PepWave Surf SOHO Mk 3 as Bridge?

Product Discussion Pepwave AP & Surf
1

I have a Pepwave Surf SOHO Mk 3. I was using it as a wifi AP to connect from my ZTE Mobley in my RV to connect more devices to my network. I recently got a Winegard ConnecT 2.0 and set it up. The ConnecT2 will eventually replace the Mobley when we get around to buying a SIM card and data plan that it supports, but for now, its going to be the device that connects to the outside internet through Wifi at campgrounds.

I don’t want to stop using the Surf SOHO though, since it has ethernet ports and the ConnecT does not. I have a few devices that I would rather connect over ethernet, just because its easier that way and faster. I’m just not sure how to do that and have it all visible on the same network.

Since the ConnecT’s antennas are much better than the SOHO and its mounted on the roof, it can see wifi networks much farther away. So if I want to run everything through the ConnecT in the end.

If I set it up like this wifi network > ConnecT > SOHO > devices, and I have everything connected to the SOHO SSID, either through ethernet or wifi, will they all be able to see each other? Or if I want to connect devices straight to the ConnecT, but have ethernet devices connected to the SOHO, is there a way to make them visible to each other? Would I need to set up port forwarding or something?

I’m trying to find the best way to set this all up so the end devices only need to connect to the same network all the time (which would probably be easies through the SOHO). Also, if I get a ethernet switch, will the devices on that, if connected to the SOHO, be visible on the same network as well? The SOHO only has 4 LAN ports, and I might need a couple more than that. I’m trying to run as much as possible off ethernet if I can.

2

Just treat the Connect T 2 as a wifi WAN connection on the SOHO then connect all your LAN devices to the SOHO wifi AP / wired ethernet LAN and you’ll be good to go.

1 Like
3

So if I just connect the SOHO to the ConnecT over wifi, but don’t have the SOHO send out its own SSID, the ethernet devices will be on the same network as the ConnecT SSID? I want to be able to ssh into the other devices as well as stream stuff from my Plex server (on ethernet) to my Roku (on wifi). Will that be all that is needed?

4

No I’m suggesting the SOHO connects to the Connect T2 over Wifi - treating it as an internet connection, then the SOHO broadcasts its own wifi ssid and your LAN devices connect to it (the SOHO) via wifi and wired ethernet.

1 Like
5

That’s what I ended up doing. The SOHO connects to either the ConnecT or modem, whichever has a better connection, and broadcasts its SSID. I can connect to the ConnecT if I need to to change the SSID it is connecting to when we get to a new campground, but I shouldn’t have to change anything on the SOHO anymore.

I will have to figure out how to connect the wired devices over ethernet though, mainly just running the ethernet cable to SOHO. I have four ports to work with and two Raspberry Pis I want to hard wire right now, but may be adding more devices in the future. I’ll probably get a switch so I an run just one ethernet cable from the SOHO to the switch, then cables from switch to the Pi’s and be good. I can’t move the SOHO because its plugged into the modem over USB and the modem can’t be moved because it is next to the cell booster in the back of the RV. Didn’t think that far ahead when I installed the cell booster.