Which Cellular Router Should I Use for my IoT Project?
Written by: Cody Lirette
Published: August 28, 2019
Deciding on which hardware to power your IoT project with can be a difficult choice. After all, there are many variables that need to be considered including budget, data rate, environment, coverage range and more.
This is especially true with cellular routers which are responsible for ensuring that your entire fleet of IoT devices — whether its 100 or 10,000 — can access the internet through cellular connectivity.
For many IoT projects, the reason for choosing a cellular router over other traditional modems is simple: cellular connectivity doesn’t require ethernet cables, fibre optic cables or any other wired connection to access the internet.
Instead, they are powered by the same mobile network infrastructure that our smartphones use, enabling businesses to build previously unsupported solutions including tracking assets as they travel across the country — even in rural locations.
However, even within these areas where cellular connectivity is the optimal choice, there are tons of different variables that can sway IoT project managers from one specific cellular router to another.
Here is a guide to choosing the perfect cellular router for your IoT application — no matter what it is.
Is your IoT Project Industrial or Commercial?
When it comes to hardware, one of the biggest determinants of what you may need is whether or not your application is commercial or industrial.
To understand why, imagine your cellular router in a small store or house versus in a massive warehouse or two-miles underground in a mine shaft.
While commercial cellular routers may be placed deep within a mall or shopping centre, they should perform with little to no connectivity issues regardless of the antenna length.
On the other hand, industrial IoT applications — also known as IIoT — may require cellular routers with longer antennas that can effectively breach concrete walls.
In addition, they may need to be ruggedized to withstand harsh environments or external factors. Depending on the industry, this could be dust and water exposure, humidity and moisture levels, extreme weather or other variables.
Popular Cellular Routers for IoT Projects
While there are plenty of serviceable cellular routers on the market, we enjoy what the Teltonika RUT240 has to offer in terms of size and cost effectiveness. This model is perfect for IoT applications that require advanced networking and security and are heavily dependent on data accuracy.
As a 4G/LTE router, the Teltonika RUT240 can handle large amounts of data with speeds of up to 150 Mbps, easily supporting the vast majority of IoT projects data requirements.
This high-performance cellular router is tailored for industrial IoT and M2M applications with two ethernet and wireless interfaces featuring hotspot functionality, delivering operational flexibility that can allow product managers to optimize their system.
In addition, for industrial applications that can rely on WiFi as a backup, the Teltonika RUT2404G/LTE cellular router features WAN failover, enabling the device to automatically switch to the backup WiFi connection if the cellular connectivity fails.
Showcasing high-end security features including multiple VPN options and an embedded firewall, the Teltonika RUT240 keeps data safe and secure at all times with advanced security protocols to ensure external threats cannot access any valuable information.
You can find the Teltonika RUT 240 4G/LTE cellular router on the Soracom store.
For industrial projects that require an even sturdier cellular router, the Teltonika RUT950 can withstand temperatures that range from -40 C to 75 C.
This professional cellular router features advanced industrial-grade networking functionality support while remaining as easy to deploy and integrate as the Teltonika RUT240 model.
With 4 Ethernet ports — each with VLAN functionality — the Teltonika RUT950 4G/LTE cellular router is built with failsafes that protect users from critical connectivity issues including dual SIM and WAN failover, making it an ideal use case for applications such as construction sites, metering devices, ATMs and more.
You can also find the Teltonika RUT950 4G/LTE cellular router on the Soracom store. For more information, check out our in-depth product video on the Teltonika RUT950.
Optimizing your IoT Project with Cutting-Edge Products
IoT technology is allowing virtually anyone to build disruptive products that can quickly go to market and make an impact. As a result, it’s more crucial than ever to find advantages where you can.
Choosing the right cellular router for your IoT application guarantees full performance without little to no compatibility issues or hangups. But that’s not all you can do to get ahead.
Fully compatible with both of the cellular routers discussed today, Soracom provides IoT businesses around the world with network-agnostic cellular connectivity that allows them to bring the project of their dreams to market.
In addition, our comprehensive suite of cloud-based services deliver additional flexibility and performance that can enhance performance, reduce costs, optimize management and more.
Ready to find the perfect cellular router and connectivity for your IoT project? Book a demo today with our expert team and discover the value of intelligent IoT cellular connectivity.
