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Antennas

By default all our products are shipped with an internal PCB antenna for both cellular (LTE-M / NB-IoT) and wM-Bus / LoRaWAN. For installations with poor signal conditions — e.g. metal enclosures, basements, or meter cabinets — external antenna variants can be mounted to the housing on request.

Antenna Variants​

External antennas are ordered as a variant of the device. The variant determines which radio uses an external antenna and how many connectors are mounted:

  • External LTE only — external cellular antenna, wM-Bus / LoRaWAN internal.
  • External wM-Bus / LoRaWAN only — external metering antenna, LTE internal.
  • Both external — external antennas for both radios (2× SMA).
  • Shared external — the internal antenna path is routed to a single external SMA connector.

The exact type suffixes and variant codes are listed in the Order Codes & Type Designations reference. Contact sales@lobaro.de for availability of antenna variants per add-on.

Connector Types​

SMA (standard)​

External antennas are connected with a standard SMA RF connector mounted on the housing:

SMA antenna connector

An external rod antenna (2 dBi) is included with the external antenna variants.

FAKRA (on request)​

As an alternative to SMA, external antennas are also available with FAKRA connectors (e.g. for automotive-style installations). Contact sales@lobaro.de for availability and ordering details.

The Gateway V4 + DIN-Rail has a FAKRA Code D connector as standard. See FAKRA Indoor Antenna for a matching antenna and the antenna requirements.

note

FAKRA is ordered as a separate modification (FAK), not as an antenna variant — it replaces the SMA connector on all RF connectors. See Order Codes & Type Designations for the exact suffix.

Choosing an Antenna Variant​

  • Internal (default): suitable for most installations with reasonable signal coverage.
  • External LTE (A1): for weak cellular coverage — e.g. inside metal cabinets or basements.
  • External wM-Bus / LoRaWAN (A2): to improve meter reception or LoRaWAN range.
  • Both external (A3): for challenging installations where both radios need an external antenna.
  • Shared external (A): the internal antenna path is simply routed to a single external SMA connector.
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