If your business has a 4G router requirement you might struggle to find an impartial buyers guide many reviews simply point you toward the product theyre hoping youll buy. Rather than advocate a particular router, well suggest some important questions to ask of any device and help direct you toward the features your organisation requires.
The benefits of multi-SIM technology
Reliability and speed are usually at the top of the must have list for business networking purposes. To ensure youre getting both from a 4G router youll want to make sure it has multi-SIM capability meaning youre getting two or more cellular data connections. This feature should be high on your list of requirements.
SIM failover vs. multi-SIM
Be careful, not all multi-SIM routers offer multiple data connections. In some instances, a secondary SIM is inserted to provide a failover service should you experience problems with the first data connection. While this can be useful for people who want to use a single data connection, this is not true multi-SIM technology.
If youre looking for a quicker and more robust service youll want to make sure youre getting multi-SIM capability. Ideally, you need to consider the data capacity youre looking for looking for based on the SIMs youre using and then aim for a router that offers SIM slots reflecting that capacity. A 6 SIM capacity is normal although its not uncommon to find routers offering 18+ SIM slots if youre a heavy user.
Bonding vs. load balancing
4G Routers can usually be configured in one of two ways, these are referred to as bonding and load balancing. A router that bonds connections will blend the data from all your SIMs into one high-speed and high-reliability connection to your network.
If youre a multi-user site this is likely to be the configuration youre going to opt for especially if youve got applications that require a stable connection to your data centre. Its unlikely youre going to be running at the full capacity of your data connections, so if there are problems with one or more of your SIM providers, your end-users will often be none-the-wiser, still experiencing a solid connection.
If you opt to configure for load balancing, individual users or applications can be allocated specific data connections. Essentially this means youre likely to have constantly running failover SIMs but it also means that any user is limited to the speed of a single cellular connection.
Future proofing your investment
The technical term for current 4G technology standard is Category 4 LTE in very simple terms, this refers to agreed standards to which 4G termed devices should operate. In the not too distant future, there is an expectation that category 6 LTE standards will be more accessible for home and business users significantly increasing possible download speeds.
While 6 LTE might not be widely used right now, some routers do support the technology so if youre planning on keeping your device for a couple of years or more, it might be worth being slightly ahead of the mobile data curve and looking for Cat 6 LTE, LTE-Advanced, LTE-A or 4G+ capability on your router while the terms are slightly different, they tend to be used interchangeably. Theres more about the differences in the technology
Traffic prioritisation
If prioritising certain traffic across your network is important, there are routers that offer this function. During configuration, you can prioritise particular applications traffic, meaning programs that are sensitive to diminished performance will be stable, even if theres a significant drain on network capability.
If you run real-time applications, managing your traffic at this level can be the difference between a positive and negative end-user or customer experience therefore this a feature you should look out for.
Reporting
Some routers can offer a reporting service that looks at data connection and usage for the overall network and individual SIMS. If youve got an eye on keeping budgets in check then it can be useful to have this function built into the router as opposed to monitoring directly with carriers.
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Is a wireless connection important?
Not all, but some 4G routers can provide WiFi connectivity. This can be very useful for smaller businesses who might not want to set up a wired infrastructure to all devices. Offering WiFi is also helpful when youre looking to provide a connection for guests and visitors. In some instances, you will be able to configure your router to provide two WiFi connections, meaning your company devices will not be hindered by offering guest or public connections.
Caching
It can sometimes be helpful to have your router cache data. If you have a company intranet system or central data storage solution, caching frequently accessed pages and files can mean a faster process for users with the added bonus of reducing data usage and cost. The savings might not be huge, but if your router offers it, its worth setting up.
Running any low power devices?
If you have devices that use only minimal power such as IP phones or Wireless Access Points you might find that your router can power them with Power over Ethernet technology. Again, this feature is unlikely to be the sole reason you choose a particular router, but if you have the feature it can keep an installation tidy.
When choosing a Modem Router, a higher LTE category (e.g. CAT-12) means better performance. A CAT-6 will usually perform twice as fast as a CAT-4 in the same location, and a CAT-12 will usually perform at least twice as fast as a CAT-6 at the same location. Choosing a higher category modem also means you can get better speeds than a lower category modem in areas with poor signal which really makes a difference to the quality of the service. But there's more - with a CAT-12 or CAT-6 modem it is possible get service in areas where the signal so low that it's unusable on a CAT-4.
Choosing a modem category that is too low for the location or the role of the device in the bigger ICT picture leads to higher rates of product returns, revisits to site, more technical trouble tickets, lower customer satisfaction and more.
Find out how much data capacity your customers generally require. If they are in an area with good signal and just want something to do some light browising or video streaming, or run multiple security cameras, then perhaps a CAT-6 is the right choice for the most reliable connection. A CAT-4 may even do in a pinch with the right antenna combination and you are armed with the knowledge one of our pre-check site surveys offers.
But if your customer wants no compromises on speed or needs to support multiple devices streaming content, browisng the internet fast download speeds, or are in an area where the signal is poor, there is no question, nothing less than a CAT-12 device is going to cut it.
Start off by considering the following table:
Category Maximum Bandwidth (Carrier Aggregation) Maximum Speed (Download/Upload) CAT-4 2x 10MHz 150Mbps/50Mbps CAT-6 2x 20MHz 300Mbps/50Mbps CAT-12 3x 20MHz 600Mbps/150Mbps
Higher categories are able to utilise more of the available bandwitdh. But in addition to having wider bandwidth to play with, they are also packed with more advanced technology inside which allows them to run more sophisticated modulation schemes on top of that bandwidth, which translates to higher capacity and better data integrity - which translates to better speeds. This is why when you put a CAT-4 or a CAT-6 beside a CAT-12 you notice such a dramatic difference, even on the same network with the same signal.
Telco Difference
TodayWe have been helping Australians solve their mobile connectivity issues for over a decade, so we understand what it takes to achieve the best possible performance. That is why we started Telco Electronics, our own line of high performance and easy to use modem routers. While they work great out of the box, they are packed with useful settings and hardware features to optimise your connection too, like: Band Locking to tune your Telco device for your environment, saving cost and improving performance, Bridge Mode for effortless integration into existing networks, and support for Telco Cloud Management System, our all-in-one remote management and monitoring suite.
Pair a Telco Electronics device with one of our Telco antennas for maximum performance. Need advice for picking an antenna, would like firmware customisation, engineering or techincal support? We are based in Brisbane, so just drop us a line, we're happy to help!
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