4g router

[Ju9013]

hello,

I am now working from home and my home WiFi cannot handle the platform and vpn that I need to use for work, the speed is just not enough and I just can't work properly. I tried to use my mobile phone's 4g hotspot and it is a little bit better but still not good enough. Do you think a 4g router could solve my problems ? Do you know what kind of speed ee offers I couldn't find that anywhere and I wanted to compare with other networks' offers.. which router is the "fastest/offers the best performance?? Thank you 😊 

[Chris_B]

@Ju9013    Your phone tariff even if it’s a standard tariff is 60meg.    What speeds are you getting with this now not using the VPN ?    The VPN your using what speeds does that allow you because if it’s probably that that is causing this.   

[Ju9013]

Thank you for replying!!

So I did an internet speed test on a website online (sorry I'm not really good with all that never had to worry about it before)

Without vpn on I get:

Home wifi and phone 4g get me about the exact same results (even though it works way better when I use the phone 4g for some reason):

Download:13 mbps

Upload:1.05mbps

With the VPN on: again I get similar results but I keep losing the connection altogether with the home wifi when the vpn is on which doesn't happen with the phone 4g.

I wonder if a 4g router could get me better speed and a reliable connection whilst using the vpn?

[wardi]

Ju9013.. if you tether your phone to your PC (is this what you mean by hotspot?) and turn off your usual router - what speed does that give you?  That will give you an idea of the potential signal strength from a 4G Router.  The latter relies on the distance you are from the nearest mast - I'm only about 1m away and get speeds of around 75/25 down/up load (by comparison I was getting 15/1 via the phone line) .  There is the option of an external antenna which would boost the speed a bit more. 

[Ju9013]

Yes sorry that is what I meant by "hotspot". Does that mean I have to have my home wifi router off when I use 4g? Do you think a 4g router won't be any better than if I use my mobile phone ? By antenna you mean like a wifi booster? 

[XRaySpeX]

The speeds EE & other networks offer are "Up to" speeds. You'll get whatever you can get where you are, anything between 0 & EE's advertised speed.

Expect to get from a mobile router much the same speeds as you get from a mobile phone on the same network. An external antenna/aerial may improve matters. 

[XRaySpeX]

I think he just means turn your BB router off to be sure you're testing over mobile data & not WiFi.

[wardi]

Ah yes I was about to say that, thanks XRay. 😊

[Chris_B]

@Ju9013   To test to see if an external antenna would be beneficial do a speed test with your phone outside your property.  If you don’t see a great improvement then I wouldn’t say it would help.   External antennas are great if you home is blocking the signal or if you live in a dip and the signal is just over head.   External antennas do not increase speed they just capture the signal so you can then redirect that signal in to your home.  It is illegal to boost and cellular network signal but it’s not illegal to redirect a signal via an antenna in to your home.  

[Ju9013]

Thank you I don't think I can put external antennas outside anyway at the moment. I have seen that some routers can have extra little indoors antennas added on them are those any good? I think I will just get a router and see how it goes I'm just not sure which one I should pick there are a few options on the ee website but it's not clear for me which one is the best..