The Rogers Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway has eight internal U.FL ports, which allow for two 4x4 MIMO antennas to be connected to the device.
The antenna ports aren't accessible from the outside, you'll need to open the device and make minor modifications to reach them.
Don't fret - we'll walk you through it step-by-step. All you really need is a screwdriver.
NOTE: To connect external antennas you'll need to open and modify your Rogers Nokia Gateway.
Read our instructions carefully to avoid damaging the device.
Gateways are owned by Rogers, and breaking the tamper seals may result in charges.
The Best External Antennas for the Rogers Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway
We recommend two different MIMO antenna options for use with the Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway.
The easiest antenna choice for most people is our QuadMini Duo Antenna Kit. With up to 5.2 dBi of omnidirectional gain and multiple mounting options, it is designed to be extremely simple to install outdoors or indoors, at home or in an RV.
Upgrade your 5G Gateway in minutes with no aiming, and four easy mounting options.
However, if you're willing to spend a little bit of time aiming, our QuadPro Duo 8x8 Antenna Kit will generally get you the fastest data speeds, thanks to its 9.1 dBi of directional gain. This is particularly important if you're on the edge of coverage, or have very weak signal.
Get the strongest possible performance - aim both QuadPro antennas at your nearest tower for maximum speed and reliability.
Why External Antennas Are Critical for Improving Data Rates
Most people think that external antennas primarily help you increase your data rates by increasing the signal strength.
But that's not the case.
An increase in signal strength is often less important than other ways that external antennas help.
Here are the three main ways that external antennas help you increase your data rates:
1.They Improve Signal Quality
In 4G LTE and 5G networks, signal quality is measured as SINR (Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio) or sometimes as RSRQ (Reference Signal Received Quality).
Improving signal quality has a huge impact on your data rates.
Higher data rates allow your hotspot to communicate using "higher order modulation schemes." That means they can use the same wireless spectrum to send more data per second.
However, there's one big caveat:
In order to improve your signal quality, you need to both aim and shield your outdoor antenna properly. We talk more about this in the next section.
2.They Allow You To Connect On More Bands
Gateways like the Rogers Nokia FastMile 5G support an LTE feature called "carrier aggregation."
Carrier aggregation allows the Gateway to connect on multiple cellular bands simultaneously.
The more bands you're connected to, the greater the bandwidth, and the higher your data rates.
However, many of the higher frequency bands aren't able to penetrate into buildings. Using external antennas allows you to access higher frequency bands, which are often less congested and offer higher speeds than lower frequency bands.
3.They increase MIMO Isolation
MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology uses signals travelling along multiple paths simultaneously, increasing both bandwidth and reliability in wireless connections.
MIMO isolation is the antenna's ability to handle several data streams at once, cleanly and without interference, leading to quicker data speeds and steadier connections
Our external antennas are specifically designed for superior MIMO isolation, and dramatically outperform standard built-in antennas found in most home devices.
This means you'll see a more reliable connection with enhanced bandwidth, ensuring smoother streaming, gaming, and browsing with minimal interruptions.
Installing MIMO Antennas to the Rogers Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway
In the next section of this guide, we'll show you how to open up your Gateway, connect adapters for external antennas, and close it back up.
Before you get started, you will need the following:
A small phillips head screwdriver
A Torx T10 screwdriver
A thin plastic prying tool, needle-nose pliers, or tweezers
Eight U.FL to SMA-Female pigtail adapters (included in our Antenna kits)
Tape for securing and labelling cables. Painters or Electrical tape works best.
A secure container to keep screws and small parts safe while you work
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Adapters for External Antennas
Step 1: Power off the Rogers Gateway and unplug the power cable.
Step 2: Using a Torx T10 screwdriver, remove the four screws located on the bottom of the device. Set the screws aside somewhere safe.
Step 3: With the screws removed, slide the outer cover upward and lift it off to expose the inner enclosure.
Step 4: On the exposed inner enclosure, remove the four Torx T10 screws securing the inner frame.
Step 5: Gently pull the side panel of the inner enclosure outward. Swing it open and lay it to the side of the device to expose the internal antenna ports.
Step 6: You will now see eight factory antenna cables attached to the board. Using a prying tool or tweezers, carefully disconnect all eight antenna cables.
Step 7: Wrap tape around the connectors to prevent shorts, then move the cables to the side of the enclosure. Take note of the number for each port.
Step 8: Route your eight U.FL pigtail adapters through the vents on the bottom of the enclosure. Attach the U.FL pigtails to the newly available ports.
Tip:When connecting the four U.FL pigtails for ANT 5-8, angle the connectors upward and route the cables to the right. Use the hooks on the right side of the inner enclosure to help hold the cables in place.
Step 9: Once all eight pigtails are connected, attach a small piece of tape to each SMA end and label it with the corresponding port number. This makes external antenna hookup much easier later.
Once you've done all eight, it should look something like this.
Step 10: Reassemble everything in reverse order:
Close the inner enclosure side panel.
Reinstall the four Torx T10 screws securing the inner enclosure.
Slide the outer housing back into place.
Reinstall the four bottom Torx T10 screws.
Make sure the side panel fully seats - if it catches, gently adjust the cable routing.
With the gateway fully reassembled, your eight SMA-labeled pigtail adapters should now protrude cleanly from the bottom vent area.
Step 11: Connect your external MIMO Antennas to the labeled adapters installed in your Gateway in the order shown below:
This order ensures that each antenna receives a balanced mix of high- and low-frequency bands. Grouping all high or all low bands on a single antenna can create imbalance and cause placement or performance issues in an 8×8 MIMO system.
Congrats! Your Rogers Nokia 5G Gateway is now connected to your more powerful MIMO External Antennas.
Positioning and Aiming MIMO Antennas
Positioning and aiming your external MIMO antennas well is crucial to getting the best performance to your Rogers Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway, or indeed any other router or hotspot.
We've actually compiled detailed instruction manuals to accompany our own MIMO Antenna Kits, where we go into depth on the best ways to aim the antennas. See QuadPro Duo's manual and QuadMini Duo's manual here.
The goal is to find the best location and direction for the antennas to maximize data rates to the hotspot. It can take a little patience, but can have a huge impact – it’s worth a bit of extra effort!
Once you've got your external MIMO antennas connected, you're ready to go outside with your "test-rig".
With each location and direction you try, run a couple speed tests, and make a note of the results. Here are all the locations and directions where we recommend testing your MIMO antenna:
Where to test your signal
Pro Tip 1: Don’t just go to the highest point of the roof! While signal is generally stronger the higher you go, there’s also often more interference. We’ve found it’s often better to mount the antenna(s) on the side of the building where the structure can shield the antennas from interference.
Pro Tip 2: When you make bigger changes, try either power cycling or removing and re-inserting the SIM card. This forces the gateway to search for the best signal anew and can help improve data rates.
Once you've found the position which gets you the fastest connection to the T-Mobile Gateway, that's where you'll want to install the MIMO antenna. Go ahead and mount the antenna, run cables inside, connect everything up, and enjoy superior data rates!
Antenna Port Specifications
The FastMile uses a mixture of single-element LTE antennas, cross-polarized dual-element antennas, and dedicated Wi-Fi and GNSS antennas.
Other Helpful Resources
The Rogers Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway Documentation
