The Best 5G SIM Routers of 2023/2024

Posted on 23 Aug 2023 📧 Subscribe
Contents hide
1 The Best SIM/LTE Routers of 2023/2024 So Far
1.1 How Were the Best SIM Routers Chosen?
1.2 5G vs. 5GHz – Don’t Get Tricked!
1.3 Most Affordable Home (but has almost everything) ZTE 5G CPE MC888 – £249
1.4 Best Portable 5G SIM Router, The D-Link DWR-2101 – £364.99
1.5 Most Feature Rich 5G SIM Router, The GL.iNet GL-X3000 (Spitz AX) – £489
1.6 The Most User Friendly (but Expensive!) The NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 (MR6550) – $999
1.7 Best Static Office Router, The Zyxel NR5101 WiFi6 5G – £319
1.8 Very Good 5G SIM LTE Routers – Honourable Mentions
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The Best SIM/LTE Routers of 2023/2024 So Far

With the rapid development of portable routers and the increase in cellular data internet speeds, many are wondering whether it’s finally time to cut the cord on wired internet in their homes and businesses. Not long ago, a SIM/LTE router was slightly larger than a phone and only marginally better than using your mobile device as a hotspot. Fast forward to now, and SIM card routers are not only comparable to static wired desktop routers at home but also to enterprise-grade business routers that support multiple incoming internet connections (both cellular and wired). This, combined with the evolution of modern roaming data connections and the increasing global coverage of 5G, makes SIM/LTE routers an attractive primary internet source, rather than just a backup option. In this article, I’ll discuss the best SIM/LTE routers available in 2023 and 2024. A quick glance at your local eShop reveals thousands of options. It’s easy to end up with an inferior product or one that’s cheap but lacking in features.

How Were the Best SIM Routers Chosen?

That’s a valid question. With countless SIM routers on the market and varying user requirements, I’ve categorized the numerous SIM router options into five groups. Additionally, I’ve set some non-negotiable criteria:

Dealbreakers:

  • 5G SIM/LTE Support (with plenty of 4G options already available): Due to the global shift from 4G to 5G and the cost of 5G matching 4G’s, any considered SIM router must support 5G. This might slightly raise the price, but the performance boost and the ubiquity of 5G in recent consumer mobile devices justify it.
  • Unlocked: Some SIM/LTE devices restrict mobile cellular providers. Any router on this list is unlocked, meaning it accepts any SIM card from any provider. However, users are still subject to the provider’s regional coverage.
  • WiFi 6 Minimum: Many modern devices now support WiFi 6 (802.11aX), a high-bandwidth wireless connection that can, in the right setup, exceed wired gigabit speeds. I won’t consider any SIM/LTE router without WiFi 6 support.
  • Not Tied to a Phone/SIM Plan: I won’t consider any router available only through a mobile phone plan. While some providers offer data-only SIM cards with a router instead of a mobile phone, such arrangements usually involve binding contracts.
  • Minimum Security/Router and Management: Given that SIM/LTE routers now rival domestic wired routers, any considered SIM router must meet standard network security and management protocols, including multiple SSIDs, application-level firewall, NAT/NAPT firewall, LAN/MAC filtering, DoS attack detection, IP filtering, WPA2 and WPA3, URL filtering, and Web/App GUI. Features like parental control and VLAN creation are desirable but not essential.

5G vs. 5GHz – Don’t Get Tricked!

It’s vital to differentiate between 5G and 5GHz. They’re distinct, with 5G referring to the cellular data network from providers like EE, AT&T, and Verizon, and 5GHz being a frequency associated with device-router connections. Some brands misleadingly label their products as 5G SIM routers when they’re 4G SIM routers supporting 5GHz bandwidth. Don’t be fooled by a “5G SIM router” priced at just $40. You might end up with a subpar SIM router mispresented as something superior. Expample below:

 

With the criteria set, let’s proceed.

Most Affordable Home (but has almost everything) ZTE 5G CPE MC888 – £249

Now, it’s probably worth mentioning upfront that you’re not going to find many routers here for less than $250 across the entire list. Although there are plenty of SIM routers in the market, with many of them priced as low as $25 to $50, many of these lack even the most basic features of a domestic wired router (let alone being comparable to that of a free ISP router these days). If you’re looking to establish a 5G SIM internet connection at home and enjoy the same flexibility, performance, and multi-device support that you’ve become accustomed to with a wired broadband connection, you will unfortunately need to spend a bit more. 5G Wi-Fi 6 SIM-enabled routers that also support physical wired client devices in your home or office typically have a higher price tag. That said, the ZTE CPE MC88 is one of the best value home SIM routers on the market. It supports all of our deal-breaker factors and even boasts very user-friendly software and a GUI, so there’s a lot to like.

Moreover, the system comes with two gigabit Ethernet ports that can be used as individual network LAN connections or to add a secondary wired internet connection as a WAN. Additionally, this device supports up to 64 simultaneous network-connected devices. In contrast, most budget SIM wireless routers may support only up to 8 devices on a good day. This is a mains-powered router, so it’s not a portable option and won’t be powered via USB-C. However, it is a fully featured and well-structured router for the home that’s comparable to most domestic wired internet routers. Indeed, you’ll find the ZTE router being used by many cellular phone providers who offer data-only SIM cards with mobile routers in their contracts, simply rebranding it with their own cellular brand name. Thankfully, instead of committing to a lengthy 12 to 24-month contract, you can purchase a $20 unlimited data SIM and pick this up for just a little over $250. It may not be the most impressive router on this list, but it’s definitely the best home entry point for those wanting to move away from wired broadband for whatever reason.

  • WiFi 6
  • 2x 1GbE LAN/WAN
  • 3.6Gb / AX3600
  • 64 Devices
  • Mains Power

Best Portable 5G SIM Router, The D-Link DWR-2101 – £364.99

We reviewed the D-Link DWR-2101 Router HERE

We reviewed the D-Link DWR2101 almost 2 years ago here on NAS Compares, and despite many other 5G SIM routers arriving in the market space, this router still continues to be, by far, the best portable 5G SIM router I have ever used! If you saw me or Ed at a trade show or brand event, there’s a better than average chance that this router was safely tucked at the bottom of our bag, doing its job. Its price is around 100 quid more than the home ZTE model. It even comes with a physical gigabit ethernet connection, so alongside the 1.8 gigabit network connectivity, you can also physically attach a one-gig device to the router. Given that the D-Link DWR2101 was released 2.5 years ago, it is astonishingly well-featured. It is a portable router that, in addition to supporting a 5G SIM card, offers Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and can support up to 32 devices. It achieves all this on a battery that can last up to 14 hours!

Sure, you can connect a USB-C charger and power this device from a plug point or even an available USB on your laptop or power bank. However, it’s the fact that the D-Link router provides such impressive network coverage for its size, remains portable, and even has a user-friendly LCD that lets you configure the device on the go. It also supports creating secondary SSID network connections and can be configured both via the onboard LCD and remotely on your desktop through a browser. It’s an exceptionally impressive mobile 5G router, and while it might not be the cheapest, it remains one of the best for its price.

  • WiFi 6
  • 1GbE LAN
  • 1.8Gb / AX1800
  • 32 Devices
  • LCD and Touch Screen
  • 14hr Battery Life

On a side note, if you’re looking for a mobile SIM router with specs similar to the D-Link DWR2101 but don’t need a physical ethernet connection, there’s an alternative in the ZTE MU5120. I haven’t personally used this router, but there are quite a lot of positive reviews online, so it might be worth checking out:

(Alternative with no app/desktop GUI AND NO LAN) ZTE MU5120 https://amzn.to/3qmkXvn

Most Feature Rich 5G SIM Router, The GL.iNet GL-X3000 (Spitz AX) – £489

I really cannot stress enough how much GL.iNet has managed to squeeze into an ostensibly compact 5G SIM router here! On both a hardware and software level, this might be one of the most impressive feats of network engineering I’ve seen in a very long time. Very bold words, I know, but the GL-X3000 offers every single feature of a premium wired router, then doubles down on every appealing feature of SIM routers, and manages to produce the best hybrid solution for both endeavors I’ve witnessed in ages. With the exception of a lack of internal battery and just two physical ethernet connections, in every other regard, this is the dream SIM LTE router. 5G cellular support? Check. Wi-Fi 6? Check. 2.5G network connection? Check. Dual-SIM support? Check. Balanced but capable software? Check. USB port? Check. It boasts all the baseline hardware features of practically every other router on this list, but it doesn’t stop there.

Alongside the USB support for storage, the GL-X3000 comes with 8GB of internal storage and the support of an SD card storage upgrade slot! This storage can be utilized for internal applications that are installed via OpenWRT, or just for making the storage network and remote accessible. This USB port can also be employed for attaching a wireless network dongle, network adapter for adding more physical network ports, and even connecting an existing mobile phone for another cellular data link. This, combined with the physical WAN support, means that the system effectively boasts a four-tier internet failover system. Additionally, it supports VPN/encrypted connections, with native support for several VPNs internally and a physical VPN button on the device itself to activate the router’s VPN exit node exceedingly easily and quickly when required. Finally, in terms of physical coverage, there are six individual external antennas that it features, four of which are for cellular coverage and two for local Wi-Fi 6 dual-band coverage. This, coupled with the comprehensive software managed via the web browser and through a mobile app, results in the GL-X3000 being one of the very best SIM routers I have ever seen!

  • WiFi 6
  • 1x 2.5G and 1x 1GbE LAN/WAN
  • OpenVPN, WireGuard, and AdGuard Pre-installed + physical switch
  • 4 x Cellular Antennas (SMA, 600M6GHz) 2 x Wi-Fi Antennas (RP-SMA, 2.4G2.5GHz, 5.15~5.84GHz)
  • 3Gb / AX3000
  • 64 Devices
  • USB Storage Share
  • SD Card Slot
  • 8GB Internal Storage
  • Mains Power
  • 4 Way Failover (SIM/LAN/USB Dongle/Repeat)

The Most User Friendly (but Expensive!) The NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 (MR6550) – $999

If you’ve been examining SIM routers over the past few years, one prominent brand in the network hardware industry that has carved a niche within the tech-savvy community is Netgear. With a significant pedigree in the realm of routers and switches, Netgear has been curiously subdued in the domain of 5G cellular SIM routers. It has primarily launched just a single product series that gets updated every few years to accommodate the evolving network hardware landscape. This is, of course, the Netgear Nighthawk M (for ‘mobile’) series of SIM routers. Originally available exclusively through phone company contracts, these routers can now be procured from most leading e-shops. However, akin to purchasing an iPhone or a Google Pixel phone without a contract, the pricing of these devices seems steep. This is because the price point must appeal to those committing to 18 and 24-month phone carrier plans. Even though the Netgear M6 Pro boasts a compact design, sleek production, and user-friendly architecture, its almost $1,000 price tag is quite daunting. Personally, I’m hesitant to assert that this router justifies such a hefty price. Nonetheless, it remains an exceptional piece of hardware. For prospective SIM router buyers seeking a user-friendly and guided experience, it certainly overshadows its rivals.

On the surface, it’s puzzling why this router garners such acclaim, especially when, at first glance, it closely resembles routers priced at a fraction of its cost. So, what distinguishes it? For starters, instead of employing Wi-Fi 6, this router supports Wi-Fi 6E. Although Wi-Fi 6E doesn’t offer speeds superior to Wi-Fi 6, it provides access to the six-gigahertz frequency. This enables more active client hardware to maintain 160-megahertz connections to the router, allowing more devices to relish a 1.2 Gigabit wireless connection concurrently. Additionally, beyond the anticipated 5G SIM support, the router features a physical 2.5GbE network port. Thus, a physically connected client device can relish a network bandwidth that’s over double the speed of most other routers on this list. Furthermore, it boasts a 16-hour battery life, which surpasses many of its peers. The device also comes equipped with a responsive LCD touchscreen that offers a remarkable depth of information and control. While there is mobile app control available, having direct physical access to the device’s features is a distinct advantage. The primary attribute that elevates it above many other routers is its user-centric design: it’s highly intuitive and user-friendly, while still being potent and compact. In fact, it’s the most compact router among those listed, approximately 30% lighter than the aforementioned D-Link model, and boasts a longer battery life and is about 25% smaller. This, coupled with its user-friendly software, makes it one of the most consumer-friendly 5G SIM routers available.

  • WiFi 6E
  • 2.5GbE LAN
  • 3.6Gb / AX3600
  • 32 Devices
  • LCD and Touchscreen
  • 16hr Battery

Best Static Office Router, The Zyxel NR5101 WiFi6 5G – £319

The Zyxel NR5101 router is priced around 100 quid more than the ZTE home router I mentioned earlier. However, it’s more business-focused and offers additional layers of functionality that cater to small office spaces, startups, and those looking to swiftly set up an office with a few users. Such users will find a solid internet solution at their disposal. With six internal antennas, two physical ethernet ports, and an impressive 4.2Gb of wireless bandwidth spread over Wi-Fi 6, this router not only has the potential to distribute your 5G internet effectively but also provides ample local network bandwidth for connected devices to utilize. Additionally, it features a high-capacity supporting USB port. This allows users to connect a standard USB drive to share its contents with others or even designate it as a backup target for all connected devices as their workload expands. Speaking of increased workload, another reason I recommend this device as a business sim card router is its ability to handle up to 64 devices simultaneously. While it’s unlikely that a single 5G SIM card will provide adequate internet for all those devices, managing over 4 gigabits of wireless traffic and 2 gigabits of wired traffic across them is highly attractive.

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Similar to the ZTE home router I referenced earlier, the Zyxel NR5101 is among the few routers that mobile cellular phone carriers have rebranded for inclusion in rather pricey contracts. In fact, if you enter into a mobile router data sim contract with brands like EE or Three, you’ll end up paying more than double for this device, excluding the data plan. Given this backdrop, purchasing this business router for just a bit over 350 quid is a remarkable bargain. Pair it with even a basic $15 network switch, and you’ve got an exceptionally functional network and internet setup weighing less than a kilo. While it’s portable and requires mains power, it remains an excellent alternative to contract-bound wired broadband in rented office spaces.

Also known as the EE SIM Router Plan here – https://broadbandsavvy.com/ee-5g-broadband-review/

  • WiFi 6
  • 2x 1GbE LAN/WAN
  • Two external antenna connectors (custom/optional)
  • 6 Internal embedded omni-directional antennas
  • 4.2Gb / AX4200
  • 64 Devices
  • USB Storage Share
  • Mains Power

Very Good 5G SIM LTE Routers – Honourable Mentions

It’s worth mentioning a couple of SIM/LTE routers that almost meet the requirements. In the past two years, these devices have outperformed many others:

GL.iNet XE3000 5G WiFi 6 SIM LTE Router (Pre-Order)

If you were to metaphorically put a gun to my head (which would be odd) and ask me right this second, “What’s the best SIM router available?” I would almost certainly point to the XE3000 from GLI net. However, there’s a catch: it’s not actually available for purchase yet. Its production has been delayed for the past 6 months or so. Consequently, even though I’d argue it stands out as the best SIM router in terms of both hardware capability and software, I can’t include it in this list at the time of writing since it’s not up for sale. Given its ongoing delays, there are doubts about its eventual full release. Nonetheless, if you’re reading this, consider taking a moment to check if the XE3000 router has been launched and is available for purchase. It truly ranks among the most impressive routers I’ve ever encountered, even without 5G support included. It caters to everything a home, business, student, or mobile user could possibly require.

Price: $428 (early) $556 Features: 2x 5G SIM, WiFi 6, Battery 6400mAh, 2.5G/1G, Dual Band, physical VPN Button, 6 antennas (2 WiFi, 4 Cellular)

We reviewed the GL.iNet Beryl AX3000 (no SIM) router in the video below. This should give you a good idea about the software, failover and VPN switching:

The Teltonika RUTX50 5G SIM LTE Enterprise Router

Another honourable mention for the best 5G SIM router is the Teltonika RUTX50. This industrial 5G router, which I reviewed earlier this year on our YouTube channel, is incredibly impressive. It offers a level of technical sophistication and network management that is simply unmatched by most other routers, whether they are SIM-based or not. However, it doesn’t make the cut for this article or my top five SIM routers because it lacks support for Wi-Fi 6, a deal breaker, I believe, for most users considering SIM routers for long-term use. Everything else about this router is perfect, with the possible exception of its hefty price tag. There are mixed reports online suggesting that this router supports Wi-Fi 6. However, based on my own tests and review from over six months ago, I can confirm that unless they’ve released a newer version (since you can’t add Wi-Fi 6 support via a firmware update – it’s a matter of physical antenna and band design), this device only supports up to Wi-Fi 5.

Price: $428 (early) $556 Features: 2x 5G SIM, WiFi 5, 4x 1G, Dual Band, 6 antennas (2 WiFi, 4 Cellular)

Mixed online reports suggest this router supports Wi-Fi 6. From my testing and a review six months ago, unless a new version includes this (as Wi-Fi 6 can’t be added via a firmware update due to hardware limitations), it supports up to Wi-Fi 5 (See Here)

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    250 thoughts on “The Best 5G SIM Routers of 2023/2024”

    5. I was just about to checkout with a Zyxel NR5101 however I Figured I may as well buy the Antenna while I’m Purchasing at all. Yhe one major downside to the Zyxel NR5101 is that the external antenna connection does not support the 4G network. Although ideally one would use the 5G Network i Felt that the lack of this was a a major downfall. Would you have any other suggestions of Router with external antenna connection that will cover the 5G and 4G network and meet all the specs in the Video?
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    7. Always determine exactly what you need. Don’t buy 5G internet now – it’s not ready for big time yet. Just how much data do you want to consume and at what rate? That’s the question to ask yourself BEFORE you get another SIM router.
      Just wait for the tech to improve and watch the prices drop. Right now it’s just a Rip off, unless you really NEED ( OK, or want ) the 5G over the air.
      Spend money on MIMO ( 2 x 2 OR 4 x 4 ) if you must. 4G+ is also ok.
      There are quite a few routers like the tplink MR600 that provide more than enough for most people for the next few years – unless you suddenly develop a great itch for massive speed.
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    8. Thanks for the advise – What I’ve found is that it’s nearly always better to just wait for the tech to become more widespread and the prices drop and the technical gremlins get sorted out – so if you don’t have 5G now, don’t buy it. If you don’t NEED wi-fi 6, DON’T buy it! Go with the older tech unless you NEED the new stuff.

      EDIT: CAREFUL with the GL-iNet Router – first check that you can change the DNS addresses. The last time I used one I couldn’t do it – I really didn’t want to dig into the superuser account and set it up in the LInux kernel. Plus – that one took forever to boot up and connect and it got HOT! Plus – I found that some financial companies didn’t want to connect to it – possibly because the addresses it presented are from China. Beware of that GL-inet router.
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    10. I’m from Nigeria, I have an RTU 955 and I use MTN SIM CARD with it. I have not really enjoyed the services because it has a very low area coverage though its signal is relatively stable
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    14. Just bought one of these and you can’t beat it for the price. If you want more USB ports, add a hub. Worked fine for me with storage and tethering. As far as having battery power, well this router runs fine with the USB power supplied by my laptops.

      I live in hurricane country here in the U.S.A. I have a backup generator for power but when city power goes down, so does the wired ethernet. All wired ethernet depends on local boxes in the neighborhood that run on battery backups when power is down. Instead of buying an expensive wireless hotspot, I only need it for emergencies, I can tether my 5G phone using this router. I connect it in place of the cable router on my network and you can’t tell the difference. Plus I can use this with my phone when I travel or even locally.
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    15. Any help here folks?
      If your smart tv is 2.4ghz then what is the point of a home sim 5g router? It won’t work. Am I missing something?
      Duel band routers seem a lot more useful.
      All smart tvs seem to be 2.ghz.
      Wait up- – the:-

      GL.iNet GL-X3000 (Spitz AX) 5G NR AX3000 Cellular Gateway Router seems to be a duel frequency router? How???- is it because it’s dual sim? The internet is deaf to all these questions.
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    18. If you like being an outsider, you’ll love the Turris Omnia. A rather specialist (and expensive) bit of kit. Word is that its successor, the new Turris Omnia Enterprise, will be out this month (Sept 2023). Yes SFP+ 10G transceivers will work in it. Plus… a total of eight antennae! What!

      Specs:
      NXP LS2080 ARMv8 octa-core CPU
      – 3× M.2 slots – 1× Wi-Fi, 1x NVME, 1× modem
      – Dual slot RAM up to 64 GB
      – 5× SFP interface, 1× GbE interface
      – 2× USB 3.0
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    19. What about the reception of each of these devices? What range/signal strength can you expect for the 5G LTE connection and how do each of these routers compare to each other? It seems to me the Netgear would not perform as well as the GL.iNet devices with 5G LTE antennas.
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    23. Pronounce “out,” that’s correct. Now pronounce “rout” and finally keep the same pronunciation but add the sound “er.” See that was easy wasn’t it? ????
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    25. I hope you can also add Cudy P5. It’s almost the same features as GL.iNet Splitz AX (Dual SIM-Single Standby, WAN Failover, Cellular Failover), but it can add another Cudy router to be able to use mesh mode.
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    28. I don’t understand why one should buy a 5G wifi6 router for 250-500$ when good 4G wifi5 routers cost 100-150$. Spending 100% more for maybe having faster connection in the future does not seem a good deal when considering that 4G will still be more than fast enough for many users
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    29. Best 5g router get a flagship phone second hand uninstall everything that doesn’t have to do with networking , enable hotspot permanent set display at lowest brightness done
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    32. I jst need that small 1 you picked up for my phone at work 13:05 what’s the name of it? How much it cost? Where can I get it from? Do I need to charge it?
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    37. nice video, on the Wan side i have a 4g M1 router, with battery removed and charged to 70% – i use the roo-ter in passthrough mode which has not been rebooted in about 12-15months.
      for the routing side i use a raspberry pi 2 with Openwrt.
      anyway the results of the 4G side are as follows
      56 Mbps Download
      44 Mbps Upload
      39ms Unloaded Latency
      60ms Loaded Latency
      i would purchase, if i was in the market the metal enclosed one, or wait untill a 5g hat was available on a Pi4.
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    38. Hi, great video.
      Why did you not include the Huawei H122-373?
      Had it for a couple of years and works great.
      Supports 802.11a,n,ac,ax
      Also use it for Wireless gaming through steam with the Quest 2.
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    39. What about a best budget friendly mobile router for travel in the countryside ie needs to plug in external aerial to get any signal and run off a 12v supply – a 5g signal would be a bonus?
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    47. Got my dad a second hand Huawei b311 4g router (£17 eBay). He was getting ripped by Plusnet, charging him £30 per month for ADSL which was giving speeds of 1.0 download, 0.2 upload.

      Got him smarty SIM £12 per month for 120gb , he’s only a light user – bit of browsing, emails, streams the odd program etc.

      Gets 20mb down, 8 upload now.

      I was a good move cutting the cord on these rip off ISP’s.
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    48. Having lived with 4G LTE internet as my primary house internet for the last 3 years I would not recommend anyone choose it as their primary house internet connection unless it is their ONLY option.
      For working while mobile then it’s fine, but I would think if you seriously work while mobile you already have an unlimited data SIM in your phone and just tether while mobile, or use public WiFi with a VPN.
      There’s a lot more research you need to do rather than selecting a router when deciding to use 4G/5G as your primary internet at home – things like physically where is your local mast, what obstacles are between your house and the mast. what providers transmit from the mast and at what frequencies, what are the provider’s plans for the mast (my local EE mast has started to reduce 4G bandwidth/hardware to favour 5G and I’m just too far from the mast for 5G), how busy is the mast during the day because you’re at the mercy of how many people are using the mast and this can significantly impact your speed.
      So, it’s a minefield of you’re thinking of having it as your primary home internet connection.
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    49. I bought the GL.iNet GL-X3000 and did not pre-order the GL-XE3000 router. The reason why I did not buy the GL.iNet GL-XE3000 is because of the battery, Li batteries have problems with cold weather. The Li battery can expand and be damaged.
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    51. I already use the version of the Puli AX without the battery and it’s an excellent router.
      By sheer coincidence I had a power outage whilst watching your review. (Something that happens fairly frequently where I live in the U.K.). This prompted me to order the new router which is delivered from China.
      Unfortunately, after adding on 20% U.K. VAT and import duty there isn’t much of a saving on price.
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    55. Good video, I am still looking for the 5G Cell SIM gateway with just 2.5 GB Ethernet ports. I don’t care about routing or Wifi since my internal network has a pfSense router and I have Unifi switches and AP’s. AT&T in their broadband access never finished their fiber to the home and the next carrier is only providing fiber to incorporated subdivision so we are left with VDSL. Also, external antenna is necessary for the best performance. My goal would be to use the SIM / Cell network for high speed and keep the low-end AT&T service for its static IP and low speed / inbound services since Cell modems are CGNAT based. Any thoughts?
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    56. Some great tech and nice overview shown here but from a financial perspective these routers don’t make sense for normal use scenarios. The capital cost with a data only SIM deal is still more expensive than buyng the cheaper recommended routers on a 24 month contract. At 5:30 you can see a 24 month contract at £20/month with the first 3 months free on the “3 Network” = £420. Buying the cheapest recommended router at £260 plus a data only SIM with unlimited data at £20/month = £740. The only reason for purchasing one of these is if you’re roaming overseas, and for the truely mobile variants with batteries rather than a landline replacement, these are even more expensive. I think most people in a developed country will just tether their mobile to laptop.
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    57. I’d love to see a list for sim routers, but for the purpose of failover. No need for wifi but ethernet would be mandatory. not sure if there’s much demand for that though.
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    60. Robbie: I have an (now) somewhat older Verizon Jetpack MiFi device (4G/LTE). It’s been an excellent little device but I would like to replace it with an upgraded unit so, yes, 5G cellular and WiFi6, and unlocked. Dual SIM slots would be nice but not essential. Not so concerned about the price. My issue is that the SIM slots need to be compatible with my existing Verizon SIM as it is tied to an grandfathered unlimited data plan that I want to hang on too.
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    62. Where i live, 5G is still not available (not that i would want to use it for a home network, considering that my phone struggles to pick up a 4G signal half the time when I’m at home, and I suspect 5G will be worse assuming it does ever get put in (or it may be the case that 5G is skipped altogether where i live, in favour of a newer standard that replaces both 4G and 5G, especially as current 5G phones often automatically revert to 4G when the 5G connection is not needed)

      I suspect i would be better off with keeping my broadband connection, especially as the one time it did go down, and i tried to use my phone, the 4G connection was PAINFULLY slow (my broadband is 50mbps down, 10mbps up (as stated by BT, and we do get speeds around that or better), my mobile gets about 6.84mbps down, 0.38mbps up when it is near the upstairs window while connected to the charger, and thats from a test i did just now)
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    66. The problem with 5G is it varies from zero to 5 bars within a few meters – I’m in a city centre and the patchiness is very noticeable. 5 bars and 3/400 Mbps downstream is easily achievable.
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    70. Thank you very much for this info.
      I’m in the US and even worse, on a Verizon network so I’m extremely limited as to what sim rougher I could even buy atm.
      I’m legit just letting my main phone burn as a network provider for now and it aint done any favors for it :(.
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    74. Great job, I watched this video before buying a router for my company. I learned that there are many important aspects when buying such a device. Therefore, since my company requires continuous uninterrupted Internet coverage, I opted for an industrial solution such as the F-R200-FL. The devices work great, thanks for your help!
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    80. So I got so bored as it appears to miss the fundamentals for why most of us have to buy these devices. The arrogance of the title and introduction annoyed me too.
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    83. I’ve been looking for a sim router for a while and pulled the trigger and purchased the rutx50 not just on your recommendation but through other research. Absolutely brilliant router and does what It says on the tin ????. What I’d like to add is an external antenna to this unit to help increase the signal a bit more. Do you recommend any particular external antenna??
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    85. Nice review ! You made me want to buy this piece of kit lol. Bought one after some research and watching your review. Was looking for a travel router to make life easier on our vacations. Not having to deal with all the hassle of configuring 10 devices separately on a campsite with captive portal crap. Having a WG connection to our safe home network before entering the big bad internet is a great feature. It works like a charm. Been using it a lot on remote locations. It does the job really well. Tried running custom firmware but no proper firmware is available yet with wifi support so left it stock. Other than that. Happy kids, happy wife, happy life !
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    86. Made in china – chinese company – reading company site blogs folks see network traffic going back to china – no thanks! Probably cheap for a reason. HOw about hooking wireshark up to the WAN port and analyzing what chinese domains it is phoning home too?
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    93. Would this be perfect for a hotel situation where the wifi just seems to be too weak from the amount of people? To the point where i can’t really use it. If not what would you suggest? (Gaming involved)
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    101. Is there something similar to this but cheaper? I just want a small device/usb stick or something i can pop my 5g verizon sim in for internet. Currently using a laptop with a 5g card and my sim but j want to be able to use other devices so im looking for a modem or 5g card enclosire etc.
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    105. Looking at the video, was helpful but still looking for a direction to go in. Live in a van for work, an would like a SIM router. What would you suggest, for my TV an phone so I can avoid tethered.

      Thanks Chris
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    106. I presently use my iPhone (T-Mobile) for watching Netflix when I’m camping a few days every month. I don’t like tying up my cell phone “HotSpot’ when I walk away from the campsite with my phone and then the networks drops when my wife is still watching Netflix. I just ordered a 5g sims card from T-Mobile for $20 a month with unlimited data. I want to buy a cheap cellular router it doesn’t;t have to do 5g but 4LTE is ok. What is some of the best cheap cellular routers on the market? It’s just me and my wife with our 2 cell phones and a laptop. is there any $100 to $200 price range cellular routers that will take a sims card?
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    107. Can you answer my question ? -: my mobile data speed at the house is 55mbps ish…… If I buy a good good sim router am I likely to get more speed than my mobile ? and If so what sort of speed (My sim will be up to 300mbps) ? Thanks
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    112. No 5G router justifies its price currently, they are all early adopter (read mug) rip offs. Just wait and watch the prices plummet and then buy.
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    115. How well does repeating wifi work on this? I own a GL-AR750 and a bit older gl.inet travel router and they seem to really struggle with many Hotel wifi signals. Throughput is often absolutely terrible, to the point that you can’t even stream simple Youtube videos. And that’s not even with enabling any VPN. Whereas when I connect directly to the Hotel’s wifi using my phone I get at least 3x the throughput. I suppose if it were a regular repeater then 1/2 the throughput would be expected, but I wish there were two wifi chips that can operate on separate frequencies. Anyway, is this performing any better in real world scenarios?
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    117. Didn’t seems you talked in this video, I have had multiple sim router but all of them had terrible WiFi coverage in my flat, is there a rating for this spec? Of just need to check the dBm (have no idea of what is this actually)
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    123. Great video, thank you! I have a question regarding the VPN: I would like to set up a HTTP Proxy and connect it to a VPN. I read that it’s possible with the gl.inet but I would like to have different IP addresses for different phones connected to the router.

      My questions are:
      1) will it be possible to switch the IPs without a big hustle in-between connecting the phones?
      2) do you think social media platforms like TikTok should be able to detect that it’s a VPN or will it be safe since the VPN isn’t on the actual mobile device but on a router?
      I hope you can share your thoughts on these-would appreciate it a lot ????????
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    127. I want to use a fixed sim router as my main house internet router when I’m away and have small data need, and fall back to another sim router which I use camping and has unlimited data plan. I’m happy with 4G as 5G isn’t as available in rural areas. Device options and a video on how to set it all up please
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    129. Hi, some 4g lte sim routers have a ‘Tel’ connection so you can make calls (if sim enabled),. Do you know wheteher these would stop working when 3G turns off.
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    131. I found this video really interesting, so much to consider when buying a router. If I buy a normal 4/5G data only sim, will I be able to put it into any router?
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    135. excellant informative vlog. can you help with my question?. If this LTE router has 2x sim slots for fail over, i gather they should be on different networks. As Vodafone and O2 share masts and Three and EE share mast, would you expect to have external LTE antennas (directional ones) pointing to different locations according to network provider. Would the 4x anttenna be able to carrier aggregate to different channels depending on sim selected.
      I look forward to your response
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    136. It does actually have an internal fan, but it never kicks in. See the setting at 16:00 next to the CPU average load.
      Personally I would see more value if the 2.5Gbps were on the LAN side rather than on WAN, and currently the interface doesn’t allow changing their purpose. I’m sure it can be done via LuCI, but I didn’t dig that deep yet.
      I ran some tests on my unit and it doesn’t seem to consume more than 5V 1.5A under full load (iperf3 16 thread via wifi 6 + phone charging via the USB port + phone WAN speedtest), not sure why a 3A power brick was spec’d for it.
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    137. Going down the rabbit hole of Esims for a European trip and have realised that all this will need to be done via my phone and a lot of providers won’t even let you tether so all the data is locked in the phone. Do you know if there is a mifi or router that has esim capabilities?
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    138. The external antennas on my Sercomm LTE2122GR 4G router are for the home WIFI and not for picking up the 4G mast signal, so don’t assume that all routers are the same. The 4G antenna is internal on this router
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    143. What is the best lte router for home use specifically apartment reason being there isn’t fibre where I live and I get 4mbs down 0.33 up which isn’t good enough for the use of 4 people in the apartment
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    146. Seems you didn’t check GL-iNet Mango… it’s smaler, but has surpisingly features, too. Used it for weeks in my caravan with a 4G-Stick to feed my family withtheir loved internet for streaming stuff on several devices in parallel. All run by a small powerbank for hours. Updating of OpenWRT was successful. Thanks for your comprehensive review!
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    148. I love the GL product range and have the GL-AR750. Pretty much the entire range is the same in terms of function, the main differences will be things like faster speeds. Software and capabilities like VPN etc are generally standard across the board which is great if you want to get the cheaper options. For those who have trouble with tethering, please check your Mobile device APN settings (probably just google your provider name and the word APN to find the right one).
      You can also tether with hotspot to free up the USB port if you need to.
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    150. Been running one of these as the main household router. I’m getting min 300mbps down 60up. Max 450 down 100up. On my previous Huawei device in the same location I was in the 150 down 20 up range. I am guessing this is due to the cat rating? Or just a better modem in there. The config options are amazing. I’ve setup scheduled firewall rules for parental controls to cut off my kids Mac addresses at bed time. Works a treat. Also the crowd support forum is insanely good and tech support super responsive. If 5g is your only option where you live I would say it’s definitely worth the outlay. I’m paying for unlimited 20 quid a month on smarty.
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    151. Lol man used his mobile in Germany pmsl I used to live on a base in Holland and Germany. Top unless things changed in the past 20 years if your English and have an English SIM leave it at home. Trust me it cost like fiver a minute to call landline there lol
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    152. Have one of these used it recently as travel router in Cairo tethered to a pixel phone using local sim worked a charm. Have the older version of beryl to as backup internet plugged into my udm pro se using the UniFi failover and a dongle with 4G sim plugged into Beryl works a so well
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    153. How fast can this router go when its in repeater mode ? My macbook pro currently connect to wifi at 866mbps, i was wondering if i can get this to be a wifi repeater connecting to another wifi 6 router, will it connect at 1500mbps, and then i will connect my mac to it via ethernet.
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    154. 100 like … i won’t in the near future none of your reviewed items ???? but is good to keep up to date my humble knowledge from your detailed reviews. Thank you
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    156. I’ve been looking at these as well to replace my old TP-Link travel router. But, as to connecting it to your laptop for power, I was warned that there may not be quite enough power available from the laptop’s USB port and dropped connections may occur.
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    161. Probably worth mentioning that the nighthawk router in the video can be plugged in with the battery removed completely and still operate as normal, eliminating issue with battery heat
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    164. This is amazing for the price. Is there as more basic 5G router with two Antena, for small home use? Because 4G+ home use routers like the Tp-Link AC-1200 are only 120 pounds (allready using this one), but going to 5G is triple or more the cost, seems like there no options. Not interest in moble its for full power home use. Any ideas? Thanks
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    170. Hi would you recommend this router for my situation which is on a canal boat in Liverpool Marina, I currently use an old ee 2017 4g mobile home router which is ok but does drop the internet periodically. Im finding i am needing much faster internet to upload and download large files regularly which my current setup cant handle. Also is there a compatible external antenna you would recommend to go with this as well. Thanks. (I am finding myself holding back on this because of the lack of wifi6 and future proofing but willing to compromise if it is indeed the best unit for my tasks)
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    173. If only they had allowed external antennas and the ability to use it without the battery (as far as I’m aware needs to be in the unit but please correct me if wrong). I would love to see these features in the next build!
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    174. Am Told I need A SIM “DATA” Router, want to use for 3 IP Cameras, LAN Connected. I Can Inject my own Power. Can you suggest POE and non POE, also with WiFi with POE and non POE. Appreciate your Time.
      Supplier suggested a 4G LTE Cell Router W 2X10/100T for $1300. Seems a little high for what I Need.
      In Florida, want to use Verizon.
      Thanks. Appreciate you Passing on Your Knowlege of Cell Routers..Don’t see a lot of mention of “DATA” Sim Card.
      Thanks again.
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    175. The ‘Problem’ is that people have started calling 5GHz WiFi ‘5G’ instead of “5GHz”, making it impossible to discern with ‘5G’ LTE Cellular Wireless. Drives me MAD when trying to search for SIM enabled Modem/Routers!
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    176. Thanks for review. Do you have any knowlage or opinion about Modem ZTE MU5002 ?? I looking something for livestreaming on the go, sometimes at festivals so nice to have banding
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    179. Router looks great. Couldn’t help but think of Delboy with the deep sea divers watches when he mentioned it can be used on long ship voyages with fluctuating temperatures.
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    181. Dwr 2101 is the worst router I ever had. I bought it after I saw ur review and made mistake…my redmi mobile is able to get more signal and mbps than this crap…i bought netgear hawk mr2100 and it’s a beast…So please give genuine info else please don’t make others fall into trap..
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    183. Been running this beast past month for testing before moving it to production. By far the best experience and stable. I do like their bridging option and binding it to a MAC address etc. Keep up good work!
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    192. One other point, many dual band routers have an automatic system that selects the best band for the device, and then only have one access SSID. This caused me some serious grief when attempting to setup some wireless controlled lighting. Fortunately after some digging I found that you could override this and setup two SSIDs one for each band, it worked for the new device but disabled the auto feature.

      Back to the sim routers…. I have just ordered one (£20 per month for unlimited data) after finding out that my iPhone in my study can hit 4G speeds of circa 300Mbps on speedtest when connecting to the mast that is 50 yards away. Fingers crossed that the Three 4G+ sim router will achieve anything like that speed.

      My current BT VDSL speed is circa 30Mbps. I’ll post an update after I have tested the new router.
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    194. Thx for a great review, would be really nice to see a performance test using 4g and also 5g if you have that in your area. Regarding the dual sim i guess that is only for failover not loadbalancing -right?
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    198. Great review – I switched to 4G mobile network for my home internet. As I live in rural Lincolnshire BT could only give me 20Mb, I get 60Mb+ using a Huawei B818 and EE unlimited data SIM. Cost for router was circa £200 and EE SIM £18/Mth – RESULT!
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    199. I like your reviews, but they’re missing so much detail. Chipset info, supported bands, level of LTE CAT support, speed tests relative to other routers in the same location. Please ,please ,please can you also include whether these routers have IP Passthrough / Bridge mode. A massive percentage of people already have very capable routers and mesh systems and simply want a product like this to offload the 5g speeds to their home network.
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    203. *Notes and Corrections*
      6:18 – RUTX50 does not have active PoE, so it cannot power up other devices. RUTX50 has PoE (passive) meaning that other PoE active devices can power up this router through a LAN port 1.
      8:52 – GPRS is just for 2G/3G technologies. For 4G / 5G it must be GPS/GNSS support.
      12:21 – This Router arrives with 2 years Warranty, not the 18 Months I highlighted
      31:35 – Mentioned wrong product name RUTX60 instead of a RUTX50
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    206. Weird video..some sections are like they are made for kids (battery)..i mean who doesnt know that, but part about 5g sim card support is confusing even for someone who knows what a hell is he talking about ????
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    208. I want to move away from contracted broadband provider and just have a sim only router. I can buy a SIM card for £10 with unlimited data so Is it worth buying a sim only router and have an unlimited data sim?
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    212. Thank you for this video. I am planning to move into UK next year like many Hongkongers. Consider getting an LTE/5G router for the period during my home internet contract ends in HK, traveling via Netherlands and UK temporary home. Maybe get an EE 5G data SIM as ‘permanent’ home internet if the signal is good enough to save money. Will it works?
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    213. Hi, i can only get 5mps via phone line. And i cant get 5g either. So im going to try 4g. I live on a hill but surrounded by trees, although i do have line of site in one spot to Canary Wharf in London about 18 miles as the crow flies. Could a good antenna search that far?. Can you recommend a 4g router and antenna pls?

      Good, informative video ????
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    225. In my case, the limiting factor was that my first SIM router supported only 32 clients. When you have a big family, everybody with smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, TV, and some smart home applications, etc, you are soon out of range.
      I had to update to Archer mr 600, two years ago, with 64 clients max.
      “Normal” routers usually do not have this kind of limitation.
      You missed somehow talking about this issue, should be topic number 11.
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    227. I have the Nokia paper towel roll router with my 5G connection. It has both bands, 4 LAN ports & I get about 330mbps+ currently. Australia’s 5G isn’t the best at the moment, but it’s better than our NBN(fibre, HFC & FTTC) for speed & reliability. I can stream 4K 60fps no problems & downloading 100GB takes only a couple hours.
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    228. Interesting video. I’ve been running my house internet over 4G for over 2 years now because the physical phone cabling in my village is so poor! As long as you have good line of sight to a 4G mast that supports LTE-A you can get fairly good speeds, with the main consideration being bandwidth drops significantly during busy hours like Friday/Saturday evenings when people are out and using their phones.

      Would love a 5G router, but no 5G coverage in my rural area.
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    230. Good review, their website is really short on info.
      What chipset is it using, I doubt its a qualcomm at this price?
      What category lte does it support, because most people will still be on 4g+ ?
      Can the ethernet port be used for passthrough mode, I’d really like to offload this to my Orbi mesh system?
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    233. Thank you for your video. I purchased this item based on your great video. Been using as my main router with vodafone sim at home with no issues. Just lately I am getting message to say battery temperature . Is this something you have come across ? thanks for your assistance.
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    242. OK, this is news, are you saying USB-3x vs USB-2 there is a difference in charging speed? Really? I thought it was purely for data. Power is controlled by the device and charge point.
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    245. Can you do a review of the best 5g receiver to use in a motorhome driving round the UK and Europe. As power is not an issue the unit does it have to have a good battery.
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    246. I am looking into getting a 5G router but I probably will not be going for a mobile option. Do you have any views on the Zyxel NR5101, maybe Zyxel could send you one for review? Informative video by the way and nice delivery
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    248. Thank you for this video on your recommendation I have purchased one of this. I have a sim card from Voxi and I am getting over 300mbps, so I am hoping this will be the thing to use in my garden office.
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