Which cable to choose for my 5G or 4G/LTE modem/router and external antenna?
coax cradlepoint mobile broadband

Which cable to choose for my 5G or 4G/LTE modem/router and external antenna?

01 December, 2023
First is the cable type, we have 240F and 400F. The number refers to the diameter of the cable 0.240" and 0.400". The 240F is the smaller diameter of the two options. It is smaller and more flexible, the tradeoff is it has more signal loss than the 400F, so it's generally recommended for under 50' lengths.

We offer the 240F in a single lead and dual lead configuration as an extension cable:
Single Lead SMA Male to SMA Female:
https://www.jefatech.com/collections/3g-4g-lte-antennas/products/tgx-04-a-001

Dual Lead SMA Male to SMA Female:
https://www.jefatech.com/products/dual-sma-antenna-extension-cable-for-4g-lte-5g-modems-and-routers/

The larger diameter 400F has a lower signal loss than 240F but the tradeoff is it is double the diameter so may not be best for all installations. Generally, we recommend 400F for cable lengths over 50', or if you are in an area with a very poor signal outdoors where the outdoor antenna will be located, or if you just want the maximum possible signal into your modem/router.

It is only available in a single lead, so you'll need to order as many cables as you have antennas or antenna ports:
This configuration is if you have an antenna with an N Female connector:
https://www.jefatech.com/collections/cradlepoint/products/ca-400f-nm-sma-xxx

If you have an antenna with an SMA Female connector, then you'll need to use the custom cable selection:
Connector 1: SMA Male
Connector 2: SMA Female
https://www.jefatech.com/collections/jefa-tech-coax-cable-assemblies/products/ca-400f-c1-c2-l

If you need more guidance, please contact us with the modem/router and the antenna you intend to use and we can make an exact recommendation.
Author Avatar
A.J. Farmer