Every 5G modem, whether it sits on a desk or hangs under an eave, works by exchanging radio signals with the nearest cellular tower. Those signals weaken each time they pass through sheet-rock, brick, low-E glass, or even siding. Indoors, the modem must fight its way through one, two, or sometimes five layers of building material before it ever reaches open air.

The result is easy to recognise but hard to predict: one home enjoys flawless 5G speeds at the kitchen table, while a neighbour across the street cannot stream a video in the same spot. The difference is usually not the service plan or the tower, but rather the amount of signal lost on the journey from the tower to the modem’s tiny internal antennas.

There are two main ways to try to address that loss of signal:

Indoor Modem + External Antennas

If you already own a good modem that you trust, adding a high-gain MIMO antenna is a solid way to bring the signal indoors. Mount the antenna outside, aim at the tower, and keep the coax run short. With good antennas like the Waveform QuadPro, performance can be excellent.

Outdoor Modem 

An outdoor modem skips the coax entirely by taking the whole radio system outside. The modem and antennas sit together in one weather-sealed unit, preserving every decibel of signal and giving the radio direct access to bands that never make it indoors. And because devices like the Waveform ProLink use higher-end modem hardware and carefully matched integrated antennas, they often deliver noticeably faster and more consistent performance than a typical indoor setup.

An outdoor modem has a few built-in advantages:

• Cleaner signal from the start.
• Zero loss from coax.
• Full access to mid and high 5G bands (n41, n77, n78) that rarely reach indoors.
• One tidy enclosure instead of multiple boxes and cables.

And because the price typically lands close to the cost of a good modem plus a powerful antenna, the value is easy to see.

External antennas and outdoor modems solve the same problem. The decision usually comes down to the install, the hardware you already own, and how much simplicity you want.

When an Outdoor Modem Makes More Sense

• Clean install. One box outside, one Ethernet cable inside.
• No cable loss at all.
• Full access to mid and high 5G bands.
• Stronger modem and antennas than most indoor units.
• Your coax run would be long if you used external antennas.

When External Antennas Are the Better Fit

• You already have a solid 5G modem you want to keep.
• You can keep coax short.
• You prefer the modem staying indoors.
• You’re fine with a slightly more involved install.

The Simple Rule of Thumb

• Outdoor modem: best when you want the strongest, cleanest signal and the simplest install.
• Indoor modem + antennas: best when you already own a good modem and can keep cable runs short.

Both routes solve weak indoor signal. The difference is whether you want the tidiness and upgraded hardware of an outdoor modem, or the flexibility and reuse of your existing equipment.

Walls and windows are the biggest barriers to 5G performance. You can overcome them by mounting high-gain antennas outside and feeding signal to an indoor modem, or by using an outdoor modem that bundles everything into one enclosure.

Both routes work. Both unlock the performance your carrier’s network can provide. The outdoor modem does it with the least signal loss and the cleanest install. External antennas get you close when you already have hardware you want to keep.

Pick the approach that fits your equipment, your installation constraints, and how simple you want the setup to be.

And if you have any questions or want help figuring out which setup fits your home best, reach out to our team.