Trying to pick the right internet solution and peplink hardware.

[marc2912]

Howdy y'all.

Since many of you have already done the research into this topic many times over I'm hoping to pick your brains.

I have, for a multitude of reasons, a need for decent, stable internet when traveling. Not so much when on the road but when stopped at different campground.

I have a starlink and my current setup is Starlink -> Amplify HD Mesh Router. I don't like nor want to use the Starlink router so the wifi is off and I hardwire their router to the Amplify.

I'd like to add 5g to this and was considering going this route:

The BR1 Pro 5G would connect to VZ network and I would use the WAN port to bring in service from Starlink. I would then out with LAN1 to the Amplify Router that would manage my internal network. My understanding is that this leaves me the usage of the BR1 Pro 5G's Wi-Fi WAN which I could use to add (when available) wifi as an additional source.

Would you recommend another unit besides the BR1 Pro 5G, if so which and why?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[marc2912]

Thanks for the move @Neal

 

[Neal]

All I can offer is "what I do" and I think you already do that to the same extent. Like computers, wait and something new will come out. Want to spend more money, there are higher cost and feature Pepwave models. I think the BR1 Pro 5G is the best bang for the buck these days and I will only use Wi-Fi 6/6E or better going forward.

I have Starlink coming into my PW WAN port via ethernet. I did leave the Starlink Wi-Fi enabled as I've had some wonky behavior via the app trying to get the antenna stowed, etc. Since the last reset things are stable, I should try disabling the Wi-Fi on it again. Easy to reset if needed.

I use a roof mounted Parsec Husky for cellular on my main BR1 Pro 5G as I have two. The second one I use its Parsec Husky for Wi-Fi from CG if it's good enough, or from home Wi-Fi coming/going from a trip. I use my BR1 Pro 5G (main) Wi-Fi for my LAN but most of my stuff is hardwired connectivity after I ran more ethernet myself. If you're not bringing in outside Wi-Fi from the pepwave I see no reason for an additional internal Wi-Fi router, the PW is actually very good with Wi-Fi 6. I started out RV life doing this by using a separate Wi-Fi router and it just made things so complicated it defeated itself. Simple is better, for me, as complex as my setup may seem to others as is.

 

[marc2912]

All I can offer is "what I do" and I think you already do that to the same extent. Like computers, wait and something new will come out. Want to spend more money, there are higher cost and feature Pepwave models. I think the BR1 Pro 5G is the best bang for the buck these days and I will only use Wi-Fi 6/6E or better going forward.

I have Starlink coming into my PW WAN port via ethernet. I did leave the Starlink Wi-Fi enabled as I've had some wonky behavior via the app trying to get the antenna stowed, etc. Since the last reset things are stable, I should try disabling the Wi-Fi on it again. Easy to reset if needed.

I use a roof mounted Parsec Husky for cellular on my main BR1 Pro 5G as I have two. The second one I use its Parsec Husky for Wi-Fi from CG if it's good enough, or from home Wi-Fi coming/going from a trip. I use my BR1 Pro 5G (main) Wi-Fi for my LAN but most of my stuff is hardwired connectivity after I ran more ethernet myself. If you're not bringing in outside Wi-Fi from the pepwave I see no reason for an additional internal Wi-Fi router, the PW is actually very good with Wi-Fi 6. I started out RV life doing this by using a separate Wi-Fi router and it just made things so complicated it defeated itself. Simple is better, for me, as complex as my setup may seem to others as is.

So just to make sure I'm following, this is your setup:

WAN Port on BR1 - > Starlink
BR1 via roof mounted Parsec Husky -> 5G
BR1 via roof mounted Parsec Husky -> External Wifi (Guessing this uses up the WIFI Wan functionality)

You're using the BR1 as you DHCP router and have devices connected to it via WIFI and Ethernet.

You keep the starlink wifi for accessing it to lower etc the dish but not for anything else?
Do you use the SpeedFusion offering by Peplink? If so what's your opinion?
Do you like your antennas (wifi and 5g)?

The reason I'm using another router to service the coach is because I use the mesh functionality and have APs outside too. I could do without.

 

[Neal]

So just to make sure I'm following, this is your setup:

WAN Port on BR1 - > Starlink
BR1 via roof mounted Parsec Husky -> 5G
BR1 via roof mounted Parsec Husky -> External Wifi (Guessing this uses up the WIFI Wan functionality)

You're using the BR1 as you DHCP router and have devices connected to it via WIFI and Ethernet.

You keep the starlink wifi for accessing it to lower etc the dish but not for anything else?
Do you use the SpeedFusion offering by Peplink? If so what's your opinion?
Do you like your antennas (wifi and 5g)?

The reason I'm using another router to service the coach is because I use the mesh functionality and have APs outside too. I could do without.

Correct SL => WAN port via ethernet cable

Correct Parsec Husky 4x4 MIMO connected to PW (no paddle antennas for cellular)

I use paddle antennas for Wi-Fi as they work better in the coach. Getting roof Wi-Fi into coach from Parsec has not worked well for me.

My second BR1 Pro 5G (in half bath) has its own roof Parsec Husky for its cellular use (Verizon) but can also be used to bring in external Wi-Fi which is rare.

The Starlink router seems to work better, for me, with Wi-Fi router enabled but I need to retest this. It's just adding noise and channel conflicts for the area, need to turn it off.

I use speedfusion at times and it's been fine but I can't say it's provided me better speeds but certainly is reliable. I'm still experimenting with it. But all of my Apple TV's have dedicated IP addresses assigned and I have an Outbound policy in the PW for this IP range to go through Speedfusion as I use YouTube TV and my server is in VA which is where my service address is so YouTube TV thinks I'm in VA and won't nag me about being out of my service area. Not a big deal but this also defeats cellular throttling based on content.

The parsec husky cellular has been the best I've used to date. I recommend people only get the 5-in-1 option for the roof which is your 4 x cellular + GPS. I would not put Wi-Fi on the roof again.

I added a Peplink AP ONE AX access point which is in the basement center of the coach and has worked very well. It works very nicely with and is managed by the Pepwave. This gives me good Internet in the bedroom and "reading room" but also on the patio.

 

[marc2912]

Correct SL => WAN port via ethernet cable

Correct Parsec Husky 4x4 MIMO connected to PW (no paddle antennas for cellular)

I use paddle antennas for Wi-Fi as they work better in the coach. Getting roof Wi-Fi into coach from Parsec has not worked well for me.

My second BR1 Pro 5G (in half bath) has its own roof Parsec Husky for its cellular use (Verizon) but can also be used to bring in external Wi-Fi which is rare.

The Starlink router seems to work better, for me, with Wi-Fi router enabled but I need to retest this. It's just adding noise and channel conflicts for the area, need to turn it off.

I use speedfusion at times and it's been fine but I can't say it's provided me better speeds but certainly is reliable. I'm still experimenting with it. But all of my Apple TV's have dedicated IP addresses assigned and I have an Outbound policy in the PW for this IP range to go through Speedfusion as I use YouTube TV and my server is in VA which is where my service address is so YouTube TV thinks I'm in VA and won't nag me about being out of my service area. Not a big deal but this also defeats cellular throttling based on content.

The parsec husky cellular has been the best I've used to date. I recommend people only get the 5-in-1 option for the roof which is your 4 x cellular + GPS. I would not put Wi-Fi on the roof again.

I added a Peplink AP ONE AX access point which is in the basement center of the coach and has worked very well. It works very nicely with and is managed by the Pepwave. This gives me good Internet in the bedroom and "reading room" but also on the patio.

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for your time. I'm not sure I follow why you would want/use 2x BR1 Pro 5G vs one, also are they / can they connect together and work as a master / slave units? Also what's the purpose of GPS here?

 

[marc2912]

Also (sneaking another in) did you purchase and install yourself and if so any retailer recos?

 

[Neal]

The reason I have always used two pepwaves is it's a cheaper path to a dual radio setup. I don't know if I will do this again in the next coach, if there is a next coach, but it's what I have now. I started using Pepwaves in Nov of 2018, changing cellular sim slots used to be a 2-3 minute process. They have really sped this up in the BR1 Pro 5G so changing sim slots is a lot less painful.

This allows me to put both AT&T and Verizon (my 2 SIM's) in Priority 1 and let the Pepwave decide which to use. It's an active/active setup per se. Otherwise the device would need to lose connectivity to your SIM A for example, based on your timeouts set, it then fails over to SIM B, and then it will likely switch back to SIM A again at some point. I haven't tested this thoroughly as my active/active setup works well for me. I also maintain the AT&T prepaid 100 GB plan which I can put in PW1 or 2 as desired.

I think they way my setup is now that I am re-establishing connectivity to some brain cells is that Starlink is going into PW2 WAN. PW2 goes into PW1 WAN via ethernet run.

On PW1 the WAN port is whatever I choose for the Internet provider to be on PW2, i.e. what's flowing into the WAN node. Typically while driving that's Verizon on PW2. Then "cellular" on PW1 is in priority 1 so my PW1 "Priority 1" node has both "Cellular" and "WAN" (wan is the PW2). Make sense.

I did this all myself. I'm pretty good on the roof now if you need help. The larger auger allows for greater accuracy on first attempt

 

[marc2912]

@Neal any concerned with the fact that the BR1 Pro 5G's x55 chipset won't combine low band and mid band spectrum and do carrier aggregation? It feels like it's a miss that we're probably going to want real soon?

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

We have dual radio Pepwave from a few years ago, and would not get dual radios again. If I ever thought we needed dual, then would do what Neal has configured above.

Our setup:
- Starlink into WAN on Pepwave
- ATT 100 GB plan in Pepwave
- IF there is campground WiFi that is worth adding, we use Pepwave for this, but only on 2.4
- Use Pepwave WiFi for our wireless devices, but only 5.8
- IF needed, will use the Husky MiMo antenna on cellular for Pepwave
- WiFi is ONLY done using paddles on Pepwave (Pepwave sits on shelf near a window)

With this setup I can get WiFi signal when I am walking the dogs a hundred feet away.

We only need to use the Husky antenna maybe 2 months out of the year. The Pepwave paddles work remarkably well.
Our Husky antenna is not permanently mounted, but put it on the roof for those rare times it is needed.

Separating out 2.4 to only be used for campground WiFi connection and use 5.8 for our devices, avoids the Pepwave known issue with conflicts.