The Netgear Nighthawk M5 series of 5G mobile hotspot devices was the first 5G successors to the popular Netgear M1 LTE series of mobile hotspots.
In April 2022 however, the Netgear Nighthawk M6 and M6 Pro were released, becoming the new flagship.
The first M5 version, released in September 2020 (our news story) as an AT&T exclusive, is the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro (MR5100). This was AT&T's first widely available mobile hotspot supporting 5G technology. This version is no longer available directly from AT&T. Netgear released an unlocked global version (MR5200) in September 2021, which remains available.
The Nighthawk M5 is based on the Qualcomm X55 modem which is also used in the other mobile hotspots of this generation such as the Inseego MiFi M2000 and M2100. This modem however lacks mid-band spectrum support for 5G, as well as carrier aggregation across mid and low band spectrum.
Product Variations
For the detailed specifications of these models, explore the tabs below.
MR5100 - AT&T
The AT&T exclusive version called the "Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro", Supports both mmWave and low band 5G, but not mid-band.
Specifications
- Model: Netgear MR5100 5G Pro
- # of Connected Devices: Up to 32 via Wi-Fi
- Control Panel and Default Password:
Control Panel: http://attwifimanager or http://192.168.1.1
Default Password: admin - USB Tethering Support: Yes
- Supported Networks and Bands:
Sub-6GHz 5G: n2, n5, n12, n66
mmWave 5G: n260
4G/LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 14, 17, 29, 30, 46, 48, 66
3G: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 - LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 7-band
- MIMO Support: 4x4 MIMO Sub6 5G and LTE, 2x2 MIMO mmWave 5G
- LTE Performance Category: Category 20
- Cellular Antenna Ports: 2x TS-9
- Other Ports: Gigabit Ethernet
- Wi-Fi Technology / Frequencies: Wi-Fi 6 - 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n/ax - 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Battery: 5040mAh (Removable)
- Claimed Battery Life: 8 hours usage, 11.3 days standby
- Can Be Powered Without a Battery: Yes
- Battery Part #: MHBTRM5
- Battery Purchase: Netgear
- Dimensions: 4.14in x 4.14in x 0.85in
- SIM Card Type: Nano
- Retail Price: $509.99
MR5200 - Global
The Global unlocked version is available from Netgear. Supports low band 5G but no mmWave or mid-band.
Specifications
- Model: Netgear MR5200
- # of Connected Devices: Up to 32 via Wi-Fi
- Control Panel and Default Password:
Control Panel: http://192.168.1.1
Default Password: Printed on the device label - USB Tethering Support: Yes
- Supported Networks and Bands:
Sub-6GHz 5G: n2, n5, n25, n41, n66, n71, n78
mmWave 5G: None
4G/LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 25, 29, 30, 38, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71
3G: 1, 2, 5, 8 - LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 6-band
- MIMO Support: 4x4 MIMO Sub6 5G and LTE
- LTE Performance Category: Category 20
- (Max Theoretical Speed: 2.0 Gbps Down / 316 Mbps Up)
- Cellular Antenna Ports: 2x TS-9
- Other Ports: Gigabit Ethernet
- Wi-Fi Technology / Frequencies:Wi-Fi 6 - 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n/ax - 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Battery: 5040mAh (Removable)
- Claimed Battery Life: 8 hours usage, 11.3 days standby
- Can Be Powered Without a Battery: Yes
- Battery Part #: MHBTRM5
- Battery Purchase: Netgear
- Dimensions: 4.14in x 4.14in x 0.85in
- SIM Card Type: Nano
- Retail Price: $699.99
MR5100C - Bell Canada
This version exclusive to Bell Canada. Supports Sub-6 Mhz band 5G bands but no mmWave.
Specifications
- Model: Netgear MR5100C
- # of Connected Devices: Up to 32 via Wi-Fi
- Control Panel and Default Password:
Control Panel: http://attwifimanager or http://192.168.1.1
Default Password: admin - USB Tethering Support: Yes
- Supported Networks and Bands:
Sub-6GHz 5G: n5, n25, n66, n71, n77, n78
mmWave 5G: None
4G/LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 25, 29, 30, 38, 41, 66, 71
3G: 2, 4, 5, 8 - LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 7-band
- MIMO Support: 4x4 MIMO Sub6 5G and LTE
- LTE Performance Category: Category 20
- (Max Theoretical Speed: 2.0 Gbps Down / 316 Mbps Up)
- Cellular Antenna Ports: 2x TS-9
- Other Ports: Gigabit Ethernet
- Wi-Fi Technology / Frequencies:Wi-Fi 6 - 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n/ax - 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Battery: 5040mAh (Removable)
- Claimed Battery Life: 8 hours usage, 11.3 days standby
- Can Be Powered Without a Battery: Yes
- Battery Part #: MHBTRM5
- Battery Purchase: Netgear
- Dimensions: 4.14in x 4.14in x 0.85in
- SIM Card Type: Nano
- Retail Price: $636.00 Canadian Dollars
News, Videos, and Status
Netgear sent us an MR5100 evaluation unit in early October 2020. Our deep dive of this option is updated in the member area below, and MIAs can also read through testing data and notes on the forums:
- Conmpleted Testing Forum: AT&T Netgear Nighthawk 5G Hotspot Pro (5G Mobile Hotspot)
Alternatives to Consider
For other popular mobile hotspots on the market - here are our featured options:
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MR5100 model: Netgear | Best Buy
MR5200 model: Netgear
MR5100C model: Bell Canada
Mobile hotspot devices are small, self-contained units that receive a cellular data signal and transform it into an internet connection. They are a cellular modem and router combined. Most can create their own personal Wi-Fi network.
They are typically designed with a specific cellular carrier in mind and require a suitable cellular data plan of their own to operate. You might see them called Jetpacks (Verizon's term for them) or MiFi (Inseego's name for them).
Here's a quick video going over the features of a hotspot, and what makes one better than another:
The guides below have been hand-picked to help further your education about selecting mobile hotspots and best utilizing them in your mobile internet setup.
Mobile Internet Resource Center is founded by Chris & Cherie of