UMTS 3g AS FAILOVER
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Hi,
Coming back to some question that is becoming useful for a lot of people (like poor Italians that have a very poor quality of DSL providers): a real way to use USB or other 3G devices as Failover gateway of a network.
I made a small workaround to use my Umts stick as Network card for failover… is not beauty for Linux lovers but:
a) take a pc (also a little one like VIA epia.. or Intel ATOM)
b) install Windows XP
c) Install usb stick with His Drivers
d) Share connections through XP feature (this will make the XP box as a small router)
e) set the IP of this Router on pfsense multiwan failover
NOTE.... next step is to use some Zeroshell distro... instead of XP...but they support only few usb modem so I'm searching one of them to try... for sure will be more stable than XP.Sorry for the small Windows usage... but understand me... we were without any Internet from 10 days... and this was the only fast thing came in my mind.
If you know something better to build a 3G gateway (I know that Linjsys sell something) please... share
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There has been some support for this added to the 2.0 branch. I'm not sure what hardware is supported, but one user detailed some modifications he made to get it running here: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,15555.0.html That was with an older snapshot based on 7.2, so those patches may not be needed/working with 8.0 based snaps. If you have the time, you could load a 2.0 snap, test, and report back.
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Work is being done with 3G network cards. I don't say I do it but parts are done on one of my boxes.
We tested a Huawei E220 which doesn't connect with PPP correctly.I am about to receive an AT&T USBConnect Mercury which is the only one known to work currently at this moment.
I'll post back when it arrives and works as 3G-WLAN bridge on my ALIX here. -
Hi,
Coming back to some question that is becoming useful for a lot of people (like poor Italians that have a very poor quality of DSL providers): a real way to use USB or other 3G devices as Failover gateway of a network.
I made a small workaround to use my Umts stick as Network card for failover… is not beauty for Linux lovers but:
a) take a pc (also a little one like VIA epia.. or Intel ATOM)
b) install Windows XP
c) Install usb stick with His Drivers
d) Share connections through XP feature (this will make the XP box as a small router)
e) set the IP of this Router on pfsense multiwan failover
NOTE.... next step is to use some Zeroshell distro... instead of XP...but they support only few usb modem so I'm searching one of them to try... for sure will be more stable than XP.Sorry for the small Windows usage... but understand me... we were without any Internet from 10 days... and this was the only fast thing came in my mind.
If you know something better to build a 3G gateway (I know that Linjsys sell something) please... share
Thanks for that, I was thinking of a way to do this using tetherberry and since its a win only application your way works perfect. Now I can serve up some 3G wifi with my pfsense box.
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Hi,
I'm quite happy that was useful for you as it was for me (actually My 30 clients still surf internet through this 3g stick).
I wish that linux (bsd) native support for that kind of hardware will make us allow to skip totally windows… but till that time... we have to work in some way, right? ehehehe
Byeeeeee
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Hy,
I use this configuration too.
I try pfsense based on freebsd 8 and hardware(huawei 3g 180 as known as Vodafone k3715) is it perfectly loaded(3 comm ports),but freebsd lack pppd so it is not possible to use it.
I hope version 2 of pfsense will be release soon and permit an esay confuguration of ppp on 3g modem.
I use 3g modem as primary modem and not as failover.
Hope can be possible to use multiple 3g stick at same time on a machine with load balancing capabilities. -
Hi,
To be quite onest I found that some 3G router is sold by some producer (linksys, Onda) so this will be a better way to add 3g gateways … cause sure sometimes win xp and stick applications go crazy and disconnect... I think I will also try that routers..
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I've been considering adding one of these as a second backup (for when both my primary and secondary connections go down) at work.
http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/WiredRouters/MBM621.aspx
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Of course, also netgear products are very nice….
the way of use 3g Through a router instead of put stick directly to pfsense box is now the best way.... (manual router as I made... or branded router...)
Enjoy and thanks for sharing
