Rock solid WiFi configurations, plans and equipment

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Dave,
I agree with you 100%! as long as you are using a single phone, or single laptop that connects with that same device.

When trying to connect a CPE to those networks - many large WISP's (comcast) don't like to have multi-tennant connections with NAT'ed connections behind them. Once there are over 200 ports opened over that single connection - they look at it as a multi-tennant connection (not a single subscriber device) and take action accordingly. (We do this on all of our Public guest-WiFi connections in our retail locations)

If you were to pull up in front of one of our stores... and try to connect to our Public WiFi and use your phone... It will work for a pre-set period of time (measured in minutes, not hours) - then your connection and authenticated session will terminate. You will be required to re-connect, re-authenticate and then you will have "limited internet access" for a different period of time. (Comcast does this too - with persistent connections that appear to be more than a temporary customer presence)

All the while, Ports to the internet are filtered at a cascading level of enforcement to protect the network and satisfy our agreement with the ISP.

If it appears to show a pattern of a persistent connection for longer than expected - that has more than one device routing traffic... it is easy to recognize and the ISP is simply resetting the session - asking you to start over and show you are legit. All part of the EULA!

Never experienced that type of problem and since I have been teleworking for over 15 years and periodically work out of the RV I will often log in on 3 laptops (personal, corporate, client) with 2 going through VPNs and 2 cell phones at the same time.

Maybe I'm just lucky. I'm retiring from the corporate world in a few months so half the technology will go away then anyway.

[Captain Morgan]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

The Mikrotik equipment is 12v to 57v 6Watts POE. I have left the remote relay up on a ridge for a full 7 days running two of these devices on an Odyssey SXS battery

I disagree... I have bought from Streakwave, Baltic Networks, Flytec, Microcom. As far as support - there is plenty, although the depth of configuration that you can do with the MT router is extensive and robust.

Thanks for the specs and resassurances. The Mikrotik is one of the more affordable solutions for sure. I'm think I could order one from Amazon and test it out for an hour. If it doesn't do what I want, return it because it's the wrong color.

I think since yesterday I've narrowed the equipment list considerably, to maybe half dozen external and internal things to buy. Researching and shopping for both the WiFi repeater / booster and cell stuff at the same time is a little daunting.





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[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Never experienced that type of problem and since I have been teleworking for over 15 years and periodically work out of the RV I will often log in on 3 laptops (personal, corporate, client) with 2 going through VPNs and 2 cell phones at the same time.

Maybe I'm just lucky. I'm retiring from the corporate world in a few months so half the technology will go away then anyway.

Not so much lucky... but your use of VPN is actually helping you stay under the radar (so to speak) as all of the port connections are passing inside of the tunnel and not exposed to the AP you are connecting to... to Comcast, they only see one connection to your VPN host, not the rest of your connections that are encrypted in the VPN tunnel.

[Marcm157]

I wonder if Rosetta Stone has a class so I can figure out what most of you said through this thread!!

[jburrellrv]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

We use about 48Gb of 4G-LTE data per month, and try to offset that useage when we can get any reliable WiFi connection. We have a dedicated Data-Line for our LTE and have a backup provider in case we don't have coverage from our primary carrier in that spot. We mount a directional LTE dish to a mast and it is wired to our Motorhome POE. It can transmit at full-power back to the cell tower we are pointed to. It takes about 10 minutes to set up and align the unit to the best LTE tower.

SloPoke... I wonder if you would mind sharing what type or brand of LTE antenna and what type of LTE CPE you use to terminate the antenna?

Many thanks,

Jim...

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by jburrellrv

SloPoke... I wonder if you would mind sharing what type or brand of LTE antenna and what type of LTE CPE you use to terminate the antenna?

Many thanks,

Jim...

Our primary LTE setup is this unit mounted on the mast. It is a directional 17dbi gain antenna and LTE Radio with a full Router integrated into the unit.

https://mikrotik.com/product/lhg_lte_kit_us

[bababooey]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Our primary LTE setup is this unit mounted on the mast. It is a directional 17dbi gain antenna and LTE Radio with a full Router integrated into the unit.



https://mikrotik.com/product/lhg_lte_kit_us

I've been wanting to try one but can't get over no band 13 support for Verizon.

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by bababooey

I've been wanting to try one but can't get over no band 13 support for Verizon.

yea... it is one of those bands that Verizon has locked up and is exclusively theirs in the US... If you wish to license your equipment legally to use that band... it costs a few million to open the discussion.

That is how the carriers protected their stuff.

[bababooey]

I've gone through the process a few times now with vzw getting UE's certified, it does cost $$ but not anywhere close to a million.

The fact it's also a cat 4 is very off putting as well.

[Captain Morgan]

After 2 weeks in forums and countless hours in research and phone calls, I think I have the solution I want to try.

Essentially it would include Pepwave Max Br1 MK2 CAT-6 LTE-Advanced Mobile Router and some choice of AIO omni directions antenna or individual antennas.

This Br1 MK2 and antennas will essentially replace the cable modem and talk to the outside world in the ways I've prescribed. It will use the WiFi and cell data together for internet.

I would retain my NetGear NightHawk 7500 V2 as my wifi router and internal network with 4 1gb LAN ports and all the administration and security features I'm used to.

Between the MK2 and my own router there would then be multiple layers of firewall and filtering and NAT.

With regard to the MK2 I have to decide which type antennas to go with. Will I use the longer and more expensive antennas with higher gain or will I just use an AIO that's low profile and a single thing to mount up top.

I've looked at a myriad of products from hotspots to boosters etc and I feel like this is the best overall get it done right for my needs solution.


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[SloPoke]

Keep us posted on the build/install.

When we get back into civilization, we will update you on how we have service to reply to this thread, even though not one phone on any carrier can even get a voice connection....

[Duke4857]

Very interesting to follow this thread. I would like to also know the outcome of how things work.

[Captain Morgan]

There are a number of 5 in 1 antenna choices for Lte+wifi+GPS like the Pepwave ANT-107 5-in-1 Antenna - Model: ANT-107-Q-LTE4-G.

Since I'm going to add a junction box to the top of the rig for all the cabling, I can mount this in the top of that lid and still have a very low profile and no actual roof cable run.




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[SloPoke]

What options are there for directional high gain antennas?

[Captain Morgan]

In a 5n1 config, not so many if any at all.

[jburrellrv]

Originally Posted by slowpoke

We use about 48Gb of 4G-LTE data per month, and try to ...<snip>... We have a dedicated Data-Line for our LTE and have a backup provider in case we don't have coverage from our primary carrier in that spot.

Hey Slopoke...

I was wondering if you could share who your two carriers are (primary and secondary) and how often you have to switch between the two.

Thanks,

Jim...