I own a Peplink Balance One, and a Peplink Max BR1 Mini (HW1), and I’m generally OK with managing these two devices.
But when I think about upgrading… WoW! So many models, and so many confusing and inconsistent model names.
For example, I own a Peplink Max BR1 Mini (HW1) which supports 4G LTE. Suppose I want to upgrade to a model with 5G.
What about the Peplink Max BR1 5G? Sounds great, except if you dive into the specifications, you realize it doesn’t have WiFi at all, so not good for an RV.
Link: Peplink.com - Model Comparison
I need two Peplinks:
Home/Work: a router with 2 WANs and optional 5G backup. WiFi not needed (as I have 3 Peplink AP one Minis).
RV: a 4G or 5G router with WiFi.
There would be some value in having the same model in my home and RV, in terms of hardware/software simplicity.
If you were trying to outfit your SOHO office and RV with PepLink, what model(s) would you choose?
I have the Pepwave BR1 Pro 5G I utilize it at home, I got tired of tearing it down to take it on the road, so my old BR1 Mini is now for the road mounted in my passenger seat.
SOHO office with 2x WAN & 5G: Peplink Balance One 5G
RV: Max BR1 Pro 5G or Balance One 5G (if it fits)
wifi in them is WIFI6, as opposed to WIFI5 on your AC Mini. You could turn it off on the B One/BR1 Pro 5G or use both and have devices roam between both
There’s a lot to be said for uniformity. Assuming the budget is supportive:
Home/Work: MAX BR1 Pro 5G: a router with 2 WANs and optional 5G backup. Hi-grade Wi-Fi available (but you can turn it off )
RV: MAX BR1 Pro 5G: a 4G or 5G router with WiFi.
Managed through InControl2 to keep everything uniform as you move from one environment to the other.
The MAX BR1 Pro is a very capable router even if it is not marketed as a regular office device.
I recently purchased a B One 5G for its throughput and 5G support. The WiFi which could be disabled ended up being good enough I was able to retire my AC minis. The eSIM feature for 5G backup is nice as it allows access to the very cost effective plans sold by PepLink or a reseller.
Looking at the specifications, it suggests the BR1 Pro 5G only has a single WAN, whereas the B One 5G has dual WAN: Peplink.com - Model Comparison
Is there a way to get dual WAN functions on the BR1 Pro 5g, perhaps by buying a feature pack to turn one of the LAN ports into a WAN port (you can do this on the Balance One models, I know). Or is there another way, such as using a USB to Ethernet dongle?
Although it might be nice to have two BR1 Pro 5Gs (one for home office, one for the RV) there are some downsides, such as cost and lack of LAN, WAN ports. With my current Balance One, I’m making use of both WAN ports and 4 of the LAN ports, including using some as VLAN access ports. Difficult or impossible to do with the BR1 Pro 5G. Price is also an issue (about $1000 each).
Some alternative plans:
B One and BR1 Mini:
Peplink B One 5G for home office
Peplink Max BR1 Mini LTE Cat 7 (Hardware 3)
Peplink eSIM
Dual B One:
Peplink B One 5G for home office
Peplink B One 5G for RV
Peplink eSIM
What would help me decide: how would the B One 5G perform vs. the BR1 Min LTE in a very weak signal location?
I have a few campsites where my existing router (BR 1 Mini HW1 Cat 4) can just barely get a signal.
The B One 5G has 4 cellular antennas vs. just 2 on the BR1 Mini LTE.
Does the B One 5G have all the same frequencies as he Mini when it’s in LTE mode?
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