Disclaimer: Waveform provided an early unit at no cost for this review.
Home internet using 5G has exploded over the past few years. Not only is it a great option for more rural areas with no other good options, but it’s a great way to get away from the traditional cable monopolies too.
However, there’s one group of people that it’s really good for: RVers and those always on the road. These digital nomads are often away from home and need a reliable internet connection no matter where they are. That’s where services like T-Mobile Home Internet Away come in handy.
The only problem is signal. Most hotspots are small and don’t have the best internal antennas for using inside a vehicle, and T-Mobile’s gateway has internal antennas that are decent, but also not ideal. Well now Waveform, a company specializing in cellular accessories and antennas, has the solution: The OmniRoam.
I had the chance to use the OmniRoam in a variety of environments, and I’ll be sharing the results of my testing below.
The OmniRoam Kit
First, let’s review what you get.
The OmniRoam comes in a large range of configurations, depending on how many antenna connections you need and if you need WiFi and GPS. Regardless of which you choose, the antenna comes in a nice cube-shaped box with the antenna and a variety of mounting options. The antenna’s cables are 6ft long, and very flexible, yet solid enough to not be fragile in the elements.
The review unit I received was the 9-in-1 model, featuring 4×4 cellular antenna connections, 4×4 WiFi connections, and a GPS connector.
The first mount option, and likely the most widely used, is the magnetic mount. It attaches to the bottom of the OmniRoam via 4 screws, and routes the cables to the side. This mount can be simply slapped on the roof of your vehicle and you’re ready to go. This is also the mounting method I used for testing.
Next you’ll have the adhesive mount. It’s nearly identical to the magnetic mount, except it’s meant for a more permanent installation. The 3M adhesive pad is pre-applied, and you simply peel and stick where you want it. This would be used in a place where you know you’ll want the antenna permanently, but you rather not drill through the roof of your vehicle like with the spigot mount.
The spigot mount is the final mounting option. It’s unique in that it routes the cables straight down the middle, and is meant to be placed through the roof of your vehicle so that the wires will pass through instead of having to route them over and around the vehicle. It also includes a 3M adhesive around the spigot for secure mounting. This is definitely the most ideal permanent solution, but will require a bit of work to install.
Along with the 3 mounting options and antenna itself, you’ll get the manual. It’s a full-color easy to read guide, which is what we’ve come to expect from the excellent folks at Waveform. The company also offers adaptors and extension cables separately if needed.
The Test Setup
For my testing, I used the magnetic mount on the roof of my old 4-door sedan.
As this was a temporary setup, I didn’t bother making the wires pretty. I passed them through the weather seal of the back seat door (simply closing the door with the wires along the top edge) to have them connect to my testing gateway in the back seat.
Obviously my vehicle isn’t ideal for this antenna, and most customers using the antenna would at least be in an SUV of some sort. In that case I’d likely route the cables towards the rear of the vehicle and through the tailgate for a more non-temporary setup.
As for a gateway to connect it to, I used my semi-generic 5G gateway with model M01K21. It’s sold under a variety of manufacturer names, but mine in particular is UOTEK. As pictured below, the unit has 4 WiFi connections (2 on each side) and 4 cellular connections on the rear.
Baseline Test Without Waveform Antenna
First, I wanted a baseline. On a trip to visit a friend about 45 minutes away, I had the gateway sitting in the back seat using the 4 antennas the gateway came with. I connected to the gateway over WiFi using a Samsung Galaxy S24+.
Along the trip, I had a passenger periodically run speed tests and check signal metrics on the gateway itself.
First, the speeds. They were decent, with averages of about 80Mbps down and 10Mbps up. Importantly, though, they were quite varied. At one point, it would be 35Mbps down and then a minute later hit 120Mbps, even in basically the same location (and same towers).
The cellular metrics showed a similar story. Connections were quick to drop and reacquire, but it happened often. Signal strengths also varied quite a lot.
Overall, it was usable, but occasionally annoying: apps and services would sit there doing nothing for seconds at a time while the gateway bounced between connections.
Testing With The OmniRoam
For a “fair” test, I drove back from the friends house along the same route, but this time with the OmniRoam connected.
Impressively, speeds were a lot better. I averaged about 2 to 3 times higher speeds using the OmniRoam, nearly 200Mbps down. Importantly, the upload was better too, averaging 35Mbps and at one point hitting over 100Mbps.
Signal metrics agreed. One thing that’s really noticeable was that the gateway spent less time finding and connecting to new towers when the previous tower got out of range. Switchover was fast and speedy.
The result was an experience similar to if I were at home on my physical cable ISP. Apps were quick to load the entire trip, messages sent immediately, and there was basically no “lag” when towers changed over.
I’m not the ideal customer for such an antenna, because I don’t roam around much. I also wasn’t able to do ideal testing while driving, so apologies for the lack of testing screenshots.
That being said, even on this rudimentary test, the benefits were clear.
Other Notes
I tested the WiFi connections too, but they weren’t entirely ideal for my setup. Waveform says the WiFi connections on the antenna would be ideal for an RVer when visiting an RV park or somewhere else with WiFi available. This allows customers with a compatible gateway to connect it to the WiFi network while parked, and forward that connection to their own connected devices without having to individually change everything over to the new WiFi SSID.
I was also unable to test the GPS connection on the antenna, as my gateway doesn’t have GPS, nor did my connection require one. I’d imagine it works pretty well though, especially considering most users will have the antenna mounted on the roof which is perfect for a GPS connection.
Conclusion
There is no question that this is the ideal antenna for anyone that needs a 5G connection on the road as a primary internet connection. The improvements change a basic mobile connection into something similar to a home ISP connection.
If you travel a lot, especially in an RV, this is the antenna for you. If you’re like me, though, and need a better signal at home, consider the QuadMini or QuadPro as those are much more ideal for a home setup.
The OmniRoam starts at $209.99 and is available now on Waveform’s website. You can snag a 5% discount by using the link below, and code TMOREPORT at checkout.
