Help With Router?

[Dejae]

We are newly in a 40' motorhome.

We have been parked in Las Vegas for the winter and so my husband can have total knee replacement done.

We will be here till March 1st.

 

The park we are in has alot of permanent living units here. So during the day, usually one of us can get on the Parks internet service with no problem....there are times both of us can. But once all the people come home from work the internet goes south and time for hotspot.

 

We are on AT&T and have 30gig...but the plan does not charge overages. They say after the 30gig that they will throttle back but to date have not but I know that it can happen. Will probably have to up to 40gig which price wise is a big jump.

 

So my main question is...w have a wireless color laser printer, 3 laptops and a tablet.

At any given time 2 laptops are in use. Can I run more than 2 on a hotspot?

Second question, how do I get the wireless printer to print wirelessly?

 

I am assuming I need some kind of router? I have of course my residential ASUS router but I have no clue how or if it can be used in the motorhome and how it would or can be connected to the hotspot.

 

Still trying to learn and understand this RV internet workings.

 

[wildmandmc]

you would prob have to re set the wifi setting on printer. you can add to hot spot but, your speed will get to a crawl.

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

Using a WiFi as Wan router will simplify things a lot. You can tap the park WiFi when it is useful and then switch to using the hotspot function of the phone.

 

The wireless printer traffic doesn't have to run through the hotspot which it was not designed for that, while the router is.

 

I recommend getting a air-card modem to connect the router to AT&T. Typically a modem is about $10 a month and uses your 30 GB plan. That way the phone can go somewhere and you still have your local network in the RV.

 

We use a Pepwave SOHO, on the higher end of the scale. The Pepwave Surf will do the job or one of the WiFiRanger products.

[AquaDawg]

Judi,
Does your hotspot allow USB tethering? If so, and i'm assuming your ASUS router has a USB WAN port, you can connect the two together. You'll need to log into the ASUS and change the primary WAN from "WAN" to "USB". Here is a screenshot:

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

When I tried tethering a Pantech MiFi, I found the transfer speed was faster using WiFi as WAN than the speed over the USB cable.

[Dejae]

Using a WiFi as Wan router will simplify things a lot. You can tap the park WiFi when it is useful and then switch to using the hotspot function of the phone.

 

The wireless printer traffic doesn't have to run through the hotspot which it was not designed for that, while the router is.

 

I recommend getting a air-card modem to connect the router to AT&T. Typically a modem is about $10 a month and uses your 30 GB plan. That way the phone can go somewhere and you still have your local network in the RV.

 

We use a Pepwave SOHO, on the higher end of the scale. The Pepwave Surf will do the job or one of the WiFiRanger products.

Mark just sent you an email.....thanks much

[Dejae]

Judi,

Does your hotspot allow USB tethering? If so, and i'm assuming your ASUS router has a USB WAN port, you can connect the two together. You'll need to log into the ASUS and change the primary WAN from "WAN" to "USB". Here is a screenshot:

 

 

ASUS.jpg

AquaDawg, I would assume not as the hotspot is our Samsung S7 phones, we have 2.

[Dejae]

Judi,

Does your hotspot allow USB tethering? If so, and i'm assuming your ASUS router has a USB WAN port, you can connect the two together. You'll need to log into the ASUS and change the primary WAN from "WAN" to "USB". Here is a screenshot:

 

 

ASUS.jpg

AquaDawg, just looked at my Asus RT-AC56U Dual band Wireless AC1200 Gigabit Router that we used in the Sticks and Bricks before we sold it. Only says it has a WPS button, Cable/DSL plug, Printer Plug, 4 GIgabit LAN ports and a USB 2.0 and 3.0 port. I don't see anything on the diagram or the unit that says USB WAN Port

[AquaDawg]

Judi,
This review says it has the 3g/4G USB WAN port:

"Finally, the USB ports can be used for sharing a 3G/4G wireless modem. Here's a link to supported 3G/4G modems."

http://http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-reviews/32234-asus-rt-ac56u-80211ac-dual-band-wireless-ac1200-gigabit-router-reviewed

[AquaDawg]

I have not tried this, but Samsung says it will work:

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00047789/

[Chalkie]

I have not tried this, but Samsung says it will work:

 

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00047789/

 

I can promise it works, as I have the S7 and do this all the time. However, I do wonder if it may be carrier dependent. I works on my carrier (Tmobile) with our unlimited data plan.

[docj]

 

I can promise it works, as I have the S7 and do this all the time. However, I do wonder if it may be carrier dependent. I works on my carrier (Tmobile) with our unlimited data plan.

 

I have an S7 and use the hotspot feature all the time with Verizon. I routinely see download speeds on my local tower of 45-65Mbps with the hotspot; I see no reason to bother to tether.

[jerryneal]

I didn't see the MiFi router used. I have one through Verizon. Supports up to 10 wireless devices. Use with my wireless Brothers printer with no problems. Doesn't use the data plan since PC to printer is on the local network.

[Dejae]

Sorry I haven't been here to respond. DH went into hospital to have a total knee replacement and it has of course monopolized my time. He is in the hospital doing his thing till Saturday and I am trying to do what I have to do here.

 

So.....AQUADAWG and JERRY NEAL, could you elaborate more please....

 

I also have 2 of these.....http://www.dlink.com/uk/en/home-solutions/connect/adapters/dwa-171-wireless-ac-dual-band-usb-adapter

[jerryneal]

I have a MiFi cellular router purchased from Verizon. All cellular carries have some brand. For my plan, it cost me $49 to purchase and added $10 per month to the bill. I then use the same data plan as my phones. The unit is also a wireless router. I'm using a Brother printer that is wifi capable. I also have an application on the PC from Brothers that supports wifi printing. Setting up the PC and printer on the MiFi network allows the PC to use all features including printing and scanning. Works great.

[AquaDawg]

Sorry I haven't been here to respond. DH went into hospital to have a total knee replacement and it has of course monopolized my time. He is in the hospital doing his thing till Saturday and I am trying to do what I have to do here.

 

So.....AQUADAWG and JERRY NEAL, could you elaborate more please....

 

I also have 2 of these.....http://www.dlink.com/uk/en/home-solutions/connect/adapters/dwa-171-wireless-ac-dual-band-usb-adapter

Judi, the link you posted is for USB wifi AC adaptors, most likely laptops that you are connecting to the ASUS router over wifi. What I am talking about is a USB port on your ASUS.

 

Once you put your phone in USB tethering mode you will need a cable like this to connect (tether) the phone to your router:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Micro-Charging-Cable-Galaxy/dp/B01CO8BG80

 

 

 

One note about using your phone as a hotspot verses using it tethered to the router. Most cell phones used as hotspots are only capable of using WEP encryption on the wifi. (Not sure about the Samsung)

I always recommend using a router tethered to a cell phone instead of as a hotspot because of this. WEP encryption is significantly easier to hack into than WPA2 encryption is. With a router you get the WPA2 option, and you can manage your firewall too. Plus if someone in a campground is trying to hack into your wifi signal, the logs in the router will show you intrusion attempts.

 

Cell phone data is expensive enough as it is, you don't want Johnny Rotten in the campground piggybacking off you for free.

 

 

[docj]

One note about using your phone as a hotspot verses using it tethered to the router. Most cell phones used as hotspots are only capable of using WEP encryption on the wifi.

 

 

I can't speak to any phones other than Samsung, but they all use WPA encryption. I seriously doubt any of them use WEP these days.

[Dejae]

Thank you for all the info. Guess I have some thinking and a little bit of research to do...

Thanks again....you all are a big wealth of information

 

HAPPY AND BLESSED HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!

[StarDreamers.us]

Sorry I haven't been here to respond. DH went into hospital to have a total knee replacement and it has of course monopolized my time. He is in the hospital doing his thing till Saturday and I am trying to do what I have to do here.

 

So.....AQUADAWG and JERRY NEAL, could you elaborate more please....

 

I also have 2 of these.....http://www.dlink.com/uk/en/home-solutions/connect/adapters/dwa-171-wireless-ac-dual-band-usb-adapter

We wish you the best in your special help for his recovery. It is painful but so worth the final outcome.

Safe Travels!

[edatlanta]

Using a WiFi as Wan router will simplify things a lot. You can tap the park WiFi when it is useful and then switch to using the hotspot function of the phone.

 

The wireless printer traffic doesn't have to run through the hotspot which it was not designed for that, while the router is.

 

I recommend getting a air-card modem to connect the router to AT&T. Typically a modem is about $10 a month and uses your 30 GB plan. That way the phone can go somewhere and you still have your local network in the RV.

 

We use a Pepwave SOHO, on the higher end of the scale. The Pepwave Surf will do the job or one of the WiFiRanger products.

 

I use the Pepwave SOHO also. My main internet source is a Verizon Jetpack and my smartphone as a backup. Both work well. If I am in a park with excellent WiFi and I have only been in one so far I can program the SOHO to use the park wifi. Lots of flexibility and my wireless printer is very happy and fast as well and I don't have to be connected to the internet for the printer to print. Only the SOHO has to be on to print from my laptop.