Cell Modem Recommendations

hydrian

Hey All,
I'm looking for a cell modem recommendation. I'm having issues finding one that works for my needs. I'm currently on Google Fi and plan on only using this modem as failover device, so the 10USD/GB isn't really a big issue for me. I'd much rather not have a month-to-month charge for it when I'm not using it.

I'd like to have a bridge mode, but if I have to do a double NAT, it isn't impossible.

I have a NetGear LB1211 but it doesn't support Band 71, so it doesn't get service.

Requirements:

Must support LTE 71 Band (GSM) and or 5G n71 Band
Must have an ethernet port back. I live in the sticks. I can only get Band 71 service on the opposite side of my house from the router. It is probably about 125-150 cable feet from the router. USB isn't going to work here. I do have an unused USB wifi AP in my pfSense router, but is has always been sorta janky. I don't really think it is reliable. So the only choice is really have in ethernet based.

Anybody have any ideas on something that may work? I haven't had a whole of luck googling.

akuma1x

@hydrian Did a little bit of digging, and I found this over at Mobile Internet Research Center:

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/gear/mobile-routers/?fwp_mobile_router_cellular_modem=band-71

By the way, I'm curious, are you a T-Mobile customer, hence the Band 71 stuff? You're plugging this stuff into pfsense, correct? If you do, something with an ethernet port is the best, then you can just add that into your setup as another gateway. If not, you're probably better off with a simple hotspot thing that supports the cell band you're looking for, then just join wireless devices to this hotspot.

akuma1x

@hydrian There's also this one from Peplink, but I'm going to assume it's stupid expensive:

https://www.peplink.com/products/transit-series-max-transit-mini/

Edit: Yup, it is expensive, $400

https://www.amazon.com/Peplink-Designed-Inclusive-PrimeCare-MAX-TST-Mini-LTE-F-T-PRM/dp/B089XTYWJY

hydrian

@akuma1x

Indirectly, yes. I'm Google Fi user. Since I am using a data-only sim, I'm only using the T-Mobile network.

They just recently rolled out Band 71 in my area. I get signal on my phone which has 5G and I'm connecting via Band 71 LTE, but my older NetGear LB2120 doesn't have Band 71 support.

dem

I have a Netgear LM1200, which isn't particularly fast but has worked OK as a backup. It has LTE b71, Ethernet, defaults to bridge mode, and can use external antennas. No 5G though. As a bonus it sends a route to pfSense so you can access the management page without any additional configuration. The main problem I've had with it is getting IPv6 working properly on both AT&T Prepaid and T-Mobile Prepaid.

For 5G I think you might have to step up to the much more expensive Nighthawk M5.

Edited to add: When I first got the LM1200 it worked great on T-Mobile LTE b71, but then they reallocated that to 5G n71 and the LM1200 lost access to it.

JKnott

@hydrian

Band n71 is 600 MHz, which is one of the lower bandwidth frequencies on 5G. Any chance you can get n71 (C band)?

I don't know how T-Mobile is, but on Rogers you get a single CGNAT IPv4 address and a /64 IPv6 prefix, which means pfSense gets an IPv6 address, but nothing behind it does.

If this is something you only need occasionally, you might consider tethering to your cell phone, so you don't have a separate charge. I have done that many times. My current phone is a Pixel 6, which supports 5G.

I haven't tried it, but there are USB C to Ethernet adapters available. That might help if you have only USB available.

hydrian

@jknott

The n71 is the 5G band of the T-Mobile's 600Mhz spectrum. That means I'd have to get a 5G cell modem. The lowest I've seen them is about 400USD. That's a too steep of a price for me for a backup modem

But I didn't think about USB over Ethernet. That is be an option I didn't think of... IF the device has pfsense USB support. That's a big IF.

JKnott

@hydrian

I thought you were looking for 5G. As I mentioned, if you only need this occasionally, then perhaps you can just use your cell phone.

BTW, GSM is dead, at least in much of the world and 3G isn't far behind.
You may want 4G, if not 5G. Also, compared to even 3G, the bandwidth with GSM is pathetic.

As for the Ethernet adapter, those run from about $15, so it won't be too expensive of an experiment.

I have seen over 500 Mb/s on 5G with my phone. In my area, 600 MHz is used, along with, IIRC, 2600. However, C band n77/78 is in the works and I expect 1900 will be used soon too, as 2G and 3G have been shut down there. My carrier uses something called Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, which allows 4G & 5G to share a band, so I may be seeing something there too.

hydrian

@jknott
I'm looking for 4G/LTE, Not 3G. Also, Google Fi's data-only sims only use the T-Mobile network. The 600MHz range isn't even available less than 4G in the US.

I'm not looking for big bandwidth. I'm only looking to keep VOIP and Instant Messaging programs working so my family can contact me while I'm away from the house. Also, keeping it so I can call my ISP and yell at them to fix things. 4G is fine for that.

JKnott

@hydrian

I thought you said 5G:
"Must support LTE 71 Band (GSM) and or 5G n71 Band"

I only mentioned 3G in comparison with GSM (2G) which is not what you're looking for, even though you said you were.

Yeah, 5G modems may be scarce, but plenty of phones support it. Also, I doubt there ever was GSM on n71, as that's a new 5G band. In North America, GSM & 3G were on 850 and 1900 MHz. On Rogers, my carrier, GSM is long gone, as is 3G on 1900. 3G will be on 850 for another couple of years, as a lot of things still depend on it. So, around here, almost all the bands will be 4G, 5G or both.

JKnott

@hydrian

Here's some T-Mobile info.

hydrian

@jknott
Not in the US.

Band 71 is 4G/LTE.
Band n71 is 5G.

My phone connects via it all the time, well the last 2 weeks when it finally rolled out here, in both modes.

flat4

Look at Wireless Haven they have LTE modems and whole community on what it takes to get them dialed in just right.

hydrian

Looking at this as 5G price point.

https://www.amazon.com/OnePlus-Unlocked-Android-Smartphone-Charging/dp/B07XWGWPH5?th=1

Just gotta figure out how to get tasker to start tethering on boot.

JKnott

@hydrian said in Cell Modem Recommendations:

@jknott
Not in the US.
Band 71 is 4G/LTE.
Band n71 is 5G.
My phone connects via it all the time, well the last 2 weeks when it finally rolled out here, in both modes.

From LTE frequency bands:
71 FDD 600 Digital Dividend (US) 663 – 698 617 – 652 −46 5, 10, 15, 20

From 5G NR frequency bands:
n71 FDD 600 Digital Dividend (US) 663 – 698 617 – 652 −46 5, 10, 15, 20, 25[B 1], 30[B 1], 35[B 1] [B 8]

Looks to me like LTE (4G) 71 and 5G n71 are the same thing. Carriers can put whatever they want on their channels. These days, it's 4G & 5G and 2G & 3G are going away, if not already gone. This means your choices are 4G or 5G. According to that T-Mobile link I provided, they have both on 600 MHz. You said you don't want to pay the cost of a 5G modem, so that leaves 4G. Also, I suggested that if you only need it occasionally, a cell phone may be adequate and even provided a method that could be used to get Ethernet from a phone.

A Former User

Hi together,

get a refurbed 5 G smartphone that is supporting this
SIM card and band, inserting your SIM card and connect
it to the USB port of the pfSense. And now you make
this usb port being a second wan port and create
failover rules. This is the cheapest and
fastest way as I would try it out.

More expensive the you found it but better running
cause of the eth port of the device;

RaspBerry PI with 5G modem that supports your band
~200 € without modem and ~550 € with modem
RaPi Kit

Two other options around $350 can be that boxes here
but also not far away from your ~$400 ish seen solution.

hydrian

@dobby_

I'm looking at an unlocked 5G android phone that I can root. I'm going to have root to automate the USB tethering. I don't want to have to touch the phone because the tethering disconnected everytime the cell signal cuts out , the phone reboots, or I reboot my pfsense box. So my price point is $225USD for 5G and $140USD for LTE.

I love the idea of the RaspBerry PI with 5G modem, but that's a bit too $$$ for me.

hydrian

Does anybody know of a T-Mobile 5G(Band 71) cell phone that will auto-tether at boot for less than 210USD?

I know I have to set Developers Tool -> Default USB Mode to Tethering. Is that all that is needed?

A Former User

@hydrian

The fastest and/or easiest way to realize it would be the
5G smartphone on USB. But pfSense will be reassigning
the WAN even new if you reboot, for sure I consider to
that.

I would prefer to look for something like the RaspBerry PI because it will be the only one that comes with a real
rj45 port to connect to the pfSense as second wan port.

hydrian

As much as I want to go to 5G, I think I need to stick with LTE with my budget. The big thing, is I need no interaction once set up. Probably, going to get a Netgear LB-1200 in bridge mode and inject passive PoE to it, and be done with it.

Thanks for all the recommendations though.