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Forum Discussion
Nighthawk MR 5200 (how to failover to)
The NightHawk MR5200 has a single ethernet port that can used to supply LTE or 5G data to a wired network with Other routers. Specs say is LTE CAT 22, LTE Advanced, 4x4 MIMO, 256QAM with two external...
So no one has done any sort of LTE failover with any model of a Nighthawk?
Or is it that no one has used or knows about the MR5200?
Why does Netgear not provide this info or a means to ask about it?
........from the netgear mr 5200 page: https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/mobile/MR5200.pdf
"For always-On WiFi, the Nighthawk M5 Mobile Router can also provide a reliable backup Internet connection over the mobile network. If Fibre, DSL or Cable is interrupted or unavailable, automatically switch from Ethernet to the 5G/4G network and all devices will remain seamlessly connected"
Great! How?
Where do I plug it into? How do I set it up in the menu?
The Goal is just to sense when FIOS drops out and turn on wired ethernet (GBe) and everything else works as before. If I need another box then fine. If I do not then how?
Just so everyone here actually knows the answers to the above questions:
1) the MR5200 is available only from carriers (Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile) and there is no date when its available retail. So for the time being if you are doing this retail you have to buy the older non 5G ready MR1100 and replace if later perhaps, unless your carrier can resell to you now.
2) the versions from the carriers are carrier locked so the sim they give you is the only sim that will work.
3) Though the documentation says clearly that it will work best with T-Mobile and ATT, T-Mobile does not offer it yet as a rental or resale, only ATT I believe.
4) The documentation for the 1100 and the 5200 clearly states that these systems can be used as a failover device in case of cable or fiber internet failover, according to tech support from Netgear, that is a marketing line and not at all true.
5) What the documentation means is if you have a wired internet failure you can just plug this is to take over (ie fail - by - you - over)
6) there is a way to make the 1100 or 5200 act as a failover device but you have to purchase another device to do so.
7) the device you have to acquire is a dual wan router, so you plug your normal connection into the first port and these into the second port and you set the dual wan device to failover (not load balance).
8) If you do this the data on your sim will not be accessed until you get a primary wan failover so you will not run out of data in your plan unless you are out for days.
9) Netgear no longer manufactures a dual wan router so you have to buy from another company which means you have some rrisk or work to do and your costs close to double over just buying the 1100 or 5200.
10) So to really make a failover work with reason performance to server a small business or large home network when your primary vendor you need
a) a MIMO antenna on the roof on a mast with two cables and adapters from another vendor
b) the 1100 or 5200 from Netgear
c) a dual wan router with patch cables from another vendor
d) a sim from your wireless carrier.
e) your original terminal equipment from you wired/fiber WAM supplier
f) Optionally your normal WIFI router and switches for normal not failover use
g) the knowledge that NONE of these parties will work together or with you to make your system work (how to wire it, haw to set up it, how to test or optimize it)
I hope at least one other person is trying to do this and appreciates this.
If you want info on why even with all of these issues that cradlepoint and peplink will probably give you less performance, cost many times more and may not even work with your specific carrier, LMK, and so why I even bothering with this method.