more reviews
4Pepwave Surf SOHO MK3 Router

Easy-to-use, feature-rich 3G/4G router for home and travel
“A solid business class router for a great price offering solid top notch software firmware”

“We are full timers in our motorhome and when we change from one place to another we have to reconnect all of our TV’s, printer, computers and several other items to the new WiFi. Now they are all connected to this router and we only have to connect the SURF which in turn makes everything else work.”
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5
Pepwave Max Transit/Transit Duo and Transit Mini LTE routers


Vehicle routers with 1 or 2 embedded modems (Cat 4, 6, 12, or 18) for failover or bonding
“If you’re serious about using cellular wifi and other WAN sources including WIFI as WAN, this is the device you need. With Primecare, you can use Speedfusion to bond your WANs for incredible bandwidth and reliability.”
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“Excellent product which I purchased as an upgrade to my NetGear LB1120 for home Internet connectivity. All I can say is that I am extremely impressed with all the networking options available.”
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6Pepwave Max BR1 MK2 LTE Router

Powerful router with GbE ethernet and AC WiFi
“We hooked it up and it works terrific! Before we purchased this we had little to no internet and on and off WiFi now both have very strong signals.”

“Using Pepwave in my RV to work remotely. Easy setup, good user interface, and pulls in weak signals without an external antenna. Very satisfied with the speed.”

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7Panorama WMMG and WMM4G MiMo Antennas

Powerful wall-mount antennas for 2×2 or 4×4 cellular/5G
“I am currently using this antenna in combination with a Pepwave MAX Transit Router With Cat 18 LTE Modem in my home office. I mounted the antenna to a pole outside, pointed it towards the correct cell tower and BAM!!! DL speed 90-96 Mbs, UL speed 45-50 Mbs. Very pleased!”

“This antenna provided 12 dB of improvement for my application. Yeah the antenna is only good for 9 dB gain, the rest must have come from raising it higher on the building to shoot over some trees. I’m very happy with the results, downloads of 40Mbit now (compared to 20Mbit before).”
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8Pepwave Max BR1 Classic Router



Affordable and feature-rich LTE router
“excellent product for the application”

“the best bang for the money”
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9Sierra Wireless RV50X Gateway


Industrial LTE gateway with low power consumption
“Top-notch ultra-low power consumption product — the perfect replacement for the trusty Sierra Raven XE I’ve been using in my remote solar-powered surveillance system for the last 7 years. Bought this new Sierra model to upgrade the system from 3G to 4G.”

“Compact and versatile cellular modem”
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10Cradlepoint IBR600C IoT Router

Semi-ruggedized compact router with Cat 4 LTE
“Consistent performance. Works great for a remote interface with a static IP address. Easy to set up.”
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Samsung achieves 5G speeds of 8.5Gbps in lab tests

Real-world 5G speeds have varied from a little faster than 4G LTE (T-Mobile) to 5-10x faster (Verizon), but in the future 5G networks utilizing mmWave technology should be able to provide speeds much, much faster than that. Samsung has achieved a new world record in recent lab testing, seeing speeds of 8.5Gbps – over 10 times the fastest speeds 5G users are experiencing right now.

Samsung performed their tests in a lab, using 800MHz of millimetre Wave (mmWave) spectrum combined with MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology. Hyunho Park, Samsung Senior Vice President, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics, touted the importance of mmWave in 5G networks, saying “Samsung will continue to be at the forefront in advancing 5G mmWave technology. This successful demonstration proves mmWave’s potential to deliver new kinds of business use cases and open up opportunities for mobile operators. We look forward to building on this significant technical breakthrough to fuel our continuous journey towards an innovative and vibrant mmWave ecosystem.”

New York City to get 5G from Sprint in 2019

Sprint has upgraded their LTE network in New York City to LTE Advanced, paving the way for their 5G launch next year. While they are not ready to launch 5G yet, the improvements they’re making to the 4G LTE network will make the switch to 5G easier. “Massive MIMO … dramatically improves the capacity of Sprint’s LTE Advanced network with equipment that is software upgradable to 5G,” the carrier said.

“With regards to the 5G plans, we are very well on track,” Saw said at the start of November.

And in the meantime, New York will enjoy the faster speeds that the LTE Advanced network can provide, making it the fastest 4G city in the country.

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