In this article, I would like to demonstrate the differences between version 2 and version 3 of the 4G Router produced by AVM FritzBox 6820.
The difference are obviously not aesthetic but performance, and they are important. Currently AVM only sells the V3 version, the V2 if you are lucky you will find it in the flea markets.
Obviously there is also the V1 version, but as you can see it is very similar to the V3. The real version of interest is the V2 for this small router.
| Model | Internet | LAN Ports | WLAN 802.11 | SoC Clock | RAM | Flash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRITZ!Box 6820 LTE v1 | LTE-Cat4 | Gbit: 1 | 450 Mb 2.4GHz | Scorpion 720 MHz | 128 MB | 1 MB 128 MB |
| FRITZ!Box 6820 LTE v2 | LTE-Cat6 | Gbit: 1 | 450 Mb 2.4GHz | Scorpion 720 MHz | 128 MB | 1 MB 128 MB |
| FRITZ!Box 6820 LTE v3 | LTE-Cat4 | Gbit: 1 | 450 Mb 2.4GHz | Scorpion 720 MHz | 128 MB | 1 MB 128 MB |
From the table above you can see that the difference is the LTE category, the V2 version has the category 6.
Category 6 not only allow you to reach higher navigation speed, but is the first category that introduces LTE Advanced. The main feature of the LTE Advanced is the carrier aggregation of bands, aggregating two bands allows the connection to be more stable and obviously faster. This Nokia video explains very simply the operating.
I fortunately found a V2 version and compared it to the V3 version. Are the differences really that important?
The test were performed in a house in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, where the 4G connection is usually poor.
In the first gallery you can see speeds reaches from the V3 version, in the second gallery from the V2 version! The difference is definitely important! Some considerations about this speedtest:
- All tests were performed on the same day within 10 minutes;
- All tests were performed by the same SIM card, obviously the same operator;
- The routers were in the exact same location (inside the house);
- It was a day with probably little internet traffic (the country is quite touristy but on that day there were no parties, events, etc etc).
In conclusion, those who know me know that I love AVM and the products it produces. Unfortunately, this time to me wrong to remove from the market version V2.
I hope in the future that they can make a new version, maybe with battery, with an even greater LTE category. It would also be perfect to use on the Camper!