Comparison Huawei E5576-320 vs Huawei E5885LS-93A

Connection speeds via Wi-Fi, specifically the Wi-Fi standards supported by the modem with corresponding capabilities (see “Type,” “Connection”).

— Wi-Fi 3 (802.11g). This is an advancement of the Wi-Fi 1 standard (802.11b), developed primarily to increase connection bandwidth (2.4 GHz) and introduced in 2003. The 802.11g equipment is fully backward compatible with 802.11b, so even the simplest of modern Wi-Fi devices support both of these standards.

— Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). A Wi-Fi standard that is a further development of the formats described above — particularly by adding MIMO technology support (distribution of input and output between multiple antennas). Introduced in 2009. The main operating frequency is 2.4 GHz, although devices with an additional 5 GHz band can be found.

— Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Built on 802.11n, introduced at the end of 2013. The main improvements involved increasing the number of streams on the second frequency (5 GHz) and implementing more advanced MIMO and modulation standards, which allowed for a corresponding increase in bandwidth.

— Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). The Wi-Fi 6 version delivers the internet via the modern 802.11ax standard in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, handling a large number of connected devices better. This modem is especially convenient where smartphones, laptops, TVs, and smart devices use the network simu...ltaneously because Wi-Fi 6 more efficiently distributes traffic and reduces delays in a busy network. Compared to Wi-Fi 5, the difference is usually felt not so much in “peak” speed but in more stable performance during streaming, video calls, and online gaming.

— Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax). Essentially the same as Wi-Fi 6, but with the addition of a 6 GHz band, making the connection more stable, especially in crowded places. In practice, this is especially useful in an apartment building with many neighboring networks. However, the main point is that the advantage of Wi-Fi 6E is realized only on devices that also support 6 GHz. This frequency allows for a separate channel to be allocated with fewer interferences from other devices.

— Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). A step further compared to Wi-Fi 6E: it offers even higher speed, lower latency, and more stable network performance under load. Its key advantages over the previous version are related to channels up to 320 MHz and Multi-Link Operation, where the device can use several bands simultaneously instead of just one. In practice, this is particularly useful if the modem is to replace the main home router and deliver fast 5G directly to a laptop, gaming PC, TV with 4K/8K content, NAS, and other demanding equipment. In other words, Wi-Fi 7 is for when not just fast Wi-Fi is needed, but a noticeable reserve in speed and responsiveness for the future.

The largest number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the modem via Wi-Fi (see "Connection").

The presence of this limitation is due to the fact that processing network requests from several devices at once requires a fairly large amount of computing resources, and there are not so many of them in miniature electronics like wireless modems. However, even inexpensive models can support about 5 – 6 devices, which is more than enough for most cases; and in more advanced modems, this number can reach 10.

The greatest distance at which the modem's built-in router is capable of providing communication via the Wi-Fi interface (see "Connection").

It should be taken into account that in fact the range strongly depends on a number of factors that are not related to the main specs of the modem: the presence of interference and obstacles in the signal path, the specs of the Wi-Fi module of the connected device, the battery charge in this device or the modem itself, etc. Therefore, the actual range indicators can be noticeably lower than the claimed ones: for example, when working through a wall, they are noticeably reduced. However, this spec quite clearly describes the overall range of the device, and comparisons of different models on it are quite acceptable.

Also note that it does not always make sense to purchase a device with a maximum range — although a long range provides additional convenience, it requires high transmitter power, which significantly increases the size and price of the modem. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth proceeding primarily from the intended scenarios of use. For example, if you need a 3G connection to access the Internet on the road from your tablet, a range of several metres will be enough. But for installation in a large private house, it makes sense to look for a model with increased effective range.

The 4G (LTE) mobile connection speed supported by the modem.

All modern LTE equipment is assigned one or another category (Cat.3, Cat.4, Cat.6, Cat.7, Cat.9, Cat.12, Cat.13, Cat.16, Cat.18, Cat.19, Cat.20, Cat.22), on which the transmission speed directly depends. This paragraph specifies both this category and specific speed indicators, moreover, in two parameters — for reception and for transmission. The transmission speed is always much lower, but given the specifics of mobile Internet access, this is usually not critical.

Note that equipment with different speed categories will be quite compatible with each other, however, the throughput will be limited by the capabilities of the slower device. It is also worth saying that this paragraph indicates the theoretical maximum; practical amounts can be noticeably lower (depending on the quality of the network coverage and the features of specific electronics). However, a modem with a higher speed category will perform faster in fact.

— USB plug. The presence in the design of the modem of its own USB plug, which allows you to connect the device to a computer directly. Such a connection provides a device with a USB port with Internet access, and the power necessary for the operation of the modem is also supplied via USB.

— microUSB. A smaller version of the USB connector (see above), used primarily in Wi-Fi modems (see "Type") that can work autonomously and do not require a constant connection to another device. At the same time, in 3G/4G modems, microUSB usually looks like a socket, not a plug, and a special cable is used to connect. This interface usually plays the role of a general-purpose service connector: the battery is charged through it, and it is also connected to a PC or other device to manage settings, update firmware, etc.

— USB. Wired interface, the most common and universal modern standard used to connect peripheral equipment to various electronic devices, ranging from computers to smartphones and even wireless modems. In this case, the full-size version of the USB connector is meant. It is usually installed in classic modems (see "Type") and has the form of a plug, with which the modem is connected to a control device (PC, laptop, tablet, etc.). Power is usually supplied through the same connector.

— USB-C.... Connector, in its functional features similar to the paragraph above. With the exception of the symmetrical form factor and the use of more modern technologies.

— LAN (RJ45). Classic wired connection via a cable with an RJ-45 connector. Also known as "LAN". Nowadays, it is one of the most common methods of wired Internet connection, and is also widely used in local networks. With it, you can connect a laptop or PC directly to the modem via a cable and not bother with a Wi-Fi connection. In addition, such a connection can be faster (depending on the speed of the LAN).

— ExpressCard. A connection interface mainly used in laptops. Peripheral devices of this standard, including wireless modems, have the form of cards, when connected, they are installed in a special slot in the device. It should be taken into account that there are two ExpressCard form factors — 54 mm and 34 mm, and 34 mm cards can be used without restrictions with 54 mm slots, but not vice versa. Therefore, when choosing such a modem, it is worth clarifying the correspondence of its form factor to the planned slot. However, this standard is gradually disappearing from the scene, being replaced by more advanced interfaces — in particular, USB 3.0.

The presence of a slot for memory card in the design of the modem. Memory cards are very popular in modern electronics as removable storage media; in wireless modems, there are two main options for working with them. The first one provides use as an external card reader, for exchanging information between the card and the device to which the modem is connected via USB (see below); Simply put, installing a card turns the modem into a "flash drive" with removable storage. And in models with Wi-Fi (see "Type"), it may also be possible to work as a server that provides access to the contents of the memory card to all wireless devices connected to the modem. As for the types of cards, the most common support for the microSD standard is that they are small enough to be easily combined with compact wireless modem cases. Note that even within the same standard of memory cards there are several varieties, and before buying it's worth to clarify which of them the device is compatible with.

The presence of a display in the design of the modem. Even the simplest screens used in modern modems are very versatile and capable of displaying almost any service information about the operation of the device (and sometimes not only purely service information). Due to this, this feature provides much more opportunities to inform the user than various indicators. At the same time, we note that this feature is found only in Wi-Fi modems (see above) designed for stand-alone use. This is due to the fact that in models that are connected to another device via USB, the screen of the external device is used for displaying this information, and it simply does not make sense to equip the modem with its own display.

The capacity of the battery installed in the modem with the corresponding type of power supply (see below).

The higher the capacity, the longer the battery is able to work without recharging, all other things being equal. However, note that the situation of "other things being equal" is almost not found in modern wireless modems. First, different data transmission technologies (see above) have different power consumption; secondly, even models supporting the same standards can differ in power consumption (and battery life) due to design differences. Therefore, this indicator in most cases is purely reference information, and even very similar models can only be compared approximately. When choosing, it is worth focusing primarily on the claimed specs of the battery life (see below).

The maximum operating time of the modem with battery power (see "Power") on a single charge in Internet browsing mode. Such power is typical for Wi-Fi routers, therefore, usually, Internet browsing is supposed to provide access to the World Wide Web for an external Wi-Fi device.

This spec is the main indicator of battery life for any battery-powered modem, because it describes the time of using it for its main purpose without recharging. At the same time, you should know that this indicator is measured under certain "perfect" conditions; the actual operating time depends on a number of factors, including the intensity of browsing, the amount of data transferred, the number of connected devices and the distance to them, the cellular network signal strength, etc. Therefore, in fact, the battery life of the modem may be somewhat lower. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to compare different models with each other according to the operating time stated in the specs.