Best answer: No, most people find that Wi-Fi 6 routers from T-Mobile and Verizon are fast enough for their internet speeds. A mesh system can come in handy if more coverage is needed, as 5G routers need to be close to the window for optimal coverage.
T-Mobile and Verizon include free Wi-Fi 6 routers
Competition in the home internet market is heating up for the first time in years, and chances are you’ve started seeing ads for the new 5G home internet launch in your area. The problem is that 5G networks and the devices that use them have evolved since they were introduced, from mmWave to low-band, and more recently, mid-band and C-band. So how do you know what equipment you should buy? Do you need your own router with 5G home internet?
Remember that the 5GHz mode of most routers is usually displayed as your Wi-Fi name with “5G” at the end. This is not the same as 5G home internet.
Luckily, America’s leading 5G home internet provider offers a 5G router for free when you sign up for the service. Nor is this a temporary offer with bill credit. Also, many ISPs have beefed up their base routers to support Wi-Fi 6, and T-Mobile and Verizon are no different with the fairly capable Wi-Fi 6 routers bundled with the service.
As we saw in our T-Mobile Home Internet review, 5G performance in rural areas can be a little unpredictable, but for many, it offers a great option for unlimited broadband. T-Mobile’s 5G router’s use of a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 connection might even be overkill. While it only supports the 80MHz band, it’s still more than capable enough to keep up with T-Mobile’s 5G network, even in areas with strong signal. Verizon’s router is also Wi-Fi 6, which should easily keep up with the 5G connection in your home.
If you live in a dense area and want to use a Wi-Fi 6E router to avoid 5GHz congestion, or if you already have a Wi-Fi 6 mesh network deployed in your home, you can still use it by connecting a T-Mobile or Verizon router to WAN port on an existing router.
5G anytime, anywhere
If you use a 5G mobile hotspot or are looking for a solution for a mobile home like your RV, a 5G hotspot could be one of your best options for a reliable connection. Many of these hotspots support fast 5G connections with built-in Wi-Fi 6 to remove any bottlenecks between your device and your content.
In most cases, hotspots are standalone devices. Some, though, like the unlocked Netgear Nighthawk M5 from AT&T, have a built-in Ethernet port to connect it to a faster router, so you don’t have to sacrifice your local network connection for a mobile connection.
enough for most people
T-Mobile Home Internet
$50/month. at T-Mobile
The power of mid-band 5G
T-Mobile effectively combines low-band and mid-band 5G, giving it a coverage advantage in delivering 5G home internet to users with limited broadband access.
Fiber-like speeds on mmWave
Verizon 5G Home
From $50/month.at Verizon
50% off if you’re a wireless customer
Verizon 5G Home uses Verizon’s growing millimeter-wave network, whose internet speeds compete with the fastest consumer ISPs in the country.
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