I have a rental cabin in the mountains and am trying to find the best solution for this scenario:
Providers
Hughesnet satellite - 20GB per month
Verizon MiFi - 20GB per month via usb dongle
Goals:
Speed is not the goal, I would like a way to limit the download speed to 1.0-1.5 mbps to keep from burning through data plans. It appears there are ways to do this using QOS. Doesn’t need to be bulletproof, just trying to keep users from excessive streaming/Facetime, etc. This will become more important when the local cell tower gets uploaded to LTE.
Assign download heavy traffic to Hughesnet
Assign interactive traffic to the MiFi
Be able to assign all traffic to Hughesnet during certain hours overnight when data is free
Have MiFi stop when 20GB limit is reached per month
Remote notification when caps are hit
Ideally way to remotely log in to device or send commands to increase caps if needed. This would be from my home a couple hundred miles away.
I don’t promise my guests anything more than basic internet for email, surfing, etc. I don’t have a TV and most of the guests are very glad because it forces their kids to interact with nature instead of sit and watch Netflix. The current MiFi service is very unreliable, sometimes 1X for weeks, sometimes very fast.
My preference is for it not to be terribly complex. I only get up there every 2-3 months and my cleaning/repair guy isn’t a techy at all. The Surf really appeals because it’s an all in one unit. I understand it doesn’t do load balancing but I’m wondering if you can set performance thresholds for failover? When satellite hits its data limit it slows to 3X dial-up speed. At that point I would want it to fail over to 3G.
It sounds like a Balance 20 with a separate WAP or wifi router would do the trick but the Surf really appeals.
Biting the bullet and just paying for data isn’t an option. I can easily have $300 in overages in the summer. I don’t blame folks, they’re used to all-you-can-eat internet at home and the concept of data limits while in a cabin are foreign.
Any recommendations welcomed.
Hi
Assign download heavy traffic to Hughesnet
Assign interactive traffic to the MiFi
Need to understand what you meant here. These traffic have to be identifiable via IP, domain names, or port numbers in order to route based on outbound policies.
Be able to assign all traffic to Hughesnet during certain hours overnight when data is free
Schedule is an available feature on our newer firmwares.
Have MiFi stop when 20GB limit is reached per month
Remote notification when caps are hit
Ideally way to remotely log in to device or send commands to increase caps if needed. This would be from my home a couple hundred miles away.
Remote login can be achieved by allowing admin access on WAN. If you’re on dynamic IP, use DDNS.
My preference is for it not to be terribly complex. I only get up there every 2-3 months and my cleaning/repair guy isn’t a techy at all. The Surf really appeals because it’s an all in one unit. I understand it doesn’t do load balancing but I’m wondering if you can set performance thresholds for failover? When satellite hits its data limit it slows to 3X dial-up speed. At that point I would want it to fail over to 3G.
It sounds like a Balance 20 with a separate WAP or wifi router would do the trick but the Surf really appeals.
My recommendation will be a Balance 30 LTE, which has a built-in modem as well.
As I believe your MiFi will be there for long hours, one that support built-in modem than USB dongle should be able to perform betters on long hours.
By traffic I was referring to email, streaming, downloading, etc.
What happens when the MiFI goes into standby mode? Will the Balance 30 wake it up? If the SIM card is located in the Balance 30 does it consume any data if there is no traffic? Idea would be to set the Balance 30 and not have to touch it again.
Do I need an InControl2 subscription to log in remotely? I understand it is free while the unit is under warranty but I was unable to find the renewal cost anywhere. This will factor into my purchase decision.
Thank you.
There’s an option to set whether you want the interface to remain connected or be disconnected during standby state.
You need an fixed IP address or fixed hostname to connect back to your unit via WAN interface, and no, you don’t need IC2 for that to work.
IC2 platform can be used for more than just remote access, like collecting info and logs for presenting, and/or managing your Peplink/Pepwave devices.
Hi, one more question. Can I use an AP One AC Mini as a standalone router if its in NAT mode? I need a wifi router in the next week but won’t be at the cabin long enough to do the full setup with a router. I’m hoping I can use an AP One to get the satellite usable then later go back and install a Balance 20/30 when I have time to properly set it up and configure.
Yes, router mode is available in the AP configuration.
What happens if the power goes out? Will the unit reset? I have guests who stay at my house and I don’t want them to have to touch the system once it’s set up.
Hi,
Are you referring if the AP is power down & power up again , whether the defined configuration will still work for the AP ? The answer is Yes, the configuration will store in the AP unless you Factory Reset (Software reset or Hardware reset) the AP.
Thank You
