The CradlePoint MBR1200 forms the heart of my new mobile Internet system

The Tech Field Day events I run are hotspots of social media, but it has been hard building an Internet presence to keep up. Constantly on the move, I need a flexible network with scalability and failover (and fail-back) between 3G/4G and wired Internet. My latest design relies on CradlePoint’s MBR1200 “Failover Router”, which can load-balance across multiple 3G and 4G data cards.

Introducing the CradlePoint MBR1200

My trusty CradlePoint PHS300 has been a constant companion at my events, from Tech Field Day to trade shows, conferences, and seminars. I set my SSID to “AskFoskett” and share 3G data to any who need it. But Tech Field Day has outgrown the bandwidth of a single 3G card, so I am stepping up my network hardware.

The MBR1200 is designed to be an always-on network access point, offering Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet connectivity and both wired and multiple 3G/4G WAN ports. It will use wired Ethernet connectivity when available and fails over to the 3G or 4G mobile network whenever required.

Perhaps the coolest trick of the MBR1200 is its ability to use multiple 3G or 4G modems at once. It load balances connections across up to five such devices, even over multiple networks. In my experiments, the MBR1200 did indeed balance fairly across a Novatel U720 on Sprint and a Novatel MiFi 2200 on Virgin. Though both use Sprint’s CDMA 3G network, throughput appeared to double when I brought the second modem on line.

The old PHS300 was battery powered, but the MBR1200 requires a wall AC or 12 volt mobile supply. This is not ideal for my use, but I imagine my Field Day delegates will tolerate a few minutes’ outage as we set up and tear down. They will likely appreciate the improved throughput of the MBR1200, though, with its more-powerful CPU and dual 802.11N radios.

3G and 4G Modems

My events have all been in the USA so far, so this section will be very location-specific.

I had previously used a 3G USB modem on the Sprint network through reseller Millenicom. They offered true unlimited data (unknown elsewhere in the US) for just $69. But the throughput of this service grew progressively slow lately, so I finally gave up.

Virgin Mobile has the best mobile broadband offering in the USA currently. I purchased a Novatel MiFi 2200 at Wal-Mart for $129. Although I’m no fan of the big-box chain, purchasing it there made me eligible for an “unlimited” (in reality, 5 GB per month) plan at $40 with no contract. The MiFi tethers to the CradlePoint routers for broad sharing or allows independent use by up to five users. The service uses the Sprint 3G network, just like my Millenicom plan, but seems faster.

There are three higher-speed mobile broadband offerings in the USA currently. Although none offers the performance once promised by 4G, all easily beat older 3G CDMA and GSM offerings.

Clearwire and Sprint share a WiMax-based network, and this is my first target. They have solid coverage and inexpensive unlimited data options. I have heard that Sprint does not throttle or cap heavy users like Clear does, so I’ll start looking there. The Sprint 250U looks like a good choice – widely available and supported by CradlePoint.

Next up is Verizon, which is building out an LTE 4G network. Although like Sprint Verizon requires a 2-year contract, they also offer a supported modem, the Pantech UML290.

Then there is T-Mobile USA, which brands its HSPA+ network as 4G. Although perhaps not technically 4G, this network offers higher performance than either competing network. The ZTE MF691 is supported by CradlePoint.

Shopping List

CradlePoint donated an MBR1200 to the cause after presenting at Networking Field Day, but I am still working on securing adequate 3G and 4G connectivity. Here’s my setup so far:

1. Failsafe Gigabit N Router for Mobile Broadband – The router itself
2. External Wifi Antennas for MBR1200 – Dual extended antennas
3. MBR1200 Modem Security Enclosure – A snap-on cover for the modems
4. Auto power adapter (5v, 2a) – Power on the go
5. Virgin Mobile Novatel MiFi 2200 – Virgin Mobile’s 3G modem

They support many, many modems, but not all. I’m also considering one of the following:

1. Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U modem
2. Verizon Pantech UML290 LTE 4G modem

Update!

As noted in the comments, CradlePoint suggests considering the following hardware instead:

1. MBR1400 Business Series N Wireless Router – This adds Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi “WiFi as WAN” to the MBR1200′s already impressive capabilities. Cool!
2. They suggest using an extension cord to place any WiMax modem a bit apart from the Wi-Fi radio since they tend to overlap. I know they’ve done extensive testing with radios, and I appreciate the advice!
3. CradlePoint suggests the Novatel 551 LTE modem, which is available from Verizon.

I went out and bought Clear’s PXU1900 WiMAX modem and Verizon’s Novatel MiFi 4151l to test these services. Read my follow-up posts:

Stephen’s Stance

This is very much a work in progress. The CradlePoint is great, but I’m not sure about the modems. I’ll post more once I have more experience. Until then, your bandwidth may vary!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | Building a Combination 3G/4G/Wired Wi-Fi Network
This post was categorized as Everything, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Sprint USB EV-DO + Cradlepoint personal hotspot = sweet!

Goodbye, AT&T 3G! After a year of hoping coverage would improve, I finally jumped ship from AT&T’s 3G network and moved my mobile wireless broadband service to Sprint. I grabbed a refurbished USB EV-DO device and signed up through a no-contract reseller and couldn’t be happier with the service so far. And I picked up a Cradlepoint router at the same time, giving me a portable Wi-Fi hotspot so any device I have (or a friend has) can get online at broadband speed from anywhere. Awesome!

So, yeah, my headline is a little misleading. But it’s true – rather than buy a 3G iPhone in my 3G-starved hometown, I decided to kill all of my mobile connectivity woes at once, including stepping up to 3G speeds on the iPhone. Read on for details about what was wrong with AT&T Laptop Connect, why I selected Sprint, the Cradlepoint PHS300 router, and how to get all of this with no contract.

AT&T Laptop (Dis)Connect

My mobile phone service has been in the AT&T network since before there was such a thing – my first “cell phone” was on Houston Cellular, which blobbed into Cingular and became AT&T. So when my employer purchased me a Dell laptop with an integrated HSDPA (AT&T 3G) WWAN solution, I was happy to sign up for AT&T Wireless’ Laptop Connect service. I must note that from the start I have been peeved that AT&T gives no benefit whatsoever to having both 3G data and mobile phone service on the same account.

At the time, I lived in Metro West Massachusetts, where 3G service was quickly spreading, and most of my travel happened to be within AT&T’s narrow map. This was certainly a good thing, because EDGE speed is almost unbearable for business productivity! I was surprised to note that the built-in 3G hardware and antenna was often actually worse than my mobile phone in terms of coverage, often losing 3G or dropping service altogether as I moved inside a building.

Then there were the inexplicable service failures – I would open up the laptop in an airport or hotel and it would refuse to connect entirely. A quick call to AT&T’s 611 service center would prod them to “send a signal” or something and all would be fine for a few days.

And as I traveled around the United States, AT&T’s poor 3G coverage became painfully obvious – I even had to pay the exorbitant rates charged for hotel Wi-Fi on a number of occasions, the very thing I was trying to avoid! I finally got fed up on a recent trip to San Jose when neither AT&T 3G nor any pay-for-Wi-Fi service was available in the heart of Silicon Valley. AT&T could offer no help besides suggesting that I buy a new 3G modem (and sign up for 2 more years of service!) so their fate was sealed.

Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T

My research showed that Verizon and Sprint are way ahead of AT&T in terms of high-speed network coverage in the United States. I asked around and found lots of happy customers for both providers in all the areas I travel to, including positive comments about performance and network reach. Most comparisons have shown Sprint’s network to have something of a performance advantage, however, and their coverage is superior in Ohio, where I now reside.

All three wireless broadband have nearly identical service plans: One- to three-megabit speed for $60 (plus taxes and fees) per month. And all will give free USB, PCMCIA, or ExpressCard hardware for signing a 2-year contract. All have similar service initiation fees, which storefront resellers offered to eat for my business, signaling just how profitable these contracts must be!

Sprint almost lost me, though, because although Verizon and AT&T will prorate their early-termination fees, Sprint will not. But all three were willing (after some prodding) to give no-contract service if I bought the hardware outright, a decided change from AT&T’s stance when I signed up last year. Verizon and Sprint now also limit their plans to 5 gigabytes per month, which is more than I use.

Millenicom and 3GStore

Then I discovered Millenicom. A reseller of various broadband services, Millenicom sells access to Sprint’s EV-DO network for those who own their own hardware and is very popular with enthusiasts. Even though they raised their rates from $49 to $59 per month recently, they include all fees and taxes, a savings of $8.23 per month over the providers themselves. Service is pre-paid in full monthly increments and there is no cap on network access. So all I needed was a Sprint EV-DO device.

Enter 3GStore.com, a respected purveyor of all things EV-DO. They happened to have refurbished Novatel Wireless Ovation U720 Sprint USB EV-DO devices on special this month, and also happen to be a popular source for Cradlepoint routers. I whipped out the credit card, and in two days flat the FedEx truck delivered my new hardware. Even though it was Saturday, I decided to try to set up the device on Millenicom’s web site, and just a short time later found it activated and working. Two big thumbs up for Millenicom and 3GStore!

Cradlepoint’s Personal Hotspot

Although the U720 device works great on both PC and Mac, I fell for the idea of the Cradlepoint “personal hotspot” router. It is a little device (almost exactly the same size as my Maxtor OneTouch Mini portable hard drive) with a USB port for connecting to 3G modems like the U720. It functions like the NAT routers that are widely used to share home broadband connections with Wi-Fi devices, including my Tomato/Buffalo router and Apple’s AirPort line.

Cradlepoint makes a few of these devices, but I decided on the PHS300 model which includes a rechargeable battery pack for real mobile use. Fire it up in an airport, a hotel, or a conference room and have instant connectivity for any configured devices without even worrying about finding a power outlet! We’ll see what the future holds, but I’m psyched about the idea of firing up the router in my laptop bag for quick internet access for laptop and iPhone wherever I happen to be.

Check out Josh James’ similar experience with the Cradlepoint!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | My iPhone is on Sprint’s EV-DO Network (and So Are My PCs!)
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.