Teltonika cellular Routers

Diabalo

Diabalo

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I have been looking on Teltonika's site at cellular routers with WiFi and bewildered by the amount of different ones. So what is needed for 4G just to get on the internet and a bit of telly streaming. I don't want to pay out for a RUTX14 when another cheaper unit will do all I need.

​

 
I’ve updated from a RUT950 (cat4) to a RUTX11 paired to a four lead roof aerial (Panorama x2 WiFi x2 LTE)
It’s cat 6 and works extremely well with our EE SIM card.
Personally I don’t see the point in spending any more than a RUTX11 but some will disagree. We stream TV through a Firestick and have two iPads, two phones and a lap top.
In poor signal areas the difference is remarkable from hot spotting on the phone.

Home 4G/5G installations, Networking, Building to Building WiFi, Fibre - solwise.co.uk | Solwise Ltd

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Last edited:
Hettie's Crew said:
Personally I don’t see the point in spending any more than a RUTX11 but some will disagree
Click to expand...
I don't necessarily not agree, but....

Depends on what you want/need

The important thing here is the CAT of the router.

RUTX11 = CAT 6
RUTX14 = CAT 12

What does this mean?

Well, a CAT 6 router is theoretically capable of a maximum of 300Mbps and has 2 x 2 MiMo streams (essentially fewer antennas)

A CAT 12, however, tops out at 600Mbps and has 4 x 4 MiMo streams.

In the real world, both will do just fine for checking emails and streaming Netflix in most places - however, the CAT 12 one will be able to get a signal in more places than the CAT 6 one and will give you higher speeds on average.

It comes at a cost though.

You shouldn't expect to get the max speeds or anything close to them most of the time.

Other considerations:

Neither of those routers support eSIM. If you're in the UK then that probably doesn't matter, but eSIMs are really convenient when travelling abroad because you 'download' them so you don't have to go find that shop that does SIM cards but it's closed because it's Sunday... They are also often cheaper and if you're hopping between country borders you can just 'pause' one and 'enable' the other - so you don't get data roaming limits....

The RUT241 is Teltonika's 'entry level' eSIM compatible router but it's only CAT4. You then jump to the RUTM52 and RUTM54 which are CAT 20 and 19 respectively but sit down before you look at the prices of those :D

I like the Teltonika products a lot, but there are other LTE routers out there with better features for less money that use the OpenWRT operating system that is what the Teltonika RUTOS is based on.

The next headache is pairing the right antenna to the router, but pick the router first and then we can help choose the antenna to go with it! Bear in mind that a 4 X 4 MiMo antenna with WiFi and GPS is going to cost significantly more than a simple 2 X 2 one so the more expensive your router, the more expensive your antenna is likeley to be....

Full disclosure, I have a RUTX50 so am not averse to spending too much money on something that's more powerful than I need most of the time! However, I do sometimes 'work from van' and I work in IT so having good internet is important to me.

The RUTM52/54 were not launched when I got mine, otherwise I would probably have spent the extra for the eSIM feature (and might still upgrade at some point)
 
I've got an RUTX50. It's very stable, robust, and has no issues being plugged directly into a motorhome's noisy and variable 12v system. Downsides are that it's not that user friendly, it's expensive, and it's not as quick as you'd expect from the premium price. I think I'd probably get another brand next time.
 
Guigsy said:
Downsides are that it's not that user friendly
Click to expand...
This is a very valid point.

I set one up not that long ago for a fellow Funster for exactly that reason.

While they don't require advanced computer programming skills or anything silly, it can be a bit intimidating. Part of the appeal for me is being able to get into the granular nature and creating VLANs and multiple SSIDs etc but the flip side is that if you're new to networking then you've got an ocean of parameters which can be off putting and confusing.

From that point of view my old Netgear Nighthawk M1 was excellent (and I'm sure the subsequent incarnations will be too).

There's a lot less you can fiddle with, which keeps the setup really simple (and the chances of messing up the settings very low!) Much more intuitive for a lot of people and is definitely worthy of consideration.

For me it was a hinderance which is why I swapped it for a Teltonika which I've now managed to get talking to my Home Assistant so I can do clever things based on data coming in from the router (e.g. auto close the MaxxFan if I've driven off and forgotten to do it - or activate the electromagnetic locks on cupboards when driving to stop the doors flapping open or....)

You know, all the normal stuff that normal people want their router to do :D

Having learned a lot about these over the years, I'm also not sure if my next one will be a Teltonika or if I'd go down the route of getting one of the OpenWRT based ones (such as the GL.iNet offerings). One of the many things on my 'to do' list is research an OpenWRT unit with something like CAT20 and eSIM.

I'm also looking at OpenMPTCProuter (OMR) which will bond various WAN signals (e.g. Starlink and LTE, or multiple LTEs or whatever) but I'm straying further and further away from the original point.... :D

Have a look also at the Gl.iNet stuff (for example the Slate 7) which is a lot of router for the money and has had excellent reviews.

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fishplug said:
This is a very valid point.

I set one up not that long ago for a fellow Funster for exactly that reason.

While they don't require advanced computer programming skills or anything silly, it can be a bit intimidating. Part of the appeal for me is being able to get into the granular nature and creating VLANs and multiple SSIDs etc but the flip side is that if you're new to networking then you've got an ocean of parameters which can be off putting and confusing.

From that point of view my old Netgear Nighthawk M1 was excellent (and I'm sure the subsequent incarnations will be too).

There's a lot less you can fiddle with, which keeps the setup really simple (and the chances of messing up the settings very low!) Much more intuitive for a lot of people and is definitely worthy of consideration.

For me it was a hinderance which is why I swapped it for a Teltonika which I've now managed to get talking to my Home Assistant so I can do clever things based on data coming in from the router (e.g. auto close the MaxxFan if I've driven off and forgotten to do it - or activate the electromagnetic locks on cupboards when driving to stop the doors flapping open or....)

You know, all the normal stuff that normal people want their router to do :D

Having learned a lot about these over the years, I'm also not sure if my next one will be a Teltonika or if I'd go down the route of getting one of the OpenWRT based ones (such as the GL.iNet offerings). One of the many things on my 'to do' list is research an OpenWRT unit with something like CAT20 and eSIM.

I'm also looking at OpenMPTCProuter (OMR) which will bond various WAN signals (e.g. Starlink and LTE, or multiple LTEs or whatever) but I'm straying further and further away from the original point.... :D

Have a look also at the Gl.iNet stuff (for example the Slate 7) which is a lot of router for the money and has had excellent reviews.
Click to expand...
The slate 7 is an interesting bit of kit
 
I have no experience of it, but I'm pretty sure there are other funsters who mentioned that they use similar OpenWRT routers. I just can't remember who offhand!

Worth having a search on here and maybe getting some first hand opinions from them and they might be able to suggest other models. I haven't really researched it but wanted to give you an idea of what else was out there.

As I say, the Teltonika has been brilliant and I have only very minor gripes about it but I could be tempted over to the Open Source variants (especially if I can find an eSIM one)
 
Just to add another spanner to the works, I've been using a Switch e.SIM - the physical eSIM.
It's worked well in France where I took out a 30 day 300Gb plan on eSIM and put it in my RUT955.
 
Guigsy said:
I've got an RUTX50. It's very stable, robust, and has no issues being plugged directly into a motorhome's noisy and variable 12v system. Downsides are that it's not that user friendly, it's expensive, and it's not as quick as you'd expect from the premium price. I think I'd probably get another brand next time.
Click to expand...
I have one as well, since it's nearly as future proof as you can get right now.

I presume you have an external antennae array?

Leading edge is often worth it in the longer term, but not bleeding edge!

(I'm typing this on a 5 year old phone that would have been very expensive!)

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Jon Stewart said:
I have one as well, since it's nearly as future proof as you can get right now.

I presume you have an external antennae array?

Leading edge is often worth it in the longer term, but not bleeding edge!

(I'm typing this on a 5 year old phone that would have been very expensive!)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've got a 5G Poynting MIMO. The RUTX50 is good, I can often get a usable connection in areas that have too poor coverage or are too congested from my phone. But most of the time the network isn't too bad, so my phone will outrun it. I guess steady and reliable is better than fast but occasionally flaky.
 
Roof antenna would be particularly important in a metal sided van, I'd guess!
 
I would say that if you are using these routers then you want to get the most out of them, which would definitely include fitting an external roof mounted antenna to maximise the signal.

If not, then I wouldn't spend the money as they are not usually cheap.
 
fishplug said:
This is a very valid point.

I set one up not that long ago for a fellow Funster for exactly that reason.

While they don't require advanced computer programming skills or anything silly, it can be a bit intimidating. Part of the appeal for me is being able to get into the granular nature and creating VLANs and multiple SSIDs etc but the flip side is that if you're new to networking then you've got an ocean of parameters which can be off putting and confusing.

From that point of view my old Netgear Nighthawk M1 was excellent (and I'm sure the subsequent incarnations will be too).

There's a lot less you can fiddle with, which keeps the setup really simple (and the chances of messing up the settings very low!) Much more intuitive for a lot of people and is definitely worthy of consideration.

For me it was a hinderance which is why I swapped it for a Teltonika which I've now managed to get talking to my Home Assistant so I can do clever things based on data coming in from the router (e.g. auto close the MaxxFan if I've driven off and forgotten to do it - or activate the electromagnetic locks on cupboards when driving to stop the doors flapping open or....)

You know, all the normal stuff that normal people want their router to do :D

Having learned a lot about these over the years, I'm also not sure if my next one will be a Teltonika or if I'd go down the route of getting one of the OpenWRT based ones (such as the GL.iNet offerings). One of the many things on my 'to do' list is research an OpenWRT unit with something like CAT20 and eSIM.

I'm also looking at OpenMPTCProuter (OMR) which will bond various WAN signals (e.g. Starlink and LTE, or multiple LTEs or whatever) but I'm straying further and further away from the original point.... :D

Have a look also at the Gl.iNet stuff (for example the Slate 7) which is a lot of router for the money and has had excellent reviews.
Click to expand...

fishplug Had another look at the Slate 7 but unless i'm missing something it doesn't take a sim card so non-cellular.

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My apologies, you are quite correct. (I did say I hadn't researched this properly yet!)

Have a look at the Spitz Plus - that's the one I was thinking of and which I'm sure others here have got.

CAT 12 so capable of a theoretical 600Mbps
 
I had the original GL.iNet Spitz and once these routers are replaced by a newer model, support for them becomes lacking - but they don't won't tell you. When mine failed (February) replaced it with the RUTX50, very happy. Just need to get the Poynting antenna.
 
Regarding the roof antenna, Poynting gets mentioned a lot on here and deservedly so but also consider Panorama.
panorama-antennas.com

Panorama Antennas | Making the Connection

Established in 1947, Panorama Antennas is a global leader in the design and manufacture of RF antenna solutions for wireless communications.
panorama-antennas.com panorama-antennas.com
 
Indeed Panorama can have a 2-3 higher Dbi gain than Poynting on some bands.

Ref; cheap and cheerful, if you don't have a PVC< consider a 5g cat 20 MU50001. On Ebay only yesterday at £110 -> will outperform even the cat12 options from Teltonica in a non PVC van. Please note on these the internal antenna are combined with 2 roof antenna ports, and the roof antenna is for 5g bands ONLY. Which is ijteresting given how common these are now.

Why? 5g is near everywhere now we've been to 14 campsites in 2025 so far, and ony had 0 5g at 2 of them. And at several (read about half) the performance has been better than our old 80Mbit FTTC at home. Inside the van teh phones did NOT pickup 5g, and this is due to the Panorama antenna we have been particularly good (8-10Dbi) on the 5g bands. Shuold add the internal 4g antenna are also really good on these in a non-PVC, we have been able to pickup signal where phones do not ...

Teltonica are great for all the reasons in thread above, but at 5x the cost of a MU5001 for a 5g varient, I know which one I still reccomend.
 
Depends if you are just putting it out to use it then packing away. If permanently on roof of motorhome then needs to be ip67. Weather proof can mean so many different things. Best to be sure if it were me.
 
fishplug said:
My apologies, you are quite correct. (I did say I hadn't researched this properly yet!)

Have a look at the Spitz Plus - that's the one I was thinking of and which I'm sure others here have got.

CAT 12 so capable of a theoretical 600Mbps
Click to expand...
I don't get why there is a need for those speeds. Personally I only want to stream Netflix, pickup emails and do a bit of internet surfing. Theoretically Netflix needs 3Mbps for standard viewing, 5Mbps for ultra HD 15Mbps I suppose it's more about picking up poor signals.
 
Diabalo said:
I don't get why there is a need for those speeds.
Click to expand...

For most people having those sorts of speeds is utterly pointless, but more to the point they are only theoretical.

I typically get something around 40-60Mbps although I do get up to about 350 Mbps in some places. I've never had better than that despite the theoretical capabilities.

As you rightly point out you don't even need anything close to 50Mbps for most of what most of us use computers for in our vans (or our homes and offices to be honest!)

So, yes, spending more money on the highest spec router and antenna might sound like a great idea but in truth you only get marginal gains over something like a CAT 12 router.

Maximising your ability to get a signal does help, as do things like aggregation and all the other clever wizardry that a higher end device can do - but is it worth the extra premium you pay? Maybe. Maybe not.

This is why you'll see a lot of people with RUTX50s saying how they were not impressed with them given the price. They will have read the headline "up to 3.3 Gbps" speed and be expecting to have speeds approaching that wherever they are. You just won't get that or anything close to it unless you're right under the 5G mast!

I think there's also an element of the old HiFi snobbery that there used to be back in the day. Got to have the top of the range, list off all the stats and possibly have gold plated cables... Starlink anyone? :ROFLMAO:

As long as you're realistic about your needs and your expectations then you won't be disappointed.

I personally think a CAT 12 is probably the sweet spot between cost and performance for most people.




(actually Starlink does have it's place and it's uses, but I've met quite a few Starlink snobs over the years who look down on my LTE router...)
 
Diabalo said:
I don't get why there is a need for those speeds. Personally I only want to stream Netflix, pickup emails and do a bit of internet surfing. Theoretically Netflix needs 3Mbps for standard viewing, 5Mbps for ultra HD 15Mbps I suppose it's more about picking up poor signals.
Click to expand...
This is what and why I went with RUTX50/Poynting MIMO 👇
Guigsy said:
Yeah, I've got a 5G Poynting MIMO. The RUTX50 is good, I can often get a usable connection in areas that have too poor coverage or are too congested from my phone. But most of the time the network isn't too bad, so my phone will outrun it. I guess steady and reliable is better than fast but occasionally flaky.
Click to expand...
Not been disappointed yet, even at large events where there are presumably many competing clients leading to potential network contention. 🤞
 
RowleyBirkinQC said:
Not been disappointed yet, even at large events where there are presumably many competing clients leading to potential network contention. 🤞
Click to expand...

This has been my experience too. I was at the ABR festival a few years back and there was zero reception on phones anywhere on site because of the sheer number of people overloading the masts.

However, my van was able to pick up some signal (it wasn't great, but it was just about useable).

I gave a friend the password to my guest WiFi and came back to find a small group of people huddled outside my van as he'd clearly shared it with one person, who shared it with someone else..... :ROFLMAO:

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