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  • Travel router/wifi
  • zilog6128
    Full Member

    Is there such a thing as a (portable) travel router/wifi access point which will create it’s own wifi network for your devices, and provide internet access via 4G unless there’s an existing wifi network it can connect to – in which case it does so automatically? (Seems to be loads of devices that have a switch that can manually select said mode).
    Doesn’t have to be a “travel” one particularly, doesn’t need a battery, 240V would be fine probably as it would no doubt only actually need 9-12v to power it.
    Spent a fruitless hour searching last night & concluded this product doesn’t actually exist… unless someone knows different?
    (Found some dude in the US who’d made his own with a RPi, sounded relatively complicated though plus relied on some paid subscription software although was quite clever in that it could seamlessly switch from Wifi/phone tethering/4G without interrupting a download!)

    madhouse
    Full Member

    I’ve got more data than I could ever use on my phone so I just use the hotspot on that.

    You may get that answer a lot.

    You may be able to get what you need using multiple devices but I’m not sure such a thing exists in one ‘box’, which by the sounds of it is the same conclusion that you’ve come to.

    hot_fiat
    Full Member

    Look on the Japan travel forums for pocket wifi. Devices like this seem to be essential so you don’t come away with a roaming charge as expensive as the flights.

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    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Look on the Japan travel forums for pocket wifi.

    that just seems to be a 4G travel router, pretty standard, useful but not capable of using an existing WiFI network in preference to 4G?

    You may be able to get what you need using multiple devices

    yeah, I think it might be possible with a travel-router in “wifi” mode and a £270 Unifi 4G failover module, I’m not that desperate though 🤣

    oldtennisshoes
    Full Member

    What are you trying to achieve? The difficult bit is the automatic connection to exiting wireless networks.

    I have use one of these to provide VPN when required:
    GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Wireless Mini Portable VPN Travel Router

    And a ZTE 4g Mifi device

    These give me a known network and a known VPN network when needed.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    What are you trying to achieve? The difficult bit is the automatic connection to exiting wireless networks.

    tell me about it. Why is that so complicated?! 🤣
    Just toying with the idea of running a Home Assistant server in my van, purely for testing/experimental/my own amusement purposes 😃. It’s supposed to be “smart” so would be nice if it could automatically use free WiFi if available, e.g. at home or a campsite etc, seems a big ask though!!

    savoyad
    Full Member

    the auto prioritisation is hard.
    You could get a 4G (travel?) router running openwrt and see what it can do with travelmate added on?

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    You could get a 4G (travel?) router running openwrt and see what it can do with travelmate added on?

    seen openwrt mentioned a few times. Yeah, quickly reading the travelmate github, if it could be configured to use WiFi as main then 4G as a failover that could work… 🤔

    oldtennisshoes
    Full Member

    Looks like there might be options just using an android phone.

    https://www.nextpit.com/how-to-use-smartphone-as-wifi-repeater#:~:text=Make%20sure%20the%20phone%20you,numbers%20shown%20on%20the%20screen.

    Whatever you use, I’m guessing that the automatic connection is only going to work after initially confirming you want to use it and having added the correct creds.

    The android phone would deal with the network prioritisation with a dedicated mifi router providing network of last resort – or maybe the phone could handle that too?

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Looks like there might be options just using an android phone

    yeah I did not think that was possible but looks like it might be…

    however, I am going mad or would this device provide the exact functionality I’m after?
    https://www.draytek.co.uk/information/our-technology/wireless-wan-wifi
    even madder if so, I’m sure we used to have one at work years ago, so should be sitting in a drawer/box somewhere unless it was thrown out/given away!!

    jeffl
    Full Member

    Was gonna say on my android phone I enable the WiFi hotspot and if the phone is connected to WiFi then the hotspot uses that, if not then it will use 4g.

    By default the phone will try to use WiFi unless it’s really slow and it will then switch to 4g. Poco X3 for reference.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Is there such a thing as a (portable) travel router/wifi access point which will create it’s own wifi network for your devices, and provide internet access via 4G unless there’s an existing wifi network it can connect to – in which case it does so automatically?

    You’ve just described a phone. What am I missing?

    Wireless Hotspot feature provides, uh, a wireless hotspot. The WAN side connects to known Wi-Fi networks and hands off to the cellular network otherwise.

    No?

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    You’ve just described a phone. What am I missing?

    don’t know, possibly nothing 🤣 I was unaware that’s how the hotspots worked… certainly didn’t USED to be (i.e. WiFi connectivity/hotspot functionality were mutually exclusive)
    The slight fly in the ointment is that a LAN port would be really handy (which obviously a phone won’t give you!)

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Aaaaah I see what you mean. You might be right and me wrong, I’d have to test it.

    Hmm. Interesting.

    oldtennisshoes
    Full Member

    The slight fly in the ointment is that a LAN port would be really handy (which obviously a phone won’t give you!)

    This will give you a lan port
    GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Wireless Mini Portable VPN Travel Router

    5lab
    Full Member

    Also worth remevering a lot of WiFi in travel locations has sign on screens that I think a router will struggle with.

    I use my phone for this, works fine. Phone plus wap if you want an ethernet port?

    oldtennisshoes
    Full Member

    TBH I’d ditch the idea of using other wifi and just go with a dedicated mifi solution. I get 75gb of 4g for £15 per month – it’s really not worth the pain of trying to use crappy public wifi networks IMHO.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    This will give you a lan port
    GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Wireless Mini Portable VPN Travel Router

    the problem with that solution is, you have to manually switch between modes

    I use my phone for this, works fine. Phone plus wap if you want an ethernet port?

    yes certainly, if the phone does work like that i.e. it can use a WiFi connection for internet WHILST ALSO broadcasting an AP/working as a router for stuff to connect to, that might well work!

    TBH I’d ditch the idea of using other wifi and just go with a dedicated mifi solution. I get 75gb of 4g for £15 per month

    but actually yeah, coming round to this being the easiest solution 🤣 The only minor disadvantage is, won’t work in the rare situation where there IS a WiFi network, but no cell signal!

    db
    Full Member

    Would something like this work…

    4G Smart Compact

    I guess depends how deep your pockets are! We have a wifi extender and directional antenna in our van when we are site can normally point it towards reception or a cafe and get some signal but just use our phones when away from any wired wifi.

    greatbeardedone
    Free Member

    Ive just posted this, so it’s still recharging.

    And I’m not sure if the wi-fi security protocols are up to date.

    But, I think it lets you use a variety of networks.

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    It’s in the STW classifieds, under ‘Zoom wi-fi travel router’.

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