How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?

philled

@Rico said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

Get one more NIC for WAN2 and configure Multi-WAN:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/routing/multi-wan.html
https://www.netgate.com/resources/videos/multi-wan-on-pfsense-23.html

Thanks, but that article is about load balancing and failover. So I would need to get the 2nd connection working first. That's what I'm having trouble with, unfortunately, so that's what I need some help with first before tackling what's in that article.

JKnott

@philled

Why do you have a TP-Link router, in addition to pfSense? You don't want any other router involved on either connection.

jly2680

@philled my pfsense main internet is a 4g usb modem e3372 with external antenna..working flawlessly,,and with a ping script that auotmatically reset my modem when it's down and acquire new ip from ISP..

philled

@JKnott said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

@philled

Why do you have a TP-Link router, in addition to pfSense? You don't want any other router involved on either connection.

Because I need some way of connecting the pfSense to the 4G modem which doesn't have ethernet. So I thought the purpose of the TP-Link router was to act as a bridge to the 4G modem. Should I be setting this up some other way?

philled

@jly2680 said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

@philled my pfsense main internet is a 4g usb modem e3372 with external antenna..working flawlessly,,and with a ping script that auotmatically reset my modem when it's down and acquire new ip from ISP..

How are you connecting that 4G modem to the pfSense?

JKnott

@philled said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

So I thought the purpose of the TP-Link router was to act as a bridge to the 4G modem. Should I be setting this up some other way?

What connection does that TP router use that's not available with pfSense? I have set up several 4G modems in my work and they all had Ethernet available. The customers would have one of those as well as ADSL or cable modem for the main connection. There'd also be a Juniper router which could switch to the 4G backup connection as needed.

philled

@JKnott said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

@philled said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

So I thought the purpose of the TP-Link router was to act as a bridge to the 4G modem. Should I be setting this up some other way?

What connection does that TP router use that's not available with pfSense? I have set up several 4G modems in my work and they all had Ethernet available. The customers would have one of those as well as ADSL or cable modem for the main connection. There'd also be a Juniper router which could switch to the 4G backup connection as needed.

The Huwaei 4G modem doesn't have ethernet, it can only be be connected to via WiFi.

The pfSense router can't connect to the 4G modem over WiFi as it only has ethernet, so I thought I needed something in the middle to connect it to the 4G modem - that's the purpose of the TP-Link router which has both WiFi and ethernet.

Is there another way I should be doing this? Do I have to get a 4G modem that has an ethernet port?

Rico

Yes you bought the wrong device.
Why did you get a 4G Wifi if you want to run it with pfSense as WAN?!

-Rico

jly2680

@philled usb port..is your 4g modem pocket wifi? you could add wifi usb adapter on your pfsense and make it as a wifi client on your 4g modem

JKnott

@Rico said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

Why did you get a 4G Wifi if you want to run it with pfSense as WAN?!

4G is often used as a backup connection. As I mentioned, I have set up several systems, with ADSL or cable modem for the main connection and 4G backup. However, I expect this device, which is apparently WiFi only is intended for home use and not business, where you'd normally use a backup connection.

philled

@Rico said in How to set up a 4G modem on pfSense?:

Yes you bought the wrong device.
Why did you get a 4G Wifi if you want to run it with pfSense as WAN?!

Because I asked a question in another forum about implementing a 4G backup solution on my pfSense setup and that was what I was advised to buy. Unfortunately it looks like they gave me bad advice :(

So what do people recommend I buy for this? Would a Netgear LB2120 work? It has a LAN port and a WAN port so should be able to connect to my pfSense's WAN ethernet port, correct?

JKnott

@philled

Yeah, that looks suitable. It has WAN pass through, as well 4G.

stephenw10

Yup, those Ethernet connected Netgear LTE modems work well.

You can use many USB LTE modems directly with pfSense though. What exactly is the device you have?

Steve