Sierra Wireless XR80 vs XR90 Routers

Sierra Wireless has two new flagship products: the XR80 (with four variants for each region) and the XR90 (with only one variant for each region). So XR80 vs XR90. How do you determine which model is best for your needs?

That’s where we can help.

What follows is a high-level summary of the key differences. For a more comprehensive comparison of XR80 vs XR90, please see the AirLink XR90 vs XR80 Technical Buying Guide (pdf)

Looking for a snapshot of the differences between the XR80 vs XR90. Here’s a handy chart.

	XR80 LTE Cat-20	XR80 5G	XR90
Cost	Lowest cost of initial acquisition	Lowest cost for initial 5G deployment	Highest cost with greatest flexibility to expand or upgrade
Expandability and Upgradability	Path for 5G upgrade Ability to update one cell Ability to expand to dual cell	Ability to update one cell Ability to upgrade to dual cell	Ability to update both cells Ability to upgrade to dual cell Additional Ethernet port
Wi-Fi performance	Option for no Wi-Fi Excellent throughput for single mode operation Very high throughput for dual mode operation Able to switch from AP-only to Client-only		Excellent throughput for single or dual mode operation such as video offload while still supporting clients at high speed
Complex networking, including WAN steering	Not a differentiator between models
VPN throughput	Not a differentiator between models
Serial, GPIO and Vehicle Telemetry	Not a differentiator between models
Fastest time to replacement in case of failure	The failed unit must be shipped at customer expense before the replacement unit is sent, or spares must be kept on-hand.		The advance replacement is included a prepaid return.

Here’s what our customers have told us are the most important things to consider when considering the XR80 vs XR90

Cellular

XR80: Internal 4G Cat-20

XR80 LTE: Internal Sub-6 5G with 4G Cat-20

XR90: Ships with Expansion Port offering Sub-6 5G with 4G Cat-20

Both the XR80 and XR90 can have a 2^nd external modem via an expansion port offering Sub-6 5G with 4G Cat-20

WiFi

XR80: Dual-band dual-concurrent 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) radio with 5GHz scanning

XR90: Tri-band dual-concurrent 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) radio

Bluetooth

The XR90 has integrated Bluetooth 4.2. The XR80 has no Bluetooth support

Precision Timing

The XR80 has hardware support for a single precision time Ethernet port which will be supported in a future release of AirLink OS. The XR90 has no precision timing support.

Ethernet

With expansion slots, the XR80 offers up to 4 ports, and the XR90 offers up to 5 ports.

 

Here is a summary of the hardware and services for XR80 vs XR90.

	Hardware Features						Services Features
	Internal Cell*	Expansion	Wi-Fi	Precision Time	Bluetooth	Ethernet	Advanced Mobility Reporting	Advance Replacement
XR90	N/A	Up to 2 XP cartridges	Tri-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 6	N/A	BT 4.2**	Up to 5 (with 2 XP)	Included	Included
XR80 5G	Sub-6 5G with 4G Cat-20	Up to 1 XP cartridge	Optional: Dual-band 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 capable of shared operation	IEEE 1588 Precision Time** (one port)	N/A	Up to 4 (with 1 XP)	Optional add-on	N/A
XR80 LTE	4G Cat-20

What are the differences between the XR series and the other feature-rich Sierra Wireless devices?

The following table compares the XR Series routers to Wi-Fi capabilities and the general performance of other current models. Performance varies based on many factors.

 

	RV55	MP70	MG90	XR80	XR90
Radios	2 x 2.4/5GHz (either, not both)	1 x 2.4/5GHz (either, not both)	2 x 2.4/5GHz (either, not both)	1 x 2.4GHz 1 x 5GHz	1 x 2.4GHz 2 x 5GHz
Wi-Fi protocol	802.11n/ac (Wi-Fi 4/5)	802.11n/ac (Wi-Fi 4/5)	802.11n/ac (Wi-Fi 4/5)	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
MIMO	Dual 1x1	3x3 MIMO	Dual 3x3 MIMO	4x4 MU-MIMO + 1x1 Scanning	Dual 4x4 MU-MIMO
Operating modes (Client, AP), bands, and channels	Up to 2 modes on up to 2 bands	Up to 2 modes on one band at a time	Up to 2 modes on up to 2 bands	Up to 2 modes on both bands (2 channels)	Up to 2 modes on both bands (4 channels)
Throughput	Basic single or dual mode	Good single mode Basic dual mode	Good single and dual mode	Excellent single or very good dual mode	Excellent single and dual mode

The XR Series of routers is perfect for mobile mission-critical applications in public safety and field service fleets, Fixed Wireless Access, SCADA, Edge and industrial IoT.

Ensure secure and reliable communication between officers and their command center.

• Maximize responsiveness, teamwork and collaboration
• Ensure accountability and transparency with live video feeds
• Increase efficiencies
• Increase safety for your officers and citizens

Create secure, reliable Vehicle Area Networks within every law enforcement vehicle with AirLink XR90.  Unmatched uplink and downlink speed to ensure always-on video and data transmission. With AirLink Cognitive Wireless, vehicles automatically switch to the best network to ensure maximum uptime and fill coverage holes, and with AirLink’s advanced VPN, communications between vehicles and depots are secure. The rugged design ensures high reliability in extreme vehicle environments.

Expedite communication between EMS personnel in the field, hospitals and telemedicine resources.

• Faster arrival times
• Expedite expert patient care on site
• Gain immediate access to electronic patient care records (EPCR)
• Deliver real-time patient data en route to the hospital

Maximize communications between EMS vehicles in the field and local hospitals with AirLink XR90.  With Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit Ethernet speeds, EMS vehicles can get patient electronic patient care records (EPCR) as soon as possible. 5G communication speeds allow the EMS teams to transmit large EKG files to the hospital in addition to patient videos while en route to the hospital. The EMS team can quickly offload patient files at the hospital using Wi-Fi 6. And with the AirLink XR Series multiple connection ports, all the EMS and vehicle equipment can directly interface to the router.

Enable best-in-class communication between firefighters in the field and their station.

• Gain reliable and secure 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity
• Increase incident responsiveness through real-time critical data access
• Improve safety with new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and fire-fighting robots

Private and public networks make sure drivers and passengers stay securely connected.

• Help ensure driver and passenger safety with live video
• Increase efficiency and security with dual Wi-Fi connectivity
• Simplify integration with fare payment systems, digital signage and video
• Improve passenger flow

Secure and reliable always-on communications between transit buses and depots help ensure driver and passenger safety. Multi-channel routers can deliver one secure Wi-Fi channel for passengers and a second secure channel for bus systems, including security cameras, fare payment, and navigation. Improvements in railway communications enable higher train speeds with increased safety levels.

 

Ensure school buses and students are connected and monitored for safety.

• Improve driver and student safety
• Improve overall vehicle safety through real-time system monitoring
• Enable students to use 5G connectivity
• Use buses as super Wi-Fi hotspots for remote learning

 

Reliably and securely connect ports, airports, mines and manufacturing facilities.

• Increase reliability, enhance security and lower costs
• Increase operational efficiencies and maximize local performance
• Faster time-to-implementation

Private cellular networks are proving to be an attractive option to shipping ports, cities, utilities, airports, mining companies, warehouses, and manufacturing plants that need high-reliability coverage, increased security, and better flexibility. With Private Cellular Networking, 5G connectivity is delivered over a dedicated spectrum providing improvements over Wi-Fi networks and spotty public cellular coverage.

 

Secure, reliable two-way communication between utility workers in the field and their dispatch centers.

• Increase the safety and efficiency of workers and assets
• Improve responsiveness and teamwork
• Improve inter-organizational communication during disasters
• Get power restored faster

With AirLink XR80 cellular routers in all Heavy-Duty vehicles - An advanced navigation system enables the implementation of a computer-aided dispatch and automated vehicle location (CAD/AVL) platform that improves communications and lets dispatch know the position and status of all vehicles at all times. With the AirLink XR80’s intuitive user interface, it's easy to set up the system, including security, without external help. And with AirLink Management Service (ALMS) and AirLink Out-of-Band Management, you can easily monitor and maintain the health and security of their routers.

 

Reliably and securely monitor and control critical power grid components and renewable energy sources.

• Increase power grid efficiency
• Monitor and manage critical grid components
• Gain flexibly and cost savings
• Improve renewable energy

Install AirLink XR80 Cellular routers in new grid automation and renewable energy sites.  The AirLink XR80 cellular routers deliver Gigahertz communication speeds and extremely low latency and can detect and isolate faults in milliseconds. Leveraging the XR80’s edge computing capabilities and supercharged hardware can reduce response times. AirLink XR80 routers are easy to install and monitor using AirLink Management Service (ALMS.) The routers are purpose-built for rugged environments with aluminum die-cast housing rated IP-64 and Mil-STD 810G. The AirLink XR80 and AirLink Connection Manager deliver end-to-end VPN security to protect the power grid. And the AirLink XR80 can be configured to run within a private network, further increasing the reliability of the wireless connections.

Track asset location, improve routing and manage driver behavior.

• Improve fleet and driver safety and efficiency
• Gain access to real-time vehicle information
• Accurately locate each vehicle to facilitate emergency responses
• Monitor driver behavior

Install AirLink XR80 Cellular Routers in all Long-Haul Trucks.  The AirLink XR80 cellular router enables commercial fleets to track all their assets accurately and deliver connectivity for all their drivers. The AirLink XR80’s advanced navigation can integrate with a company’s automatic vehicle location (AVL) system and connect directly with each truck and driver to create pre-planned optimized routes. The router connects to the vehicle diagnostic port enabling the company to track vehicle hours and performance to ensure federal compliance and improve vehicle maintenance efficiency. The rugged design of the AirLink XR80 ensures long life and maintenance-free operation. And the AirLink XR80 creates a Wi-Fi hotspot within the vehicle to connect laptops, phones and other peripheral devices.

Leverage the potential of Industry 4.0 and smart factories through improved automation and supply chain control.

• Gain flexibility and cost savings
• Improve quality and oversight of operations
• Ensure security and reliability

Install AirLink XR80 Cellular Routers in manufacturing machinery to implement cloud-based PLCS.  With 5G Gigahertz connection speeds and millisecond latency, the AirLink XR80 can deliver the real-time connectivity needed to implement wireless cloud-based PLCs through the company’s private network. The AirLink XR80s are simple to install and set up and can be effectively monitored and managed through AirLink Management Service (ALMS.) The AirLink XR80’s advanced security ensures that connectivity to individual machines is secure. The high bandwidth capabilities of the XR80 allow real-time video monitoring of machinery to ensure proper operation.

Gain the benefits of broadband without the cost and delay of cable installations.

• Deliver cost-effective last mile connectivity
• Ensure connectivity speeds on par with cable broadband
• Gain fast time-to-connectivity
• Simplify service expansion

Telecom providers and businesses are now using Fixed Wireless Access to gain low-cost and effective last-mile connectivity on par with cable/broadband. High-speed wireless networking eliminates the need to run copper or fibre cables delivering effective connectivity at a fraction of the cost. Fixed Wireless Access can also be installed in hours versus weeks or months for cable.

Students instantly connect to the internet and their learning content.

• Remotely configure, deploy and monitor all routers being used by students
• Automatic alerts signal when devices/students have gone off-line
• Ensure all students have secure access to the materials they need

AirLink XR80 Routers deliver reliable remote learning for students without broadband.  With the AirLink XR80’s zero-touch provisioning, students can gain instant access to their course materials and communications with their instructors. Using Sierra Wireless AirLink Management Service (ALMS), you can remotely configure, deploy and monitor all the AirLink XR80 routers used by students, and deliver security and functional updates with a single command. The AirLink XR80 can also work with private cellular networks creating Wi-Fi hotspots for clusters of students.