If you’re shopping for a mobile router or a home broadband device, the first real decision is 4G LTE or 5G. 5G routers are everywhere now — Huawei, ZTE, TCL, OPPO, Netgear — but they cost a lot more, and in most of Africa and parts of Asia the 5G coverage just isn’t there yet. So it depends on where you live and what you actually do online. Here’s the short version.
Table of Contents
4G vs 5G: quick comparison
| Feature | 4G LTE Router | 5G Router |
|---|---|---|
| Download Speed | 20–300 Mbps (typical) | 300–1,000+ Mbps (typical) |
| Upload Speed | 10–50 Mbps | 50–200 Mbps |
| Latency | 30–50 ms | 5–15 ms |
| Coverage | Excellent, available almost everywhere | Growing — cities covered, rural limited |
| Price | $30–$150 | $150–$500+ |
| Data Plans | Cheaper, widely available | More expensive, unlimited plans emerging |
| Best For | Browsing, email, regular streaming | 4K streaming, gaming, working from home, busy households |
| Wi-Fi Standard | Wi-Fi 4 or Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E |
Understanding LTE categories
Not all 4G routers are equal. The LTE Category sets the maximum speed — higher category means faster ceiling. Here’s what each one means in practice:
| LTE Category | Max Download | Carrier Aggregation | Example Routers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat 4 | 150 Mbps | None | Huawei B311, B310, E5577, ZTE MF920 |
| Cat 6 | 300 Mbps | 2CA | Huawei B525, B612, E5785, ZTE MF286 |
| Cat 7 | 300 Mbps | 2CA + higher upload | Huawei B535 (4G Router 3 Pro) |
| Cat 9 | 450 Mbps | 3CA | Huawei B715 |
| Cat 11/12 | 600 Mbps | 3CA | Huawei B618, B628, B716 |
| Cat 16 | 1,000 Mbps | 4CA | Netgear Nighthawk M1 (MR1100) |
| Cat 19 | 1,600 Mbps | 5CA | Huawei B818 |
So in plain terms: a Cat 6 router is about twice as fast as Cat 4 in the same spot. Cat 12 is about twice as fast as Cat 6 again. The reason is carrier aggregation — the router pulls data from two or three LTE bands at once instead of just one.
When to choose a 4G router
Stick with 4G if any of these apply to you. You’re on a tight budget — 4G routers run $30 to $150, and a decent 5G one starts north of $150. Your area has no 5G coverage yet (check your carrier’s map before paying for a 5G device that’ll never see 5G). You mainly browse, check email, scroll social media, and stream regular video; you don’t need 5G speeds for that. You live somewhere rural where 4G reaches a lot further than 5G does. Or you travel and want a small, light MiFi that lasts a full day on battery.
When to choose a 5G router
Go for 5G if your area actually has 5G signal, and you’re using the connection hard. Replacing your home broadband, streaming 4K or 8K, working from home with daily video calls and big file uploads, or running a household with twenty or more devices on Wi-Fi at once — that’s where 5G earns the price. Gamers care about latency too: 5G sits around 5–15 ms versus 4G’s 30–50 ms, which is the difference between a smooth match and lag spikes.
Popular 4G routers (by budget)
| Budget | Best Choice | Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50 | Huawei B311 / B310 | Cat 4 (150 Mbps) | Basic home broadband in Africa or Asia |
| $50–$100 | Huawei B525 / B535 | Cat 6–7 (300 Mbps) | Home broadband with dual-band Wi-Fi |
| $100–$150 | Huawei B618 / B818 | Cat 11–19 (600–1,600 Mbps) | 4G that gets close to 5G speeds |
Popular 5G routers
| Router | Max Speed | Wi-Fi | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huawei H112-372 (CPE Pro) | 1.65 Gbps | Wi-Fi 6 | Entry 5G home broadband |
| Huawei H122-373 (CPE Pro 2) | 3.6 Gbps | Wi-Fi 6 | Faster 5G home broadband |
| ZTE MC888 | 3.6 Gbps | Wi-Fi 6E | 5G with 2.5 Gbps Ethernet |
| TCL HH515 | 4.67 Gbps | Wi-Fi 6E | TCL’s top-end 5G router |
| Netgear M7 Pro (MR7400) | 6 Gbps | Wi-Fi 7 | Portable 5G with Wi-Fi 7 |
Can I use an unlocked 4G router on a 5G network?
No. A 4G router has no 5G radio inside it, so it physically can’t connect to 5G. The reverse is fine though — 5G routers fall back to 4G LTE automatically when 5G isn’t available. So a 5G router works everywhere a 4G one does, plus the 5G zones.
The verdict: which should you buy?
| Your Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Rural area, limited budget | 4G Cat 4 (Huawei B311) |
| Urban, moderate budget | 4G Cat 6 (Huawei B525/B535), or 5G if covered |
| Heavy internet user, city dweller | 5G (Huawei CPE Pro 2 or ZTE MC888) |
| Gamer or remote worker | 5G for low latency |
| Frequent traveler | 4G MiFi (better battery, wider coverage) |
Whichever you pick, get it unlocked
An unlocked router takes any carrier’s SIM, so you can switch when one network gets faster, swap to whoever has the cheapest data plan that month, or drop a local SIM in when you travel. We unlock all the major brands:
- Huawei unlock codes
- ZTE unlock codes
- Alcatel/TCL unlock codes
- Remote unlocking (ZLT, D-Link, Shanghai Boost)
Need help choosing?
Not sure which router fits your situation? Or you’ve already got one and need it unlocked? Message us — we answer 24/7.
