Ubiquity Bullet M2 vs PepLink Max BR1 Mini. Wan WiFi

bajturner said:
... Can these routers simultaneously connect to marina WiFi as a WAN interface and provide LAN WiFi AP functionality? Obviously they can be a WiFi AP, but is that only supported when connected to cellular WAN?...
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The short answer is yes, it works on cell and wifi. But I still use a Linksys router for that part. I keep there WiFi AP disabled, which is why I originally said it didn't have an AP built in, still too new to this device. I use a separate router not to over load the device. I had that problem when I used the Ubiquity and needed the 2nd router. It has close to zero down time while switching from Cell to WiFi or the reverse, assuming both have a good signal. On it's dashboard page when it switches it shows 100% CPU load for a bit, so if it had to manage clients as well I believe it wouldn't do as well and might introduce problems or not have a good switch time.
 
Most devices if not all will support that both local and wan WiFi at the same time. Transmitting and receiving is are the same load on the processor for local and wan wifi. It's the routing that gets complicated and the packet processing that taxes the CPU. Devices that do not support that have under powered CPU's and can't handle the extra load of that processing. I actually didn't believe myself when I said it didn't have local AP support but didn't remember seeing it.
 
OK SkyBolt,

My Peplink has arrived from 5G store. I get back to Ft lauderdale Thursday night and plan to get to the boat late Friday or Saturday. Walk me through setting this whole thing up... I set up the Linksys last weekend so it is all programmed with my boat's name and wifi password. Xfinity turned on the WIFI at our dock last week so I need to connect to that and I figured I can pull the SIM out of my Verizon Hotspot to test it in the peplink. Looking forward to seeing this whole thing work....
 
ocgrant said:
OK SkyBolt, ... Looking forward to seeing this whole thing work....
Click to expand...

No worries Grant, sounds like it will just work if you had the 5G store enter the license for you, if not make sure you get the license. If that is not entered you will not have access to the WAN WiFi AP's. The default IP address is 192.168.50.1 to access the config page.

You might need a SIM adapter for the Peplink, Amazon has tons for ~$5.

So you need to do the following after installing:
Log on to the device
Enter License key
install SIM
Add AP info and save
Setup priority of Cell/WiFi

Surf the net ...

Any issues, PM me your number and we'll figure it out.
 
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ocgrant said:
OK SkyBolt,

My Peplink has arrived from 5G store. I get back to Ft lauderdale Thursday night and plan to get to the boat late Friday or Saturday. Walk me through setting this whole thing up... I set up the Linksys last weekend so it is all programmed with my boat's name and wifi password. Xfinity turned on the WIFI at our dock last week so I need to connect to that and I figured I can pull the SIM out of my Verizon Hotspot to test it in the peplink. Looking forward to seeing this whole thing work....
Click to expand...
I'll be interested to hear how you work with Xfinity. Their hotspots look like they are open (no password needed) but they do require a login when you connect. My old Bitstorm didn't handle that very well at all, I'm hoping the Peplink does better.
 
GnrlPatton said:
I'll be interested to hear how you work with Xfinity. Their hotspots look like they are open (no password needed) but they do require a login when you connect. My old Bitstorm didn't handle that very well at all, I'm hoping the Peplink does better.
Click to expand...

Yeah me too.

I will say this, one of the marina's I frequent has that type of wifi logon, where you must use a browser and log on then you have wifi access. My Ubiquity didn't handle that very well either, but the Peplink seemed to do quite well. I for get if I needed to log on once or if it just worked, but either way it was simple. But I also had to enter the info the first time so that wasn't much of a test. And this year I will have to enter it again when they update the password. So it will take the second visit to test that.
 
One other thing to consider buying Peplink off Ebay.

Make sure you ask the buyer to release the device from their InControl2 account. Don't ask how I know this:oops:
 
I just ordered a Peplink Transit DUO. Boat is frozen-in so I will do a parallel install in the office and see how it works.

I may actually use one of these for my office for wireless failover from our fiber. I'll report back some performance numbers...
 
I forgot to mention that, in setting things up the below screen shot under "WAN Connection Status", after you add the license you may have the "Wi-Fi WAN" option listed, but may be under the "Disabled" heading the way "WAN" is shown below. That needs to be dragged up to one of the priority lines. Once that is done you can access "Wireless Networks" button and be able to add WiFi networks.

Sorry for leaving the more finer point(s) out.

Dash.png
 
Orlando thank you for the set up help. Just got it all working on the bench at home. Programmed everyhting including the Iphone app that will allow me to connect to wireless AP's while on the move. Going to the boat tomorrow to install and get all me devices configured and connected on the boat. Super excited...
 
ocgrant said:
Orlando thank you for the set up help. Just got it all working on the bench at home. Programmed everyhting including the Iphone app that will allow me to connect to wireless AP's while on the move. Going to the boat tomorrow to install and get all me devices configured and connected on the boat. Super excited...
Click to expand...

No worries at all, Glad it's all going now. Give me call/send a note on how it went on the boat. Excited to hear how that side of things work out.
 
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Installed and operational... Dock WiFi from Xfinity still having issues but Verizon card is working perfectly in Pepwave
BE708BB3-1C9C-49F1-9D9E-1CB1621686FC.jpeg
 
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Another great job Grant!
Where did you hide the power for them? just behind the box?
Do we get a 'behind the scenes' view?
 
Nice job @ocgrant looks nice and clean. Let us know what happens with the xfinity thing.
 
Hey look!!! Free WiFi!!!;)
 
Shaps said:
Another great job Grant!
Where did you hide the power for them? just behind the box?
Do we get a 'behind the scenes' view?
Click to expand...
both are 12v so added a circuit under the dash on an open slot on one of my fuse panels.
 
@ocgrant

Did you try using the Peplink as your main wifi access point (looks like you might have the EA4200 doing those duties)?

I've been testing mine here at the house before deploying to the boat and I have the Wifi as WAN connected up to the house wifi, and the peplink Wifi AP connected simultaneously to several devices around the house. It seems to do a pretty good job.

I'm wondering if I can ditch the wifi router altogether, and get down to 1 device (the peplink MAX) doing all functions. That would allow me to get rid of that rats nest of wiring behind the fridge as well (and repurpose it for important things like holding booze bottles!!).
 
I just did some speed testing. Doesn't seem to be any bottleneck using the Wi-Fi as WAN and Wi-Fi Access Point simultaneously.

My set up was a laptop and an iPad running a speed test from speedtest.net simultaneously connected to the Peplink Access Point. The WAN side was either Wi-FI as WAN or The T-Mobile cellular connection. Here are the results:


Test #1 - Wi-Fi as WAN

PING / Download / Upload
iPad ----> 7 ms / 17.98 Mbps / 23.61 Mbps
Laptop -> 7 ms / 41.35 Mbps / 31.89 Mbps

Total ------------>59.33 Mbps / 55.50 Mbps

20210214_090548.jpg



Test #2 - T-Mobile Cellular WAN connection

PING / Download / Upload
iPad ----> 40 ms / 14.21 Mbps / 13.72 Mbps
Laptop -> 39 ms / 40.44 Mbps / 28.69 Mbps

Total -------------->54.65 Mbps / 42.41 Mbps

20210214_090737.jpg



Good enough to wirelessly stream to a couple devices (at least sitting on my desk:)), have to do some testing when I get to the boat and see where I locate it. The best option for me is still in the Arch. Keeps the antenna leads as short as possible.
 
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dtfeld said:
@ocgrant

Did you try using the Peplink as your main wifi access point (looks like you might have the EA4200 doing those duties)?

I've been testing mine here at the house before deploying to the boat and I have the Wifi as WAN connected up to the house wifi, and the peplink Wifi AP connected simultaneously to several devices around the house. It seems to do a pretty good job.

I'm wondering if I can ditch the wifi router altogether, and get down to 1 device (the peplink MAX) doing all functions. That would allow me to get rid of that rats nest of wiring behind the fridge as well (and repurpose it for important things like holding booze bottles!!).
Click to expand...
David, FWIW, I have the Peplink SOHO device, which is pretty much the same as other models but without cellular modem capability. It has wifi as WAN (no license needed). When I'm away from a shore-based wifi source I have it failover to an iPhone/iPad hotspot.
It works fine as a standalone router and wifi access point.
 
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