Antennas to improve your 5G connection

3 years ago 1

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With 5G coverage expanding in South Africa — and around the world — the latest generation cellular data technology is being made more accessible to customers in the country.

Unfortunately, those living outside of major cities, and even some areas within major metros, still lack sufficient coverage to fully benefit from the technology’s performance.

For instance, your property might be too far from a mast, meaning it doesn’t receive a 5G signal. When transmitting over long distances, factors such as other signals and physical obstructions like buildings can interfere with your connection.

However, this is where 5G antennas can help. These let your 5G router receive more distant signals than it would otherwise be able to.

This, in turn, improves the performance and stability of your 5G connection.

There are two overarching types of 5G antennas — directional and omnidirectional — which differ based on how they receive a 5G signal.

Directional antennas only receive a strong signal in a narrow cone, meaning it is best to direct it at the nearest 5G tower.

In contrast, omnidirectional antennas can receive a moderate signal from many or all directions.

Each type of antenna has several benefits and drawbacks. For instance, although directional antennas can pick up more distant signals, they are harder to install, have a narrow band, and can usually only connect to a single mast.

On the other hand, omnidirectional antennas offer 360-degree coverage, receive signals from multiple masts, and are easier to install. However, they can’t pick up signals from as far away as the directional variants.

It is important to note that while most 5G routers support an antenna connection, this isn’t true for all models.

Therefore, if you require a 5G antenna to improve your connection, it is recommended that you check with your 5G router manufacturer that the model supports such an extension.

Some of the most prominent brands that manufacture 5G antennas in South Africa include MikroTik, Poynting, Space TV, and TP-Link.

The cheapest listed is Space TV Connect’s 5G omnidirectional antenna for R898. Poynting’s XPOL-02-V3-03 is the most expensive on the list at R4,599.

Seven 5G antenna options that can improve your 5G connection in South Africa — and their pricing — are listed below.