Re: cell phone signal

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-19

can i configure an orbi to work from my cell phone signal

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-24

To jump to the bottom line - It works!

The M1 'sees' my phone signal (google fi) and I can connect a device direct to it.

The setup was a bit less than straightforward but it does work. (Following directions, you never really see exactly what the directions say but it gets done.)

The range is pretty short. So - would it be possible to connect the M1 to say a nighthawk R7000 for more range. I had originally thought the 7000 would be needed but the M1 does work well right out of the box for me.

Thanks again to all for the kind help.

TW

View solution in original post

ekhalil · ‎2019-10-19

No, but you can buy a 4G modem where you can insert a 4G SIM card and from which you connect an Ethernet cable to Orbi to provide internet access.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-10-19

The answer is "No", and "But, LOOK"

Orbi connects to an internet modem with an ethernet cord. It cannot connect to a WiFi signal. Mobile phones are not equipped with ethernet jacks, and even if an adapter were available, mobile phone "Hot Spot" apps create a WiFi signal, not an ethernet signal. So, "No."

However, if the question is "Can an Orbi connect to internet over an LTE service, the answer is, "Yes. Numerous people have posted about their experience using "LTE Modems". A frequent example is for vacation cabins which have no broadband service or rural areas that have LTE phone service, but no broadband. There must be at least a dozen LTE modems, for example as https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-LTE-Modem-Broadband-Connection/dp/B01N5ASNTE This particular unit is for GSM carriers. .

CrimpOn · ‎2019-10-19

Sorry, @ekhalil posted while I was typing my (long winded) response.

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-19

Many Thanks All. (Have been at this for a long time.)

This is what I am up to.

1. Google pixel3xl phone.

2. Weboost cell phone booster; this gives about 20 mile range.

3. All of this is on a boat which is frequently offshore, in and out of cell phone tower range. A good 'for instance' is the Bahamas where the cell towers are clearly marked and you can tell how far away you are and when you pick up signal.

4. I want to take this amplified signal and somehow make it connect to a router that I can broadcast throughout the boat (50 ft boat).

Google will give me a sim card to put in an unlocked device (same as they will give you a sim card for an ipad).

5. So - unlocked device, coax input from booster; could then connect with ethernet cable to "orbi". Picked orbi because I have a couple left over from wiring up the house. And newest technology or nearly so.

Thanks again.

ekhalil · ‎2019-10-19

@maipehnrai wrote:
......
5. So - unlocked device, coax input from booster; could then connect with ethernet cable to "orbi". Picked orbi because I have a couple left over from wiring up the house. And newest technology or nearly so.
......

This should work, but I see that the Weboost booster has SMB connectors, how did you think to covert it to Ethernet to connect to Orbi?

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-19

I am running a coaxial cable from the output on the weboost to a simple indoor antenna. Unlike the wifi amplifiers I have purchased in the past, this cell phone booster actually works. The outside antenna is on a mast about 25 feet up. I may have purchased a crossover of some kind or other. Have to go check. (huge number of antennas etc. AIS, weather, sat phone, gps, on and on; lots of wires.)

So I was hoping to find something that would accept the signal from the booster via the coaxial cable that comes out now.

weBoost Drive 4G-X (470510) Cell Phone Signal Booster

this is the model FWIW

(checked; there is a crossover from the weboost amplifier to a coax cable that runs to the indoor amplifier - signal from amplifier is what the phone is picking up.)

CrimpOn · ‎2019-10-19

Attached is my concept of how this will work:

Phone towers on the shore, communicate with the antenna mounted 25' above the boat
Coax cable carries the signals down to the 4G-X signal booster in the boat
The booster communicates with any mobile devices in the boat, which could include regular mobile phones and also an LTE modem that is supported on the mobile carrier service (The product description mentions multiple phones inside an automobile)
The LTE modem produces an ethernet output which goes to the WiFi router
Orbi might be overkill, but if there is already one available that's fine
The Orbi WiFi connects to any WiFi devices on the boat

Fascinating idea..

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-19

You have it exactly!

So you think that I need an "LTE Modem" is going to make the link from booster to router for me?

(unlocked / sim card; ethernet out and coaxial in)

Any suggestions as to which one? There a lot of them. Netgear has two that look workable. One is a little over a hundred and one is about 300 I think.

Thank you again.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-10-19

@maipehnrai wrote:
Any suggestions as to which one?

Have no personal experience with any of these. Be sure you can return it after testing. It probably is not necessary to go "out on the water" to do a test. If it will work in an automobile, it will work anyplace. Once it works on land, install it on the boat and test without leaving the dock. Only after all of that testing would I "set sail" and see how far away from shore it works.

Or, if you already have the boat part wired up, just test at the dock first.

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-20

have ordered netgear nighthawk m1 from Aamzon. should be here tomorrow. will put up a note to let you know how it workd.

Cannot thank everyone enough for their time and expertise. This really has been one of those things. (I am from the oilfield - every job requires a hammer.)

TW

maipehnrai · ‎2019-10-24

To jump to the bottom line - It works!

The M1 'sees' my phone signal (google fi) and I can connect a device direct to it.

The setup was a bit less than straightforward but it does work. (Following directions, you never really see exactly what the directions say but it gets done.)

The range is pretty short. So - would it be possible to connect the M1 to say a nighthawk R7000 for more range. I had originally thought the 7000 would be needed but the M1 does work well right out of the box for me.

Thanks again to all for the kind help.

TW