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Best Practices - WiFiRanger Elite AC (FM too:)!)


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Have the WFR Elite AC FM set up on the dining room table of our vacation home. Updated to the latest firmware. Reset SSID name and passwords, set up pecking order priority of preferred networks, etc. 

95% + of the time, we do not use a parks WiFi. Depending upon location, and strength of various  cellular data, we use:

-Verizon Samsung S6 with GF UDP

-ATT Unite Explore MIFI

-ATT iPhone 7 

(The Unite Explore and iPhone 7 share a 40GB plan, with monthly roll over of the unused data.)

-ATT Mobley (New, and just fired up yesterday. So not really figured out where this will slot in the pecking order until we get on the road a bit and see how things go.) This is the Connect Car UDP $20 plan. Which I believe is 22GB of untampered data, then after that subject to network de-prioritization if ATT feels they need to do so(?).)

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Currently we have the GO2 with older Mobile on the coach, which will be replaced with the Elite FM and the GOac. 

When using the Samsung S6 for data, we currently hook this directly to the GO2 via WiFi. The GO2 is our primary/common connection point for all of the other internal devices, SmartTV, Oppo, Etc..

When using the ATT Unite Explore MIFI (Which we've also only added to our arsenal recently, the last three weeks.) I've been also connecting via WiFi. But expect that I'll change this to Tethering directly to the GOac as we get rolling with it. (Have a Catch22 here. Our our Maximum Signal Internal antenna is in the front of the coach, and our Communication Cabinet with he WFR equipment and other equipment, is in the bedroom. We have found the best performance of using the internal antenna's amplified signal is within a 4-8' range. Still do get a boosted signal at greater the 8', just as fast while doing Speednet testing. The distance will be ~18-20' from the inside antenna to the Communication Cabinet.0

So I believe the Catch 22 will be the times when the data signal strength requires the Max Signal Amp to be useable. We'll have a trade off between the advantages of direct tethering vs being ~18-22' away from the amplified signal. (I'll go ahead and experiment with Speednet testing as my guide, comparing tethered vs moving the Unite Explore closer to the internal antenna and connecting to the GOac via WiFi. (This being 802.11AC 5ghz communication - this may end up being the faster download speeds.) Time will tell on this one...

One final comment on the equipment and stuff background. I will be also adding a Mobile Mark MIMO antenna at the same time we mount the Elite FM to the roof. This will allow me to MIMO antenna connect to the Unite Explores dual ports. From testing by our fellow Escpaee's travelers the 2C's, (Technomadia and RVMOBILEINTERNET) - they've seen positive results with non amplified MIMO antennas, in some of their locations. So in our Communication Cabinet, we'll have the MIMO antenna connected to the Unite Explore as the first attempt in an area. If speeds are lacking due to weak signal strength, we'll then go to the amplified signal process mentioned above. 

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I mentioned Best Practices in the heading. Now that my rambling descriptions of gear and logistics is over, I do have a question about Best Practices. 

Since the majority of our data feed usage will from devices inside of the coach (Non Campground Park WiFI.), is it better to just use the GOac to connect to via in coach data WiFi feed, or should we add the extra layer and connect to the Elite FM on the top, Cat5 back to the GOac? (Sure I could experiment both ways. But I found with the GO2 that it was usually easier and more stable then connecting to the roof top Mobile antenna (Yep, Mobile - it's and olde one:)!)

Anyone (Hi Joel:)!) have any opinions on which is the 'best' way to go on this one? And any other tips/settings in relation to the now new to me GOac and Elite FM would be welcomed too. 

Best to all,

Smitty

(And a final note. The setup and running on our dining room table, including the firmware update, was very easy and straightforward. Much improved from various other iterations of when I've upgraded with newer WFR gear. (And of course, the GOac and Elite have been out for sometime now, I dragged my feet on making this expensive jump.) My message is here is a salute to WFR and Blue Mesh - nice experience as user for me so far:)!)

 

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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Hi Smitty:

To start with, I don't think you can extrapolate your experiences with the old Go and Mobile to any of the new WiFiRanger equipment available today.

That being said, I don't think it makes much difference if you keep the EliteFM in the system or not when you are connecting to your local cellular source.  Sure, with the Elite in the system you have a real "two radio" solution, but the processing capability of the GoAC is so fast compared with earlier versions that you really won't too much notice the slowdown caused by the radio doing both jobs.  

When I was using my Samsung Verizon phone as a hotspot with download speeds of >50Mbps I was seeing >90% speed retention going through the GoAC if I turned off the 2.4GHz internal network.  That way the 2.4 GHz radio was communicating with the hotspot and the 5GHz was dealing with the internal network.   Of course, you can only do that if all your network devices can connect at 5GHz.  But even with both radios running I was seeing download speeds of >75% of the input speed.

In summary, I think you could use either approach and still have acceptable download speeds.

Joel

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels

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Thanks Joel, 

Good to hear the relatively low download speed consumption regardless of approach. And I appreciate the tip on turning of the 2.4. 

I left the EliteFM and GOac running for about 56 hours straight, tuned a few more parameters, and preloaded it in the normal preferred pecking order of our data source devices. Had company joining us, and oddly the DW wanted the 'stuff' off the dining room table... So all packed back the shipping box (Along with the ATT Mobley too.), and staged in the garage. Waiting for the Mobile Mark MIMO antenna to arrive, then will go up topside and swap out the old Mobile with the EliteFM. Put the ground plain on the top of the AC for the Mobile Mark. And run all of the cable down thru the junction boxes at the same time. 

Looking forward to getting it installed, and playing around with it in real world usage:)!

Best,

Smitty

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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Hey Joel (Welcome thoughts form others too:)!

This questions relates to home WiFi. 

We have two houses side by side. The one we use as our vacation home has Spectrum Cable, including their 200GB service for internet. My daughter lives in a granny flat of the home next door, and accesses our WiFi. A pretty straight shot of about 300' from our upstairs office located modem/wifi/router, to her place. She gets pretty decent speeds in most of the place, but is now also trying to stream in the bedroom, which is on the farthest corner away from the signal. 

While we were traveling last year, she added a 'repeater' without understanding the importance of getting one with MIMO, so she basically has cut her speeds even lower. (But Dad, look, my signal strength is stronger!!! So how is this not better? Said in frustration:)!)

OK - So here is what I'm wondering:

>All of her usage upstairs is 802.11N (Two Smart TV's and an older laptop.)

>Re-purpasing the WFR GO2 to her place. Including the Mobile with WFR XT that has 8.5db. (These are still performing well in our coach. And if I remember correctly, the GO2 is MIMO enabled(?). 

>I would first try the GO2 by itself, placing it in her place with as good as signal as it can pull in. Do some Speednet testing to compare with what she is getting now. If it looks good, call it done. And all of her devices would connect to the GO2. 

>If the Speednet testing is still not 'robust', I'd add the Mobile with XT antenna into the mix. Just setting it some place inside the unit with good signal at first, as opposed to mounting it outside. And repeat the Speednet testing. If that looks good, call it done. 

>If the Mobile XT inside the place is still marginal on Speednet results. I'd put it put the window closest to our vacation home's office located modem/wifi. Speednet test again, and if that looks good. Drill some holes and mount it permanently.

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OK, so those would be the steps I was thinking of going with. The GO2 and Mobile with XT antenna are free:)! And though not the latest and greatest, especially the Mobile, still pretty good equipment. Especially since she only currently has a need for 802.11N. 

That being said. For und $80 several 802.11AC 2.4/5 combo router/wifi's exist. Doubt the 5ghz would make it thru to our office modem/wifi, but the 2.4ghz should connect well. Better then the GO2 without external antenna's would. And then the link from our office to her place would be in 802.11AC, into sort a glorified wireless bridge. Still connected to her devices via 802.11N. Except the primary living area TV we'd then hard wire to the 'bridge' connection via CAT5, which would eliminate the 802.11N slower speeds.

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So try it for nothing at fist, but then have a step up plan having to AC units talking with each other. 

Any input on my thought process would be appreciated... Don't want to waste her's or my time, if going with a newer router/wifi 802.11AC would yield the highest overall speeds.

TIA,

Smitty

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today was on the roof and new cable running day:)!

>Elite FM now mounted on the roof, with two strips of Eternabond on the leading front of the FM bracket, and only one strip on the back right side (Left side was snugged down under some other cables, not enough to stop it from breaking loose easily if needed. So no tape on the left back side.) These were strips about 4" X  3/4" so not much tape contact with the roof. I wanted to be sure that if a branch did ever encounter the antenna, that the EliteAC FM bracket would pull up before the antenna itself might be broken.)

>Mobile Mark MIMO an GPS MLTM301 cables run

>Second Maximum Signal 13" Magnetic Antenna cable run

>MLTM301 and the two MS 13" Mag Ant are now all up on the top of the rear AC shroud, with appropriate ground plane RTV sealant attached to the shroud too. Cables are all loose enough with a combo of zip ties and RTV sealant to allow all antennas to break free loosely form the AC shroud if said mean tree limb attacks... 

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Also pulled a 120V power supply over to service the Communication Cabinet. (Have been using 12V for all equipment so far. Except for the mentioned in another thread Maximum Signal amp has been turning Red on 12V, so have hung a extension cord out of the cabinet the last few months. (And my action to contact Gord, he did say to do so, and he'd hook me up with a new 120/12V combo setup they have for the Max Amp. Now that post tax season is behind me, I'll get a hold of him in the next few days:)!) But figured I should have run 120V to begin with, and have done so...

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GOac Elite FM Antenna setup in the S&B resulted in a Plug & Play situation. 

So some quick results, with my vacation home's cable modem WiFi as the source to the internet. (Spectrum, both 2.4 and 5 available, and 802.11AC.)

(The RV is parked at along the garage of the rental home we have next door, about 180-200' distance, and tucked down and around the corner, so not a clear shot from the coach to the cable combo router and WiFi modem.)

-Weak signal without using the WFR. Downloads of about between 14-19 Mbps.

-Connected to the GOac, with the EliteAC doing the work. Download speeds of between 53-61 Mbps. (Pretty dang impressive bump...).

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I had been on the fence about making this jump from GO2 and older Mobile that came out with the first GO. But with recent changes to our front end cellular that include 3 out of 4 devices capable of Mobile Hotspot 802.11AC connectivity (And 3 out of 4 tether'able too.). As ell as new laptops and ROKU 8 also being 802.11AC - seemed like the discount sale a few months ago was the time to do so. (Plus another slight bonus. The GO2 and Mobile with the WFR XT antenna will be repositioned to feed my Daughters place in up over the three car garage of the rental house next door. And they for now only have 802.11N needs inside. So a bump up for them in performance too.)

I'll repeat how pleased I was with the ease of hooking up, software updating, and configuring the GOac and EliteAC Antenna combo. And now very impressed with he performance gang (I've never been able to pull in speeds lie that over in our parking storage area. Even with the GO2 and old Mobile with EX antenna, the fastest speeds I ever recall in the low 20's Mbps. This over multiple years of usage in that location. 

So pleased so far:)!

Thanks again to Joel for his unconditional support of all of us with WFR gear... and his patients too:)! 

Best to all,

Smitty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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Smitty:

I'm glad things are working well for you.  Even though I'm obviously biased, I do think the new firmware and devices are the most stable we've ever fielded.

I'm currently using my Elite as a repeater at our RV site to improve the performance of devices located >50 feet from the GoAC.  I have the Elite installed at ~25 feet from the GoAC and am using a gigabit POE adapter to power it.  It connects to the GoAC which is in the MH via wifi and it provides a strong wifi signal for devices in our "Arizona room."  I'm still working on establishing a Ethernet over Power connection to it so I can use WFR Control, but what I have works fine for my purposes.

It's not a revolutionary new application for the hardware, but it is different than most.

Joel

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels

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