Antennas
External antennas for hotspots and routers, compared by gain, mounting, and compatibility.
Common questions
Will an external antenna work with any hotspot or router?
Only if the device has an external antenna port. Many consumer hotspots, especially ones bundled free by a carrier, do not have one. Check the device's spec sheet or housing for the connector before buying an antenna.
What does antenna gain in dBi mean?
dBi measures how much an antenna concentrates signal compared to a baseline reference. Higher gain helps most in the common case of a weak-but-present signal blocked by walls, distance or a vehicle's metal body — it will not create a signal in a true dead zone with no nearby tower.