Internet system

[freds]

Willson Electronics sell many signal boosters. Used one at house several years ago with ATT. Had to go to bedroom to make a call, because that was where roof antenna came into the house.lol

While signal boosters can help in fixed locations. I think they are also a potential limiting factor for reliable service as you change locations.

Most modern devices use MIMO and Antenna diversity to achieve reliable communications and higher speeds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_diversity

Boosters generally only handle one frequency and antenna phase.

My cellular router is hooked to a external antenna that has a dual feed for MIMO support.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DF9XK5Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are higher end routers that support four antenna's.

I don't have a link handy but there is a new approach out there where they move all the electronics outside for clear cellular data paths and remove losses associated with long coax cables. They then use a high speed USB cable to bring the data inside the bus to the inhouse WiFi access point.

So I think the best tactic is to get the data inside the bus and then use WiFi calling for voice calls and texting.

[richard5933]

I've got one of the cell service boosters on my bus for times when it's difficult to reach a cell tower from inside. It helps but also creates another problem. The boosters don't always do a great job of handing off calls or data connections so when I walk out of the bus the call will often drop as it switches from the rooftop antenna to the actual cell tower.

All that said, it is helpful when inside the bus and trying to get some work done using a hotspot.

[luvrbus]

At check in  the park we are  staying it says for better internet service turn the cell booster off

[richard5933]

At check in  the park we are  staying it says for better internet service turn the cell booster off

That would make sense if they are saying that the WiFi is better than the cell reception.

Not many places where we get better cell reception inside the bus without the booster, but there are a few.

[Dave5Cs]

Anyone using the Wineguard 360 pls system. It is for over the air TV which works good if the area has reception. Sometime 70 channels etc. But I don't have yet the ad-on Wi-Fi router which we can get to attach. It has its own OTR internet or you can use any of the cell phone companies to bring in through it with the internet while traveling or stationary.

Wanting anyone who actually uses it and how it is working not someone copying and pasting an answer from the site.  Don't want advice about another one. I have read all that.  Thanks

[benherman1]

I have a private LAN on my bus that consists of:

1. Netgear LTE Mobile router
2. T-Mobile service from OTRMobile (unlimited)
3. Ubiquiti EdgeRouter which is configured for a always on wide area network with my home and company.
4. Ubiquiti POE data switches
5. Ubiquiti AirCube wifi access point

When T-Mobile is not working I also use a ethernet to Wify adapter to link in the hotspot on my AT&T tablet.

I am also waiting for StarLink for mobile use.

I'm planning a similar setup. What kind of power draw do you see from the finished product? Also why the AirCube rather than one of the regular WAPs? I'm hoping to be able to use StarLink instead of a cellular connection when the time comes to start hooking things up.

[freds]

I'm planning a similar setup. What kind of power draw do you see from the finished product? Also why the AirCube rather than one of the regular WAPs? I'm hoping to be able to use StarLink instead of a cellular connection when the time comes to start hooking things up.

Well my bus is solar centric with a 24V house battery bank and I run all the IT gear directly off of the house battery so that it is always on.

I use Ubiquiti as everything is powered via power over Ethernet.

Here's the DC injector that I use:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R59JVNS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For true power of Ethernet the POE injector has to have transformers, not just highjack a wire pair.

The above link seems to be out of stock, here's another link that should be compatible:

https://www.amazon.com/GPOE-1AB-Gigabit-Injector-Splitter-Ethernet/dp/B015S8L3NG/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=1000+Mbps+Passive+PoE+Injector+and+PoE+Splitter+Kit&qid=1627577636&s=electronics&sr=1-12

Note the last picture for this device shows the diagram with the transformers.

As to power draw I have to be honest and say I have never measured it, as I use multiple POE injectors to two of my three switches.

My company uses the Ubiquiti Edgerouters for our virtual LAN infrastructure and issue a router to each employee that is plug and play with any ISP via the configuration that we came up with.

They just plug the WAN port into their home network and then the other ports on the router are seamlessly on the company network. From an IT standpoint it appears as if everyone is in the same office.

My buses network backbone is just another subnet off the company LAN.

PS. Had a query from an IT guy, hey what are all the devices on subnet 14?LOL

[freds]

Ok a bit of follow up on my previous post. My always on devices are:

Edge Router X https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YFJT29C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


airCube ISP Wi-Fi Access Point https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077VV7R2V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1



NanoSwitch Outdoor 4-Port PoE Passthrough Switch (3 EA)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079SPW2QL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE Router https://www.amazon.com/Netgear-Nighthawk-MR1100-GSM-Unlocked/dp/B07G5KWZ3H/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=netgear+nighthawk+lte&qid=1627919607&sr=8-3


Raspberry Pi 4 (2 EA, one with always on LCD display) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DJ9MLHV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

USB-C, USB-3 power converter (4 EA) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LCBKZSG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Victron Energy Color Control GX https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076N2YD2D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Victron Energy Orion IP20 24/12-Volt 70 amp DC-DC Converter Non-Isolated, High Power
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BF5BQLA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Victron Energy Orion-Tr Smart 24/24-Volt 12 amp 280-Watt DC-DC Charger, Isolated
https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energy-Orion-Tr-280-Watt-Bluetooth/dp/B086R9FQND/ref=sr_1_32_sspa?crid=C753FNJPJZTN&dchild=1&keywords=victron+orion+24%2F24&qid=1627920800&sprefix=victron+orion+24%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-32-spons&psc=1&smid=AERMGYAT5R869&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFZN1E4U1RPUDZIUlkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5NTE3MzkyRVdQUkowNldTOFUxJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTEwMzI5OTJDNldLUlNVU1RWVUgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Not detailed out is the BMS and the solar charge controllers for which I have to measure at night.

Steady state with everything charged and the refrigerator off the power consumption is about 40-45 watts or about 1KW per day.

With solar input the battery draw down is only during the hours of non-solar production.

I guess the caveat is that if I parked the bus in a dark garage it would be in trouble in less than a week or sooner if I left the refrigerator on.

I was also asked why I use the airCube rather then a wireless access point is for the additional ethernet ports.

I would not purchase the Victron Energy Color Control GX again as I would go with:

Victron Energy Cerbo GX, Panels and System Monitoring
https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energy-BPP900450100-Cerbo-GX/dp/B0851KGF57/ref=sr_1_21?crid=C753FNJPJZTN&dchild=1&keywords=victron+orion+24%2F24&qid=1627922019&sprefix=victron+orion+24%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-21

As this unit has a more ram and a more powerful CPU plus sensor inputs and relays. With the more ram it can host Node-Red on the device.


Victron Energy GX Touch 50, Panels and System Monitoring
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0844GR5LR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

This last item is a touch display which is handy, but if you have tablets around the bus the same functionality is available via VRM if you have internet connectivity.

[benherman1]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I hadn't thought about using a DC PoE injectors and wasn't a big fan of the idea of leaving an inverter on 24/7. I still have lots of time before I get this far in the build but I'll look into the stuff you listed and see if it fits me needs.

[freds]

I mention earlier a new approach to internet for RV's and I didn't have a link to post at the time.

A YouTube'r with the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG0RV-CwN17PHoadq0MheEQ

Came up with this new approach and has launched a business based on this basic idea: https://instyconnect.com/

His channel is semi entertaining with things he has done to get internet in the past and you might want to watch it.

I could summarize his idea with our bus nut slant as:

1.  RF engineering is difficult and we live inside of metal structures where RF energy has to seep in via the windows.
2. While you can use coax cables to pass through the metal shell. The longer the cables need to be the more difficult the RF engineering problem.
3. Devices outside of the metal shell have better open air path to the source which is an outdoor cell tower.
4. Solution change the outdoor data source to a digital format I.E. high speed USB cable and let that pass through the metal shell to a Wifi router inside of the shell for all the other devices that we use in modern life!!!

So how would I start playing with this tomorrow without using/waiting for the instyconnect solution?

A quick step back. The problem is once you buy specific hardware you are stuck with it!!!

The whole point of cellular high speed communications is for there to be as little as possible between you and the cell tower. For high speed communications there is a whole gob of technologies that come into play, multiple antenna's, frequency/carrier bonding, etc.

What is the most common/cheap device that plays well in this environment? A bloody cell phone, that we are always upgrading!!!

So my thought would be:

1. Cell phone in a water proof case on a pole.
2. USB cable to transport data and power through the metal shell into our bus.
3. Laptop using USB connection for internet access.
4. Laptop sharing it's internet connection via WiFy

This is generally referred to as tethered internet access.

Heck you probably have everything on hand to start playing with that tomorrow or next week! (Might have to order the long USB cable...)

In my case I would use a router that accepted USB as a upstream data source.

Just throwing this out there and hopefully everyone finds this information helpful.