Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    5G modems with Fanless Computer

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    11 Posts 6 Posters 1.3k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • M
      mathomas3
      last edited by

      Just wanted to put out the warning... I had a decent router running this software but due to the excessive power draw of the 5G modem and the lack of fans... the USB controller no longer recognized that the modem was attached nor did the modem know that it was attached to the computer...

      my guess is that the modem due too much current for the system without a fan that the controller over heated too many times... and stopped functioning... I planned ahead and already had a replacement on hand

      just cover your arse if this is something that might apply to you!

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Dobby_D
        Dobby_
        last edited by

        @mathomas3

        • Were you wearing a ESD wrist band during the installation?
          An electrical hit can destroy that hardware

        • Did you connect the antenna first and then connect it to the hardware or power the hardware then on?
          The antenna ist grounding the card either
          miniPCIe or M.2 based

        • Did you consider to buy and install the right antennas matching to your card and according to its standard?
          There are antennas for the M.2 and others that must be connected to the miniPCIe cards

        • Did you think on something like a heatsink?
          You can buy for some coin (6 €) at AliExpress

        • Didi you take a ESD screwdriver to install
          that card grounded?
          An electric spark went over can destroy your card in time

        You will see there are some more point you should watching out before installing something else where. It is not rough meant here, but often
        peoples forget this points and then they will do often the same failure again and again
        burning their money and materials too.

        copper cooler miniPCIe
        copper cooler M.2 (2230) 1
        copper cooler M.2 (2230) 2
        electrostatic wristband (cordless)
        electrostatic wristband (corded)
        antistatic screwdriver
        ESD mat

        #~. @Dobby

        Turris Omnia - 4 Ports - 2 GB RAM / TurrisOS 7 Release (Btrfs)
        PC Engines APU4D4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense CE 2.7.2 Release (ZFS)
        PC Engines APU6B4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense+ (Plus) 24.03_1 Release (ZFS)

        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • M
          mathomas3 @Dobby_
          last edited by mathomas3

          @Dobby_

          Thank you for the reply... though this failure was not user error... the computer was/is AIO mini computer that about the size of a small hardback book that was never opened and arrived in it's air cooled computer case...

          the 5G modem is a mobile USB C 5G hotspot(as noted in the first post) and no I didnt open that either...

          Give me a little credit here... I have been working in/around IT for 22 years

          provelsP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • provelsP
            provels @mathomas3
            last edited by

            @mathomas3 Maybe a powered USB hub in the middle might have crutched the power draw. Or not. Anyway, thanks for the warning. 👍

            Peder

            MAIN - pfSense+ 24.11-RELEASE - Adlink MXE-5401, i7, 16 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD. 500 GB HDD for SyslogNG
            BACKUP - pfSense+ 23.01-RELEASE - Hyper-V Virtual Machine, Gen 1, 2 v-CPUs, 3 GB RAM, 8GB VHDX (Dynamic)

            N 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • N
              nimrod @provels
              last edited by

              USB should only be used temporary for your keyboard or USB storage from which you run your installation of pfsense. Nothing else. When it comes to 4G/5G modems you should get PCIe version or standalone box that attaches to your LAN port directly. Using USB lan cards and USB 4G/5G modems is bad solution. Just because you can, doesnt mean you should.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Dobby_D
                Dobby_
                last edited by

                External cases for USB > M.2 M/B-Key
                Some can be powered external via PS

                USBM2 Series Wireless USB M.2(NGFF) Card Adapter

                NGFF (M.2) WWAN/LTE/3G/4G ZU USB ADAPTER

                M.2 NGFF LTE 4/5G case

                Boards for own cases and/or as AddOn
                Could be a solution for existing cases or own cases

                MikroTik RBM11G

                M.2(NGFF) 3G/4G/5G-Modul to USB3.0-Adapter with Dual-SIM

                #~. @Dobby

                Turris Omnia - 4 Ports - 2 GB RAM / TurrisOS 7 Release (Btrfs)
                PC Engines APU4D4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense CE 2.7.2 Release (ZFS)
                PC Engines APU6B4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense+ (Plus) 24.03_1 Release (ZFS)

                M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • M
                  mathomas3 @Dobby_
                  last edited by

                  @Dobby_ The reason why I am using this solution is that my provider requires the use of their hardware... should I put the SIM into something different would violate the TOS...

                  I am hoping that I will be able to move to something else by the end of the year when fiber is built into my area...

                  My only current solutions that I could currently consider is WISP providers or TM@H which didnt work well while I tried them out.

                  This 5g modem isnt deprioritized like TM@H and it's cheaper as well... at times I can get nearly 400mb down and close to 100mb in the middle of the day

                  For anyone looking into this provider it's calyx institute... and yes I try some of those more shady providers before finding this one and I have been a member of them for nearly 2 years now... could they have a better operation... yes... but given that they are on the up and up with tmobile... I am happy

                  Dobby_D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Dobby_D
                    Dobby_ @mathomas3
                    last edited by

                    @mathomas3 said in 5G modems with Fanless Computer:

                    @Dobby_ The reason why I am using this solution is that my provider requires the use of their hardware... should I put the SIM into something different would violate the TOS...

                    Ah, ok this was not clear to me.

                    #~. @Dobby

                    Turris Omnia - 4 Ports - 2 GB RAM / TurrisOS 7 Release (Btrfs)
                    PC Engines APU4D4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense CE 2.7.2 Release (ZFS)
                    PC Engines APU6B4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense+ (Plus) 24.03_1 Release (ZFS)

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • StaceyondrS
                      Staceyondr
                      last edited by

                      This post is deleted!
                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • StaceyondrS
                        Staceyondr
                        last edited by Staceyondr

                        This post is deleted!
                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • LupanossL
                          Lupanoss
                          last edited by

                          This post is deleted!
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • First post
                            Last post
                          Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.