4G Antennas

4G Antenna - Efficient mobile broadband signal

Here on the page, you will find our selection of 4G antennas, which are external antennas that can help provide you with a better mobile broadband signal.

A 4G antenna can particularly affect your signal if you live in the countryside or in areas with a poor signal; here, the 4G antenna can help to strengthen your mobile broadband signal both indoors and outdoors.

So it is not the mobile phone's signal that is improved but rather the signal that your router for broadband needs to capture, and thus your internet signal.

The 4G, and for that matter also 5G, signal can fluctuate in strength depending on where you are, and there are certainly just some places where the signal is significantly weaker than others.

Therefore, you may need a 4G antenna if you live in the countryside, far from the nearest antenna, or if you live in a smaller town where there is also a considerable distance to an antenna.

In fact, there are also places in the larger cities where you may experience that the signal is not quite as good, and this can often be the case if you, for example, live in a single-story house surrounded by tall buildings.

Here, the tall buildings can shield the signal to your house.

When you look for a 4G antenna, it can be easy to get confused by the many models and variants, as well as the many abbreviations and specifications; therefore, we have gathered some useful information that can help you navigate through the jungle and find the right 4G antenna for you.

7 things you should know when looking for a 4G Antenna

LTE, GSM, Wlan, UMTS and GNSS, are you also puzzled?

When you look for a 4G antenna, you will encounter a lot of different terms and specifications, and very few can actually make sense of them; therefore, we have compiled some information below that can help you navigate the many models of 4G antennas.

#1 - 4G antenna gain

When you look for a 4G antenna, you may come across a specification called gain or amplification, which is typically expressed in dB.

A 4G antenna's gain tells you how much the antenna amplifies the signal, and the higher the number, the more the antenna amplifies the signal.

The gain can also be expressed in dBi, which is higher than if it is expressed in dB.

dBi is a number that indicates the antenna's gain relative to a virtual superantenna, which has the same gain in all directions; therefore, the dBi number is often higher than the dB.

When looking at the gain value, you need to consider what the number is at the frequency you will use; for example, it is not relevant for you to see what the gain is at 2100 MHz if you are using 1800 MHz.

If you are looking for a good and powerful antenna, you will often see that these have around 14 dBi, but you can also find smaller antennas that do a really good job; and if you are looking for quality, you should be aware that price and quality are often correlated when you are looking for a 4G antenna.

#2 - 4G antenna directivity

The directivity of the 4G antenna tells you how the antenna picks up the signal, and there are essentially two types of directivity:

• Omni-directional
• Directional

Omni-directional

This type of directivity is also called an omnidirectional antenna, which picks up the signal all around the antenna, similar to car antennas.

Omni-antennas are easy to install and should ideally be mounted so that there is open air around them.

Directional

A directional antenna can be placed on a wall and should be aimed at the mast from which you are receiving the signal.

To adjust the directional antenna towards the mast, you may need a signal tester or a map and a compass.

You may recognize directional antennas from older TV antennas, which resembled a rake, and this type is also called a Yagi antenna.

However, you do not need to decorate your house with a rake antenna to get a directional antenna, as they are also made in flat antennas in different colors, ensuring discreet installation of the antenna.

MIMO

MIMO is not a type of antenna, but rather a technology that is often found in newer 4G and 5G antennas, and MIMO stands for “Multiple Inputs Multiple Outputs.”

This technology allows the antenna to send and receive on multiple frequencies simultaneously, which helps to increase speed.

You will usually be able to see in the specifications for a 4G antenna whether it has MIMO, and if not, an antenna with MIMO will often have 2 antenna outputs.

#3 - 4G antenna impedance

4G antenna impedance is a measure of resistance to electrical signal in an antenna and is typically measured in Ohms.

The impedance is important when you choose the coaxial cable, also called the antenna cable, as the antenna's impedance should match or be close to the coaxial cable's impedance to avoid signal loss between the devices, for example, between the antenna and router.

#4 - 4G antenna placement

Not all 4G antennas are designed to be mounted outdoors, so it is important to be aware of where a particular antenna is approved to be placed.

It also matters whether the antenna needs to amplify the signal from the router or from the mast.

If the antenna needs to amplify the signal from the mast, it will typically need to be mounted outside, ahead of your router, and if it needs to amplify the signal from the router, it is often installed indoors.

Depending on whether your new 4G antenna is directional or omni-directional, it should either be placed on a wall or a pole, or hang with open air around it.

You can see how to install a 4G antenna in either the specifications or the manual.

#5 - 4G antenna compatibility

Your new 4G antenna may be compatible with several types of signals, so it is important to be aware of the compatibility if there are specific signal types you want the antenna to capture.

4G antennas can often also capture signals for 5G and 3G, but also a range of other signals such as:

• GSM - global system for mobile communication is the most widespread signal for mobile telephony
• Bluetooth - wireless communication using shortwave radio signals
• GPS - Global positioning system is satellite-based navigation and positioning signal
• LTE - Is another name for 4G
• WLAN - Overall concept for communication between devices, WiFi is the method of communication.
• ZigBee - A protocol for connecting smart devices on a home network

That your 4G antenna is compatible with some of these signals means that it can be used effectively with these signals.

#6 - 4G antenna connection type

The connection type is a term for what type of connector needs to be on your cable to connect to the antenna.

Often this connection type will be an SMA connector, as this is often the type of connector that is attached to a coaxial cable.

The connector ensures effective transmission of the signal between the antenna and router.

Some 4G antennas will have two connection outputs and others one, and you will therefore be able to see the designation 2xSMA male or 1xSMA male.

#7 - 4G antenna frequency range

The frequency range of your 4G antenna is often determined by the signal provided by your provider, but for 4G, the frequency often lies at 800, 1800, or 2600 MHz.

However, the antenna can also support other ranges and thus also for example 3G or 2G, depending on the frequency.

The frequency is another term for channels and depending on the provider, signals can be transmitted on different channels, similar to how you know it from TV, where different programs can be transmitted on different channels.