This is for an RV conversion project (ex school bus, big steel faraday cage).
I’ve ‘wired’ the vehicle for two seperate rooftop antennas (both dual-band), one for each wifi antenna port, assuming this would give us the most potential to take advantage of MIMO functionality, outdoor accessibility, multiple wifi-wan sources, etc.
I guess what I didn’t think about was internal wifi access (lol).
So my question: Does the unit incorporate an internal wifi antenna in addition to the two external jacks? Or will I have to either:
A) use one of the antenna ports for the interior (in this case, which one? Does it matter?), OR
B) Add a wireless AP for the interior.
Any advice on what I can do, what I should do, & best practices would be appreciated. FWIW, this is a small bus - only 20’ of interior length.
there is no hidden internal antenna in any Peplink router. If the BR1 MK2 is in the middle of the bus, then the WiFi should last everywhere you need. I don’T know you interior, if this is a lot of absorbing material, than you need an AP, like the AP one rugged of the AX (AX has no e-Mark!)
Thanks Dennis. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to respond.
I’ll try it out & see how things go. I’m reluctant to add anything else that draws power &/or takes up space, but also reluctant to lose my 2nd rooftop antenna. Unfortunately I can’t mount the antennas permanently for a bit until our roof rack is complete, and I’d like to know ahead of time if I’ll need to build accomodations for an AP. Guess I’ll just fab a ground-plane mount up temporarily and get it up there to see.
what kind of antenna do you have on the roof? Maybe this is also enough to shine inside. That would have the advantage to have WiFi outside the camper.
Such a small AP does not take much power.
If I have had a RV, I’ld install WiFi on the roof and on the Inside, if needed an AP.
2 of these (though I sourced them from Mouser, not from the link):
I admit an incomplete understanding of MIMO. Is having two external antennas actually buying me anything in regards to WIFI performance when using them to harness public WIFI via WAN-over-WIFI? Or to enhance speed to client devices when, say, we’re sitting outside the bus working on our laptops?
If it was any standard RV, I wouldn’t even pose the question… I know it would work. It’s the all-steel construction of the bus that has me worried the external antennas might not pass enough signal to the interior. Plus these antennas have descent gain figures, so they’re probably directing even less signal ‘down’ than other options.
I have looked at the antennas, but I do not know them and there is no radiation pattern in the data sheet.
Aren’t you afraid that the antenna will make the bus too high? A Peplink Mobility 22G would probably be a better choice. Also you have a good amplification of the LTE signal.
I would set it up like this. If you then find that the signal in the interior is not good enough, then you can always fix it with an AP.
No, no worries about height on those antennas (lol). The pictures are deceiving. They’re only about 2" tall! I thought exactly the same thing as you did before purchasing them I literally had my phone in my hand after opening the package, getting ready to call Mouser asking where my antennas were, before realizing that small bundle of bubble-wrap I overlooked as padding was not one, but both of them!
The 2 cell antennas I received (also Pulse Larsen) are about double the height at 4".
I’ll do as you suggest, and many thanks for that suggestion
I’m in same predicament. I bought the ac one lite for internal. Have a grand pyranees 11 in 1 for outside and WiFi is connected to that. Still having a ton of problems.
My devices stay connected to the internal WAP when outside bus, so performance is awful. The Pyrenees is mounted to the solar rack (about a foot above the roof). See pic. Performance on the driver side is ok but passenger side mostly doesn’t connect, which is where we spend most of our time. I can’t move the pyranees without moving the replace which would mean another big hole in the roof. I did make an ssid just for exterior use (only on external br2).
At this point I think my best bet is just using the pyranees for the cellular and getting separate wifi antennas for the WiFi and running the cables through same hole, along solar racking and to the passenger side
I was considering getting the rugged outdoor WAP but it’s $600 plus $309 for the antennas and I don’t even know if it will solve the issue. If I could guarantee it would I’d probably buy it BUT still only WiFi 6. In rv parks I often get message in iPhone saying can’t connect because too many other devices I think WiFi 7 does a lot better and it will take ages for everyone to upgrade.
For now looking for antenna to connect to br2
Would love to connect and discuss this. Feel free to dm me and maybe we could chat
I literally had my phone in my hand after opening the package, getting ready to call Mouser asking where my antennas were, before realizing that small bundle of bubble-wrap I overlooked as padding was not one, but both of them!
