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Router ideas for my situation?


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Going full time soon.

 

Purchased Verizon grandfathered unlimited data and installed in a hotspot (AC791L, which allows an external antenna).

 

In the RV I will be using wifi, DirecTV, and Roku.

 

Roku can use wifi but DirecTV requires an ethernet to use the on demand unless you purchase a kit (which I don't have) that works over wifi. I have a few other things where ethernet would be helpful but not essential, like my backup drive.

 

I know there are routers that will take the Verzion sim but there are a million different options and I just don't know which would be best for the RV and what i am trying to do.

 

Ideas?

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Don't know any routers that take a SIM card, but there are a few that do WiFi as WAN. The router would connect to your MiFi and then rebroadcasts the traffic either wirelessly or by Cat-5 cabling.

 

I use a Surf SOHO router. I actually took my SIM card out of my MiFi and put into a USB Modem and connected it to the SOHO. I use the WiFi as WAN function to connect to Park WiFi when available. That gives me a choice between the Park WiFi or my aircard for Verizon.

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Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
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Don't know any routers that take a SIM card, but there are a few that do WiFi as WAN. The router would connect to your MiFi and then rebroadcasts the traffic either wirelessly or by Cat-5 cabling.

 

I use a Surf SOHO router. I actually took my SIM card out of my MiFi and put into a USB Modem and connected it to the SOHO. I use the WiFi as WAN function to connect to Park WiFi when available. That gives me a choice between the Park WiFi or my aircard for Verizon.

 

What USB modem do you have?

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Pantech 295, usually in the $30-$50 range used. I use the Pantech in a Sleek amplifier with a roof antenna.

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Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

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The WiFiRanger Go2 can tether your MiFi hotspot and it would also provide an Ethernet port for connecting your DirecTV receiver. It also provides a USB port for direct connection of a USB modem.

 

Personally, I let my Ranger connect via wifi with my Galaxy S7 used as a hotspot. Yes, there's some download speed loss due to the extra "hop" but lately LTE speeds have been getting so fast that the effective speed is still well above what the Roku needs for an HD video stream.

 

The WiFiRanger network in my MH currently supports two laptops, an iPad, an iPod, a tablet two Rokus and a DirecTV Genie. I find it very convenient to be able to switch all this "stuff" from my cellular connection to park wifi with a single keystroke.

 

Lastly, FWIW, if you aren't aware the DirecTV Genies HR44 and 54 both have built-in wifi as well as an Ethernet port.

 

Joel (AKA docj)

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
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Pantech 295, usually in the $30-$50 range used. I use the Pantech in a Sleek amplifier with a roof antenna.

 

The Pantech plugs into the Sleek, right? How do you connect to the Soho?

 

The Sleek-is it the cell phone amplifier you are using without the cell phone? Just plugging in the Pantech to the USB port?

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The WiFiRanger Go2 can tether your MiFi hotspot and it would also provide an Ethernet port for connecting your DirecTV receiver. It also provides a USB port for direct connection of a USB modem.

 

Personally, I let my Ranger connect via wifi with my Galaxy S7 used as a hotspot. Yes, there's some download speed loss due to the extra "hop" but lately LTE speeds have been getting so fast that the effective speed is still well above what the Roku needs for an HD video stream.

 

The WiFiRanger network in my MH currently supports two laptops, an iPad, an iPod, a tablet two Rokus and a DirecTV Genie. I find it very convenient to be able to switch all this "stuff" from my cellular connection to park wifi with a single keystroke.

 

Lastly, FWIW, if you aren't aware the DirecTV Genies HR44 and 54 both have built-in wifi as well as an Ethernet port.

 

Joel (AKA docj)

My cell plan does not allow hotspot so that is out.

 

I did not even think about a different TV receiver. I'm sure the one I have is ancient. More to research now.

 

Thanks for all the help everyone.

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I use an AC791L jetpack, and tether it via USB to a Pepwave Surf-On-The Go router.

 

The Pepwave generally runs about $100 and has one Ethernet port. You can pick up an inexpensive network switch to plug into the Pepwave if you need more ports.

How do you tether it? is it a wired connection? If so how does it connect to the jetpack? The accessory port on the jetpack?

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The Pantech plugs into the Sleek, right? How do you connect to the Soho?

The Sleek-is it the cell phone amplifier you are using without the cell phone? Just plugging in the Pantech to the USB port?

 

No, I just Velcro the modem to the unit. The Sleek will amplify whatever is in the unit.
One of the reasons I am using a modem is due to the Pantech MHS291 MiFi was significantly slower tethered to the SOHO that the WiFi as WAN (like 1/5 the speed). Also, the Pantech MHS291, did not like being powered all the time as it is when tethered. Many of the MiFi units have this problem of continuous power, cooking the batteries from overcharging.
The SOHO has so many more features, 4 LAN ports, dual USB ports, dual antennas and more robust software to justify the extra cost over a Pepwave Surf-On-The Go

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

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No, I just Velcro the modem to the unit. The Sleek will amplify whatever is in the unit.
One of the reasons I am using a modem is due to the Pantech MHS291 MiFi was significantly slower tethered to the SOHO that the WiFi as WAN (like 1/5 the speed). Also, the Pantech MHS291, did not like being powered all the time as it is when tethered. Many of the MiFi units have this problem of continuous power, cooking the batteries from overcharging.
The SOHO has so many more features, 4 LAN ports, dual USB ports, dual antennas and more robust software to justify the extra cost over a Pepwave Surf-On-The Go

 

 

I hate to seem dense here but I am really trying to understand these options.

 

The 295 is velcroed into the Sleek then how is the 295 powered? In this setup you don't use the Soho at all?

 

I agree with the wifi and battery overcharging concerns.

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Don't know any routers that take a SIM card,

 

Cradlepoint IBR600LPE has a modem built in and will take a SIM card. Also, a code update can change it from Verizon to AT&T and vice versa. An extremely powerful router, we have seen no need for any amplification anywhere that we have been in the last 1 1/2 years!

Frank
Kay - Co-pilot

Roscoe and Maggie - Rescue Beagles

"I asked God to send us a True Friend. He sent us a Beagle!"
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood!"

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The 295 is velcroed into the Sleek then how is the 295 powered? In this setup you don't use the Soho at all?

The modem is powered by the USB cable, no battery. The SOHO is the router, takes the singular internet connection from Verizon and turns it into multiple connections, 9 in my case. Or the SOHO takes the singular internet connection from the Park WiFi and again turns it into multiple connections. I have three cable connections, again one of the reason not to use the MiFi.

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

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One of the reasons I am using a modem is due to the Pantech MHS291 MiFi was significantly slower tethered to the SOHO that the WiFi as WAN (like 1/5 the speed). Also, the Pantech MHS291, did not like being powered all the time as it is when tethered. Many of the MiFi units have this problem of continuous power, cooking the batteries from overcharging.
The SOHO has so many more features, 4 LAN ports, dual USB ports, dual antennas and more robust software to justify the extra cost over a Pepwave Surf-On-The Go

 

 

Had similar issues with the MHS291 ... I had to replace the battery every 4 months or so while it was tethered. I haven't had any issues since switching to the AC791L, but I've also stopped boosting it in most places now, having installed dual antennas on the roof.

 

The SOHO does have a more robust feature set, but I already had a solid Gigabit LAN / 5 GHz setup in the S&B, and just brought all of that gear into the fifth wheel. I only use the Surf-On-The Go as a bridge between the jetpack, and my Asus Gigabit router.

 

 

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Indeed, there are many ways to go about this.

 

Since you already have the AC791L, tethering it to something that can convert it to stronger WiFi and ethernet is likely your most affordable and easiest option.

 

These routers support this:

Peplink Surf on the Go

Peplink SOHO

WiFiRanger Go2

WiFiRanger Mini

 

For more information on mobile routers, we have an overview guide at: www.rvmobileinternet.com/routers (with more specific information on each unit in the member portion of the guide).

 

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My cell plan does not allow hotspot so that is out.

 

 

 

To clarify, the WiFiRanger Go2 can EITHER tether your Jetpack via USB OR connect to it via wifi. I wasn't proposing that you use your phone as a hotspot; I was simply commenting that that's how we connect.

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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