5G Routers and CPE

Indoor 5G routers

Indoor 5G routers are the simplest path to 5G FWA. They combine a 5G modem, router, and Wi-Fi access point in a single unit designed to sit on a desk or shelf. Plug in power and a SIM card and you are connected within minutes. No external work, no cable runs, no drilling.

The limitation is signal quality. Indoor units receive the 5G signal through the building fabric, which attenuates it. In strong coverage areas this is not a problem. On moderate or marginal sites, an indoor unit may connect on 4G rather than 5G, or may achieve 5G speeds significantly below what an outdoor unit would deliver from the same location.

Huawei CPE Pro 2 (H122-373): A widely used indoor 5G CPE with a good antenna system for an indoor unit. Supports n78 and n28. Wi-Fi 6 included. Limited band flexibility compared to Teltonika hardware but simple to configure.

ZTE MC888 Pro: Indoor 5G CPE with 5G NR support and Wi-Fi 6. Strong performance on mid-band sites. Available from several UK network operators directly.

Outdoor CPE units

Outdoor CPE units are weatherproof enclosures mounted on an exterior wall, pole or roof bracket. The antennas are outside the building, exposed directly to the 5G signal without wall attenuation. The performance difference over indoor units in moderate coverage conditions is substantial: 10-20 dB better signal, translating to significantly higher throughput and reliability.

Power is supplied via PoE (Power over Ethernet) from an indoor adapter, so only a single Ethernet cable needs to pass through the building fabric. The indoor PoE adapter connects to your switch or devices.

Huawei H138-380: Outdoor 5G CPE supporting n78 and n28 with integrated 2×2 MIMO antenna. Good performance on mid-band urban sites. Well-supported in the UK by network operators.

Nokia FastMile 5G: Enterprise-grade outdoor CPE used by operators in wholesale FWA deployments. Excellent build quality and performance but typically only available through operator channels.

Industrial 5G routers for FWA

Industrial routers from manufacturers such as Teltonika provide more configuration flexibility than consumer CPE units. They support a wider range of frequency bands, offer dual-SIM failover, include enterprise routing features (VLANs, VPN, firewall), and can be managed remotely at scale. They are the right choice for business FWA deployments, multi-site installations, and users who need full control over their connection.

Teltonika RUTX50: A 5G NSA/SA router supporting a comprehensive band list including n28, n78, and multiple 4G bands. Dual-SIM. Wi-Fi 6. Four Gigabit Ethernet ports. The most capable general-purpose 5G router in its class for FWA use. Widely available in the UK.

Teltonika RUT956: Industrial LTE Cat 12 router with 4G focus. If 5G coverage at your site is not confirmed, this is a strong 4G alternative with better software than most consumer routers.

Key specifications explained

Supported bands: The most important specification. Your router must support the 5G bands your operator deploys. In the UK, ensure n78 (3.5 GHz) is listed. For EE or rural use, n28 (700 MHz) matters. Check the specific band list, not just “5G NR Sub-6GHz”.

NSA vs SA: NSA (Non-Standalone) uses the 4G core network. SA (Standalone) uses the 5G core. Most current devices support both. SA support is increasingly important as UK operators build out 5G cores.

MIMO configuration: 4×4 MIMO means the device can use four simultaneous spatial streams. 2×2 MIMO uses two. More streams means higher potential throughput on capable cell sites.

Wi-Fi specification: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is worth having for busy households with many wireless devices. For small deployments or wired-only use, Wi-Fi 5 is adequate.

Our recommendations by use case