Greetings all,

I am trying to understand the differences between what i see as the 2 main options for 3G connectivity.

The first option:
RB750UP
USB 3G dongle

The second option:
RB400u
Novatel 3G PCIe card (https://techship.se/products/novatel-eu850d)
External enclosure with built-in antenna

What are the limitations you foresee with the above options?

Why does Mikrotik not build a Routerboard with a built in 3g radio?

I appreciate any feedback you may have on this.

Blake

Why does Mikrotik not build a Routerboard with a built in 3g radio?

Network support for one. Different telcos use different bands and to be a good product, the modem would need to support nearly EVERY 3G/4G band in the world.

Note a mPCIe modem will use less power, work better at much higher temperatures and last a good deal longer than a permanently connected USB modem. As for which is better, I can't say as I've never used either of those modems.

Thank You RogerWilco for your input. What you have said was about performance was also my feeling as well.

One challenge in this whole conversations is actually locating a 3g modem which is of quality, without spending $200! In addition to my initial questions, does anyone have any real experience with a 3g PCIe modem which is both reasonably priced and a solid performer?

Take care,

Blake

My preference is:
Primary link? PCIe - reliable and fast.
Backup? USB - cheap, often even free with contract. Easily repurposable.

Svino, What PCIe 3g modems do you prefer? Have you found one which is a good compromise between cost and quality for a primary link?

Actually I haven't looked at 3G for a while, all LTE these days: throughput and latency. Sometimes also better signal. 3G is cheaper.

Sierra Wireless is a solid bet, Huawei isn't bad either. Look at the supported HW list to avoid problems: http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Supported ... and_modems