4G-router for cottage: description, features, reviews

Correctly selected wireless router for cottages allows to supplement the work process on the plot with a full rest. With it, you can organize and view movies, and social networking, and surfing the Internet. Moreover, the coverage of operators is constantly growing, the tariffs for such services are periodically reduced, and the list of equipment is impressive. An unprepared potential user in all this diversity is difficult to understand. It is about solving this difficult task and the correct choice of network equipment and will go further speech.

Ways to organize a wireless network

Wireless network in the country can be organized in such ways:

• Using your smartphone.
• Using a mobile router.
• With the use of a device such as a fixed router for cottages with a built-in slot for installing SIM cards.
• You can also solve this issue with a stationary router, a 4G modem and an external antenna.

Each of these ways has both strengths and weaknesses. It is about their pros and cons and possible applications and will go further speech.

Choice of equipment

To begin with, you need to decide what type of mobile network the router will communicate with for the dacha. Now there are several types of cellular networks. In this list, you can select:

• GSM-network. This includes 2G standards (in this case you can count on 500 kb / s at the best, this standard can also be referred to as GPRS, WAP or EDGE), 3G (if you have such coverage, you can count on the speed of several tens of megabits per second, UMTS, WCDMA, HSPA + and HSUPA are all derivatives of the same technology, and they are compatible with each other) and 4G (the second designation of this type of cellular networks is LTE, the maximum speed in them can be up to 150 Mbit /from).
• CDMA networks. They are of two types - Rev.A (the transfer rate in this case is 3.1 Mbps) and Rev. In (15.6 Mbps is the peak speed for such coverage, sometimes they are referred to as 3G).
• WiMAX - network data is mainly intended for information transfer. The speed at them can reach up to 28 megabytes per second. Sometimes they are referred to as 4G.

Whatever it was, namely the first type of cellular networks has received at the moment the greatest distribution. Therefore, the most correct way to focus on them. Moreover, they are backward compatible. That is, 4G-equipment can work without problems in 3G. And the latter can be registered and fully functioning in networks of lower order, that is, 2G or GSM.

Wireless network based smartphone

The most economical and least justified option for creating a mobile network in the country is using a smartphone. Of course, the flexibility of configuring such mobile devices allows in a few minutes to solve such a problem. But with the speed and quality of coverage in this case there may be problems. High speed can be obtained only if there is a powerful signal from the cellular operator (that is, in relative proximity to the tower).

And this condition is not feasible at every dacha section. Yes, and the WiFi transmitter built into the smartphone itself can not give a powerful signal. Therefore, the coverage area in this situation will be small. At best, it's a couple of rooms on the same floor. But here for testing before buying a stationary network equipment this approach is completely justified.

Option with mobile router

You can also specifically purchase a mobile 4G-router for cottages. But such a solution has a number of significant drawbacks. This and the need to constantly monitor the level of battery power on such a device, and a weak transceiver of cellular networks, and a relatively short range of such a device. The main scope of their use is the creation of a mobile access point to the global web in places with high-quality coverage, that is, within large cities and megacities.

If the cottage is in a relative proximity (up to 2-3 km) from the mobile communications tower, then this is the most optimal option, which at low costs allows you to get the maximum result. You can, of course, if necessary, find more expensive such devices with an antenna input and use it even away from the mobile communications tower. But with this approach it turns into a regular fixed router with an installed external 4G modem with an antenna input. In the second case, its cost is much less, and such use of network equipment is more justified.

Examples of mobile routers

As an example of such a mobile router, you can bring the model E5573 from Huawei. This is an excellent 4G-router for giving and not only. The capacity of the built-in battery is 1500 mAh. This is enough for 4-5 hours of work in the networks of the 4th generation. Also there is support for 2G and 3G.

Another important feature of this device is that it can operate in repeater mode. The only drawback of this model is the high cost, which at the moment is about 6,000 rubles. But in this case it is justified as never before: the quality of the equipment is impeccable.

Stationary router with SIM card slot

Also there are today such devices as a stationary WiFi-router for cottages with a slot for SIM cards. This router, in principle, duplicates the previous one. But only in that case the device was mobile and it could be transferred to any part of the suburban area, and in this case the router will be tied to the outlet in which the power supply unit is installed.

Again, such a system can work normally only in relative proximity to the cell tower, that is, at a distance of up to 3 kilometers. Over this value, the network signal will decrease, and the transmission rate will drop. Therefore, this device, like the two previous ones, is perfect for suburbs of large cities and megacities. That is, where the density of communication towers is high, as is the level of the cellular signal.

Example of a router with a SIM card slot

Now we will understand with what in such execution to choose a router for a summer residence. Which is the best of them in terms of parameters and characteristics? The answer in this case is one - 4G-N12 from ASUS. It has a slot, there are 4 ports for creating a wired part of the network, there are 2 antennas that increase the WiFi signal coverage by 1.5 times.

It costs to add a good informative panel and the ability to install on any surface: horizontal or vertical. The router itself supports all existing 4 generations of GSM communications. Another plus of this model is the ease of customization. The only thing that is necessary is to set the parameters of the WiFi network. All the rest will be done automatically - this is the connection to the network of the mobile operator, and the installation of the profile, and setting the values.

The combination of a "fixed router and a 4G modem with an antenna input"

But what about those who have a summer residence far from mobile communications towers? How to choose a router for the dacha? What set of network equipment is needed to create such a network? The answer in this case is one: a router with a USB input (in which an external modem can be installed), an external modem with the ability to connect an external antenna, a connecting wire and the antenna itself.

This kit will function normally in any place and will allow you to get both excellent signal quality even far from the mobile communications tower and high speed transmission. The only drawback in this case is the high cost of the equipment due to the fact that the package is expanded by a special modem performance, a nonstandard router model, an antenna and a connecting wire.

Selection of equipment in the case of a fixed router and a 4G modem

At the first stage, you need to call the customer support phone number and find out the quality of coverage in the place of interest. Also in this case it is necessary to find out the location of the nearest cell tower and to specify the distance to it.

After choosing the model 4G-modem. It must support all three types of the most common mobile networks, which are based on GSM technology. Also it must have an input for connecting an external antenna. Then we select an external antenna. The more her gain in decibels, the better.

Then choose a WiFi router with an external antenna for the dacha. It must have a USB port, and it must support the selected 4G modem at a software level. For greater confidence it is recommended to check with the seller about the compatibility of the 4G modem and the router. After that, we buy a set of selected network equipment.

Setup order

Of course, you can attract a specialist to build and configure network equipment. But you can perform this operation on your own and configure such a "hybrid" 4G WiFi router for the dacha. The order of installation in this case is as follows:

• Install the SIM card in the 4G modem.
• We select a place for installation of the antenna. The bracket must be firmly and securely fixed. Install the antenna, but do not fix it.
• Choose the location of the router and modem. The smaller the distance from the antenna to the modem, the better the signal and the higher the transmission speed. There should also be a rosette near the router. Install the router and modem. Connect the power supply to the router.
• We throw the connecting wire and connect it to the equipment.
• After the circuit is assembled, check its correctness and apply voltage.
• Now you need 2 people to fine tune. Smoothly turning the antenna towards the location of the cell tower (this is done by one person) we achieve the maximum signal level (its value is seen by the second person). The value of the latter should be monitored on the PC using special application software. After having achieved the maximum value, fix the antenna in this position.
• The next step is to configure the router at the software level: set the network name, the access code to it, the settings for connecting to the cellular network.

Example of a router for a 4G modem and an external antenna

The best router for the dacha in this case is Keenetic 4GIII from Zyxel. It supports almost all existing models of 4G-modems. Also, it has an excellent degree of reliability and there are immediately 2 external antennas (that is, the signal zone of the wireless network will be increased to two times). At the same time, the cost is quite democratic - about 3,000 rubles.

This is the most optimal router for giving for today. Also, the last considered variant of the organization of a wireless network allows to obtain a high speed in almost all cases. It is recommended to use it in all cases, regardless of the range of the base station. He will work everywhere. Only the antenna with the appropriate gain should be matched.