4g / 5g Internet for Home… what device?

[niceproblemtohavereally]

I will be moving house soon, and unfortunately the house does not benefit from any FTTP options. Starlink also isn’t an easy option as I live in a part of the country where they are no longer accepting new static connection accounts.

I’ll have to organize an FTTC option, but that will take a little while and as I work from home, I’d like to have WiFi available in the whole house immediately, and also like the idea of having a back-up option if the FTTC ever fails me.

Considering this, I’m looking for a 4g/5g router, that I can connect to the switch and access points that will be in place as soon as we move. Assume that means it has to have an RJ45 ‘out’ port and be able to turn it’s own WiFi off (if it has it). As I don’t have a great understanding of the coverage from different cell providers yet, it will need to be unlocked probably.

Would anybody have advice on a good device (4g/5g modem/router) that would fit the bill?

Thanks in advance.

[Timothy Bucktu]

I've got a Huawei 5g CPE Pro as a backup box to my home fibre router. We live in a very weak signal area. On a mobile you might get 1 meg 4g if you're lucky, but this box easily gets 15 meg. They're very easy to configure too.

[alangla]

Why not buy a 99p sim for each of the networks, or an MVNO that sits on them, and go down there with an unlocked phone to test the signal? That’ll give you real-world info on what is doable and indeed whether it’ll work at all. If you want to be a bit more comprehensive in your testing, various eBay sellers have cheap sims with bundled data, you could buy enough to run some speed tests when you’re on site.
Having installed a 4G router in my in-laws caravan out in the sticks I can confidently say that the coverage predictors are nonsense!

[Buttery Ken]

I ran a TP-Link Deco X50-5G AX3000 for two months in a rental and it was brilliant. Obviously it's dependent on 5G coverage in the area, so it's critical you test that first. I used Voxi on an unlimited plan which was about £35pcm. Really good.

[karma mechanic]

Some of the solutions that involve an external antenna can be fiddly, but what made me notice this thread is that I'm considering an offering from 3 that has a 5G modem with an external component that looks quite easy to set up.

Obviously only relevant if you can get a 5G signal with 3, but it may be possible to use a different SIM for a different network once the device is unlocked via the admin password. It is worth noting that using the antenna outside the premises can give a vastly improved speed compared to the usual indoor units.

This is their offering:
https://www.three.co.uk/broadband/home-broadband/5...

I'm considering it for later this year when my Virgin Media broadband is likely to go up hugely in price, and if it works well this would be much better value.

Edited to add: this one has an option for a rolling 1 month contract for slightly more money.

Edited by karma mechanic on Sunday 2nd March 16:34

[silentbrown]

I've used a TP-Link Archer MR200 for this for a coule of years until Gigaclear arrived. Would definitely recommend, but it's a bit long in the tooth now.

The newer models have 5G support etc..

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/5g-4g-r...

[Griffith4ever]

karma mechanic said:

Some of the solutions that involve an external antenna can be fiddly, but what made me notice this thread is that I'm considering an offering from 3 that has a 5G modem with an external component that looks quite easy to set up.

Obviously only relevant if you can get a 5G signal with 3, but it may be possible to use a different SIM for a different network once the device is unlocked via the admin password. It is worth noting that using the antenna outside the premises can give a vastly improved speed compared to the usual indoor units.

This is their offering:
https://www.three.co.uk/broadband/home-broadband/5...

I'm considering it for later this year when my Virgin Media broadband is likely to go up hugely in price, and if it works well this would be much better value.

Edited to add: this one has an option for a rolling 1 month contract for slightly more money.

Edited by karma mechanic on Sunday 2nd March 16:34

that's pretty cool.

I use a Three 5G router I got off Ebay, ZYXEL NR5103EV2 5G and you are correct in that instaling external antennas isnt for the novice, and, with that router you need teeny tiny connector adapters . Works a amzingly mind you. But I like the Three external router. Friend in Italy has one outside her window (not Three).