Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot Review | PCMag

Nov 01, 2024

The $198 Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G mobile hotspot is one of just two 5G models available for T-Mobile, but you shouldn't lament the lack of choice. It offers excellent data speeds in testing, an easy setup process, and more than double the battery life of the $264 Inseego MiFi X Pro 5G. The Inseego has the benefit of a touch screen and an Ethernet port, but those aren't enough to make up for the lower price and much longer battery life of the JEXtream, earning it our Editors' Choice award for T-Mobile subscribers.

The JEXtream RG2100 sports a utilitarian design with a bulky plastic shell that resists flexing and scuffing. It measures 5.10 by 3.30 by 0.74 inches (HWD) and weighs 8.29 ounces. It's just a bit smaller overall than the Inseego MiFi X Pro (5.90 by 2.91 by 0.74 inches and 8.60 ounces), though both fit better in a bag than a pocket.

A thin removable back panel covers a replaceable 5,000mAh battery and a SIM card slot. There are three buttons (back, return, and forward) under the 2.4-inch LCD on the front. A power button is on the top edge, while a USB-C port is on the right side. The buttons feel a little mushy but work well enough. The device doubles as an external battery for charging other devices. Aside from the hotspot and a USB-C cable, the box includes a power adapter and a setup guide.

The RG2100 doesn't have an Ethernet port (something you get with the Inseego MiFi X Pro), though you can connect the JEXtream directly to a device using the USB-C cable. This wired connection worked automatically in testing with an Apple MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro. The JEXtream does not support external antennas, which could help improve performance in some cases.

This hotspot supports LTE bands 2/4/5/12/25/26/41/48/66/71 and 5G bands n25/n41/n66/n71/n77. It's compatible with T-Mobile's C-band 5G for fast connections. The Inseego MiFi X Pro is compatible with the same LTE and 5G bands but adds quite a few others, including 1/3/7/8/13/20/28/38/39/40/46 (LTE) and n1/n2/n3/n5/n7/n20/n28/n40/n48/n78 (5G). Neither hotspot supports T-Mobile's fastest mmWave spectrum.

For Wi-Fi connectivity, the JEXtream RG2100 offers Wi-Fi 6 and broadcasts at 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, just like the Inseego MiFi X Pro. However, the hotspot doesn't support Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7.

The RG2100's low-resolution screen is difficult to see in bright light, but it works adequately to operate the device. It displays the current signal strength, the number of connected devices, device messages, battery information, and the network SSID and password. Since the screen doesn't support touch input, you use the trio of buttons to navigate the on-screen menus. For example, you can change the network mode from automatic to 5G only or adjust the screen timeout behavior.

The JEXtream makes setup simple. To get online, connect to the SSID shown on the screen and enter the indicated password.

Once connected to the hotspot, you can access more advanced controls through your browser. The default password is "admin," and you must change it upon your first login. I found the web interface simple to use and easy to navigate. The web interface allows security-conscious users to hide the SSID and password from the device screen.

To test the hotspot's battery life, I streamed 1080p video on a laptop and smartphone that I wirelessly connected to the device. It took approximately 13 hours and 30 minutes for the JEXtream's battery to deplete completely. Of course, battery life will differ depending on your surfing habits and the number of devices you connect. For comparison, the Inseego MiFi X Pro lasted just 5 hours and 52 minutes under the same testing conditions.

T-Mobile currently offers three data plans for the JEXtream. The least expensive option costs $10 per month and includes 2GB of 4G and 5G data. The $20-per-month plan ups the limit to 5GB, while the top-of-the-line, $30-per-month plan provides 10GB of data.

For comparison, T-Mobile's most affordable Unlimited prepaid phone plan costs $50 per month for one line and comes with 3GB of high-speed hotspot data included, while the $60-per-month Unlimited Plus option improves that to 10GB. T-Mobile's postpaid Go5G plans start at $95 per month and include 50GB of high-speed hotspot data.

If you have a T-Mobile phone and only occasionally need hotspot functionality, it may make more sense to use your phone's hotspot mode rather than buy a dedicated hotspot and service plan.

To evaluate the JEXtream's performance, I compared it with the hotspot feature of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. To start, I connected both devices to T-Mobile's 5G UC network in New York City. Then, I connected the four aforementioned test devices to each hotspot and recorded their download and upload speeds via Speedtest.net; all the test devices support at least Wi-Fi 6. (Note: Ookla Speedtest is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company. For more, see the ethics policy in our Editorial Mission Statement.)

The JEXtream supports a maximum of 10 connections by default, but you can increase that to as many as 20 via the web interface. For comparison, the Inseego MiFi X Pro connects up to 32 devices. Both hotspots use the Snapdragon X62 modem, which offers peak download speeds of 4.4Gbps. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 uses the newer Snapdragon X70 modem and can connect to mmWave; it supports top speeds of up to 10Gbps.

In testing, I didn't have any trouble connecting multiple devices to the hotspot. The chart below shows the raw testing results I recorded from various locations throughout New York City.

Generally, I found that download speeds were faster with the Z Fold 5 and that upload speeds were faster with the JEXtream hotspot. Interestingly, the JEXtream provided much better download speeds at the third test location. Beyond speed tests, browsing the web and using apps felt snappy on every test device while connected to the hotspot.

The Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G mobile hotspot is simple to set up, easy to use, and performs reliably. In addition to its affordable price and extremely long battery life, those aspects earn it our Editors' Choice award for T-Mobile customers. You should still consider the Inseego MiFi X Pro 5G if you need support for more connected devices or an Ethernet port, but the RG2100's excellent performance and superior battery life make it the better option for most people.

The Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100's strong 5G support, long battery life, and ease of use make it the T-Mobile hotspot to beat.

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I’m one of PCMag’s mobile analysts. That means I check out phones, hotspots, and mobile networks. Technology has been my passion and hobby since I was a child. I’ve covered tech professionally for over 15 years at outlets including The Apple Blog, This Week in Tech, and CNET.

Read Iyaz's full bio