MOFI5500-5GXeLTE-EM7690 with second modem for failover.
Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:19 am
Total newb here, and I know there is some hate here for mofi, and I didn't read those things until after I bought and set it up, so bear with me if there are better ideas for what I am trying to accomplish, but I already spent the money for the router, and am hoping to still use it for awhile at least. however, I recently purchased a MOFI5500 EM7690 router that works really well with visible, I am also getting another at&t unlimited data plan, and from what I am reading the EM7690 doesn't play well with at&t at the moment to connect to 4g due to it showing up as a phone and not a data only device. What I am curious about is if anyone has added an external modem to the mofi5500 via usb 3.0 (USB3 box from The Wireless Haven?), and how I would go about that? I have tried searching all over to find the support docs, but unfortunately there isn't much for the 5500 and support for other modems via the usb 3.0 port.
- Would I need to use different firmware that the stock mofi 5500 firmware to support the drivers for a different modem via the usb 3.0 connection?
- How would I go about loading those drivers on the current firmware if that is even possible?
- Would this even work with what I am thinking?
Essentially, I want to have it setup to use the at&t sim card from the usb modem load balance/failover to the internal em7690 modem on the visible sim, that way I can switch out the modem in the USB3 box from The Wireless Haven down the road if I want to go to 5g in the future, or different carriers without replacing the router? Any if anyone has any suggestions for a good modem that has 4x4 mimo and CA with the at&t sim cards that would be helpful.
My other thought was to build a NEXQ6GO based router with the proper modem for the at&t sim, and set it up in bridge/ip passthrough mode or disable wireless, and plug that into the wan port of the mofi5500 and load balance/failover that way? but it seems like a waste to get another router, and to limit it to 100mbps via ethernet. I do have an old mofi 4500 sim8 that I was going to try the wan setup with just to prove out the theory that it could work, but I would prefer the first method to use a usb 3.0 modem with the 5500 if possible.
Also, down the road I will be using starlink in my rv as well, and would like to load balance between the wan port (starlink) and this setup in the mix as well. I plan to work from my camper in some remote places and would like to ensure minimal downtime so it doesn't impact my job. is it even possible? am I crazy or this idea? I just started digging into some of this stuff recently, so excuse me if these sound like terrible questions.
- Would I need to use different firmware that the stock mofi 5500 firmware to support the drivers for a different modem via the usb 3.0 connection?
- How would I go about loading those drivers on the current firmware if that is even possible?
- Would this even work with what I am thinking?
Essentially, I want to have it setup to use the at&t sim card from the usb modem load balance/failover to the internal em7690 modem on the visible sim, that way I can switch out the modem in the USB3 box from The Wireless Haven down the road if I want to go to 5g in the future, or different carriers without replacing the router? Any if anyone has any suggestions for a good modem that has 4x4 mimo and CA with the at&t sim cards that would be helpful.
My other thought was to build a NEXQ6GO based router with the proper modem for the at&t sim, and set it up in bridge/ip passthrough mode or disable wireless, and plug that into the wan port of the mofi5500 and load balance/failover that way? but it seems like a waste to get another router, and to limit it to 100mbps via ethernet. I do have an old mofi 4500 sim8 that I was going to try the wan setup with just to prove out the theory that it could work, but I would prefer the first method to use a usb 3.0 modem with the 5500 if possible.
Also, down the road I will be using starlink in my rv as well, and would like to load balance between the wan port (starlink) and this setup in the mix as well. I plan to work from my camper in some remote places and would like to ensure minimal downtime so it doesn't impact my job. is it even possible? am I crazy or this idea? I just started digging into some of this stuff recently, so excuse me if these sound like terrible questions.