4G Router Options
Any recommendations on a 4g router? I currently have a billion 7800N which i am very happy with, but i am now looking to use 4g rather than my current BT line, so either a replacement router or a device that i can bridge across?? Usually 4G is a lot more expensive that fixed line links. Rhetorical questions, but have you looked into the amount of data you get and what it costs (and whether there's any capping?) Speeds could vary a bit too as fundamentally 4G is a radio solution and fixed line copper/fibres isn't, (though the latter can vary a bit also.) Thanks cost is not an issue, my current fixed line broadband is only 2mb, but i can get 4gwhich shows a download speed of 67MbJust looking for a solution to either add to my existing network or a new router.. A US web site called SmallNetBuilder reviews a lot if SOHO kit. You could do worse than look there.
Another possibility might be use a suitable external 4G modem with your existing router if said router has suitable connections and OS support to connect to your chosen ISP.
It might also be worth asking the ISP if they recommend anything (indeed, they may be prescriptive about how you connect - not every router knows how to "talk" to every ISP.) Since cost isn’t an issue, go for the Billion 8900AX. it’s a top end router with 3G/4G capability built-in. thanks will take a look I'd suggest splitting out your components with the best tool for the job rather than getting an all-in-one device - it gives you far more flexibility in terms of capabilities and placement than an AIO.
I was (and am, until Tuesday, when FTTP is installed, woo!) in the same situation for two years.
My setup consisted of dual WAN with a slow-but-unlimited WAN (~2.5mbit ADSL) and a fast-but-capped WAN (EE).
I used a Draytek 2925 with routing policies to control which devices used which WAN - everything that was interactive and a few streaming devices used the fast lane, other stuff used the slow lane - it was easy to flip them around as needed as well depending on how much data remained for the month. This was particularly important when the largest package you could get was 100GB, though as EE updated their tariffs I eventually ended up on 300GB (and there's a 500GB now) so just moved more and move devices over to 4G. Your Billion is in the same sort of SOHO space as the Draytek though, so it may already do this.
You'll want something with DPI as well, or at least port mirroring so you can run it on a separate box. You don't want to find one day that a big chunk has disappeared from your data allowance and have no idea where it went.
For the 4G gateway I used (and will continue to use, as a backup WAN) a Huawei B525 - it's an all-in-one device, however I simply disabled everything and DMZ'd it to the Draytek. The B525 is located in the loft, on a shelf right up in the peak of the roof, directed towards two EE masts (around 90deg apart). I also have a directional external antenna installed by EE and an omni-directional antenna installed by a local fitter - I no longer use either of them as with the right placement the speed and reliability off the B525 is far better.
Placement is absolutely critical though. The difference between just the right spot and 50cm and a few degrees off is the difference between a reliable 100-140Mbit and wildly variable speeds down to 15Mbit.
Whichever network you go for may provide their own bit of kit for you to use... don't. I've used two different EE provided routers and the best I ever saw from them was 15Mb and 40Mb.
As has been suggested, It's worth finding out what your average usage has been for the last few months, but don't use that as a direct guide for a 4G data tariff - you're going to use more with a faster connection, especially if you're streaming. The difference between broken SD/720p and up to 4K is clearly going to be a big one. Thanks for the detailed reply, currently experimenting with a mifi device to see not too bad average 31 down 8 up, which is night and day to 3 down and .5 up... If you're getting those kinds of speeds through mifi then you'll be fine with a proper 4g solution.
I've installed 4 of these setups this year, If you can get the antenna mounted in a half decent position you should get a solid 50mb down based on what you're getting already.
Solwise: Teltonika 3G/4G Machine-to-Machine router with WiFi and Dual SIM - 4G-RUT950 | Solwise Ltd
Solwise - 4G Omni LTE Antenna - 4G-XPOL-A0001 XPOL-1 | Solwise Ltd
The firewall on the teltonika router can be a bit of a brain killer for the uninitiated, if you're happy with your existing router you can just use the teltonika as a 4G modem, feeding a LAN cable to the WAN port on your existing router. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I have a few customers on EE data only sim packages, they get 100GB for £30ish with full VOIP support. Thanks for the useful replies, to update, i have gone for a Draytek 2925 and a 4G-RUT950.. I am hoping they are not going to be too hard to setup, my plan is to use the 2925 as the main box dealing with everything and as the main DHCP server, then have my current Billionaire on WAN 2 and the RUT950 on WAN 1, hopefully the 2925 can then give me the options as to which device to send to which LAN, plus i have a static IP address for my DSL connection which will be still via the Billionaire...
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