The Wonders of MIMO
For RVers and Cruisers, understanding MIMO technology, how it works, and how it can be used to enhance cellular speeds has the potential to make finding great mobile internet on the road an easier experience.
Modern 4G/LTE and 5G cellular radios are borderline miraculous compared to earlier modems, and MIMO is part of the reason for this.
Consider the first iPhone launched in 2007 with a maximum theoretical cellular speed of around 500 Kbps using AT&T's 2G EDGE cellular network.
Almost two decades later, the latest flagship cellular devices can support maximum theoretical speeds of almost 10 Gbps.
That's a 20,000 times increase!
Of course, theory rarely equals reality, and cellular networks in the real world can't come close to delivering those peak theoretical speeds, which are only achievable in a lab.
In the real world, you will share bandwidth with hundreds or thousands of others connected to the same cell tower.
However, real-world speeds in the hundreds of megabits per second (Mbps) are increasingly common, and millimeter-wave networks can easily deliver multi-gigabit speeds.
One key technology making these speeds possible is MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output), an incredibly clever technique that uses multiple antennas to increase data transmission speed, reliability, and even range.
MIMO technology is fundamental to LTE, 5G, and Wi-Fi for increasing performance and reliability.
MIMO is also one of the key technologies that have made cellular boosters much less useful than they once were.
Read on to grasp what MIMO is, how it works, and how to use a bit of MIMO awareness to potentially increase your cellular speeds.
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MIMO In A Nutshell
MIMO is one of the core technologies enabling LTE and 5G cellular and Wi-Fi. Most modern mobile devices (whether phones, hotspots, or routers) have two or more cellular and Wi-Fi antennas on board to enable MIMO's magic.
On the other end of the line - cell towers typically have multiple antennas working together in tight synchronization to communicate with you. The same is true with many Wi-Fi routers and access points.
With more antennas transmitting a signal, there are more possible echoes and reflections for the receiving device to catch a signal.
The more connections you can make on the cell tower, the better the transmit speeds, even with weak signals. Cellular devices typically have two or four antennas. Devices with two antennas include LTE devices from Cat-4 to Cat-12, which provide "2x2 MIMO." LTE Cat-16+ and 5G devices will have four antennas, providing "4x4 MIMO."
Although the latest cellular standards support 8x8 MIMO, consumer-level devices with eight antennas are not yet available.
Each antenna in a MIMO device can support a data stream. So for 4x4 MIMO, a device can send and receive four data streams simultaneously.
Cell towers also utilize MIMO to support many users simultaneously and allow devices to use MIMO. Towers with more antennas provide devices with more options for a good, high-performing connection.
For example, a typical 5G tower deployment will have 64 transmit and 64 receive antennas, which allow simultaneous communication with multiple users while improving throughput and spectrum efficiency. The "Massive MIMO" of these towers takes advantage of spatial multiplexing, where multiple data streams can be transmitted to different users or locations simultaneously, utilizing the same frequency band, including your 2x2 or 4x4 MIMO device.
This figure illustrates a relatively simple 4x2 MIMO deployment from the early days of MIMO. In this example, the tower has four transmit/receive antennas, and the user device has two:
MIMO is one of the key technologies that allow modern devices to perform so well—and there's more to MIMO than just multiple antennas. Related technologies, such as beamforming and the various MIMO modes discussed in the member section below, can expand on MIMO to provide more throughput and reliability.
MIMO vs Boosters Video
Check out the video below for a quick overview of MIMO and how it compares to boosters for cellular performance enhancement. Although the video is a few years old, it covers all the important concepts in a way that non-techies can understand:
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Check out the Topics Covered in the Member Section:
MIMO vs Cellular Boosters
We investigate why cellular boosters aren't always the best for cellular signal enhancement, thanks partly to MIMO.
Optimizing Cellular Reception
Understanding MIMO can help you better optimize your cellular data performance. We share some info and tips for making the most of MIMO.
MIMO - Not Just For Cellular
MIMO is also used for other wireless signals, like Wi-Fi. We explain how it works with other technologies.
MIMO Deep Dive (Geek Alert)
Here, we explore MIMO in more detail and explain its various modes and related technologies.
Conclusion: Understanding MIMO
MIMO is a critical and core technology for modern cellular and Wi-Fi networks. Although it happens in the background, understanding at least the basics of MIMO can help mobile internet users make sound decisions when purchasing gear and troubleshooting connections. The biggest lesson to understand is that MIMO can increase speed and reliability without having to boost or amplify a signal.
Going from no MIMO at all to 4x4 MIMO, for example, not only represents the potential for 4x faster (or more) speeds, but it can also result in a much more reliable and stable connection.
But for MIMO to work its magic, you must be willing to defy common sense and try turning off your cellular booster.
The results might surprise you!
Cellular antennas can be a vital part of your signal enhancing strategy to get a better signal, and thus better cellular data performance. They come in many shapes, sizes and varieties.
They can be used directly connected to your mobile hotspots or cellular embedded routers, or they might connect to your cellular booster. They come in omni-directional vs directional, single vs MIMO, and might support different frequency bands. They come in combination antennas with Wi-Fi and GPS.
But most importantly, is your installation options on your RV or boat.
So before choosing an antenna, be sure to understand all of these variables - and keep in mind that there likely isn't a single 'one size fits all' solution here. You may need to make compromises, or even have speciality antennas for challenging signal areas.
We recommend starting with our Guide to Selecting Antennas, and then moving on to our other guides addressing related topics:
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