router that can use WiFi as a "WAN" interface

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jwgorman

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#196086 18-May-2016 16:59

Just wondering - does anyone know of a router that could use a 4G wifi hotspot to share an ethernet connection with a LAN of 100-base-T ethernet workstations, is that ever done? I know there are 3G/4G enabled WiFi routers but just checking if there's such a low cost device where the source of the bandwidth is not an ethernet connection but a WiFi connection. Thanks, John

RunningMan

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#1555021 18-May-2016 17:02

Are you wanting WiFi or 3G/4G on the WAN? Both are possible.

richms

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#1555022 18-May-2016 17:03

Look for one with WISP support. Otherwise anything that you can install openwrt onto. Mainly cheaper brands will have it. I think I saw it on the stock tenda firmware on the $40 ones I used to use as a bridge between buildings.

Otherwise most "wifi extenders" will bridge their ethernet port to the network they are extending from as well. But check first as many are crippled to make them less useful than identical hardware with a higher price and more flexible software on it.

Richard rich.ms

jwgorman

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#1555024 18-May-2016 17:14

OK Cool - so OpenWRT can do this?! I knew there was that kind of solution - definitely not an optimum configuration but having that flexibility is pretty cool. Ideally the router would be the only DHCP client to the 4G hotspot, and then have it's own DHCP server configured to give out IP numbers to a set of ethernet workstations who just need a web connection, with these workstation patched in possibly over hubs/switches. no extra routing of specific ports or VPNs or anything from the Wifi going internally, just clients browsing, email etc. - that's possible?

richms

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#1555028 18-May-2016 17:28

Yeah in openwrt you just have to add another wifi interface and set it to client mode and add it into the wan list. When I tried editing the existing wifi interface to be client mode I ended up losing access to it over the lan ports, but adding a second one worked fine.

I did it when I had one in the car to nat from the telecom payphone wifi hotspot so I could use the tablet and the laptop and whatever else at the same time.

Have to manually set the channel I found tho.

Richard rich.ms

jwgorman

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#1555032 18-May-2016 17:37

OK that is cool. do you have a bog standard router recommendation for OpenWRT, or could I even use a Raspberry Pi with a ralink adapter?

richms

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#1555036 18-May-2016 17:42

All my openwrt ones have come from aliexpress. One for the car looked like this one but I think I paid a little less for it. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEXX-WT3020F-Portable-Mini-Wireless-NAS-Router-AP-Reapeater-300Mbps-Support-802-11-b-g-n/32615296350.html - uses micro USB for power, 2 100 meg ethernets and seems fast enough to do what I needed. Really wanted to get around to doing something to get it to log onto the hotspot on its own, but I tried for a bit to get wget to authenticate and gave up.

Richard rich.ms

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jwgorman

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#1555039 18-May-2016 17:47

OK yeah they do seem to have good stuff - thanks!

sbiddle

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#1555056 18-May-2016 18:31

There are a number of TP-Link devices with this functionality.

fe31nz

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#1555263 18-May-2016 23:42

Skinny Broadband uses a router that does exactly what you are describing:

https://www.skinny.co.nz/broadband

chevrolux

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#1555302 19-May-2016 08:09

I would say Mikrotik. They support heaps of USB 3G/4G dongles.
Or if you wanted to spend a bit more for a more integrated solution, get one of their routerboards you can equip with a pci card - it's just the 3g/4g cards get pretty spendy

rhysee

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#1556336 20-May-2016 15:57

I have one of these --> http://www.pcengines.ch/apu2c4.htm , It has onboard SIM , I have setup as a pfsense firewall router , but yet to learn if the SIM slot can be used as a 3g/4g wifi option .. would anyone have one of these boards and comment ?

Regards Rhysee

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richms

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#1556415 20-May-2016 16:51

Sim will be passed thru to one of the PCI slots for a cellular card just like on a laptop.

Richard rich.ms