CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) is a network equipment that converts mobile network signals (such as 4G/5G) or wired broadband signals into local LAN signals (Wi-Fi or wired), mainly used to provide flexible and high-speed Internet access for terminal devices.Simply put, a CPE router is a router that can insert a SIM card and provide Internet access directly through the mobile network without relying on traditional wired broadband.
Unlike regular routers, CPE routers can connect to mobile networks by inserting a SIM card without relying on fixed broadband lines. It has stronger antenna gain, greater coverage, and higher bandwidth than mobile phone hotspots.
CPE routers are particularly suitable for areas with insufficient fiber coverage, temporary network needs (e.g., exhibitions/events), and mobile scenarios (e.g., vehicle/outdoor operations).
What is the difference between a CPE router and an ordinary wifi router, a mobile phone hotspot, and a portable Wi-Fi?
The difference between CPE routers and ordinary wifi routers is mainly that they support SIM card Internet access, the difference from mobile phone hotspots is stronger performance and stability, and the difference from portable Wi-Fi is that they are larger in size and stronger carrying ability.
|
|
CPE router |
Wifi router |
Mobile phone hotspot |
portable Wi-Fi(MiFi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coverage |
Wide (150m+) | Medium (wired broadband quality dependent) | Narrow (within 10m) | Medium (20-30m) |
|
With the machine |
High (32-64 units, industrial grade up to 256 units) | Medium (20-50 units) | Low (3-5 units) | Medium low (5-15 units) |
|
Internet speed stability |
High (industrial-grade cooling, delay 50-80ms) | High (wired broadband stability guarantee) | Low (delay 150-500ms, fluctuating) | Medium (delay 100-200ms) |
|
Mobility |
Power supply required | Power supply and wired broadband are required | High (dependent on mobile phone power) | High (built-in battery, portable) |
|
Typical rate |
300Mbps-1Gbps(5G mode) |
100Mbps-2Gbps |
50-150Mbps |
100-300Mbps |
What is the performance gap between 5G CPE and 4G CPE in actual use?
The theoretical peak of 5G CPE can reach 10Gbps, and the measured download speed is generally 200–500Mbps (equivalent to 25–62.5MB/s) in cities or suburbs with good 5G coverage, and some scenarios can reach 800Mbps, and the upload speed is about 50–100Mbps. It supports 32–256 devices connected simultaneously (Wi-Fi 6 technology 5G high bandwidth), and the packet loss rate ≤ 0.3% when 10 devices are concurrent.
Suitable for 4K video streaming, cloud gaming, and large file downloads.
End-to-end latency can be as low as 1–3ms (including air port transmission and NAT translation), and measured game/live streaming latency is 15–30ms.
The theoretical peak of 4G CPE is about 150Mbps, but the actual decrease is significant due to base station speed reduction and congestion. The measured data is generally only 20–50Mbps (about 2.5–6.25MB/s), and it may be lower than 20Mbps in rural areas or areas with weak signals.
It only supports smooth playback of 720p video, and 1080p will lag frequently, making the experience worse when multiple devices are concurrent. Connecting more than 5 devices is obviously lagging, and the latency of more than 7 devices surges, which cannot meet the needs of smart homes or small offices.
The latency is generally 30–70ms, and games or video conferences are prone to lag and audio and video out-of-sync.
