Wireless to Wireless with mifi 4620l

[hhifire]

I am attempting to create a wireless network that is mobile. I am a member of a Technical Rescue Team and I am creating a network that I can setup when we go on deployment. It is a mix of tablets and laptops with file sharing and printing.

I have the network operating just fine using an ASUS RT-AC56U. Devices are connected wirelessly and Ethernet. DHCP is working fine and all is well.

What I need to be able to do now is get these devices to be able to access the internet. We have a Verizon MiFI Jetpack 4620L device that I can use for this purpose.

The MiFi device allows wireless connections but only a max of 5. I need more than that, close to double. The other thing is that I will not always have the mifi available so I still need the network to work (file sharing, printing , etc.)

What I would like to do is bridge/link/(whatever appropriate name) the ASUS and the MiFi so that all my devices I have connected to the ASUS (wireless and direct) will be able to access the internet via the MiFi. Essentially increasing the total number of devices able to access the internet.

Any ideas on what I can do to make this happen? Should I budget for different hardware to make this work?

Remember the network needs to be operational without the 3g/4g internet connectivity. Then when the mifi device arrives on the scene, all I would need to do is turn on the power to the mifi and the ASUS will connect to in and all my devices get to the internet.

 

[CaptainSTX]

The ASUS/Merlin firmware seems to be pretty much plug and play with many WiFi Hotspots when you use a USB connection from the Hotspot to a USB port on the router. You don't necessarily have to see your modem/ hotspot listed in the pull down list. The two ZTE units were very simple. The Samsung was a little more involved.

I haven't tried Hotspots on an AC56U, but using my N66 running the latest from Merlin I have successfully been able to get three different models of Hotspots to work using a USB connection

You start the setup in the USB application tab on the router. The router will then tell you a few other setting you must modify. Depending on the software on your Jetpack you may have to change a setting or two on it also. On the ZTE I am currently using I have the option to turn off the WiFi on the Hotspot. On my Samsung I also had to disable the built in media server.

I have my Hotspot setup so that if my primary Internet connection goes down the router switches over and uses my Hotspot as a secondary WAN connection.

In your case I would just go ahead and connect you hotspot to the router and set it up and see what happens. Save a copy of your configuration before making any changes to your router so you can easily restore it if it adding the USB Wan connection somehow screws things up.

Another option is to look a Hotspot that supports more than five WiFi connections. The Samsung and the ZTE I am currently using will handle ten connections. I'm not sure that you will have the 4G bandwidth to support more simultaneous connections than that anyway. You also might want to try and find an unlocked Hotspot or at least a second hotspot so if necessary you can switch SIM cards and in an emergency situation find whose network is working or working best.

 

[thiggins]

If you need a robust mobile wireless router, get a Cradlepoint. Search the forums and you'll find they get glowing recommendations. Some models will use a MiFi (or similar WWAN hotspot) as the WWAN connection instead of the usual USB modem. The MBR95 might be the way to go.