Ubiquity Bullet M2 vs PepLink Max BR1 Mini. Wan WiFi

[Skybolt]

... It will be interesting to see if the 5g version also drops. ...

It already did, from 1499.00 to 999.00. But now that I bought one recently it will drop even further.

 

[dtfeld]

It already did, from 1499.00 to 999.00. But now that I bought one recently it will drop even further.

I thought it was originally supposed to be a $799 device.

 

[Skybolt]

I thought it was originally supposed to be a $799 device.

When it first came out it listed for 1499. It resolved the issues with the 2.4 BR1 which only had one wifi radio in it, so it couldn't really handle the AP and external wifi at the same time, although they tried. The 5G BR1 has two wifi radios in it and is why the AP and wifi work at the same time. The 5G basically has twice the hardware as the 2.4 one has. When it came out last year? It was MSRP'd at 1499. Since then it has come down to 999 everywhere. They are on their third hardware revision which now supports wifi6, so maybe the old units will be found for less.

 

[rlynch03]

When it first came out it listed for 1499. It resolved the issues with the 2.4 BR1 which only had one wifi radio in it, so it couldn't really handle the AP and external wifi at the same time, although they tried. The 5G BR1 has two wifi radios in it and is why the AP and wifi work at the same time. The 5G basically has twice the hardware as the 2.4 one has. When it came out last year? It was MSRP'd at 1499. Since then it has come down to 999 everywhere. They are on their third hardware revision which now supports wifi6, so maybe the old units will be found for less.

@SKybolt does the Peplink Max BR mini allow for connection if the Starlink, WiFi antenna, Hotspot Antennas and fail over to all three?

Thank you

 

[Skybolt]

@SKybolt does the Peplink Max BR mini allow for connection if the Starlink, WiFi antenna, Hotspot Antennas and fail over to all three?

Thank you

So the Max BR1 is only 2.4ghz wifi and cell, not 5G.

The Max BR1 Pro 5G is 2.4 and 5G and has external antenna's connectors etc. It has 2 WiFi and 4 cellular and 1 gps.

I am using the following:
Peplink Max BR1 Pro 5G
Peplink Maritime 40G 4x4 mimo <-- Cell antenna w/GPS
Poynting Omni-496 <-- 2.4/5 WiFi

This unit has dual radios so it does work as an AP to an extent. I did find some issues with it's extended features so I am using a home router for the boat and the PL acts as a cable modem for the most part.

 

[b_arrington]

@SKybolt does the Peplink Max BR mini allow for connection if the Starlink, WiFi antenna, Hotspot Antennas and fail over to all three?

Thank you

I'm using the BR1 Mk2. It supports 4G LTE cell plans. Unlike Orlando, I don't seem to have issues with my hardware acting as the Wifi hub on the boat for both 2.4 and 5ghz Wifi.

In terms of failover, the BR1 Mk2 has multiple dynamic failover options. For example, you can set the priority by quality of signal, month-to-date useage (meter), and some others. It allows for setting of quality/speed thresholds, and the order in which each connection should be used. As other example, used the local Wifi first (eg marina wifi), Cellular Sim 1 2nd, then move to Sim 2, etc. It's pretty robust as to how connections are prioritized.

 

[Skybolt]

... Unlike Orlando, I don't seem to have issues with my hardware acting as the Wifi hub on the boat for both 2.4 and 5ghz Wifi.
...

The Mk2 has dual radios, only the BR1 Mini, original, had AP issues as noted on their forums.

The 5G works fine except when using it with a VPN. The 5G automatically routes all traffic through the VPN connections and cannot be split out. It is designed for the service VPN's that supply iNet.

 

[rlynch03]

Have you guys looked at the Peplink Balance 20X Cat 7? It only has one WAN but you can program a second LAN to be the WAN. It is $450 with one year of support. If you want 2 Modems for more than one SIM card you can Bolt it on at a later date with 5G and Bolt on an external antenna if needed.

• Balance 20X: peplink_balance_20x_datasheet
  
• 5G Flexmodule: peplink_balance_flexmodulemini_20x_380x_580x_datashee
• Maritime antenna: peplink_maritime_antenna_40g_datasheet

 

[Skybolt]

Have you guys looked at the Peplink Balance 20X Cat 7? It only has one WAN but you can program a second LAN to be the WAN. It is $450 with one year of support. If you want 2 Modems for more than one SIM card you can Bolt it on at a later date with 5G and Bolt on an external antenna if needed.

• Balance 20X: peplink_balance_20x_datasheet
  
• 5G Flexmodule: peplink_balance_flexmodulemini_20x_380x_580x_datashee
• Maritime antenna: peplink_maritime_antenna_40g_datasheet

After the add on's your at the Pro 5G price and you'll need the add-ons.
The Maritime 40G is great and the one I use. Not disappointed in it one bit.

Here on the bay, you'll need an external top mounted antenna if you want any kind of service.

Also the Poynting Omni-496 wifi antenna pulls in the outlying signals real well.

Yep all that is expensive, real expensive. But I use it to be able to work from the boat as does the wife. So it's justified, I guess.

 

[SeaNile]

This entire thread is like a foreign language to me.

No simple and reasonably priced way to get wifi while out on the Chesapeake? Enough so to watch Netflix and steam content?

 

[Skybolt]

This entire thread is like a foreign language to me.

No simple and reasonably priced way to get wifi while out on the Chesapeake? Enough so to watch Netflix and steam content?

25 pages on just that. So what do you think? Not anything that is reliable. All this this technology cost's money unfortunately. But hey, it's only a couple of boat bucks!

 

[b_arrington]

My Peplink BR1 Mk2 stopped working yesterday. I was in the middle of using a connected camera when it went out, so I know when it went out.

For the cellular, I’m getting a message that “SIM Pin required or incorrect”.

I can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network either. I tried to connected it to my iPhone hotspot, and while I could create a profile it would not connect. Just went back to the main screen with a “scanning” status.

Anyone seen this? Ideas? I searched the Peplink forums and no answer that I found.

 

[ttmott]

My Peplink BR1 Mk2 stopped working yesterday. I was in the middle of using a connected camera when it went out, so I know when it went out.

For the cellular, I’m getting a message that “SIM Pin required or incorrect”.

I can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network either. I tried to connected it to my iPhone hotspot, and while I could create a profile it would not connect. Just went back to the main screen with a “scanning” status.

Anyone seen this? Ideas? I searched the Peplink forums and no answer that I found.

Get hacked?

 

[Skybolt]

My Peplink BR1 Mk2 stopped working yesterday. I was in the middle of using a connected camera when it went out, so I know when it went out.

For the cellular, I’m getting a message that “SIM Pin required or incorrect”.

I can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network either. I tried to connected it to my iPhone hotspot, and while I could create a profile it would not connect. Just went back to the main screen with a “scanning” status.

Anyone seen this? Ideas? I searched the Peplink forums and no answer that I found.

I had issues with the scanning thing, and new beta FW fixed it. Take a look at this: https://forum.peplink.com/t/pepwave...uired-or-incorrect/6155df63dbb4f1818b5be348/3

 

[b_arrington]

I had issues with the scanning thing, and new beta FW fixed it. Take a look at this: https://forum.peplink.com/t/pepwave...uired-or-incorrect/6155df63dbb4f1818b5be348/3

Thanks. I think my firmware is newer than that but will check. Right now the router is useless. I’ll have to do a manual update if it needs it.

 

[b_arrington]

Get hacked?

I dunno. But I was in the literal middle of the Long Island Sound when it stopped worked. I had been using a connected Wyze cam to monitor a swimming team in the water when the router stopped working.

 

[Skybolt]

Thanks. I think my firmware is newer than that but will check. Right now the router is useless. I’ll have to do a manual update if it needs it.

I would also post something on their forums. But with regard to the SIM, I would get a new one and go from there.

 

[dtfeld]

Who is your cell data provider? Are you sure it’s still valid/working? Usually when that happened to me it was the data plan no longer working.

If the cell plan isn’t working, there may be an issue with the fail over priority.

 

[b_arrington]

Who is your cell data provider? Are you sure it’s still valid/working? Usually when that happened to me it was the data plan no longer working.

If the cell plan isn’t working, there may be an issue with the fail over priority.

I use T-Mobile, pre-paid. I checked and my account is paid up. I'll double check.

 

[dtfeld]

I use T-Mobile, pre-paid. I checked and my account is paid up. I'll double check.

I had several T-mobile SIM cards but thru 3rd party resellers and they would quit or require a new SIM way too often. I think they were buying corporate accounts and reselling until they got busted for violating terms of service.