Using MR1100 (Nighthawk M1) to provide internet access to TP Link VR200 Router - will it work?

[ampman]

Hi there, I am in need of some advice regarding the use of your products.

We are looking at using one of your products for Internet connection in our premises. The wired internet connection isn't great, so we want to use the 4G signal for internet.

We want to use the MR1100 (Nighthawk M1). We want to connect the MR1100 to 4G, and then connect the MR1100 to our router, a TP Link Archer VR200 (using either ethernet or RJ11 cable). The VR200 will then be used as normal, with all of our devices connecting to the TP Link Router as before . The only device connected to the MR1100 will be the VR200 .

The 4th ethernet port on the VR200 is marked as LAN/WAN.

Does this sound like it will work? Please let me know.

All the best,

Oliver

[TL_NTGR]

Oliver,

You can connect the Nighthawk M1 Ethernet port a home router and use this configuation for home Internet.  The default operation of the Ethernet port is LAN port and support what you want to do.

Couple of considerations when using Nighthawk M1 for your home Internet.

- Disable the Ethernet standby feature in the Nighthawk M1 (Default 2 Minutes)

- Consider operating the Nighthawk M1 without the Battery as it is temperature sensitive.  If the battery get's too warm, it will force the device to stop charging and could results in an unexpected shutdown.

- There is a feature called Ethernet Offloading, ignore this for your use case.  This turns the Ethernet in to a WAN port and switches between LTE and Ethernet WAN (kinda like a travel router)

- May mobile carriers provide a private IP address to the hotspot and this prevents unsolicited traffic from making it to your home network.  You can request a public IP address on your mobile account which may cost a bit more.  Having a Private IP may impact hosting servers at home, gaming servers, some peer to peer gaming services, VoIP phones.  However normal Internet browsing, Youtube, Facebook are not impacted.  

- The Nighthawk M1 has a feature called IP Passthru which will take the IP address provided by the mobile carrier, and pass it thru to the home router.  It basically makes the M1 look like a bridge (not a router).

- Not a powerfully as IP Passthru, there is another feature called DMZ which can also be considered.

You can find more infomation on this in the user guide or in the device's web UI.