Wi-Fi routers do not differ too much, if you look from the point of view of an ordinary user, it makes sense only for professionals to carefully look at the functions. In the review, I have collected for you the best offers from different manufacturers in the current year. Among them you will find stationary and autonomous models powered by their own battery, routers for home and office premises.
TOP 5 4G Wi-Fi routers
HUAWEI E5573C
Standalone battery-powered router provides data transfer up to 150 Mbps, supports up to 16 users. The battery charge lasts for 6 hours of active work, 300 hours in standby mode. To control the router, the manufacturer provides the Huawei HiLink application.
Benefits:
- Compact.
- Inexpensive.
- Good upload speed, stable signal reception.
- Removable battery.
- Automatic transition to sleep mode if no devices are connected to the router.
- Doesn't require complicated setup.
- Convenient application for configuration and management.
- It can work in repeater mode.
- File server.
Disadvantage:
- Doesn't work without a battery, but if you have knowledge, you can work around this problem and connect with an external power source.
A good inexpensive mobile router. It was not possible to identify any shortcomings in it. Receives the signal stably and provides a stable distribution. Battery life may seem insufficient, but with this size, providing a higher power supply is problematic. The problem of connecting from an external power source can be circumvented programmatically if you have knowledge. When connected, it does not require complex settings, just insert a SIM card and work, a convenient application for management. I definitely recommend the router. But please note that this is not a stationary model, but a mobile one. If you need a regular stationary option, there are some in our review - TP-LINK TL-MR6400 and HUAWEI B315S.
The HUAWEI E5573C has functions that are even surprising at a price of 3,700 rubles: a file server, work as a repeater, MIMO support, that is, expanding the range of a wireless network, DMZ for connecting servers, etc. For ordinary users, these functions are not so important, but, for example, the next model of the Xiaomi ZMI 4G rating with a price of a couple of hundred rubles more does not have these functions.
You can check the speed of the Internet through a router using Speedcheck Internet Speed Test.
Xiaomi ZMI 4G
Outwardly, the router is similar to the manufacturer's popular power banks, the similarity is not only external - the built-in battery can power the router itself and the devices connected to it, that is, it works like the same power banks. The router is very simple to use: on the case there is only one button, two ports and three indicators (network, distribution and battery level). But all the labels and specifications are in Chinese.
Benefits:
- Supports 3G and LTE networks.
- Works as a powerbank.
- Simple to use.
- Long battery life.
Disadvantages:
- The software is not Russified - only Chinese.
- Low distribution power, good signal - only a few meters away.
This router is not as stable as the previous one in the rating: the upload speed is significantly lost at a distance from 5 meters, it often loses the network and requires a reboot.The software is in Chinese, but the Android application is in Russian, it is very convenient to manage and configure the router through it.
If you need something more powerful, solving complex tasks, but with the ability to operate independently, you will like another model from our rating - ZYXEL LTE3302-M432. It works autonomously, the connection speed is up to 300 Mbit / s, 2 ETHERNET ports, MIMO support, is combined with access points to expand the Wi-Fi coverage area (WDS), can connect wired networks (creating a bridge). But the price of this model is about 6,500 rubles.
TP-LINK TL-MR6400
The popular stationary router provides access to a 4G LTE network with download speeds up to 150 Mbps and connections up to 300 Mbps according to the N standard. Equipped with 2 external 4G antennas and 2 built-in Wi-Fi. Works with a SIM card without configuration. There are LAN / WAN ports. A maximum of 32 devices can connect to it at the same time. Configuration and management - via the Tether app, Android and iOS are supported.
Benefits:
- Stable signal reception, distribution.
- Nice design.
- Universal - there are ETHERNET ports and work from a SIM card.
- No settings needed to start working from SIM.
- Wall mountable.
Disadvantages:
- Marked matte surface.
- Covers a small area, a stable signal can be expected at a distance of no more than 20 m.
The average price is 5 thousand rubles: for that kind of money, this is a good choice. For example, a stationary router HUAWEI B315S for 7 thousand (we will consider it in more detail in the rating), does not have WDS and bridge mode, but here they are, however, HUAWEI has a file server.
Good TP-LINK product with many features and relatively low price. This router is able to receive a signal even with an unstable connection. There are some flaws: it does not always restore the connection itself when the connection is broken, does not cover such a large area as the manufacturer claims, but most users, judging by the reviews, are still satisfied with the purchase.
ZYXEL LTE3302-M432
Standalone router powered by a built-in battery. Provides seamless broadband connectivity and switching between 4G LTE, DC-HSPA +, 3G EDGE, GPRS networks. It can work as a router or in bridge mode. There is a Micro-USB port for connecting to external batteries, but it does not have its own battery, so it can only be called portable (when buying a battery in the kit). It can be integrated into the main network as a backup access to the network in case of a break in the main line.
Benefits:
- High speed for delivery: download - up to 42 Mbit / s, Wi-Fi - up to 300 Mbit / s.
- You can configure the firewall to block selected sites.
- Two SMA connectors for combining 4G / 3G / 2G antennas.
- Powered by any USB port.
- Connect in bridge and router mode.
- Automatically switches between modes, switches to 3G and below if LTE is not available.
- Convenient browser control.
- Availability of LAN ports.
- Recovers network when connection is lost, does not require reboot.
- It uses two technologies for voice transmission, suitable for any operator.
Disadvantages:
- The battery is not included in the package; you will have to purchase it separately to use it as a portable router.
- It takes a long time to authorize devices when connected.
It is an excellent portable router with good performance and stable signal. Confuses only one "but" - the lack of its own battery in the kit: apparently, the manufacturer decided to reduce the cost, but even without the battery, its price is 6500 rubles. You can supplement with the WAH7706-ZZ01V1F battery.
It works from an external power source, but not from an outlet, it receives power through Micro-USB, that is, it can be thrown to a computer, etc. If you need a router only with mains power, go back to TP-LINK TL-MR6400, which reviewed earlier, but ZYXEL gives better signal stability than TP-LINK. I would stick with it, even with the high price tag.
HUAWEI B315S
This is not a standalone router: it requires an electrical connection, does not have a battery. The signal is received from the wired network, for this there are 4 ETHERNET ports, but it is possible to work through a SIM card.You can connect drives, a printer, VoIP telephony to the router. Provides coverage up to 250 m2, supports connecting up to 32 devices at the same time.
Unusual design - delicate white color, installed vertically, which immediately distinguishes it from the usual horizontal designs. Takes up less space, nicely complements the interior. Configuration and management - via the Huawei HiLink app; here you can track traffic, create a guest network, restrict Internet access for children, and more.
Benefits:
- Excellent signal reception even in difficult places with a weak signal from the operator.
- There is an exit to a landline telephone.
- High output speed.
- No configuration required when using a SIM card. Supports cards of any operators.
- LAN / WAN port.
- Stable connection, no disconnections.
- Nice design.
- Powerful built-in antennas, no need to install external ones.
- The ability to manually select the network type and frequency is a useful feature for fine-tuning for the operator.
Disadvantages:
- External antennas are poorly fixed: when installed, the router becomes unstable due to vertical installation.
- The factory firmware has minimal settings. If you need extended ones, you need to reflash.
Very powerful router, the best solution for places with problematic internet connections and unstable connections. Antennas perfectly amplify the signal, even without installed external ones, they work perfectly. The only sadness is the need to reflash if additional functions are needed in the settings. But for 7 thousand rubles with its characteristics, this is relatively small.
The router does not work in repeater mode, but it can be used as the main device, and as a repeater, take the model of the same manufacturer E5573C, which was considered first. Doesn't support WDS and bridge mode. If these features are important, go back to the ZYXEL LTE3302-M432, which was discussed earlier. But this router has a file server and a print server with a USB interface, it easily turns any printer into a network printer, facilitates access to all devices connected to the network.
TOP 5 routers with 4G modem support
Netis MW5230
Compatible with 3G / 4G USB modems (the list of compatible models can be found on the official website netisru.com). High speed, up to 300 Mbps. It can work as a router or as an access point. There is a multi-SSID function: you can create up to 3 additional networks for guests and friends.
The network is easily put into secure mode by pressing the WPS button. The range width is controlled for each computer separately. Internet access is controlled by IP and MAC filters, time-based domain filter. Easy access to settings, control page - in different languages.
Benefits:
- Easy installation and setup.
- USB 2.0 port.
- Budgetary cost.
- 3 antennas, it can handle even heavy loads.
- Stable distribution without gaps.
- Covers a large area with a signal.
- Ability to work as a repeater.
- Can be used to create a bridge.
- WDS.
Disadvantages:
- Short power wire.
- LAN and USB ports are too close - one overlaps the other.
- When connected via 3G / 4G, you cannot set up a VPN connection.
An inexpensive but powerful router for connecting to a modem or wired Internet. Provides a stable coverage over a large area. There are drawbacks, but they are not critical. At a price of 1300 rubles, I definitely recommend it for purchase. This is the only router in the review that supports WDS. If you need support for VPN tunnels, the D-link DIR-620S model will suit you, which we will consider below. Its price is higher by only a couple of hundred rubles. Another nice feature in D-link is downloading files, there is another interesting and useful functionality.
You can check the speed of the Internet through a router using Speedcheck Internet Speed Test.
D-link DIR-620S
The router provides a secure wireless connection, support for several security standards - WEP, WPA / WPA2, filters connected devices by MAC address, you can use WPS and WMM technologies, for WPS there is a separate button on the case.There is a button to turn off Wi-Fi, while devices connected to the LAN ports remain on the network.
Convenient function of intelligent distribution of clients: if there are several access points or D-Link routers in the network, each can be configured so that the client automatically reconnects to the point that gives a high-quality signal. You can create a guest network with individual security settings. Easy to configure and manage - built-in WEB-interface in English and Russian.
Benefits:
- Supports a large number of modems.
- Nice design.
- Low price.
- Intuitive interface.
- Wall mount.
- Very rich functionality.
Disadvantage:
- Unstable work, frequent breaks, communication periodically disappears.
The average price of a router is 1,500 rubles, while the manufacturer claims a very large set of useful functions, which is undoubtedly a plus. But users complain about frequent disconnections, problems with connecting to a modem. It is up to you to stop at this model or not, but I liked the previous router from the rating - netis MW5230 more, although its functionality is somewhat poorer, but the connection stability is much higher.
MikroTik hAP ac2
In this case, we are not considering a router, but an access point with two simultaneous connections that provides Wi-Fi coverage for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. Equipped with 5 Ethernet 10/100/1000 ports. You can connect a modem or an external storage device to the USB connector. Supports hardware accelerated IPsec. Updated design, can be surface-mounted horizontally or vertically.
Benefits:
- Convenient stand: can be placed horizontally or vertically on a surface, and can be mounted on a wall with this stand.
- Gigabit switch.
- Powerful signal transmission.
- Compact size.
- Wide range of settings.
- Rich feature set.
Disadvantage:
- Complexity of customization for an ordinary user.
The model is very powerful, with many functions and settings, but this is a professional router, which is irrational to take to an ordinary house for ordinary use, although its price is low - 4150 rubles. But even this router bypasses the functionality of the next model in our rating - ASUS RT-AC58U. For example, it can work as a UPNP AV server, there is a guest network, which MikroTik does not have. ASUS price is about 900 rubles higher.
ASUS RT-AC58U
Provides data transmission up to 867 and 400 Mbps in the 5 and 2.4 GHz bands, respectively. The router has 4 external antennas for stable signal transmission over a large area, the signal is also amplified due to the MU-MIMO technology, it can work stably with a large number of clients.
A quad-core processor is installed, packets are processed at high speed. RAM - 128 MB. USB 3.0 interface. There is ASUS AiCloud - a data storage platform that can be accessed through a mobile application, installed on iOS and Android platforms. The same service allows you to work with files, for example, publish them on some available social networks.
Benefits:
- You can configure 3 guest subnets in each range.
- Used as a print server.
- High quality firmware.
- A large number of settings.
- Stable work.
- High network speed.
- Powerful filling.
- LEDs can be turned off.
- Nice design in the style of minimalism.
- Gigabit ports.
- Russified software.
- USB 3.0.
Disadvantages:
- Long reboot after changing settings.
- Intermittent transmission interruptions.
A very powerful and functional router with rich functionality and very powerful hardware. There is a USB 3.0 interface, it can be integrated into the "Smart Home" system, connect to a large number of consumers. The router is very good even for 5 thousand rubles. Does not work in bridge mode as a repeater, does not support downloading files. If you need a powerful router that supports these functions, consider the following rating model - Keenetic Giga (KN-1010).
Keenetic Giga (KN-1010)
Equipped with a dual-core processor, gigabit ports, dual-band.There is an amplifier for receiving and transmitting, SFP ports for connecting via fiber optic cable, USB 3.0 and 2.0, a file server, a standalone Transmission torrent client. Protection functions: from cyber threats, parental control. There are a lot of functions in the router. This is the most expensive model in the review - 8,200 rubles, but it justifies its price with rich functionality. At the same time, the router is simple, suitable even for an ordinary user.
Benefits:
- Easy to customize.
- Seamless switching between different ranges.
- Print server.
- Built-in torrent download.
- Built-in security filters, individual for each device.
- Configurable and controlled via the app.
- Availability of USB 3.0.
- Channels switch without reboot.
- Can be wall mounted.
- Signaling without failures, no reboots required.
- Excellent signal quality.
Disadvantage:
- High price.
The router justifies its price: a very powerful machine with a stable signal and speed. At the same time, it pleases with the simplicity of setting. If you need a powerful router, but don't want to mess around and configure, this is a good option. In terms of functionality, it is very similar to MikroTik hAP ac2, which was considered earlier, but MikroTik is a professional router, setting it up will require knowledge, Keenetic, in this regard, resembles cheaper models, for example, netis MW5230 or D-link DIR-620S.
