forum.pistar.uk

Greetings all,

I just put up a repeater running Pi-STAR and a Repeater Builder STM32_DVM. The system is at a temporary location for testing at the moment, but will ultimately be moved to a location which is owned by our local medical center.

The issue at the moment is the Internet connection. Initially I was assured that getting a connection to their network and having the necessary ports open/forwarded would not be an issue, but now they are starting to waffle.

As a contingency, I'm exploring the possibility of a cellular hotspot for the Internet connection. I'd like to hear from others who are doing this. What equipment are you using, what cellular provider, how much data are you using, what issues did you have, etc?

73 es tnx in advance,

Mike
WM4B

A number of repeaters use Cellular Data with good success. Bandwidth is not a problem. The monthly usage is normally less than 1GB.

Almost all of the repeaters I know of use the PepWave BR1. This is a cellular modem that can be used with any US Carrier. All you need is a SIM card from the carrier. There are other similar devices from CradlePoint and others. They come with a Ethernet port(s) and can be remotely accessed when needed. They provide a connector to attach an external antenna, if you need one to get to your carrier. They come with a screw-on antenna. You do need a cellular modem that can run off of 120v or 12v. Do not rely on a MiFi device that is battery powered and needs charging. You will end up leaving it on charge 24/7 and after a week the battery will swell and you have an issue.

The least expensive carrier option is T-Mobile. They have $15 a month plan that provides 2GB. If you elect "AutoPay", you get a $5 break making the cost $10 a month. Some carriers allow you to add a device for $10 a month to your current plan. If you have Google Fi, you can add a DATA SIM card for free and you share DATA with you other devices and pay for what you use in a month (normally just a couple bucks unless you have some issue that causes hi data usage). You do have to pick a carrier that has acceptable coverage at the antenna site, which is why the antenna connector may come in handy.

Good Luck

jb N4NQY