Pulled in the fastest 4G LTE download speeds in our tests. • Cons Slower average upload speeds. Flactunes Mac Download there. Flimsy build. No external antenna port. • Bottom Line The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE USB Modem 551L is capable of pulling in faster download speeds on Verizon's 4G LTE network than any other modem, but it lacks some features compared to its nearest competitor.

Shop at 3GStore to get the most from your Verizon USB551L wireless cellular modem. We have antennas, routers, repeaters and more. Sep 16, 2014 Quick Overview of AirCard USB551L. Quick Overview of AirCard USB551L. Skip navigation. Novatel USB551L 4G USB Modem for Verizon Review. Complimentary Wi-Fi access to Verizon Wi-Fi locations through VZAccess Manager will be discontinued on June 1, 2013. After June 1, users trying to connect to a Verizon Wi-Fi location will receive an authentication error message. If you are a user of the Pantech UML290, Verizon 4G LTE USB551L, or the LG VL600 USB.

In the 39 cities that currently have it, Verizon's 4G LTE network has the fastest cellular data speeds out there. The awkwardly-named Verizon Wireless 4G LTE USB Modem 551L ($99.99-$249.99) is the latest to tap into those blistering speeds. It even bested our Editors' Choice, the ($49.99-$249.99, 4 stars), in download speeds during several of our head-to-head speed tests. But the Novatel 551L, while excellent, isn't our latest Editors' Choice. That's because, while the 551L may be capable of pulling in the fastest 4G LTE download speeds possible, it still lacks a few features that keep it from being the ultimate cellular modem of the moment.

Design, Software and Plans The 551L is the thinnest, sleekest 4G LTE modem so far. At 3.5 by 1.4 by.5 inches, it's still almost comically long, but it isn't quite the beast the UML290 is. But unlike the UML290, which feels solid even with its rotating antenna design, the 551L feels flimsy.

The back cover jiggles when touched, and the fold out USB connector feels a bit awkward. While the hinge appears strong, I felt like I was going to break the device every time I plugged it in. The naked connection prong feels like a magnet for dust and other debris. The top right corner of the modem is home to a single, multicolored LED status light that pops up different colors depending on whether you have 3G, 4G or no connection. It doesn't have a MicroSD card slot, and unlike the UML290, there is no external antenna port. Thankfully, the 551L works with Verizon's VZ Access Manager software for both Windows and Mac right out of the box. This is an improvement over the UML290 and the ($99.99-$249.99, 3.5 stars), which added Mac support after they had already been released.

VZ Access Manager itself is a relatively light, no-nonsense connection manager that is much more responsive and less crash-prone than Sprint's or T-Mobile's competing products. Verizon has 4G LTE service in 39 metro areas right now, and expects to reach more than 145 by the end of the year; outside of those zones, the UML290 works on Verizon's 3G EVDO Rev A network. Plans cost $50/month for 5 GB or $80/month for 10 GB, plus $10/GB extra on either plan. As a CDMA modem, the UML290 works in parts of Canada, Mexico, India, China and a few other countries, but not Europe, and roaming rates are painful: up to $20.48/MB. I wouldn't buy this modem for use outside the U.S. Performance and Conclusions I tested the 551L in New York City head-to-head against our current Editors' Choice, the Pantech UML290, at 12 different locations over the course of a day.

Serial Number Making History Ii Game. I transferred files over FTP, downloaded Web pages using curl, and ran the speed tester at speedtest. Bounce Metronome Keygenguru here. net. Overall, the two modems had nearly equal average speeds.

On speedtest.net, which simulates Internet streaming, the 551L averaged 14.3Mbps down, while the UML290 averaged 13.5Mbps. The UML290 came ahead in uploads, though, with an average of 5.9Mbps up as compared to the 551L's 5.7Mbps. The FTP and Web tests were even closer, though the UML290 again had slightly higher upload speeds. Tests were so close, in fact, that when one modem came out ahead, it was the UML290 55% of the time. I did one test in 3G mode, and the results were the same: The 551L achieved a slightly higher download speed, at 1.68Mbps down compared to the UML290's 1.18Mbps. But the UML290 had a higher upload speed, at.13Mbps up compared to the 551L's.04Mbps. So while the 551L achieved higher download speeds than the UML290, the UML290 was just a little more solid across the board.

Additionally, the first test unit I received from Novatel had connectivity issues that caused dropped connections in my testing. There were also instances in which VZ Access Manager told me that I was connected to the modem, yet I was unable to connect to the Web. After speaking with Novatel, they sent me a new modem that worked just fine, so the problem was likely specific to that particular device. After having seen and tested all three of Verizon's 4G LTE modems, it looks like they all perform relatively equally. Based on that, I'm sticking with the UML290 for its more solid average performance, brawnier build, and external antenna ports.