Wireless Joint

Hey everyone,

I'm relocating to a rural area and have settled on a config of 2xLB1200's running Unlimited Data plans from Infinite LTE Data (AT&T) + 2xM1's running T-Mobile Unlimited Business Plans, all bound together using a Linksys flashed with DD-WRT.

Might seem overkill, but I'm relocating my design studio to the middle of nowhere to get away from all the distractions so I can focus on the production and creative work my team does. I need to create the fastest possible solution so we can work online with video, but also Livestream content through GoPro and iOS devices we run to OBS studio for online educational workshops we do.

The location, based on what limited understanding I have of reading cellular maps seems to be best suited to use AT&T and T-Mobile. Though I would welcome anyone else expertise on verifying that to be accurate.

In any event, the location is essentially the middle of a field with a slight canopy of trees. And I can build anything as in physically fabricate and build a mini-tower, brackets, etc. That, and I have a large budget allocated to achieve the fastest possible speed based on the variables of the geographic location.

So, if you could build your dream antenna setup, to feed four different devices and get it perfect >>> what would build? Because that's what I'm trying to figure out and I don't shit about antennas.

If the m1s get decent signal without external antennas then I wouldn't add any.. Their internals are quite good with 4x4 mimo, but they only have 2 bad ts9 ports for an external, limiting them to 2x2 mimo. Honestly, if price isn't an object and signal isn't good without externals, I'd ditch all those devices (especially the 1120s as those are pretty annoying, cat4 modems with a tendency to drop to 3g for no reason until a reboot) and go with cat20 modems in Wg1608's. Then stick 8 flat panel or parabolic grid mimo antennas on a 50ft tower, with the 1608s in enclosures up on the tower, powered with PoE splitters and all connected up to an OpenMPTCPRouter for true Wan bonding...

@viper67857 I just tested a single LB1120 at the site, today. I'm getting consistent 30 down and 20 up on Ookla. I have five bars of signal and the data plan is through Infinite (AT&T) based on that, clearly having far more understanding than I do >>> I raise the question, how much better can I actually get if that's what's coming down with an LB1120?

Just looked at the WG1608's....oh man those are like sex in the sky. If you put them on a mini-town that is. :drool:

I know it's impossible to know for sure, but what might you expect to see in gains if I were to put that same AT&T SIM in WG1608 on a mini-tower with two panels/parabolics? If there are real-world gains I could potentially see I'm down the spend the money.

That said, at $750.00ea for the WG1608 x4 is definitely a NUT.. Or if I didn't care about 5g at this point, would a WG3526 accomplish the same? Or is there another option that might be more than that but less than the cost two or four of them that I could run dual SIMS in a single unit? That would also cut down on the need for 8 antennas if such an animal exists right?

As for the CAT 20 modem, something like this >>> https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modems/quectel- ... 2-modem-2/

BTW, thanks for chiming in!

The WiFiX WG3526p with A Quectel EM20 and all necessary fixins to get it assembled would cost around $525 with shipping, per unit. That setup Ive used myself and can get over 300Mbps DL in tests.

The WG1608 can be had for less without the 5G modem, and honestly the 5G modem in it isnt very impressive. The WG1608 itself will be a good unit in the next year as more are produced and bugs in firmware are figured out.

If you want fast and powerful, with full firmware control, the above setup will rock it.

Antennas would be directional high gain antennas all the way. If you have direct line of sight to your cell towers, then a yagi type / LPDA type qntenna will work well. In non line of sight scenarios the yagi may work well but flat panel directional antennas tend to be a favorite, and parabolic grids. Higher the gain the better, but not always necessary. Sometimes a good set of tabletop antennas, like the Cisco antennas The Wireless Haven sells will work great.

If you're getting that kind of signal with an 1120, then you may not need any tower or antennas... They may not help at all even if you had them. I'd test out an M1 next and see what it does. The modems and antennae in those are far far superior to the 1120s. If the m1 gets anywhere near 100mpbs then I'd just get 2 more of those and toss those 1120s...

@Viper67857 the M1 is on it's way. I also ordered a WG1608 to test. Will post my results as soon as I have them!