How to set up a 4G LTE Wi-Fi Network as an alternative to broadband

For many For us, especially in rural areas, broadband speeds over cable or DSL (or heaven, satellite bans) are not as reliable or as fast as we would like them to be – if they are even available at all. But the increase in speed and capacity of 4G LTE (and now 5G) networks has opened up another option.

Traditional barriers that have made this less than a perfect solution – data cap, cost, bandwidth, coverage, compatible hardware – are becoming less of an issue as technology becomes more better, and it is now possible to completely switch from standard broadband to 4G LTE broadband – with the occasional chat and setting.

How 4G LTE internet works

The idea behind 4G LTE at home is pretty simple at its heart: Deliver internet access to your home in the same way your phone gets online when away from Wi-Fi. If you’ve ever tried to connect your laptop to a hotspot that runs from your phone, you know what’s involved, along with the potential benefits (inter- wireless networks anywhere) and the disadvantages (interference and bandwidth issues).

Using a 4G LTE home internet service is not the same as running a hotspot though. Instead of everything coming through your phone, set up a router to talk directly to the 4G LTE network, and then that router converts the signal to a standard Wi-Fi that we all know and which we love. You won’t need SIM cards for every device you connect, as they only see your home’s Wi-Fi as usual.

We’ll explain some of the speeds you can get in the package selection we’ve described below, but the theoretical maximum transfer speed is around 1 Gbps for 4G LTE (and 10 times that for 5G). In reality and outside of a lab, you won’t see that, but if you’re in the right place for a good signal, a 4G LTE connection can make your home broadband stand out. ‘look slow in comparison.

Latency – the speed at which your entries reach the web and return again – can be a problem for certain uses such as a game, but as most other technologies, 4G LTE is getting better over time. As the years go by it also becomes cheaper, reaching more areas at faster speeds, and becoming more capable for more people. Other limitations such as data caps are starting to disappear in some cases as well, although these caps are worth keeping in mind when comparing services. Traditionally, restrictions on data usage have been one of the main reasons for not switching to 4G LTE for home connection.