External vs internal antennas of a router: which are the best?

The router is a fundamental part of our daily life when it comes to internet connections. It is a basic device that allows us to browse the network both wired and wireless. Now, if you take into account the current connections, most of them are via Wi-Fi. We have at our disposal a wide range of possibilities with several mobile devices. In this sense, it is important to keep the router in good condition, that the components are functioning properly and have no issues affecting speed or quality. In this article, we are going to talk about the differences between external and internal antennas of a router .

External and internal antennas on a router

As we say, wireless networks are much more important today than they were a few years ago. If we look back, before the normal thing was to surf the Internet with a computer connected by cable to the router. Now the common thing is to connect from mobile, use tablets, laptops and a wide variety of devices of what we call the internet of things.

However, for all this to work properly, for the wireless coverage is adequate, it is important to have a good router. Ultimately, this is what will make the difference during navigation, since it can have a greater or lesser range without cable, offer more or less stability, quality ...

The router antennas are very important in this regard. However, it is necessary to differentiate between external and internal antennas. Some routers may only have internal antennas, others may have both. Let's see how they differ and when it is better to have one option or the other.

Internal antennas on a router

First, we will start to explain the advantages and strengths of internal antennas of a router . As one can imagine, these are the ones that are inside the device and are not physically visible.

This fact does not mean that the quality of the connection is worse. Indeed, there are many routers that have internal antennas, like most devices today (computers, tablets, cell phones, etc.). Normally, these computers that we have mentioned have antennas that are not visible.

Beyond what we talked about, if the antennas are not visible, one of the main advantages is that the signal circulates in a spherical way , therefore, to say. That is, the router will distribute the signal everywhere evenly. We won't have to worry about orienting the antenna to get the signal to a better location.

We can say that the internal antennas offer a more comprehensive coverage , more oriented towards a house or premises where we will connect from anywhere. They will be more suitable for interiors.

External antennas on a router

On the other side, we have the option of external antennas on a router . As we have stated, some may even have both options. External antennas are best for signaling further away from the router. It will therefore have greater capacity in this regard.

We can also guide the external antennas. We can move them as it interests us and to be able to connect from a better place in particular. It allows you to gain quality in the direction you broadcast.

Of course, it must be taken into account that this improvement that we mentioned will be present in the area where the antenna is pointing, and in the rest we will have a lower quality. We don't have that "sphere" that we talked about with the internal antennas.

On the other hand, it should be mentioned that there are no differences in terms of transmit power front internal or external. In that sense, both will work the same.

In short, as we have seen, there are some important differences between the external and internal antennas of a router. Each type may be better under certain circumstances, although for normal use in a home the differences would not be appreciable.