What is a 4G WiFi Router?
A Guide to 4G WiFi Routers in 2020
Internet connection is an essential part of everyone’s daily life. Pretty much everyone maintains an online connection wherever they go. That’s why cellular WiFi routers are becoming increasingly prevalent. 5G will definitely take this connectivity to the next level, but it’s still on the horizon, so a 3G/4G router is currently the best choice.
But what precisely is a 4G router? Why should you want one? How does it work? We’ll try to break down these basic questions in this post and present some great options to get you started.
- What is a 4G WiFi Router?
- Do I Need a 4G WiFi Router?
- What Are the Benefits/Features of a 4G WiFi Router?
- What is the Difference Between a 4G WiFi Router and a DSL Modem Router?
- How Does a 4G WiFi Router Work?
- How Do You Set Up a 4G WiFi Router?
- TP-Link 4G WiFi Router vs Huawei 4G WiFi Router
- Common Questions about 4G WiFi Routers
What is a 4G WiFi Router?
Compared to a WiFi-only router, which only supports wireless standards, a 4G WiFi router supports mobile technology via a 4G wireless module.
Once you plug in a micro SIM card with a data plan, the router can communicate with the carrier’s surrounding cell towers to access the internet and generate a reliable WiFi signal. You can easily share this internet access with family and friends.
Do I Need a 4G WiFi Router?
Obviously, whether or not you need a 4G WiFi router depends on your situation.
Mobile networks, especially the 4G LTE network, have come a long way in the last 10 years. That makes it an attractive alternative when people are going to remote places or somewhere that cellular data works better than fixed networks or public WiFi. Though people can easily turn on a mobile hotspot, its performance can be underwhelming. Hotspot sharing usually ends up draining battery power and offers limited client access.
A plug-and-play 4G WiFi router is strongly recommended in the following situations:
- You are going somewhere lacking stable wired internet or reliable WiFi.
- You want a 3G/4G connection to backup fixed networks.
- You want to waste no time in accessing the internet.
- You do not want to subscribe to an expensive broadband service for internet access.
- You do not want complicated cable deployment for home networking and want to avoid the installation bill.
What Are the Benefits/Features of a 4G WiFi Router?
With the development of 4G technology, mobile data has become an important source for internet connection. 4G routers can use mobile data to share internet connections and provide multiple benefits.
-
Easy to Use
With an integrated 4G LTE modem and a built-in SIM card slot, all you need to do is insert a micro SIM card and turn on the router. Enjoying fast, stable Wi-Fi on a 4G LTE network has never been easier.
-
Powerful Compatibility
Tested in the field for years, TP-Link 4G routers are widely compatible with different ISP services in more than 100 countries, ensuring universal compatibility with 2 advanced antennas to deliver a smooth connection.
-
Low Cost
Unlike a traditional WiFi router, you don’t need to buy broadband service and another fixed-line device such as cable, DSL, or fiber. You don’t have to deploy cables, just buy a SIM card and subscribe to a cellular data plan provided by your mobile service operator.
-
More Connections
With WiFi and LTE antennas and Ethernet ports, TP-Link 4G routers can easily share a 3G/4G connection with multiple wireless devices, such as phones, tablets, and laptops, at the same time, and provide internet for wired devices like desktop computers.
What is the Difference Between a 4G WiFi Router and a DSL Modem Router?
4G WiFi routers and DSL modem routers can both provide network connections and have the same functionality, but there are some differences.
Providing internet connection without cable restrictions, 4G routers are convenient and widely popular in the networking market. A 4G WiFi router, containing a built-in LTE broadband modem, uses a SIM card to share internet connections. You can use a 4G WiFi router for internet sharing anywhere, as long as it is within the network range of the network service provided by your mobile operator.
A DSL modem router is a router with a built-in DSL modem. It can provide internet connections using a telephone line. Connect the cables and subscribe to broadband services from DSL service providers, then you can enjoy a stable and reliable network.
When using a 4G router, you are charged based on your cellular data usage plan, while for a DSL modem router, the fee is for the broadband service.
How Does a 4G WiFi Router Work?
TP-Link’s 4G WiFi router supports two operation modes: 3G/4G Router mode and Wireless Router mode. In Wireless Router mode, you can use 3G/4G networks as backup internet if your broadband connection fails. On the other hand, you can flexibly turn to fixed networks in case your mobile networks are less stable.
3G/4G Router Mode: In this mode, the router should have a micro SIM card to generate a WiFi signal.
| LTE Standard | LTE Download speed | LTE Upload speed | Related Products |
| 4G+ Cat6 | 300 Mbps | 150 Mbps | Archer MR600 |
| 4G Cat4 | 50 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Archer MR200 |
Wireless Router: In this mode, the 4G router’s WAN port should connect to a modem or a network port to provide internet access.
How Do You Set Up a 4G WiFi Router?
It just takes a few steps to get your internet set up with a 4G WiFi Router.
1. Install the antennas and position them upwards.
2. Insert a micro SIM card into the slot until you hear a click.
3. Connect the router to a power source and turn it on.
Done! You can connect to the router’s network wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable.
TP-Link 4G WiFi Router vs Huawei 4G WiFi Router
| TP-Link | Huawei | |
| Appearance |
|
|
| Model no | Archer MR600 | B525 |
| 4G LTE standard | Cat6: DL 300Mbps / UL 50Mbps | Cat6 |
| Bands Support | 4G: FDD-LTE (B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28), TDD-LTE (B38/B40/B41) 3G: DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/HSPA/UMTS (B1/B5/B8) Better compatibility, access to LTE network in more countries and regions |
4G: FDD B1/B3/B7/B8/B20/B32, TDD B38 3G: DC-HSPA+/HSPA+/UMTS B1/B8 2G EDGE/GPRS/GSM B2/B3/B5/B8 |
| CA Combo | B1+B5, B1+B7, B1+B8, B1+B20, B3+B3, B3+B5, B3+B7, B3+B8, B3+B20, B3+B28, B3+B38, B3+B40, B5+B5, B5+B7,B7+B7, B7+B8, B7+B20, B7+B28, B28+B40, B38+B38, B40+B40, B41+B41 Connects to high-speed 4G+ network in more countries and regions |
B3+B3, B7+B7, B38+B38, B3+B7, B3+B20, B7+B20, B7+B8, B3+B8, B1+B20, B1+B8, B20+B32 |
| WiFi | AC1200 | AC1600 |
| 2.4 GHz | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps |
| 5 GHz | 867 Mbps | 1300 Mbps |
| LED Indicator | Power, Internet, WiFi, LAN, 4G+, 3× LTE Signal Strength | Power, Internet, WiFi, LAN, 5× LTE Signal Strength |
| Ports | 1× GE WAN/LAN + 3× GE LAN+ 1× Micro SIM card slot | 1× GE WAN/LAN + 3× GE LAN+ 1× RJ11 + 1× USB 2.0 + 1× Micro SIM card slot |
| Antennas | 2× Detachable 4G antennas | Internal 4G antennas |
| Buttons | 1× Power on/off + 1× WiFi on/off + 1× WPS + 1× Reset | 1× Power on/off + 1× WPS + 1× Reset |
| Co-Current Client | 64 | 64 |
| Parental Controls | √ | × |
| QoS/Bandwidth Control | QoS | × |
| App | Tether APP | × |
| Mesh Technology | OneMesh | × |
| MU-MIMO | √ | × |
Common Questions about 4G WiFi Routers
What should I do if want to extend my current WiFi network?
If you are using a TP-Link OneMesh™ router to share the internet connection, you can buy a TP-Link OneMesh™ WiFi extender to easily extend your network and establish a mesh WiFi network.
Does TP-Link has more portable 4G network products for travel?
Yes we do! We have battery-powered MiFi (mobile WiFi) devices, which can be charged via a micro USB cable connected to a laptop, portable charger, or adapter for unlimited 4G sharing. You can click the TP-Link MiFi product list to see all MiFi products.