Internet and WiFi
External 4G & 5G Antennas: Which One Do You Need For Your Caravan or Motorhome Router?
Travelling in a caravan or motorhome gives you the freedom to go anywhere. And when you’ve invested in an internet router for your caravan, you want to make sure you can get a good signal wherever you go.
In rural or remote areas — where many campsites are based — this becomes tricky. Which is where a 4G external antenna or 5G external antenna can come in handy.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about 4G and 5G external antennas. Find out what they do, when they should be used to get better internet in your caravan, and which external antenna will work best for your router.
What is an external 4G/5G antenna and do they work?
Installing an external 3G, 4G, or 5G antenna on your caravan router will increase the area in which your device can pick up strong mobile signals.
That means if you’re travelling to a more remote location than usual, or you want to improve the connection available at your usual campsite, adding a 4G/5G external antenna to your WiFi setup can boost the availability and strength of nearby mobile data signals.
Research shows that installing an external antenna works by improving several functions, including:
- Bandwidth — The antenna increases the bandwidth, which allows more data to be transmitted over the internet connection.
- Gain — 4G and 5G antennas have high gain, allowing them to increase signal strength.
- MIMO performance — External antennas improve several MIMO-related factors, including Envelope Correlation Coefficient (ECC), Mean Effective Gain (MEG), and Diversity Gain (DG).
Do I need an external 4G/5G antenna for my caravan router?
Not all caravan routers need a separate 4G/5G antenna. The Maxview Roam and Roam X systems include an antenna in your startup package, so you have maximum connectivity out of the box.
But if you have another type of router — such as a Huawei, TP-Link, Netgear, or Teltonika router — you probably don’t have an external antenna that maximises the signal. In these cases, it may be worth boosting your signal with an external 4G or 5G antenna.
It’s worth noting that a 4G antenna will also increase availability of 3G networks in your area. It all depends on which networks are accessible in the vicinity.
Which external 4G/5G antenna do I need for my router?
Choosing the right 4G/5G antenna isn’t easy, especially if you find it tricky to navigate the technical side of how antennas work.
To help you choose your 4G/5G antenna, we’ve put together this comparison table, along with recommendations for the most suitable Maxview antenna to boost your signal.
| Router Make | Typical router external antenna connector type | Recommended Maxview antenna | Installation notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netgear | TS9 | Maxview 4G/5G 2×2 MIMO | Attach the two SMA to TS9 connectors (included with antenna) |
| Huawei | TS9 | Maxview 4G/5G 2×2 MIMO | Attach the two SMA to TS9 connectors (included with antenna) |
| TP-Link | TS9 | Maxview 4G/5G 2×2 MIMO | Attach the two SMA to TS9 connectors (included with antenna) |
| Teltonika | SMA | Maxview 4G/5G 2×2 MIMO or Maxview 4G/5G 4×4 MIMO for 5G routers | Attach straight into the router |
| Huawei | ZTE | Maxview 4G/5G 2×2 MIMO | Attach the two SMA to TS9 connectors (included with antenna) |
Find out more about individual models for each router make:
Why do I need an adaptor for my external 4G/5G antenna?
There are two major connector types for attaching your antenna to your router: TS9 and SMA.
All Maxview antennas use the SMA connector, but not all routers are compatible with this connector type. In these cases, you’ll need an adaptor.
Adaptors are available from Maxview. Use the table above to determine if you’ll need an adaptor to connect your 4G/5G antenna to your router.
How do I install an external 4G/5G antenna?
We usually recommend using one of our installation partners to install your antenna on your caravan or motorhome, as they can link your antenna to your router safely and neatly.
If you want to install your own antenna, this video shows you how to safely mount your antenna on the roof of your vehicle:
There may be some variation in how you connect your antenna to your router, as there are a few different setups. Here’s what you need to know about installing an antenna in each scenario.
1. No adaptor, no setting changes
This is the simplest method. If your router has an SMA connector, you can simply connect your antenna to the router without an adaptor.
SMA connectors look like this:
If your router uses a 2×2 cable, you’ll need to connect two cables. Unlike some routers, the Maxview Roam 5G uses a 4×4 antenna which requires four connectors, and gives you the best possible internet speeds.
2. Adaptor needed, no setting changes
If your router has a TS9 connector, you’ll need an adaptor to connect your Maxview antenna. Here’s what a TS9 connector looks like:
The adaptor is very easy to use. Just connect the TS9 side to the router cable, then attach your antenna cable to the SMA connector.
Is there a difference between a 4G/5G and WiFi antenna?
Yes, there is a difference between these two types of external antenna. While a WiFi antenna serves to boost the signal from your WiFi router, it won’t help you get a better signal from mobile network masts.
4G and 5G external antennas, meanwhile, can’t improve the broadband signal from your router. But they will help your router find and connect to a mobile network more easily, giving you a faster, more reliable connection even when you’re out of WiFi range.
Get ready for 5G with Maxview
While 4G is still the dominant signal type in the UK, 5G is becoming more widely available. So even if you already have a 3G/4G compatible router, it might be time to upgrade.
With our new 5G Roam router, you can get the best possible signals and make sure your internet access is fast and reliable whenever you need it. We even offer a 5G Roam router especially for campervans.
Not sure which router is right for you? Use our WiFi selector tool to find the best option for your vehicle.