WISP router

M

matt167

[H]ard|Gawd
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Dec 18, 2016
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My home internet now consists of a cheapo ZTE Blade cellphone running a hotspot ( On Visible unlimited plan ) and an old Cradlepoint CTR35 travel router set to run WIFI as WAN.. I live out in the sticks and this provides me with 5 mbps down and 2 up. The problem is the CTR35 crashes and looses the connection a lot. The router needs to be turned off and then back on. When the router goes inop, the phone still shows the router as connected so I know it's on the end of the travel router.. Sometimes the router shows connected but there is actually no connection. It's from 2012 or so, just something I had in storage which worked.

I found a TP Link WISP router on Ebay for $20 that I think will do what I want and keep the connection. I need something that will act as a DHCP server so that the phone only see's one client. Never actually used or even heard of a WISP router but I think it's the smoking gun.

The only other thing I know I can do is use a $350 MOFI 4500 with the TTL set to 65 but that is 100% against Visible TOS. Any other idea's in case the WISP router does not work? It's only Wireless N 300mbps but I only stream SD content even from my plex server.
 
When I was on LTE internet, I used https://www.ofmodemsandmen.com/ with a modem in a USB enclosure. An rpi with a modem would probably be both cheaper and more reliable. Add some directional antennas and you could really be in business. I've got some left over directional antennas and cables if you're interested, they are no longer used.
 
The CTR35 I have actually is designed to take cell modems, and I even have an old Verizon modem. But Visible will recognize that it's a modem and shut my service down... If I use the phone as a hotspot modem, it's within TOS
 
How would they know? I had an LTE provider who indicated the MOFI was required. It was not.
 
scobar said:
How would they know? I had an LTE provider who indicated the MOFI was required. It was not.
Click to expand...

I think the way they do it is through the TTL setting.. Several reports of people using routers like the Nighthawk M1 and getting letters/ emails saying they are breaking the TOS by using a router. I'd only assume that an old USB modem would do the same thing.. The MOFI 4500 gets around it by using a TTL setting of 65.. I would have to set up every device to operate at a TTL of 65 since most routers can't set that

I got the $20 router after figuring it was worth a shot, and it seems to be doing exactly what it needs to do
 
Hmmm. Is Visible a VZW MVNO?
How often does the cradlepoint act up?
Can that phone be tethered via USB to a router?
 
About once per day, but sometimes more.. It's a VZW owned company. $40/ month for unlimited data. Hotspot is unlimited but throttled to 5mbps and limited to one client.. Super cheap if I can get the kinks out

The WISP router works but it too reset sometime last night so it is something with the phone hotspot. I might try one of the third party hotspot apps, or a 24hr appliance timer would probably do the trick... Have it cut power ( and thus reset ) for 30 mins around 12.30 AM

I might try running like Third rock radio ( Nasa free station ) on my plex server 100% of the time with the sound off. Thinking that as long as the connection never goes stale it will keep working
 
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Open a window and run a ping google.com -t to keep some traffic going.
I was going to suggest an appliance timer, I know others who are using LTE service do this as the devices can be wonky, and if they are down and you're multiple states away...that's no fun. Some routers will allow tether via USB cable.
 
My uptime is nearly 100%. Not a glitch at all. The phone charges and discharges itself automatically.

Now I just have to get Wifi boost into my garage.. Got a decent garage quality sound system with multiple bluetooth speaker bulbs, but weak Wifi so no tunes
 
How are you handling wireless? You may be able to get by with a repeater.
 
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