How to choose a suitable 4G cellular router

4G cellular connections are widely being used by businesses to connect their sites to the internet or to other sites on their Wide Area Network (WAN). Using 4G can be very useful if you need sites connected fast. 

There are so many types of 4g routers in market supporting various kinds of features. In order to purchase a suitable 4g router for your application, you should take the time to consider some of the following questions…

1.      What is the router planned to be used for?

Not all 4G routers are created equal. One of the big differences to consider from the outset is whether you need a device that’s able to use more than one cellular connection to provide an internet connection.

If you’re a business user then the answer here is likely to be a yes – and the feature you’re looking for is referred to as a ‘multi-SIM’ capability. Performance and reliability is the primary reason multi-SIM is appropriate for businesses, If your end users or customers rely on stable and robust communication, then the cost of a slow or intermittent connection might run to far more than inconvenience. 4G routers that use only 1 SIM are targeted at leisure users or business sites with few users for whom performance is less of an issue.

 

2.      Be aware of the Multi-SIM/SIM failover difference

There’s a big distinction between a router that offers multi-SIM capability and one that offers merely a SIM failover service. If the router you’re looking at has two SIM slots it doesn’t necessarily mean it offers two cellular connections – instead, it might just mean that there’s room for a ‘back up’ sim should the primary cellular connection experience a service issue. Routers that offer true multi-SIM technology combine 2 or more connections.

3.      Is SIM Bonding or Load Balancing right for your business?

When using more than one SIM, depending on the types of application you’re running, you’ll need to decide whether bonding or load balancing your cellular connections is right for you. If you’re bonding, you’re essentially using the router technology to combine all of your 4G connections into one – whereas with load balancing you’re attributing a single connection to each application or end user.

4.      Do you have priority applications that must run?

A lot of businesses have core applications that have to run for service to be provided. It’s not just dropped connections that cause application issues, you might have applications for which a slowed connection can cause problems. This can especially be the case if you have real-time applications.

5.      How important is reporting on data?

Relying on the different carriers to provide accurate information on your data use can sometimes prove taxing – for many this isn’t done as standard, so takes time and effort if you want to get certain figures. If you’re keen on keeping an eye on data use then finding a router with built-in reporting capabilities can be very helpful. In doing so you can compile crucial information on budgets, application use and much more.

6.      Do you need Wi-Fi?

There are a variety of reasons that wireless access to your network can be helpful – the physical setting of your network might require it, guest users might not want to (or be able to) plug an RJ45 cable into their device, printers and other network peripherals might be awkwardly located – and so forth.

Not all 4G routers offer a wireless connection – but some do, so if your business could benefit from the flexibility that brings, be sure to check – it’s not always built in.

If your cases or projects are used in M2M&IoT fields, E-Lins Communication’s series 4G M2M routers will be good choice for you, maybe you can take a short view of their products from their website.         

For more information, please visit E-Lins Technology!