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Which 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Router is Best for Me?Cellular routers like the ones sold by 3Gstore work just like the average Cable/DSL router you might have used in the past for a home/office DSL or cable-modem connection, but cellular routers have the unique ability to support 3G and 4G modems as their source of internet connectivity. With a router that supports your cellular device, you can use your USB modem, ExpressCard, hotspot/Jetpack, or even connect your cell phone's mobile hotspot and instantly create your own network! With a wide array of routers it can be difficult to decide which one is right for your application. This page breaks down which routers are appropriate for a variety of common applications and lists the basic pros and cons of each. If you wish to sort the routers by which features they include and which modems they support, check out our Router Advisor Tool. For a quick overview of the basic features offered by each router, see the Router Feature Comparison What type of router are you looking for?
Routers for small homes or apartments/low-cost options:If you live in a smaller home or apartment, the routers in this category are great low-cost options for providing connectivity for a few computers or devices. Of the routers in this category, the CTR35 is compatible with the most devices, while the Pepwave Surf On The Go offers a larger WiFi range and the ability to add and external WiFi antenna. Both units are small enough to be portable, but would require an external battery pack like the Tekkeon MP3450i R2 or DC Cigarette Lighter Adapter to be completely mobile.
Routers for mid-sized homes or small offices:The routers in this category will be appropriate for most home users and small business owners looking to provide an internet connection for multiple devices. These units offer good WiFi range (100+') and basic failover support at reasonable prices. The MBR95 is our top recommendation for most home and small office users, thanks to its WiFi range, modem support, and affordability (in fact, the MBR95 was rated 3Gstore's top product of 2011 thanks to all the glowing customer reviews!). The CBR400 is the most portable of the three, and the only one to feature an ExpressCard port (making it an easy choice for folks still using an ExpressCard). The WiFiRanger is an excellent option if your primary goal is to pick up neighboring WiFi signals, and is the only router in this category to offer the option of adding an external WiFi antenna (WFRBoost Fixed Kit), but isn't appropriate for many aircard users as it doesn't support many USB devices.
Routers for large homes or offices/routers with more features:The routers in this category are more appropriate for users with larger homes, networking enthusiasts and small business owners. They include more features and options for those who need more than just a basic router. The MBR1200B offers a good set of features at a reasonable price, but not as many advanced features as the MBR1400, Peplink Balance 20 or Balance 30. The MBR1400 is the only model that supports both 2.4 and 5Ghz WiFi (not simultaneously, though); another benefit is its removable WiFi antennas, which gives you the option of replacing them with external WiFi antennas for more range. The load balancing support allows you to balance between one WiFi as WAN connection, up to five 3G/4G modems and one WAN connection. With IPSec VPN tunnel support for up to 25 users and GbE LAN, the MBR1400 is a powerful office solution designed to support up to 128 users. And since it's a Cradlepoint router, it supports a LOT of 3G/4G modems. The Peplink Balance 20 and Balance 30 are for users that need seamless failover, enterprise-grade reliability and ultimate control with each connection type. The Peplink Balance routers offer sophisticated outbound policy management, which allows you set different rules for each connection type. This is a very powerful feature allowing you to create custom QoS rules and dictate which connections work with specific equipment, or under specific scenarios. The only downside to Peplink products is they don't have built in WiFi, but you can easily configure your own AP, or pick up the Pepwave AP One to complete the WiFi portion of your configuration. We recommend Peplink products for customers that want ultimate control over every aspect of the network. To help you make a decision between Cradlepoint and Peplink we recommend taking a look at our article comparing Cradlepoint Load Balancing vs. Peplink/Pepwave Load Balancing and Bonding.
Enterprise-Grade Solutions for Businesses:The following solutions are for larger enterprise installations that require advanced features like Site-to-Site VPN, IPSec VPN and PPTP VPN connect options. These solutions also offer connection bonding, which aggregates multiple connections into one single faster link. The Pepwave Max 700 has become a very popular solution for users that need increased upload capacity for real time video out in the field. In our Pepwave Max 700 review we cover virtually every feature on the unit and how it can benefit your company and save you money. Going into detail about each of these units and generalizing which would be best for your application is nearly impossible. With each applicatoin being different we recommend contacting us if you have questions about any of the enterprise-grade router solutions. You can reach us at 866-347-8673 ext 2 and ask for Corp Sales to discuss your network environment and what will work best for you.
Still can't decide which - if any - router is right for you? Here are a couple of the most frequently asked router-related questions we hear at 3Gstore: Q: Will using a router slow down my connection? A: NO. Adding a router to your internet setup should not affect your service - in fact, your signal strength and hence your overall performance could improve, since you can put the router and aircard in the area of your home/office where the signal is best rather than trying to pickup signal wherever your laptop is (or, worse, being stuck having to always use your computer in the one spot of the house that gets great signal). However, remember that the more clients that are sharing the network, the bigger the fight for bandwidth! Q: Will every device have to have my carrier's connection manager installed to share the connection? A: NO. Once your cellular device has been activated once and is connected to the router, wifi-enabled devices will access the network via their built-in WiFi manager; hardwired devices such as non-WiFi desktops can connect via ethernet cable. If you do not have a PC to do the intial one-time activation of the aircard or wish to avoid installing the connection manager software at all, 3Gstore can activate your device prior to shipping at no extra charge - once you receive it, simply put it into the router and you'll be ready to go! Q: If I'm not using the connection manager, how can I monitor my usage? A: Simply log into your Sprint/Verizon/AT&T account online to check your usage. Click here for detailed instructions. Cradlepoint NetBSD routers also offer basic bandwidth monitoring on 3.3.0 firmware + and Peplink/Pepwave products feature advanced bandwidth monitoring to track data on each connection. Q: My desktop doesn't have WiFi. Can I still use a router? A: YES. You can connect your computer directly to your router via ethernet, or you can purchase a wireless adapter for your desktop and make it wireless! Q: How do I know if my device is supported by a particular router? A: Always check the router compatibility charts before purchasing a router. If you don't see your device listed as officially supported, it MAY still work - we recommend contacting us or searching our EVDO Forums to see if other users have had success. Q: If I leave my router on all the time with my aircard plugged into it, will it use up my 5GB allowance? A: NO. Simply being connected to the internet should not use up your bandwidth - bandwidth is only used when data is being transmitted, such as when you send an email, load a webpage, or download a file. However, keep in mind that some computer programs run automatic updates (such as Windows) that may download and thus use some bandwidth even if you're not sitting at your computer. If your computer is compromised by a nasty virus, that can also eat up tons of bandwidth. Click here to read a blog post on this topic! Q: Can I hook up my 3G/4G router to my XBox/PS3/Wii and help me play online games? A: YES. Online gaming using mobile broadband is much easier when you use a router, and more often than not, the gaming experience is faster than "ICS" or "connection sharing". The experts at 3Gstore have created an excellent gaming tipsheet that is available to all 3Gstore customers. If you already purchased your equipment from 3Gstore.com, just send an email to support at 3Gstore.com with the subject of "Send Gaming Tipsheet" and we will send you the exclusive gaming PDF. For faster service, include your 3Gstore Invoice number. Click here to read more about online gaming with a 3G or 4G modem Q: Can I use my cell phone or PDA with a 3G/4G router? A: It depends on the phone. If you have the tethering (AKA "phone as modem") feature enabled on your phone, you may be able to share the connection via a router. Not all handsets are compatible, so check the router compatibility chart before purchasing a router. Newer NetBSD Cradlepoint routers and the Pepwave Surf On The Go support WiFi as WAN, so if your smartphone has a mobile hotspot built in you can connect through that instead. Click here to read more about tethering a phone with a 3G/4G router. Q: How many computers/devices can I share the connection with via a mobile broadband router? A: Some manufacturers list a maximum number of clients that their devices will support (for example, Cradlepoint rates the MBR95 for up to 32 wireless clients and says the CTR35 will support 16), but it is more important to consider the practical limits of sharing the bandwidth a single mobile broadband connection provides. If you consider the maximum of 1.5mbps of download stream you can get from EVDO Rev-A and imagine 32 users all trying to download a file at the same time, you can see that it might not be practical to try to share with that many users. Q: Are any of these routers battery-powered? A: No, but most of the routers are compatible with the MP3450i Router Battery Pack, which can provide 12-16 hours of battery-powered use to your router! Q: What happened to the Cradlepoint MBR1200/MBR1000/MBR900/MBR90/PHS300/CTR350/CTR500? A: These routers have reached "end of life" and are no longer available. Luckily, virtually all of the modems those routers supported are also supported by other routers! Q: What happened to the Linksys WRT54G3GV2-ST or Kyocera KR2? A: Those routers have been discontinued and are no longer available. Luckily, virtually all of the modems those routers supported are also supported by other routers! |
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