ECM and X86 - Multiple Routers, Load Balanced Proxmox

[latic]

Not posted for a while as my internet appeared to be OK, but we know OK its "As good as it can be!"

Having happened across a few HP T620's within a bigbox store (got them for $10 each including the power supply and RAM), I started to wonder if my setup of 1x RBM33g as master, 1x RBM33g as a slave 1x RBM11g as a slave was working for me. I've always had randomness in regards to disconnection even after upgrading to RM520n-gl's for everything and just accepted this as part of running a 5g modem.

With the HP620 it gave me USB3.0, which I've found out the RBM's run their MPCIE slots on USB2.0.

Having tried this a few different ways I've settled on the following setup:

- Proxmox as a base OS
- Modem's in ECM running their own control panel (https://github.com/natecarlson/quectel- ... tion-notes)
- An OpenWRT LXC with the modems running in ECM mode and passed through
- Openwrt running Mwan3

What I've been hugely surprised at is the huge amount of overhead I appear to have gotten rid of, previously I'd be floundering at about 120mbps up and 25-35mbps down for the connections. They are now flying at 220mbps+ down and 60mbps+ up.

Mwan3 is working way better than it ever did with R00ter and I'm not missing the ups and downs of QMI/MBIM.

Along the way its been a challenge with needing to write some custom scripts to get the modems to re-attach if they disconnect and then figuring out the reason they disconnect is because of power (usb3.0 is max 900ma), "Powered" USB hubs don't give more power than this and therefore getting a powered hub with 2.4amp powered ports and using y splitters has been my goto.

Has anyone done anything similar? or got any other solution I should look at?

Running Proxmox and having the ECM's working properly is a really nice thing, it allows me to 1 not have a router sitting there needing 0.2% of a CPU and 256mb ram and doing nothing else.

When I started I thought I was going to have a way more complicated setup, but this looks like its actually going to be much nicer looking and I now my aim is to start working on "Power Cut" mode to make sure I can power down everything apart from the essentials so my battery backup is able to last.

[mtl26637]

If you like playing and are looking for another solution you might look into an OMR (OpenMPTCPRouter) setup rather than load balancing? That should increase your overall upload/download performance. It does have its downsides but worth it if you like playing around IMO.

[BillA]

If you like playing and are looking for another solution you might look into an OMR (OpenMPTCPRouter) setup rather than load balancing? That should increase your overall upload/download performance. It does have its downsides but worth it if you like playing around IMO.

Let's face it, OpenMPTCPRouter is probably not for the average user. Sure it works, but the setup is pretty difficult along with a remote server and monthly fees on top of the mobile carrier(s). Nowadays using a high end 5G modem or phone as a modem gives plenty of speed and bandwidth.

[mtl26637]

Let's face it, OpenMPTCPRouter is probably not for the average user. Sure it works, but the setup is pretty difficult along with a remote server and monthly fees on top of the mobile carrier(s). Nowadays using a high end 5G modem or phone as a modem gives plenty of speed and bandwidth.

Meh.

I know you like pushing phones as modems for whatever reason, but you have to realize that most looking to use mobile network as internet source are usually limited in options as they are located in rural areas. I think one of the biggest factors is the ability of using external antennas which isn't possible with phone. Other than t-mobile, high speed 5G is more or less non-existent in rural areas so the ability to combine multiple sources is huge especially when streaming video or for working from home and need high speeds for file transfers. The fact he mentions multiple setups along with using proxmox, I would think OMR isn't all that difficult for someone who can set up proxmox. He ask for other solutions so I thought I'd mention it. I guess it does add an extra 10 bux a month to the cost but also gives you several other plusses such as a way back in from remote location.

[latic]

I went down OpenMPTCPRouter quite a while ago, being a system admin in a previous life made this really easy for me to setup.

The reason I've gone away from it is the max speed at 250mbps+ is enough for me and what it did was create more cost / another point of failure, and also then still needing load balancing to make sure Netflix and other streaming is handled.

In regards to "Phone as a modem", using RM520's in ECM mode means I have a fully functional linux box (the modem itself) which is passing the ethernet connection over USB. That's essentially using a phone as a modem, without having to worry about battery etc. And being able to run things on the Linux Box (modem) natively!