Nighthawk m1 Antennas

Here's the antenna I'm using. I posed a question at the end of that post as to whether or not the internal antennas are disabled when the external antenna ports are used - it seems that they are.

Like you, I'm using the M1 for 24/7 internet access at home. The addition of external antennas should improve the signal strength from the mast, which in my case improved download speeds. The antenna won't improve your WiFi signal strength in the house. There is an option in the web-based GUI under Settings > Setup > Wireless > Global Wireless Settings > WiFi Range, which can be set to either Short, Medium or Long. If you're using the "Netgear Mobile" Android or iOS app, this setting is under Settings > WiFi > WiFi Range. I've got mine set to Long. The reason for these settings is that the M1 is of course primarily intended as a battery powered mobile hotspot, so if you're working close to it, the Short setting will conserve battery charge. And the fact that it's designed as a mobile hotspot means that the relatively small internal WiFi antennas aren't going to give the same range as a modem/router intended for household distribution.

The solution I chose was to connect the M1 via Ethernet to an unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet switch, into which I have 2 access points connected to give me dual-band WiFi coverage throughout the house. This works well. However, there is an issue with the Ethernet port sleeping after a period of activity - this may have been solved in some releases.

The other issue with using the M1 for 24/7 internet access is the fact that an upgraded mains charger will probably be needed to run the M1 without its battery. See this post for more info on both the Ethernet port sleeping and the battery upgrade requirement - there are more links in the post that expand on the detail.

I wish you success :smileywink: