Which 3G / 4G Modem

[Marv21]

Hello guys,

i search a 3G or 4G Modem for my PFSense Box. I need it for the German O2 net.
I already tried some Modems from the "Known Working 3G-4G Modems" List. But most of the devices are outdated.
With the two modems i tried (E169 and 1820) I had bad experiance…
A aerial socket would be nice, but is not a have to.

Can anybody of you recommand me a good modem (usb) that works native with pfsense?

Many regards

[jasonlitka]

I don't know anything about German cell networks, but I just rolled out a machine using a Novatel 4620L hotspot tethered via USB.  Works great.

[eSpezi]

Hi Marv,

posted the same question a couple of weeks ago with no responses.

Then I tried to get an unbranded Huawei E392u-12 to work myself. I managed to setup the modeswitch port for FreeBSD and also to get the modem to connect. The problem is, that the connection was not stable and didn't come back at all after a carrier disconnect.

I finally gave up after some hours of research and switched to a Vodafone B2000 (Huawei B593u-12) which is a LAN Box. I got it for 100,- EUR used, as good as new, off of ebay.
This box runs fine so far, has no SIM-lock (use it with T-Mobile) and there are Firmwares on the net to unbrand it / unlock more fequencies, which I didn't do, as it runs as I got it as desired by me. It also seems to have good built-in antennas and 2 ports for external antennas. I got a bandwidth boost from it (16Mbit E392u-12 –> 22Mbit B593u-12).

Perhaps, that's an alternative solution for you as well.

Good luck!
Harry

[Marv21]

@eSpezi:

Hi Marv,

posted the same question a couple of weeks ago with no responses.

Then I tried to get an unbranded Huawei E392u-12 to work myself. I managed to setup the modeswitch port for FreeBSD and also to get the modem to connect. The problem is, that the connection was not stable and didn't come back at all after a carrier disconnect.

I finally gave up after some hours of research and switched to a Vodafone B2000 (Huawei B593u-12) which is a LAN Box. I got it for 100,- EUR used, as good as new, off of ebay.
This box runs fine so far, has no SIM-lock (use it with T-Mobile) and there are Firmwares on the net to unbrand it / unlock more fequencies, which I didn't do, as it runs as I got it as desired by me. It also seems to have good built-in antennas and 2 ports for external antennas. I got a bandwidth boost from it (16Mbit E392u-12 –> 22Mbit B593u-12).

Perhaps, that's an alternative solution for you as well.

Good luck!
Harry

Yeah its a hard thema in PFsense. But as a Failover it would be so nice to have :)  Maybe i should go to have a Mobile or normal Router and connect it over Ethernet with Pfsense… Sad that such a nice feature is so hard to use...

@Jason:

I don't know anything about German cell networks, but I just rolled out a machine using a Novatel 4620L hotspot tethered via USB.  Works great.

Thank you for your answer. When you connect your Novatel Mobile Router, is it a PPP or Networkcard? Is it hard to config? Maybe i will give that solution a try.

I already tried the E169 (to weak and to old never a good connection) and the E1820 (always burning lot of watts, and killing my usb ports…)
Not easy not easy...

[jasonlitka]

The Novatel shows up as a USB Ethernet interface.  You set it to DHCP and you're off.