Mobile Data for RV and Portable

[m_a_r_s]

Hey Wireless Joint,

I'm new at this and hoping for some advice, please, in trying to figure out how best to outfit my motovan with mobile data. I realize similar questions have been asked recently and I've learned a lot from those threads, but my situation seems different enough that I don't want to go hijacking them by trying to connect the dots for my own build.

My goal is to have a connection that is stable and fast enough to work as I travel around, mostly up and down the west coast. I was about to commit to a Pepwave Transit CAT-18 cell router with a Poynter 7-in-1 omni antenna, but decided to see if I could roll my own better/cheaper and found my way here.

As an existing Sprint customer, I intend to add a data-only plan and hope to take advantage of the new bands as the merger progresses. I'm not in a position to change carriers or purchase a second plan for redundancy just yet, but I definitely want to leave my options open.

It seems like the WG3526 or WG1608 are the way to go these days for routers, though I'm still weighing the pros and cons of each. I'll need to be able to power it from the van's electrical system and/or an aux battery setup that is still in the works. Bonus points if I can easily grab the router to take it with me by tossing it in a backpack or a tank bag, bringing it into a house, etc.

I'm not super-concerned about 5G yet but it would be nice to be able to take advantage of it if available. I'd mostly like some degree of futureproofiness, access to as many LTE bands as possible, and flexibility with the antennas. Which modem(s) should I be looking at?

I understand a panel antenna will be best for connecting to far-away towers in varied terrain and partially obscured locations, but I would also like to have the convenience of an omni antenna so I won't /always/ have to deal with setting up a panel, especially one that is roof-mounted. Can I do both (e.g. connecting a 2x2 omni and a 2x2 panel) or would I be better-off relying primarily on a 4x4 omni, then somehow switching to a 4x4 panel if needed?

Does it seem like I'm on the right track?


Thanks,
Andy

[Didneywhorl]

Welcome to the forum!


I still say the WG3526-P is the way to go. It is a solid unit. https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/routers/lte-routers/wg3526-p/

Then plug a USB3 adapter enclosure into the USB3 port: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/pcie-m-2/m-2-ng ... card-slot/

You can either go cat16 Quectel: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modems/quectel- ... m-2-modem/

or jump to the 5G wagon: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modems/quectel- ... lar-modem/

Either way you have 4x4 MIMO modem and can disconnect the modem and use it as a tether on multiple setups, without the need to worry about modifying the router case.

If you mix omni and directionals you will have noise problems on a 4x4 MIMO modem. Stick will all like pairs. They do make 2x2 MIMO omni outdoor antennas: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/antennas/wifi-a ... connector/

That one is made for putting a modem inside of it, but it can be made to hook cables up to instead.

The most prepared setup would maybe be a set of mimo omnis and a 4x4 MIMO all in one flat panel: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/antennas/4g-lte ... onnectors/ and swap them as you see fit, with the cabling in place to use either or.

You need LMR400 cables and shortest lengths possible to get max benefit from your antennas. LMR200 could work if only about 10' in length.

[m_a_r_s]

Thank you, that helps a lot!

[m_a_r_s]

Regarding the modem, I live in and travel to a lot of rural areas. The signal at home varies greatly most days; sometimes I get spotty LTE, sometimes spotty 3G, and sometimes nothing at all. It appears a lot of the towers around here have Band 71, but I'm not seeing it listed for the EM160R-GL. Am I mistaken and it is actually supported, and is that even something I should be concerned with or is it more important that it's a 4x4 CAT 16?

[Didneywhorl]

If you want B71 support as well as 4x4 MIMO, then the Quectel RM500Q is your go to. Its a 5GNR modem and a step up in price, but covers literally every US cellular band.

B71 is a rarely supported. It doesn't really have carrier aggregation support and due to its low frequency is typically not a fast band. It DOES go far and through trees and walls pretty well, so its a tradeoff.

[rasheemo]

Welcome to the forum!


I still say the WG3526-P is the way to go. It is a solid unit. https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/routers/lte-routers/wg3526-p/

Then plug a USB3 adapter enclosure into the USB3 port: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/pcie-m-2/m-2-ng ... card-slot/

You can either go cat16 Quectel: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modems/quectel- ... m-2-modem/

or jump to the 5G wagon: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modems/quectel- ... lar-modem/

Either way you have 4x4 MIMO modem and can disconnect the modem and use it as a tether on multiple setups, without the need to worry about modifying the router case.

If you mix omni and directionals you will have noise problems on a 4x4 MIMO modem. Stick will all like pairs. They do make 2x2 MIMO omni outdoor antennas: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/antennas/wifi-a ... connector/

That one is made for putting a modem inside of it, but it can be made to hook cables up to instead.

The most prepared setup would maybe be a set of mimo omnis and a 4x4 MIMO all in one flat panel: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/antennas/4g-lte ... onnectors/ and swap them as you see fit, with the cabling in place to use either or.

You need LMR400 cables and shortest lengths possible to get max benefit from your antennas. LMR200 could work if only about 10' in length.

I'm having a hard time understanding what the USB adapter is for. The router with that modem installed should be sufficient right?

[Didneywhorl]

The EM160 CAN go inside, with an adapter, the router. This works if you choose to eliminate a pair of wifi antennas, or drill 2 1/4" holes for the extra two LTE antennas needed for the 4x4 MIMO capable modem. The WG3526-P is setup for only 2x2 MIMO capable modems.

This also chokes the modem down to a USB2 bus (Max of about 400Mbps, whaaaa I know ).

The adapter enclosure is ready for 4 antennas and plugs into the WG3526-Ps USB3 bus which tops out at about 4Gbps; on paper.

The RM500 cannot go inside, its longer and there are no viable adapters for this. The eternal USB3 adapter enclosure is the way for this one.

[rasheemo]

The EM160 CAN go inside, with an adapter, the router. This works if you choose to eliminate a pair of wifi antennas, or drill 2 1/4" holes for the extra two LTE antennas needed for the 4x4 MIMO capable modem. The WG3526-P is setup for only 2x2 MIMO capable modems.

This also chokes the modem down to a USB2 bus (Max of about 400Mbps, whaaaa I know ).

The adapter enclosure is ready for 4 antennas and plugs into the WG3526-Ps USB3 bus which tops out at about 4Gbps; on paper.

The RM500 cannot go inside, its longer and there are no viable adapters for this. The eternal USB3 adapter enclosure is the way for this one.

I see, thanks for being so informative I really appreciate it. I'm currently wrestling with a nighthawk m1 and it's driving me crazy. Hoping this setup is more stable.

I also have a directional yag antennae (weboost) that I set up when things are really bad.

So if I get that router, the usb3 enclosure, the CAT16 modem, will I have everything I need? Do i need to buy antennaes as well or does it all come with the antennaes? If not, can you recommend a pair? Also I assume the power adapters are included right? Thanks again for all your help.

I really wish there was an all in one solution like the nighthawk

[rasheemo]

One more question, would getting the WG1608 make the usb enclosure unnecessary? or is the WG3526 a better router still

[Dr-BroadBand]

I really wish there was an all in one solution like the nighthawk

See Peplink
https://www.peplink.com


What problem are you having with the nighthawk?

[rasheemo]

See Peplink
https://www.peplink.com

There is a startup RV guy see YouTube
https://youtu.be/hwCrYsrKWgQ

What problem are you having with the nighthawk?

Speed drops all of a sudden sometimes, and sometimes it overheats and cant handle 2 or 3 devices connected simultaneously. It gets better when one of us turns off wifi. Sometimes even if i'm plugged into the laptop the speed fluctuates a lot.

I know I can lock the band if that's the issue but it just seems like a finicky device sometimes

[Didneywhorl]

I see, thanks for being so informative I really appreciate it. I'm currently wrestling with a nighthawk m1 and it's driving me crazy. Hoping this setup is more stable.

I also have a directional yag antennae (weboost) that I set up when things are really bad.

So if I get that router, the usb3 enclosure, the CAT16 modem, will I have everything I need? Do i need to buy antennaes as well or does it all come with the antennaes? If not, can you recommend a pair? Also I assume the power adapters are included right? Thanks again for all your help.

I really wish there was an all in one solution like the nighthawk

Sorry for the late reply. Super behind.

You should be set with the router, enclosure, 2 more MHF4 to SMA female bulkhead antenna pigtails and a 4A power supply.

The WG1608D-M from thewirelesshaven.com should work, I've just not liked it as much as the WG3526-P, and the WG3626-P has poe power option built in. The WG1608 has no poe option. You would have to use a splitter to power it.