Industrial NB-IoT and LTE-M gateways for telemetry, utility infrastructure and SCADA — designed for coverage-first connectivity where bandwidth requirements are modest.
Understanding the Difference
The TRB255 and TRB256 occupy a very different position within the Teltonika product portfolio compared to the popular RUT router range. Whilst the RUT series is designed primarily for broadband-style connectivity using 4G and 5G networks, the TRB series is designed for industrial telemetry, monitoring and machine-to-machine communications where coverage and reliability are more important than bandwidth.
RUT Series Routers
Higher bandwidth. 4G and 5G connectivity for CCTV, digital signage, payment terminals and broadband-style applications.
TRB Series Gateways
Coverage-first. NB-IoT and LTE-M connectivity for telemetry, monitoring and industrial control in challenging environments.
Neither model includes Wi-Fi and both feature a single Ethernet port — but both run the same RutOS operating system found throughout the Teltonika range.
About the Technology
NB-IoT and LTE-M differ significantly from traditional LTE and 5G services. Rather than focusing on bandwidth, they are optimised for coverage, reliability, deep building penetration, long-range communications, low power consumption and long-term unattended operation.
The trade-off is lower throughput — these technologies are not designed for CCTV streaming, broadband replacement or large file transfers. Instead, they are designed for applications where devices send relatively small amounts of data but must remain connected in challenging environments.
KeySIM currently supports NB-IoT and LTE-M services across Vodafone, EE and Three, giving customers additional flexibility when deploying industrial monitoring and telemetry systems.
Typical TRB gateway applications:
One of the reasons we became interested in NB-IoT and LTE-M technologies was their ability to operate in challenging coverage environments. We have personally observed situations where NB-IoT and LTE-M connectivity was available despite there being no usable 2G, 3G or 4G service.
One memorable example was at the Great Orme in Llandudno — a location well known locally for difficult mobile coverage conditions, flanked by substantial rock formations and open sea. We had never previously observed a reliable traditional cellular data connection at this location. However, when testing NB-IoT and LTE-M capable equipment, we successfully established connectivity despite the apparent absence of conventional mobile broadband coverage.
Can a TRB gateway be used with Wi-Fi?
One of the most common misconceptions about the TRB series is that the lack of built-in Wi-Fi limits deployment options. The simplest approach is to connect the TRB gateway to the WAN port of a Teltonika router such as a RUT200.
In this arrangement, the TRB provides the NB-IoT or LTE-M cellular connection, whilst the RUT200 provides Wi-Fi, firewall functionality and local routing. We have successfully tested this arrangement and confirmed full internet connectivity using a TRB gateway as the upstream cellular device and a RUT200 as the downstream Wi-Fi router. Because both devices run RutOS, the configuration process is straightforward and the management experience remains consistent.
This can be particularly useful where an application requires the coverage advantages of NB-IoT or LTE-M whilst still requiring local wireless access for engineers and maintenance personnel.
Device Guide
A compact industrial gateway designed specifically for telemetry, monitoring and industrial control applications. Unlike the RUT router range, the TRB255 does not attempt to provide broadband-style internet access — instead focusing on connecting industrial equipment to cellular networks as efficiently and reliably as possible.
The dual-SIM capability allows two SIMs to be installed with automatic failover based on signal strength, roaming status, data limits or connectivity failures.
Typical applications:
Identical to the TRB255 in most respects, but with one extremely important difference: the TRB256 supports operation on the 450 MHz frequency band.
Lower frequencies generally provide improved propagation characteristics compared with higher frequencies — signals can travel further and penetrate challenging environments more effectively. For customers operating utility infrastructure, remote telemetry or specialist private networks, this can be extremely valuable.
Typical applications:
Customers intending to use the 450 MHz band must specify a suitable 450 MHz antenna when ordering. Standard LTE antennas are not necessarily optimised for operation at 450 MHz. This is one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of 450 MHz deployments.
Choose the TRB255 if…
You require a compact industrial gateway for telemetry, monitoring, SCADA, PLC connectivity or utility applications operating on standard LTE-M and NB-IoT networks.
Choose the TRB256 if…
You require all the capabilities of the TRB255 but need support for the 450 MHz frequency band, improved propagation characteristics or access to specialist utility and private network deployments operating at 450 MHz.
As with the wider Teltonika portfolio, Solwise can supply both gateways pre-configured and ready for deployment, whilst KeySIM provides multi-network IoT SIM connectivity, private IP services, VPN access and remote management capabilities.
Related Resources
Contact our team to discuss gateway selection, pre-configuration options and KeySIM NB-IoT and LTE-M SIM connectivity.