I need a 4G LTE to Wi-Fi router. I don’t trust Xiaomi or Huawei. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 12:19:08 am
content: I am thinking about building one myself, based on some kind of wireless router chipset and a LTE modem module. Is there any recommendations?Specifications:* Multi-band LTE-FDD, LTE-TDD, HSPA+, HSDPA, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, CDMA2000, EDGE, cdmaOne EVDO, GPRS, cdmaOne and GSM support, 150Mbps/50Mbps maximum connection speed.* 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi access point. 150Mbps connection speed.* Can run firmware I created myself. Preferably also a Web management interface.* Supports some kind of encrypted tunneling mechanism.

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 03:24:28 am
content: why not look for good hardware from xiaomi or whoever,then see if open-wrt etc will run on it.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 03:49:28 am
content: Quote from: stj on June 14, 2017, 03:24:28 amI am hoping to also introduce features not founded on those devices: making phone calls and handling short messages on the inserted SIM card using an iPhone app, various tunneling and VPN options, microSD card or NVMe SSD external storage, etc.Also especially in China everyone try to shove ads down your throat.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 04:14:31 am
content: Quote from: technix on June 14, 2017, 03:49:28 amIt sounds like what you are looking for is a phone.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 05:47:40 am
content: Quote from: coppice on June 14, 2017, 04:14:31 amMy ISP gave me one, butthat damn thing are full of crapware that cannot be uninstalled without rooting, and there is no way rooting it yet.It have no use for me, and I have to firewall it from connecting to my home network even. The nonexistent custom ROM community does not help either.This is why I have very little choice than building one from scratch myself.

author: nfmax
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 07:19:50 am
content: How about a DrayTek 2860Ln?http://www.draytek.co.uk/products/business/vigor-2860l. I think this does everything you asked for except for built in VOIP. You might use the version with built in VOIP ports with a 4G USB dongle if that is critical.I use the non-4G version of this router and I'm very happy with it. It's a professional piece of kit, not a consumer or SOHO level router.

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 07:26:40 am
content: what fone did your isp give you?

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 08:25:56 am
content: Quote from: stj on June 14, 2017, 07:26:40 amOppo A37m.Absolute pile of turd.If I ever see a teardown of the device I will open it up just to knock out (or bridge) the resistor that disables bootloader locking (regardless whether this causes a mass erase or not,) try to get the SDK out of MediaTek, and build my own AOSP build of Android (at least 5.1, hopefully 8.0) from source up.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 08:28:48 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on June 14, 2017, 08:20:42 amI live in Shanghai and my carrier is China Unicom. This is why I need both LTE-FDD and LTE-TDD: During my commute through downtown LTE-TDD works better, but both in my office and at home LTE-FDD works better. And when I leave the city the LTE-FDD coverage becomes spotty. I think China Unicom is the only Chinese carrier that have both LTE-FDD and LTE-TDD.

author: nfmax
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 08:43:35 am
content: Oh you want battery mobile operation as well! I think you are going to be out of luck.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 09:01:29 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on June 14, 2017, 08:50:02 amI am investigating MT7688 module + SIM7600CE (or the slower little brother SIM7100CE).It would support the full cellular spec I listed above, as well as telephony and SMS functionalities on the SIM7600CE/SIM7100CE side. On the MT7688 side it provides the wireless access point, runs Linux, can accept a microSD card and something on PCIe (through a M.2 slot) and two USB devices (through a 4-port hub, the remaining two ports goes to the 4G modem and the M.2 slot.) The platform management subsystem provides power management, battery charging and low power mode operation.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 11:07:42 am
content: Purchase confirmed: MT7688 + SIM7600CE. The platform controller is either STM32F103CBT6 or STM32F405RGT6 depending on the complexity of the platform.MT7688 (host) and SIM7600CE (device) are connected through a USB Hub and a direct I2S connection. This way both data and audio can both flow between the modules. The USB Hub also exposes two more USB ports as USB Type-A jacks. MT7688 provides wired and wireless network connection.MT7688 runs Linux. The distribution for MT7688 is TBD between OpenWRT or something homebrewed. MT7688 module I ordered came with 256MB DRAM and I will give it 64MB Flash (replacing the original 32MB one)Since SIM7600CE have GPS built in and I can extract a PPS signal, I am also giving MT7688 a DS3231 DTCXO RTC so it can function as a portable Stratum 1 NTP server. The platform controller can provide the long term trimming as needed.The entire system runs on a Li-Po battery. The charger chip is TP4056, switchable through a MOSFET between 0.5A and 1A charging current. The platform controller attempts to negotiate the charging current through either USB enumeration process or USB BC1.2.The platform controller also serves the purpose of USB to UART adapters, interfacing the PC through the charging port to both the MT7688 and the SIM7600CE.