Internet All-In-One Hotspot/Modem Gateway to WIRED Ethernet? - Montana Owners Club

scottkeen · 04-27-2021, 11:00 AM

(see my network diagram)

I want an all-in-one gateway device that can take a connection from:
Cellular ISP like AT&T, Verizon
Wired ISP like cable modem, DSL, or FiOS
Campground WiFi

...and provides an IP address over a WIRED Ethernet cable to the WAN port of my SonicWALL firewall (router). I want a WIRED connection between the gateway and my firewall (router).

I can take it from there to connect my WiFi access points, PCs, and other devices.

For Cellular ISP, I would like to be able to use StraightTalk SIM cards which are on AT&T or T-Mobile usually.

It doesn't have to do both Cellular ISP and Wired ISP at the same time. I just want to be able to switch between the connections depending on where I am and what I can get.

I don't need the gateway to have a router or LAN WiFi. If it did, I would disable it. I want to use my own SonicWALL for routing and my Ubiquiti WiFi access points for LAN WiFi.

Does such an all-in-one multi-connection gateway exist?

scottkeen · 04-27-2021, 11:53 AM

It looks like Tom Morton from Mortons On The Move has what I'm looking for in his video:

How We Get Rock Solid RV Internet! - The Best Tech Solutions to Work Full Time From the Road

It's called a Pepwave Max Transit Duo Cat 12. It takes cellular, WiFi, and wired cable. I don't know if it has a bridge mode to disable the internal router of the Pepwave so I can use my own router.

If there's other options besides this, I'd sure like to know.

RMcNeal · 04-28-2021, 03:51 AM

I was going to suggest the Pepwave line up. You might check out technorv.com or mobilemusthave.com. I have a NetGear Nighthawk from AT&T. Works fine on cellular data. It is supposed to be capable of failover with a wired network, but I've never tried it. I have the MR1100. https://www.netgear.com/home/mobile-...tspots/mr1100/

MORobb · 04-28-2021, 06:12 AM

Depending on which SonicWall device you have it can do all that. If you have one of the new Generation 7 firewalls (TZ270/370/470/570/670) you can purchase a usb lte modem an plug it in the USB port. That is now supported.

Also if you get a SonicWall AP, it is managed inside the firewall interface. ALL in 1 management console!

MORobb

PNW Fireguy · 04-28-2021, 06:14 AM

I have always been a big SonicWall advocate in my career, however if you go the Pepwave Max Transit Duo you won’t need it. You can still connect it to the Lan port of the Pepwave but the MST has many of the same configuration options. I would miss the DPI. I have a dual cat 12 setup, use the WAN, WiFi as WAN and the sims with a Cradlepoint 9-in 1 antenna.

MORobb · 04-28-2021, 06:23 AM

Yes the Cradlepoint is a good option, I currently have an ibr900 in my Monty. Only drawback is Cradlepoint can't login to a Captive portal. I believe the Peplink boxes can do this. I have been thinking about replacing the ibr900 with a SW tz270

MORobb

scottkeen · 04-28-2021, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MORobb

Depending on which SonicWall device you have it can do all that. If you have one of the new Generation 7 firewalls (TZ270/370/470/570/670) you can purchase a usb lte modem an plug it in the USB port. That is now supported.

Also if you get a SonicWall AP, it is managed inside the firewall interface. ALL in 1 management console!

MORobb

Thanks! That's good news! I just replaced my old SonicWALL TZ105 with a new SonicWALL TZ270 a few months ago, so yeah, I've got a Gen 7 firewall. I see USB U0 port as a "WWAN" network interface.

Do you have a specific recommendation on the USB LTE modem, make and model?
Maybe there's one with a MIMO antenna connector?

MORobb · 04-28-2021, 06:28 AM

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/kn...0505473051240/

scottkeen · 04-28-2021, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNW Fireguy

I have always been a big SonicWall advocate in my career, however if you go the Pepwave Max Transit Duo you won’t need it. You can still connect it to the Lan port of the Pepwave but the MST has many of the same configuration options. I would miss the DPI. I have a dual cat 12 setup, use the WAN, WiFi as WAN and the sims with a Cradlepoint 9-in 1 antenna.

I use SonicWALLs for personal and work with clients. Never used the USB modem interface for WAN. I'd hate to get rid of my TZ270 and replace it with a Pepwave after I just bought the TZ270.

I hope I can get my SW to do what I want, but if not then it's good to know that the Pepwave Max Transit Duo is the way to go.

scottkeen · 04-28-2021, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MORobb

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/kn...0505473051240/

So looking at the list of AT&T options, I see:

NightHawk LTE MR1100 (Hotspot)
Global Modem USB800 (USB)

Is this saying that the Nighthawk is only a hotspot and does not connect to the USB U0 port on the SW? Then does it have to bridge to a SW with WiFi?

MORobb · 04-28-2021, 06:41 AM

you can connect WAN WiFi to the NightHawk LTE MR1100

scottkeen · 04-28-2021, 06:46 AM

OK, I'll look into getting a Nighthawk.

My TZ270 is not the TZ270W with built-in WiFi, so as long as the Nighthawk can connect by USB to the TZ270 then that's the device I'll get.

MORobb · 04-28-2021, 06:48 AM

yes, maybe a usb cable from the modem to the tz?

MORobb

scottkeen · 04-28-2021, 07:27 AM

Hopefully the USB U0 interface on the SW TZ270 will work with the Nighhawk.

If not, then the Nighthawk can function just as a modem and supports Bridge Mode so that it disables the router and DHCP server and just passes through the WAN IP to the Ethernet port. Then I can just connect my Ethernet cable from the Nighthawk to the SW TZ270 X1/WAN port just like any other wired connection.

I read somewhere (now I can't find it) that Netgear disabled Bridge Mode in a firmware update of the Nighthawk and you need to be on a previous firmware. If I can find out what firmware that is, I'll post it here for future reference.

PNW Fireguy · 04-28-2021, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottkeen

I use SonicWALLs for personal and work with clients. Never used the USB modem interface for WAN. I'd hate to get rid of my TZ270 and replace it with a Pepwave after I just bought the TZ270.

I hope I can get my SW to do what I want, but if not then it's good to know that the Pepwave Max Transit Duo is the way to go.

You can accomplish what you want using the Sonicwall downstream. In my case the additional components merely added another point of failure and in my line of work that was counterproductive for me. My WiFi as WAN connection presents the same dilema as another point of failure and configuration point to stay on top of.

beekeeper.va · 05-02-2021, 07:46 PM

You might want to look at WiFiRanger. Connect it to anything and you wifi gear attaches to it. Works good for a central point of connection. I don't get the range to campground wifi that I had hoped for. Not that campground wifi is worth a hoot anyway in most cases. Some are getting very good.

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