AT&T Unite Explore Archives

AT&T Unite Pro VS Unite Explore

As the most important network carrier in the USA, AT&T has a large range of wireless devices for 4G LTE networks, including the wireless mobile hotspot. AT&T had presented a series of 4G mobile WiFi hotspots in the name of Unite. The AT&T Unite Pro and Unite Explore are the two popular 4G LTE WiFi routers. For those people who are unfamiliar with AT&T Unite series product, they may ask: What’s the difference between AT&T Unite Pro and Unite Explore? Which one is more advanced and better? Read this blog and you may find the answers.

AT&T Unite Pro VS Unite Explore Appearance

The AT&T Unite Pro comes from the Netgear Aircard 781s and is customized to be AT&T Unite Pro. On the front of the screen, the AT&T Logo is available. Like other Netgear 4G mobile hotspot, the Unite Pro has a touchscreen with data usage meter, and the Home and back buttons are at the side of the screen. The power buttons are on the top edge side while the opposite side located the USB 3.0 port and two connectors for external antennas. The back cover can be opened to insert the SIM card and the battery is removable for batter exchange.

Following the Netgear AC781S design, the AT&T Unite Explore also has the same screen feature, the buttons, antenna connectors and USB ports are almost the same as that in Unite Pro 781s. The AT&T Unite Explore comes from Netgear Aircard 815s. The main difference from the appearance is the Unite Explore AC815S is in the rugged design, which is water and dust proof for outdoor activities.

AT&T Unite Pro VS Unite Explore Specifications

The appearance of the AT&T Unite Pro and Unite Explore are very similar except the Aircard 815s rugged design. Then let’s compare the AT&T Unite Pro Specs and Unite Explore Specs. The table below shows the two AT&T mobile hotspots specs and features:

Model	AT&T Unite Explore 815S	AT&T Unite Pro 781S
Product type	LTE Mobile Hotspot	LTE Mobile Hotspot
Category	LTE Cat.9	LTE Cat.4
Chipset	Qualcomm MDM9240	Qualcomm MDM9225
Data rates	DL 450Mbps/UL 100Mbps	DL 150Mbps/UL 50Mbps
Supported 4G LTE frequency bands	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B12, B17, B29, B30	B2, B4, B5, B17
WLAN	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz	802.11 b/g/n, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz
Max support users	15 users	10 users
MIMO	2 x 2 MIMO	2 x 2 MIMO
Connector for external antenna	Two, TS-9 jacks	Two, TS-9 jacks
Buy Antenna	AT&T Unite Explore Antenna	AT&T Unite Pro Antenna
App management	Netgear Aircard APP	Netgear Aircard APP
SIM type	Micro SIM	Micro SIM
Battery	Removable, 4340 mAh	Removable, 4020 mAh
Dimensions	112 x 68.6 x 15.45mm	112 x 68 x 19mm
Ethernet Port	No	No
Datasheet download	AT&T Unite Explore 815s Datasheet	AT&T Unite Pro Datasheet
User Manual	AT&T Unite Explore Manual	AT&T Unite Pro User manual
Other features	3 band CA
Firmware download	ATT Unite Explore Firmware	ATT Unite Pro Firmware
Drivers	ATT Unite Explore drivers	ATT Unite Pro drivers
Reviews	AT&T unite explore review	AT&T Unite Pro review
Price	349.00USD	269.00USD

Summary

From the spec table above, we can see the AT&T Unite Explore (Netgear AC815S) is more advanced than AT&T Unite Pro (Netgear AC781S). With LTE advanced technologies on LTE Cat.9, Unite Explore could achieve download speed up to 450Mbps, which is almost three times faster than that of Unite Pro. The ATT Unite Explore covers more LTE frequency bands than that of Unite Pro. The WiFi 802.11ac is available in Unite Explore but Unite Pro doesn’t have this feature. Both ATT Unite Explore and Unite Pro support up to 15 wireless users and has two TS-9 connectors for an external antenna. Except that, the AT&T Unite explore is better than Unite Pro in almost all the aspects. If you would buy one mobile hotspot from the two, it’s no doubt that AT&T Unite Explore is better to buy.

However, with the advanced features, the AT&T Unite Explore price is a little bit higher than Unite Pro price. So if you are sensitive to the price, the budget one Unite Pro may also be good for daily life.

AT&T Unite Explore AC815S VS Huawei E5787

LTE advanced is becoming the mainstream of the LTE evolvement. More and more people are considering upgrading their LTE gadgets to LTE advanced or LTE-A Pro. Huawei E5787 and Netgear Aircard 815s are two hot LTE-A mobile hotspots. If you want to buy one from the two 4G LTE router, you may ask: what’s the difference between Huawei E5787 and Netgear Aircard 815s? Which one is better to use? We will compare the Huawei E5787 with Netgear 815s from the appearance, specs and other features to find the answers for you.

Aircard 815S VS Huawei E5787 Appearance and interfaces

Huawei E5787 is the first Huawei mobile WiFi with a touchscreen, which is very useful to operate the settings for users. There is the only logo under the display. The home button is on the top edge side while the USB port and connectors for the external antenna are located at the opposite side. The antenna connectors are located together and covered by a small cap. The back cover could be opened and the battery could be removed. There is Micro SIM slot under the battery, but no Micro SD card slot.

The Netgear Aircard 815s is now only available for US network provider AT&T and got a new name of AT&T Unite Explore. The highlight feature is the Unite Explore is of rugged design which is water and dust proof for outdoor use. There is also a touchscreen on the front to show the internet connection status. The AT&T logo is on the left side of the screen while the Home and back buttons are on the right side. Like Huawei E5787, the home button of ATT Unite Explore is also on the top edge while the USB port and antenna connectors are on the opposite side. The connector of both routers is the TS-9 type. The difference is the Aircard 815s antenna connectors are located at the two sides of the USB port. The back cover and battery could also be removed. And the Micro SIM card slot is available.

Huawei E5787 VS Netgear AC815S Specifications

From the appearance and interfaces, we can see the AT&T Unite Explore 815S and Huawei E5787 are very similar. Only the rugged design of Unite Explore are special and can be cleared distinguished from other hotspots. Now let’s have a look at the Huawei E5787 specs and AT&T Unite Explore specs for more comparison:

Model	AT&T Unite Explore 815S	Huawei E5787
Product type	LTE Mobile Hotspot	LTE Mobile Hotspot
Category	LTE Cat.9	LTE Cat.6
Chipset	Qualcomm MDM9240	HiSilicon LTE Cat6 Chipset (Cortex A9 Processor)
Data rates	DL 450Mbps/UL 100Mbps	DL 300Mbps/UL 50Mbps
Supported 4G LTE frequency bands	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B12, B17, B29, B30	* Huawei E5787s-33a: Band 1/3/5/7/8/20 * Huawei E5787Ph-67a: Band 1/3/5/7/8/28
WLAN	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz
Max support users	15 users	10 users
MIMO	2 x 2 MIMO	2 X 2 MIMO
Connector for external antenna	Two, TS-9 jacks	Two, TS-9 jacks
Buy Antenna	AT&T Unite Explore External Antenna	Huawei E5787 external Antenna
App management	Netgear Aircard APP	Huawei Hilink APP
SIM type	Micro SIM	Micro SIM
Battery	4340 mAh	3000mAh
Dimensions	112 x 68.6 x 15.45mm	109.00 x 58.00 x 7.50mm
Ethernet Port	No	No
Datasheet download	AT&T Unite Explore 815s Datasheet	Huawei E5787 Datasheet
User Manual	AT&T Unite Explore Manual	Huawei E5787 Manual
Other features	3 band CA	2 band CA
Reviews	AT&T unite explore review	Huawei E5787 Review
Price	349.00USD	269.00USD

Summary

From the specs table, we can the ATT Unite Explore is more advanced than Huawei E5787. With Qualcomm MDM9240 chipset and LTE Cat.9, AT&T Unite Explore could achieve download speed up to 450Mbps and upload speed to 50Mbps. The Huawei E5787 could support peak speed to 300Mbps with the support of LTE Category 6. The Netgear Aircard 815s supports more LTE frequency bands, but mainly for American areas. But it can also work in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia on the band 3 and band 7. The Huawei E5787 two variant models cover the LTE bands mainly for Australia, Asia, and Europe. So the unlocked AT&T Unite Explore could be used more widely than Huawei E5787 unlocked.

Regarding the WLAN features, the AT&T Unite Explore supports up to 15 users while Huawei E5787 supports 10 WiFi users. The AT&T 815s could support 3 band carrier aggregations while E5787 supports 2 band carrier aggregations. And Aircard 815s has a larger battery of 4340mAh while Huawei E5787 is configured with 3000mAh battery. The Unite Explore AC815s can charge other devices like a mobile power bank but Huawei E5787 doesn’t have this function. In summary, the AT&T Unite Explore AC815s is more advanced and better than Huawei E5787. However, the Aircard 815s price is higher than Huawei E5787 price. If you want an advanced LTE hotspot and don’t care about the price, the unlocked AT&T Unite Explore would be the right one. But if you need a budget one, the Huawei E5787 should be considered.

AT&T Unite Explore (815s) VS Nighthawk M1

As the top network provider in the USA, AT&T had presented much 4G mobile broadband for wireless LTE network connection. They are very popular with the end-users. However, for those who are unfamiliar with the 4G LTE Wireless routers, they may have trouble to select the best LTE router for themselves. The AT&T Unite Explore and Nighthawk M1 are the two most popular LTE mobile hotspots. Someone may ask: what’s the difference between the AT&T Unite Explore and Nighthawk M1? Which one is better? We will review the features and specs of the two mobile hotspots. You may get the answer from this article.

ATT Unite Explore VS Nighthawk M1 Appearance and Interfaces

The AT&T Unite Explore comes from the manufacturer Netgear and the model number is Netgear Aircard 815s. The AT&T Nighthawk M1 also comes from the Netgear. The Aircard 815s AT&T was available in the market much earlier than the latest AT&T Nighthawk M1. If you had read some promotion post from AT&T, you may know the Aircard 815s is the world’s first rugged mobile hotspot, which is waterproof and dust-proof. Like other Netgear WiFi hotspot AT&T, Netgear Aircard 815s has a touch screen on the front and two buttons (Home and Back) at the side of the screen. The Nighthawk M1 is different this time, it has a round screen, but not touch screen. The power status and signal status are indicated by the LED indicators around the screen.

The AT&T Unite Explore logo is at the left side of the screen. Two connectors for external antennas are available at the edge side of the body. The Nighthawk M1 also has two connectors for external antennas, and they have the same connector type TS-9. The battery of Aircard 815s and Nighthawk M1 could be removed for exchange and they both use Micro SIM card size. They both have a USB3.0 interface. The unique feature of Netgear M1 is that it also has on Ethernet port for LAN and USB type-A for output. This feature should be highlighted because there are very few 4G mobile router with Ethernet port in the market.

Nighthawk M1 VS Netgear AC815S Specifications

From the appearance and interfaces, we can see the two AT&T 4G mobile hotspots are very different. The ATT Unite Explore special feature is the rugged design with a touchscreen. The Netgear Nighthawk M1 AT&T seems more powerful with Ethernet port and more interfaces. However, the Nighthawk M1 doesn’t configure a touchscreen. Let’s have a check the full specs of AT&T unite explore and Nighthawk M1.

Model	Netgear Aircard 815s	Netgear Nighthawk M1
Product type	LTE Mobile Hotspot	LTE Mobile Hotspot
Category	LTE Cat.9	LTE Cat.16
Chipset	Qualcomm MDM9240	Qualcomm MDM9x50
Data rates	DL 450Mbps/UL 100Mbps	DL 1Gbps/UL 100Mbps
Supported 4G LTE frequency bands	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B12, B17, B29, B30	— Telstra Nighthawk: Band 1/3/7/8/28 — AT&T Nighthawk: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/29/30/66
WLAN	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz
Max support users	15 users	20 users
MIMO	2 x 2 MIMO	4 X 4 MIMO
Connector for external antenna	Two, TS-9 jacks	Two, TS-9 jacks
Buy Antenna	AT&T Unite Explore Antenna	AT&T Nighthawk M1 Antenna
App management	Netgear Aircard APP	Netgear Aircard APP
SIM type	Micro SIM	Micro SIM
Battery	4340 mAh	5040 mAh
Dimensions	112 x 68.6 x 15.45mm	105.5 x 105.5 x 20.35 mm
Ethernet Port	No	One Ethernet Port
Datasheet download	AT&T Aircard 815s Datasheet	AT&T Nighthawk M1 Datasheet
User Manual	AT&T Unite Explore Manual	AT&T Nighthawk M1 Manual
Other features	3 band CA	4 band CA
Reviews	AT&T unite explore review	Netgear Nighthawk M1 AT&T Review
Price	349.00USD	459.00USD

Summary

From the table, we can see the Nighthawk M1 AT&T is more advanced with the support of LTE Category 16, which could achieve download speed to 1Gigabit/s. The AT&T Aircard 815s is an LTE Cat.9 hotspot supporting download speed up to 450Mbps. The AT&T Nighthawk supports more WiFi users up to 20 users while Aircard 815 supports 15 users. The Nighthawk M1 and AT&T Unite explore supports similar LTE frequency bands for ATT. However, the Nighthawk M1 has a variant model for Australian network provider Telstra, which works on difference LTE frequency bands.

What’s more, the Nighthawk M1 supports more LTE advanced Pro network technology such as 4 x 4 MIMO and 4 band carrier aggregation, which make the high-speed downlink possible. Since both of the AT&T mobile hotspots has the JumpBoost feature, which makes the Netgear hotspot work like a power bank to charge other devices. The Aircard 815 has a battery of 4340mAh capacity while the Nighthawk M1 has a battery of 5040mAh. So the AT&T Nighthawk M1 is more powerful than the AT&T Unite Explore in almost all the aspects, which means the Nighthawk M1 price would be much higher than the older model Aircard 815s. If you are a price-sensitive buyer, the Netgear Aircard 815s seems good enough, but if you want a future-proof pocket hotspot, the Nighthawk M1 is no doubt the best one. By the way, there are unlocked AT&T Unite Explore and Unlocked Nighthawk M1 AT&T available on www.4gltemall.com online store. You can buy unlocked ones for global use.

Netgear Aircard 815s (AT&T Unite Explore) Review

If you are a hiker or usually go to the outdoor field for activities, you must get to know AT&T Unite Explore, also named as Netgear Aircard 815s. Even though many mobile smartphones have the hotspot function, after reading this article, you will know the features, specs, network, signal advantages, battery, touch screen, the chipset of the Netgear AC815s and how you should take one for your family or group when wireless internet is necessary.

Rugged design for outdoor use

Netgear AC815S modem is the world’s first LTE mobile hotspot with rugged design covered in rubber bumpers, which makes it dustproof, shock and water-resistant. Like its predecessor Aircard 810s, Aircard 815s modem has a simplified 2.4inch touch screen, where users can quickly check the most important is that user can do simple settings through the touch screen like operating a smartphone. The USB 3.0 connector of Netgear Aircard 815s can make it work like a 4G USB modem when connecting with a PC. What’s more, there are two connectors for 4G external antenna, which is also important when the device is using in a rural area or even in the forest.

Large Battery can charge other devices

Another highlight feature is the large battery – Netgear had assigned a removable battery of 4340mAh, which could keep working for around 22 hours and standby time up to 576 hours. If you think this is not enough, you can keep a spare battery for exchange and charging. In this way, the Netgear AC815 could keep working all day long and you don’t need worry of power-off. In addition, aircard 815s could charge other devices based on “Jump Boost” function called by Netgear, i.e it can work like a mobile power bank, which is also very useful for other electronics.

LTE Category 9 Modem

Like the Netgear Aircard 800s, Netgear 815S also supports LTE advanced network on LTE Cat.9 with the latest Qualcomm X12 modem, which could support 3 x carrier aggregation technology with peak download speed to 450mbps. As a WiFi hotspot, Aircard 815s could support maximum 15 WiFi-enabled devices simultaneously. This quantity is enough for most cases in a group or family. The Netgear AC815S hotspot supports LTE bands 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/17/29/30 and HSPA 850/1900/2100MHz, which makes it could work well in most countries of the world.

802.11ac with dual band and Multiple SSID & Guest WiFi

Like the brother model Aircard 810s, Netgear AC815S would increase network performance and reduce interference with 802.11ac and Dual-Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz WiFi. What’s more, it could support multiple SSID and guest WiFi function, which is usually available for high-level LTE mobile hotspots. In addition, the WPN (WiFi Protected Setup) feature is available.

Below are the features and characteristics for Netgear AC815S for reference:

Features and Specs of *AT&T Unite Explore*
Manufacturer and type	Netgear AC815S
Chipset	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X12 LTE Modem (MDM9240)
LTE category	LTE Cat.9
Download rate up to	450 Mbit/s
Upload rate up to	50 Mbit/s
Supported LTE bands	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B12, B17, B29, and B30
Downwards compatible with	GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, DC-HSPA+
Support 3G Bands	850/900/1900/2100MHz
Support for LTE-Advanced	Yes
MIMO Support	Yes, 2×2 MIMO
SIM Type	Micro-SIM (3FF)
Connection for external antenna	Yes, two TS-9 connectors(Buy Aircard 815S Antenna)
Network \| LAN & WLAN
LAN Ports	No
WLAN Standards	802.11 b/g/n/ac (dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz)
5 GHz WLAN Support	Yes
Multiple SSID/Guest WiFi Support	Yes
Encryption	WPS/WPA/WPA2
WLAN Hotspot Function	Support maximum up to 15 users
Telephone
With integrated telephone system	no
Connector for ISDN telephones	no
Connection for analog telephones	no
DECT	no
integrator answering machine	no
Others
IPv6 Dual Stack	No
Battery Capacity	4340 mAh, Up to 22 hours of continuous usage
Battery Removable	Yes
Battery Standby time	576 hours (typical)
Dimension	113.5 mm x 71 mm x 20 mm
Weight	178.5 g (with battery)
USB	USB 3.0 compliant
Memory Card Expansion	No
Release	2016
Price	349.00USD for unlocked Netgear AC815S
available at	»AT&T and https://www.4gltemall.com/
File Download
Quick start guide	» Download Netgear Aircard 815s specs(PDF)
Detailed manual	» Download AT&T Unite Explore manual(PDF)

Conclusion

Netgear Aircard 815s is a rugged mobile 4G router based on Qualcomm X12 chipset and supports of LTE advanced network to get fast speed connection on WLAN 802.11ac dual bands. The supported frequency bands make it travel freely over the world. And large battery could keep itself working for a long time and charge other terminals. The dual connectors for the external antenna are also very useful features when a device is working at weak signal areas. All the features make aircard 815s a perfect gadget for outdoor use. Of course, as a top mobile LTE router, the Netgear AC815s price is not cheap now comparing with earlier LTE mobile hotspots. However, considering the special design, powerful function, the Aircard 815s is worth the price.

Netgear Aircard 810s VS Aircard 815s

Looking at the current available 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot, Netgear seems lead the LTE Advanced terminals. If you had known Huawei E5786 mobile WiFi, you may think this is the fastest 4G pocket router. However, if you know the two 4G mobile routers which we would introduce today, you may have a new view for the mobile terminals.

Since LTE Cat3 and Cat4 are becoming the mainstream for carriers, LTE-advanced would of course be available in near future. Here we can see some carriers are stepping fast. The carrier AT&T in USA and Telstra in Australia had presented the LTE Advanced networks for commercial use. The aforementioned Huawei E5786 is a LTE cat6 mobile router, which is already available for many network providers. AT&T and Telstra already used the LTE Cat9 and Cat11 terminals, which mean the LTE Cat9 and Cat11 technologies are available for the two carriers.

AT&T introduced Netgear Aircard 815s and had a new name “AT&T Unite Explore” while Telstra introduced Netgear Aircard 810s and has a new name of “Telstra WiFi 4GX Advanced III”. The two 4G mobile hotspots very similar in the name but feature differently. Today, we will have what’s the difference between them.

Aircard 810s vs 815S Appearance

The Netgear Aircard 810s follows the design of the predecessor Aircard 790s, which is a same level mobile router to Huawei E5786 supporting LTE Cat6. The body of Aircard 810s is made of plastic but feels good. With a 2.4 inch LCD screen, user can read the connection status and setup the routers on the screen.

netgear-aircard-815s-appearance-features

The Netgear Aircard 815s also has a 2.4inch QVGA capacitive touchscreen like Aircard 810s. So the screen has same functions to Netgear AC810S for settings. There special feature of Aircard 815s which should mention is the rugged design that is dustproof, shock and water-resistant. This feature allows users to take the Aircard 815s not only for common outdoor activities, but also in severse weather, especially for the wilderness exploration. They both have two connectors for external antenna and socket type is TS-9. Between the two connectors, there is a USB 3.0 port.

Netgear AC810S VS AC815S Technical Specifications

Below the blank shows the details specifications of the two routers:

Model	Netgear Aircard 810s	AT&T Unite Explore 815S
Product type	LTE Mobile Hotspot	LTE Mobile Hotspot
Category	LTE Cat.11	LTE Cat.9
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon X12	Qualcomm MDM9240
Data rates	DL 600Mbps/UL 100Mbps	DL 450Mbps/UL 100Mbps
Supported 4G LTE frequency bands	B1, B3, B7, B8, B28	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B12, B17, B29, B30
WLAN	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band 2.4GHz & 5GHz
Max support users	15 users	15 users
MIMO	2 x 2 MIMO	2 x 2 MIMO
Connector for external antenna	Two, TS-9 jacks	Two, TS-9 jacks
Buy Antenna	Aircard 810s External Antenna	AT&T Unite Explore External Antenna
App management	Netgear Aircard APP	Netgear Aircard APP
SIM type	Micro SIM	Micro SIM
Battery	Removable, 2930 mAh	Removable, 4340 mAh
Dimensions	112 x 68.6 x 15.45mm	112 x 68.6 x 15.45mm
Ethernet Port	No	No
Datasheet download	Netgear AC810S Datasheet	AT&T Unite Explore 815s Datasheet
User Manual	Telstra 4GX Advanced III Manual	AT&T Unite Explore Manual
Other features	3 band CA	3 band CA
Firmware download	Aircard 810s Firmware	ATT Unite Explore Firmware
Drivers	Aircard 810s driver	ATT Unite Explore drivers
Reviews	Netgear Aircard 810s review	AT&T unite explore review
Price	249.00USD	349.00USD

Netgear Aircard 810s vs 815S Performance

Actually, we had not tested the two units at same network environment in practice. But we will do that respectively in near future and will provide full test report for the two mobile hotspots. We hope the report would be a good reference for the potential users who need the 4G mobile routers.

There is one function that we have to mention: The Aircard 815s and 810s can both work like a mobile power bank, which is called Battery Boost, they can charge other electronics such as smartphones and tablets. This function is practical and useful in most cases.

netgear-aircard-815s-battery-boost-charging

From the appearance and specifications, we can see the two mobile routers (Aircard 815s and 810s) are with the latest technology and dominate the wireless terminals. Netgear Aircard 810s supports higher level network technology and it should be the fastest 4G mobile router. Of course, the price is also not cheap for the Aircard 810s, so as Aircard 815s. But if you would like a budget mobile pocket 4G router, the Netgear Aircard 790s may be a good option for you.