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3 Best Ways to Increase 4G LTE & 5G Data Speeds at Home

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Nothing's worse than a slow-loading webpage or waiting for a buffering video.

Many households are opting to use 4G or 5G cellular connectivity instead of cable or fiber broadband. People choose cellular for various reasons: sometimes due to the expense of wireless broadband, but most often because in rural areas cell signal is simply the fastest option available.

But LTE and 5G NR have their limitations. Slow LTE and 5G data rates are common. In this article we discuss exactly how you can improve 4G LTE and 5G data rates.

This is a general guide to improving 4G and 5G data speeds at home. You may also be interested in our updated guide to the latest 5G signal boosters, which covers these in much greater detail.

How Can I Improve My 4G LTE or 5G Speed?

There are three things you can do to improve your data rates:

  1. Get a New Phone/Hotspot

    If you're using an old device, a new phone or hotspot may allow you to connect to new bands. Newer devices support newer versions of the LTE or 5G specification and allow for faster data rates. Newer hotspots often support the use of external antennas as well.

  2. Use External Antennas [Best for Hotspots]

    Many hotspots from major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile support external antenna ports. If you have a hotspot, check out our hotspot antenna guides and our 2x2 MIMO External Antenna kits or our 4x4 QuadPro and QuadMini antenna kits (depending on the number of cellular antenna ports available for your cellular router).

    We offer a 2x2 MIMO Panel and 2x2 MIMO Log Periodic antenna kit as well as a 4x4 Waveform QuadPro, and 4x4 Waveform QuadMini antenna kits. External antennas can improve both signal strength, signal quality, and help you access bands that aren't making it indoors. 

  3. Use a MIMO Signal Booster [Best for Phones]

    Some hotspots and almost all phones don't have external antenna ports. For these types of devices, the best option for improving data rates is a MIMO signal booster/amplifier system.

    Cell phone signal boosters amplify your signal, increasing the signal strength (RSRP) while their directional outdoor antennas reduce interference, increasing the signal quality (SINR).

    We offer a Cel-Fi GO X MIMO Kit that achieves this goal. When using two boosters in a MIMO configuration in tandem with MIMO external antennas, they can allow for wireless rebroadcast of improved signal indoors.

Each of these options has a different set of effects on your 4G/5G signal, and thus your data rates:

New Phone
or Hotspot
External
Antennas
Dual Signal Boosters
w/ MIMO External Antennas
Signal Quality No effect May Improve May Improve
Connected Bands May Improve May Improve May Improve
Tower Congestion May Improve May Improve May Improve
MIMO Support May Improve May Improve May Improve

1. Latest Hotspot + Directional Outdoor Antennas

2x2 Cross-Polarized MIMO Outdoor Antenna(s)

If you want the very best data rates, and don’t mind relying on WiFi for distributing indoors, use the latest hotspot from your carrier with external antennas mounted outside the building or vehicle.

Check out our hotspot antenna guides and our 2x2 or 4x4 MIMO External Antenna kits for more information. We offer a 2x2 MIMO Panel and 2x2 MIMO Log Periodic antenna kit as well as a 4x4 Waveform QuadPro, and 4x4 Waveform QuadMini antenna kit.

We recommend using the Waveform QuadPro if you want to aim your antenna at your nearest cell towers for the fastest possible 5G data speeds, but if you'd prefer a more straightforward setup, the Waveform QuadMini will likely suit your needs better.

If your hotspot has four external cellular antenna ports, then it's usually best to go with a 4x4 antenna kit like the QuadPro or QuadMini. However, if it has only two then you’ll want the 2x2 MIMO Antenna Kit.

If the outdoor signal is very weak, but sufficient quality, you can add an inline “M2M” booster. We specifically recommend the Wilson Pro IoT 5-Band.

Advantages

  • Highly cost-effective if you already have a hotspot.
  • Easy to support MIMO (multiple antennas for improved performance)
  • Fastest data rates.
  • Directional outdoor antennas can improve SINR, enable you to access weaker outdoor bands, and improve MIMO performance.

Disadvantages

  • Requires a hotspot.
  • Requires a line of service for the hotspot.
  • Your system is hard-wired - and while phones can connect via WiFi, they won’t see better 4G/5G signals.

2. MIMO Signal Booster + MIMO Directional Outdoor Antenna(s)

2x2 Cross-Polarized MIMO Outdoor Antenna(s) and MIMO Signal Booster

If you don’t have a hotspot, or can’t afford the monthly charges associated with adding a line of service, or if you simply want wireless LTE/5G coverage indoors, use a MIMO cell signal booster.

A MIMO cell phone signal booster system amplifies the signal from outdoors, rebroadcasting indoors wirelessly to get you the best data rates.

We offer a Cel-Fi GO X MIMO Kit that is optimized for achieving a 2x2 MIMO connection in this format. When using the two boosters in a MIMO configuration in tandem with MIMO external antennas, they can allow for wireless rebroadcast of improved signal indoors.

Advantages

  • Wireless coverage for multiple devices.
  • Works with existing phones.
  • Easy to support MIMO (multiple antennas for improved performance)
  • Doesn’t require a hotspot or line of service.
  • Directional outdoor antennas can improve SINR.
  • Booster may enable you to connect to weaker bands.

Disadvantages

  • More expensive than external antennas for an existing hotspot.
  • More difficult to assemble.
  • Smaller number of bands supported.

What Causes Slow 4G LTE/5G Data Rates?

There are five factors that affect the LTE/5G data speeds you experience.

Roughly by order of importance, these are:

  1. Signal Quality (SINR)

    In 4G LTE and 5G networks, signal quality is measured as SINR. Increasing your SINR can have a dramatic impact on your connection speeds. The best way to improve SINR is to use a directional outdoor antenna, either connected to a signal booster or directly to an LTE or 5G hotspot. 

  2. Number of Connected Bands

    Your phone or hotspot can use multiple bands to connect simultaneously to the tower. This is called “Carrier Aggregation.” The more bands you’re connected on, the higher your data rates.

  3. Signal Strength (RSRP)

    Many people think this is the most important factor, but it isn't. Signal strength, which is called RSRP in 4G LTE and 5G networks, definitely matters. But it’s often not the most important factor. If your RSRP signal is stronger than around -100 dBm, then a stronger signal won't help increase your data rates.

  4. Tower Congestion

    The more users on the tower, the lower your data rates will be. In reality, tower congestion varies by band. Generally higher frequencies penetrate buildings less than lower frequencies. As a result, higher frequency bands are generally less congested. Using outdoor antennas connected directly to a hotspot or to a signal booster can help get you access to less-congested bands.

  5. MIMO Support

    Both the tower and your LTE/5G device use multiple antennas, in a configuration called “Multiple Input Multiple Output,” to increase data rates by around 30%. Most cell phone signal boosters are SISO – "Single Input Single Output" – though you can install two systems in parallel to get a MIMO booster.  

  6. Throttling

    If you're on an "MVNO" like Tracfone, Straight Talk, or others, you're treated as a second-class citizen on the main carrier's network. Even if you're on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint directly, you may be throttled if you use a lot of data each billing cycle. Throttling is a process by which carriers de-prioritize certain users or even cap their connection to a certain speed.

Questions? Comments?

Have more questions that we haven't covered here? Or have a tip on an app we should try? Please leave a comment or reach out to us!

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