The MOFI 5500 router is a bigger and more powerful take on the MOFI 4500 - with support for a range of more capable cellular modem options, including a 5G version.
Canadian router manufacturer MoFi originally launched the cellular integrated MOFI 4500 router (our gear center page) way back in August 2015. We concluded at the time that the MoFi was an "immense value" (at just $299!), but that it came with some major downsides.
The MOFI 5500, which began shipping in May 2021, addresses many of the issues of the MOFI 4500 (our news story).
Product Variations
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE: $299.99 - (router alone with no modem module)
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-7411-COMBO: $399.99 - Cat-7 Cellular Modem
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7455-COMBO: $419.99 - Cat-6 Cellular Modem
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-7411-DUAL-COMBO: $549.99 - Dual Modem Cat-7 Cellular
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-7690-COMBO: $499.99 - Cat 20 Cellular (4x4 MIMO)
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-9191-COMBO: $699.99 - Cat 20 Cellular (4x4 MIMO) and Sub-6GHz 5G (Sierra Wireless modem)
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-RM502: $699.99 - Cat 20 Cellular (4x4 MIMO) and Sub-6GHz 5G (Quectel modem)
No Modem
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs: No Cellular Modem
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $299.99
Cat-7
The Cat-7 modem offers support for Band 71 and Band 14, and carrier aggregation on uploads (2X). It's a modern entry level modem to the prior Cat-6 option.
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-7411-COMBO
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs:
- Cellular Modem: Single 4G
- Modem Chipset: Qualcomm MDM9250 (Sierra Wireless EM7411)
- Supported Networks and Bands: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
- LTE Bands: 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 25, 26, 41, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66, 71
- MIMO Support: 2x2
- LTE Performance Category: Cat-7 (Max Theoretical Speed: 300Mbps Down / 150Mbps Up)
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 2x Download, 2x Upload
- Cellular Antennas: 2x 2x2 MIMO external antennas
- SIM Slot: 1x Standard SIM
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Band locking, TTL control, Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $399.99
Cat-6
This model is an older modem that is mostly obsolete in today's LTE world, as it doesn't support Band 71 or Band 14. Unless you have specific need for this modem, just skip considering this model.
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7455-COMBO
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs:
- Cellular Modem: Single 4G
- Modem Chipset: Qualcomm MDM9230 (Sierra Wireless EM7455)
- Supported Networks and Bands: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
- LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 41
- MIMO Support: 2x2
- LTE Performance Category: Cat-6 (Max Theoretical Speed: 300Mbps Down / 50Mbps Up)
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 2x Download
- Cellular Antennas: 2x 2x2 MIMO external antennas
- SIM Slot: 1x Standard SIM
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Band locking, TTL control, Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $419.99
Cat-7 - Dual
The Cat-7 modem offers support for Band 71 and Band 14, and carrier aggregation on uploads (2X). It's a modern entry level modem to the prior Cat-6 option. This model offers two modems in the same router, however, it's important to note that MoFi does not support bonding.
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-7411-DUAL-COMBO
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs:
- Cellular Modem: Dual 4G
- Modem Chipset: Qualcomm MDM9250 (Sierra Wireless EM7411)
- Supported Networks and Bands: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
- LTE Bands: 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 25, 26, 41, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66, 71
- MIMO Support: 2x2
- LTE Performance Category: Cat-7 (Max Theoretical Speed: 300Mbps Down / 150Mbps Up)
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 2x Download, 2x Upload
- Cellular Antennas: 2x 2x2 MIMO external antennas
- SIM Slot: 2x Standard SIM Slot
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Band locking, TTL control, Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $549.99
Cat-20
This is the most advanced LTE only modem on the market, for those not ready to jump to 5G.
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-7690-COMBO
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs:
- Cellular Modem: Single 4G
- Modem Chipset: Qualcomm SDX55 (Sierra Wireless EM7690)
- Supported Networks and Bands: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
- LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 48, 66, 71
- MIMO Support: 4x4
- LTE Performance Category: Cat-20 (Max Theoretical Speed: 2Gbps Down / 211Mbps Up)
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, at least 5x Download, 3x Upload
- Cellular Antennas: 2x 2x2 MIMO external antennas
- SIM Slot: 1x Standard SIM
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Band locking, TTL control, Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $499.99
5G/Cat-20 - Sierra Wireless
Based on the X55 chipset, this model offers the most advanced LTE performance on the market and sub-6 5G support for the major carriers. The difference between this and the Quectel is mainly stock issues, however MoFi claims this model performs better.
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-9191-COMBO
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs:
- Cellular Modem: Single 5G
- Modem Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 (Sierra Wireless EM9190)
- Supported Networks and Bands: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
- 5G Sub-6 Bands: n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79
- LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 48, 66, 71
- MIMO Support: 4x4
- Max Theoretical 5G Performance: 4.5 Gbps Down / 660 Mbps Up
- LTE Performance Category: Cat-20 (Max Theoretical Speed: 2Gbps Down / 211Mbps Up)
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, at least 5x Download, 3x Upload
- 5G Carrier Aggregation: 2x - Mid-Band & Low-Band 5G can NOT be combined
- Cellular Antennas: 2x 2x2 MIMO external antennas
- SIM Slot: 1x Standard SIM
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Band locking, TTL control, Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $699.99
5G/Cat-20 - Quectel
Based on the X55 chipset, this model offers the most advanced LTE performance on the market and sub-6 5G support for the major carriers. The difference between this and the Sierra Wireless is mainly stock issues, however, MoFi claims the Sierra Wireless model performs better.
Specifications
- Model: MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-RM502
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Speed: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Antennas: 4x4 MU-MIMO
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Up to 1000 feet
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Yes
- Default Control Panel Address and Password: 192.168.1.1, "admin / admin"
- USB Tethering Support: Yes (including iOS and Android)
- Ethernet Ports: 5x Gigabit Ethernet (1x WAN / 4x LAN)
- Cellular Modem Specs:
- Cellular Modem: Single 5G
- Modem Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 (Quectel RM502)
- Supported Networks and Bands: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
- 5G Sub-6 Bands: n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79
- LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 48, 66, 71
- MIMO Support: 4x4
- Max Theoretical 5G Performance: 4.5 Gbps Down / 660 Mbps Up
- LTE Performance Category: Cat-20 (Max Theoretical Speed: 2Gbps Down / 211Mbps Up)
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, at least 5x Download, 3x Upload
- 5G Carrier Aggregation: 2x - Mid-Band & Low-Band 5G can NOT be combined
- Cellular Antennas: 2x 2x2 MIMO external antennas
- SIM Slot: 1x Standard SIM
- Dimensions: 10in x 5.5in x 1.3in
- Other Ports: 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0
- Power Source: 1 x DC Jack for 12V Power Input (AC Power Supply Included - 12V, 2.5A)
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features: Band locking, TTL control, Load Balancing, Auto-Failover, Bandwidth Management, VPN
- Retail Price: $699.99
News, Videos & Status
In December 2021 we received the Sierra Wireless 5G model (MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-9191-COMBO) for evaluation. After running some initial comparisons, we'll be sending back the pre-release version of the MOFI5500-5GxLTE-7411-DUAL (Dual Cat-7) we received in March 2021 and have had under evaluation.
We've completed our initial review of this router which members can access below.
We will also continue to do testing with the Mofi going forward against other 5G routers for comparative analysis and as Mofi updates its firmware. Our MIAs can follow along with future testing in the In Progress forums and summaries will be incorporated into the review below.
- Testing Forum: MoFi 5500-5GXeLTE (Cellular Embedded Router)
Related News Center Articles:
Alternatives to Consider
For other popular mobile routers on the market we are tracking - here are our featured options:
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- Thoughts & Analysis
- Deep Dive
- Hands-on-Testing Notes
- Hardware Notes and Analysis
- Tethering Issues
- Detaild Product Variations Analysis
- Concluding Thoughts and Recommendations
Purchasing Options
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MoFi Networks online store:
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7411-COMBO - CAT-7
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7411-DUAL-COMBO - Dual CAT-7
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7455-COMBO - CAT-6
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7690-COMBO - CAT-20
- MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM9191-COMBO - 5G / CAT-20 LTE
- MOFI5500-5GXELTE-RM502 - 5G / CAT-20 LTE
Routers can serve as a central conductor of your local area network in your RV and boat. Mobile routers are different from residential routers in that they typically support multiple internet sources like cellular and Wi-Fi, can be powered off of 12v or AC and support external antenna for better receiving signal.
But you might not need a router in your setup. Here's a quick video overview the variety that routers come in:
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