Probably OT: Using a wifi connection as a WAN
I'm not sure if this is simple or not; if not then the solution is almost certainly going to use a Linux box so this might be on topic, but if not I can't think who else to ask. In my office I have a Draytek router, connected to ADSL (was O2, now Sky), with it's WAN port connected to another ADSL router, itself connected to PlusNet, and load balancing between the two. I have it set up this way due to the pretty useless speeds we get here (I just ran a speed test and got 3Mbps up, 0.5Mpbs down). No prospect of it changing much either in the short term. On the other hand, the same speed test on my phone shows 20Mbps down, 8Mpbs up (4G on Three). And I have free unlimited data including tethering. So I want to find a way to tether my office network onto my phone when I'm in the office. Is this just as simple as replacing the second ADSL router with an access point, or do I need to be more clever than that? (Also: the Draytek has a USB port for (eg) a USB 4G dongle, but could I use a USB wifi dongle to tether to my phone instead?) The "right" solution is to get a 4G dongle for the Draytek, but data plans on data SIMs don't seem all that great - and even phone contracts aren't as good as they were (I get unlimited tethering, but new contracts limit to 5GB while tethering). So I'd like to find a way to use my existing phone connection if I can, albeit that it's going to kill my battery when I use it. Although if anyone can point at decent 4G data plans instead I'd be happy to switch (I am already paying for two ADSL lines so I can ditch one of those if I get this working). (Apologies to anyone who would kill for the 3Mbps I currently get!) Mark -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) @ 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG
On Wed, May 28, 2014 at 10:00:57AM +0100, Mark Rogers wrote:
In my office I have a Draytek router, connected to ADSL (was O2, now Sky), with it's WAN port connected to another ADSL router, itself connected to PlusNet, and load balancing between the two. I have it set up this way due to the pretty useless speeds we get here (I just ran a speed test and got 3Mbps up, 0.5Mpbs down). No prospect of it changing much either in the short term.
I have an identical arrangement at home, excpet that both my telephone lines are Plusnet now. My Draytek is a 2820n.
On the other hand, the same speed test on my phone shows 20Mbps down, 8Mpbs up (4G on Three). And I have free unlimited data including tethering.
So I want to find a way to tether my office network onto my phone when I'm in the office.
Is this just as simple as replacing the second ADSL router with an access point, or do I need to be more clever than that? (Also: the Draytek has a USB port for (eg) a USB 4G dongle, but could I use a USB wifi dongle to tether to my phone instead?)
The "right" solution is to get a 4G dongle for the Draytek, but data plans on data SIMs don't seem all that great - and even phone contracts aren't as good as they were (I get unlimited tethering, but new contracts limit to 5GB while tethering). So I'd like to find a way to use my existing phone connection if I can, albeit that it's going to kill my battery when I use it. Although if anyone can point at decent 4G data plans instead I'd be happy to switch (I am already paying for two ADSL lines so I can ditch one of those if I get this working).
I think you have outlined the possibilites quite well, as I see it you can:- Get a 4G dongle and put it in the Draytek's USB port, the obvious 'easy' solution. Get a dedicated 4G modem/router which accepts a 4G SIM and connect that to the Draytek's ethernet WAN2 port, in the same way as your current second router on Plusnet). No real advantage over using a dongle in the USB really. Get a WiFi 'router' that can act as a WiFi client to the tethered phone (I assume the phone provides WiFi for its tethered clients). Then connect the LAN side of this router to the ethernet WAN2 port on the Draytek. That last possibility is what you are after I think. I don't think all WiFi router boxes can do it, I have some TP-Link ones that can do it. One very cheap one is the TL-WR743ND, can be bought for around £20. TP-Link call the ability to do this WISP Client mode. -- Chris Green
On 28/05/14 11:17, Chris Green wrote:
On Wed, May 28, 2014 at 10:00:57AM +0100, Mark Rogers wrote:
In my office I have a Draytek router, connected to ADSL (was O2, now Sky), with it's WAN port connected to another ADSL router, itself connected to PlusNet, and load balancing between the two. I have it set up this way due to the pretty useless speeds we get here (I just ran a speed test and got 3Mbps up, 0.5Mpbs down). No prospect of it changing much either in the short term.
I have an identical arrangement at home, excpet that both my telephone lines are Plusnet now. My Draytek is a 2820n.
On the other hand, the same speed test on my phone shows 20Mbps down, 8Mpbs up (4G on Three). And I have free unlimited data including tethering.
So I want to find a way to tether my office network onto my phone when I'm in the office.
Is this just as simple as replacing the second ADSL router with an access point, or do I need to be more clever than that? (Also: the Draytek has a USB port for (eg) a USB 4G dongle, but could I use a USB wifi dongle to tether to my phone instead?)
The "right" solution is to get a 4G dongle for the Draytek, but data plans on data SIMs don't seem all that great - and even phone contracts aren't as good as they were (I get unlimited tethering, but new contracts limit to 5GB while tethering). So I'd like to find a way to use my existing phone connection if I can, albeit that it's going to kill my battery when I use it. Although if anyone can point at decent 4G data plans instead I'd be happy to switch (I am already paying for two ADSL lines so I can ditch one of those if I get this working).
I think you have outlined the possibilites quite well, as I see it you can:-
Get a 4G dongle and put it in the Draytek's USB port, the obvious 'easy' solution.
Get a dedicated 4G modem/router which accepts a 4G SIM and connect that to the Draytek's ethernet WAN2 port, in the same way as your current second router on Plusnet). No real advantage over using a dongle in the USB really.
Get a WiFi 'router' that can act as a WiFi client to the tethered phone (I assume the phone provides WiFi for its tethered clients). Then connect the LAN side of this router to the ethernet WAN2 port on the Draytek.
That last possibility is what you are after I think. I don't think all WiFi router boxes can do it, I have some TP-Link ones that can do it. One very cheap one is the TL-WR743ND, can be bought for around £20. TP-Link call the ability to do this WISP Client mode.
Or perhaps, USB cable between your phone and a PC and tether the PC to the phone. Plug the PC into an ethernet port somewhere on the network and do some routing magic (covering up the fact that I wouldn't have a clue how to do this) to send some of the traffic via your phone. Hopefully the USB cable would both power your phone and transfer your data. Steve
On 28 May 2014 11:24, <steve-ALUG@hst.me.uk> wrote:
Or perhaps, USB cable between your phone and a PC and tether the PC to the phone. Plug the PC into an ethernet port somewhere on the network and do some routing magic (covering up the fact that I wouldn't have a clue how to do this) to send some of the traffic via your phone.
That's an interesting alternative (and handily on-topic for ALUG too). Given that there are several PCs in the office that currently get served DHCP addresses by the Draytek I can see it might need a bit of work though, but I'm certainly open to pointers? (I've shied away from running a Linux PC as a router, mainly because the Draytek does everything reliably and replacing it with a PC is more likely to fail. DNS is hosted on a Linux box using dnsmasq, and it's noticeable that when that PC is down for any reason (eg rebooting for updates) everything else has to stop in the office because one way or another it needs Internet. But these days, given that the whole job could probably be done by a Pi, maybe it's worth reconsidering?)
Hopefully the USB cable would both power your phone and transfer your data.
That would be a useful plus! -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) @ 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG
On 28 May 2014 11:17, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:
That last possibility is what you are after I think. I don't think all WiFi router boxes can do it, I have some TP-Link ones that can do it. One very cheap one is the TL-WR743ND, can be bought for around £20. TP-Link call the ability to do this WISP Client mode.
Thanks for that advice; I've just ordered a TL-WR743ND to try. -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) @ 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG
On Wed, 28 May 2014 10:00:57 +0100 Mark Rogers <mark@quarella.co.uk> allegedly wrote:
The "right" solution is to get a 4G dongle for the Draytek, but data plans on data SIMs don't seem all that great - and even phone contracts aren't as good as they were (I get unlimited tethering, but new contracts limit to 5GB while tethering). So I'd like to find a way to use my existing phone connection if I can, albeit that it's going to kill my battery when I use it. Although if anyone can point at decent 4G data plans instead I'd be happy to switch (I am already paying for two ADSL lines so I can ditch one of those if I get this working).
Would it not be possible to swap out the sim card from your phone to a 4G router and replace the phone sim with a new contract (albeit at a lower data allowance)? I know that most 4G/LTE routers expect connection of a USB dongle, but some appear to be able to take a sim card. broadbandbuyer have a list at http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/default_ShopGroup.asp?ShopGroupID=166 and the Netgear AC762S (whilst more expensive that the TP link) appears to have the requisite sim slots) http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/Specifications.asp?ProductID=17418#Cont... Mick --------------------------------------------------------------------- Mick Morgan gpg fingerprint: FC23 3338 F664 5E66 876B 72C0 0A1F E60B 5BAD D312 http://baldric.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------
On 28 May 2014 13:25, mick <mbm@rlogin.net> wrote:
Would it not be possible to swap out the sim card from your phone to a 4G router and replace the phone sim with a new contract (albeit at a lower data allowance)?
It crossed my mind but that would mean losing the number I've had for many many years, and it's not worth it! In any case, most of the time ADSL is enough, this is really about having the option of using my phone to boost it when I need to (eg I want to download an ISO at 20Mbps rather than 3Mbps...), and that way I can drop the spare ADSL line and not have to fork out for a new phone contract on top. -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) @ 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG
participants (4)
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steve-ALUG＠hst.me.uk