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Forum Discussion
Aggregation using iPhone as data source?
Ok, random thought - probably a no-no..
We had ISP issues this morning and it got me wondering if it’s possible to use an iPhone with an RBK853 - which has WAN aggregation - to supplement out internet in these circumstances?
I can see that one can buy an Ethernet->lightning connector adaptor, but I assume this is intended for one way traffic, for the benefit of using a lan to feed the iPhone, rather than the iPhone feeding the Wan. Anyone know if this is do-able?
TIA
4 Replies
WAN Aggregation on the 850 router refers to the ability to connect two Ethernet cables to a single modem to increase the data rate above 1gigabit. Before modems started coming with 2.5G, 5G, and now 10G Ethernet jacks, that was the only way to get more than 1G into the router. Modems are all abandoning that technology in favor of simply faster Ethernet ports.
That is not the same thing as supporting two different WAN sources
p.s. If I understand correctly, the goal is to provide internet access to the entire network when the primary Internet Service Provider (ISP) has failed. A brief search turned up conflicting information about this possibility.
- There definitely are Ethernet to Lightning converters on the market.
- It is not clear (to me) what use can be made of such a connection.
My Samsung Android tablet, for example, is a "WiFi only device". (i.e. it has no Ethernet connector.) Using a USB-C to Ethernet device, I can connect the tablet directly to a router using Ethernet and thus access the web. This is similar to using a USB-Ethernet device on a laptop which has no Ethernet capability.
Perhaps a Lightning to Ethernet converter will enable an iPhone to be connected to a network in the same manner.
(A key to this may be finding "Ethernet" in the Network Settings of the iPhone. It is clearly there on my Samsung tablet, but I do not see a similar entry on my Moto E or Sony Xperia phones. However, both of those phones allow me to create a WiFi "Hot Spot" that allow devices to use the LTE data connection on the phone. - Some of the articles mention using the Lightning to Ethernet device to "tether" Ethernet devices to the iPhone. Would this include tethering an Orbi router? Might be fun to find out! (Just personally, I would drag one of my old routers out of the "Box of Stuff" and try that first.)
- I have no idea how many devices the NAT inside smartphone Hot Spots can support, or what would happen when the cellular network discovers this phone chewing up enormous bandwidth.
Most of the time when people post on the forum about Redundant WAN connections, the goal is to have two simultaneous ISP connections live all the time: one Primary and another as backup (usually LTE cellular connection). The Orbi does not support that, so these people purchase a router that does support multiple WAN connections and use it to "front" the Orbi.
They want the failover and recovery to be almost instantaneous, not "oh s**t, the internet is down, when Dad gets home with his iPhone, maybe he can find that Gizmo he bought and do whatever he says will make the internet work again."
Actually, this sounds like fun. I just might dig out an old router and see what happens.
It is possible to use an iPhone with an RBK853 router to supplement your internet connection in certain circumstances, but it may not be the most reliable or efficient solution.
First, you would need to use a Lightning to Ethernet adapter to connect your iPhone to the router. This would allow the iPhone to act as a secondary WAN connection for the router.
However, it's important to note that the RBK853 router's WAN aggregation feature is designed to combine multiple wired internet connections, such as cable and DSL, into a single high-speed connection. Using a cellular data connection from an iPhone is likely to be slower and less stable than a wired connection.
Additionally, most cellular providers have data usage limits and may charge extra fees for using your phone as a hotspot. This means that using an iPhone as a secondary WAN connection could be expensive if you use it for extended periods of time or for data-intensive activities like streaming or gaming.
Overall, while it is possible to use an iPhone as a secondary WAN connection with an RBK853 router, it may not be the most reliable or cost-effective solution for supplementing your internet connection. It may be better to consider alternative solutions like a backup DSL or cable connection if you need a more reliable backup internet connection.
