My connection to the internet is via a hotspot (currently in the 5GHz band) of my phone. I leave the house, the internet goes with me.
I have a couple of laptops that I connect through the hotspot.
This has been fine, but now I want a small home network. As best as I can describe it, the idea is:
internet <--4/5G mobile connection--> phone [5.xGHz wifi hotspot] <--> router <--> [home wifi connection 2.xGHz] <--> network for devices at home
the phone hotspot still acts as the portal to the internet (maybe upgradeable/replaceable in future).
the router provides a network of two parts:
internet-facing part of the network. This would be the internet-gateway for the laptops (and any other device I choose) by wifi and/or by cable.
a part of the network that is just 'around the house', like a local internet-of-things kind of thing, including an R Pi security camera, networked storage (for footage and more), USB-connected printer. This shouldn't see the internet. Also connectable by wifi and/or cable.
I'd like the devices on the internet connected section to also be able to connect to the 'home' section (e.g. print to networked printer from laptop)
I'm not piping video to smart TVs or anything (yet), so I guess even with the camera the bandwidth requirements are low for now. But there's no harm in future proofing.
I have an 8-port Gigabit switch already.
You can probably tell my understanding of networking is quite poor.
I want to hear suggestions for a solid, cheap low-power-consuming device. Cheap as in <$100 USD (preferably <$100 AUD, inc. shipping).
I would very much love it if installing OpenWRT was pretty simple.
Unlikely you find working 5g modem for 100 bucks.
USB3 - can plug 5g modem
USB2 - 4g
In principle you can tether via phone USB, which may or may not charge from router usb
Kind of answer still applies, in your $$$ bracket you may need usb port for wired tethering or potential permanent usb modem. Gigabit ports are on every recommended router for prospective fixed internet connect.
wwan with double nat should work without such port on a cheap sub-spec range extender, even those without openwrt supported.
GL.iNet GL-A1300 'Slate Plus' has pretty good vanilla OpenWRT support, although the stock "OpenWRT based" firmware will probably make some of what you want to do a bit easier.
Be aware that with GLi products, there will be tinkering required in most cases, some of the stock firmware features may or may not work. GLi firmware is always a work in progress. But most of the time, the devices can be coaxed into a state that works well and remains very stable. I have been using multiple GLi devices as daily drivers for 4 years, if it gives any indication.
Note also that some GLi devices have much worse mainline OpenWRT support than Slate Plus. It really depends on which SoC the device uses, for example, GL-AXT1800 'Slate AX' uses a SoC with mainline OpenWRT support which is far behind Slate Plus. So, with such devices, you are more dependent on the manufacturer firmware to do what you need it to do, because your option for using mainline OpenWRT is limited.
The final issue to consider if you wish to use a GLi device with mainline OpenWRT, is whether all of GLi's patches / bugfixes / etc for the SoC have made it into mainline OpenWRT. For example, sometimes GLi does a bunch of debugging on wifi drivers for a given SoC, and these fixes can take quite a while to make it back to vanilla OpenWRT. So just because a given device has a certain capability with the stock firmware, does not mean that capability works exactly the same (or at all) in mainline OpenWRT.
With all those caveats in mind - it's hard to beat GLi on size, power consumption, and price vs capability.
I ended up blowing the budget and going for the GL.iNet GL-MT3000 / Beryl AX.
FWIW - Bought on AliExpress for ~$135 AUD (with shipping). (Biggest hassle with AliExpress was getting through their login - its really glitchy. Wouldn't work without an account made with my Google mail, which I would have preferred not to use)
It's the issue with SoC manufacturers, so if you choose SoC carefully with GL you can still get some great stuff. For example MT1300/MT3000/MT6000, they all based on Mediatek SoC and the vendor is supporting open source driver, as a result vanilla OpenWrt can perform much better than GL's firmware.
I have a Beryl AX, a Slate AX, and a Slate Plus, so I've got the full gamut in that respect
With Slate AX for example, I lucked out that some volunteers are working on the effort. I wasn't fully clued in re: looking up the SoC vendor before, but was purchasing with full mainline OpenWRT support viewed as a hoped-for bonus, so from that perspective, things are looking good
AliExpress had the best price, official store, so I bought it, address (AusPost Office) approved, tracking advice came, all good
days/weeks later a random text from unknown "FHE" saying "Your parcel is being delivered, the courier failed to contact you. Tracking: https://s.fh.express/xxxxxxxx"
-- looked like spam
-- damned if I am clicking a random link from an unknown sender!
-- ignored it. If it was serious, surely they'd call. Other couriers do.
check gmail several days later, find email from them saying the parcel was rejected.
they claim they have sent it back to the sender.
-- That means they have supposedly sent it back to China, from Australia.
-- There is no way I believe that.
-- They can't supply documentation for the return.
-- Say I have to go back to the vendor for a refund.
AliExpress say they are processing my refund, but it might take a few days... (I'll post back if it doesn't materialize).
Personally, I think that router is still in the country - just my belief. So who has it?
Order placed on 8 July. Waiting for my money back on 24 July. Still don't have a router (and everywhere else is substantially more expensive for that model).
They have a certain reputation, things are cheaper for a reason. It can be a great experience, but often it is not.
Note this is just the "Official Gl-iNet Store" on AliExpress compared to some third party selling the goods. It is still AliExpress sending you the item.
I'm a Kiwi just across the ditch from you (that's New Zealand), and coincidentally I also brought an MT3000 last week.
I considered Aliexpress (because shipping is cheap), but GL-Inet have their own store on their website with about the same price - and they ship with DHL. Now DHL isn't cheap, but if you spend over US$ 100 they give free DHL shipping.
There is a lot to be said for DHL over Aliexpress shipping. So, I brought a small pouch as well as the MT3000 and got free shipping.
I ordered on Monday night, GL-Inet dispatched on Wednesday afternoon. DHL gave me an estimated delivery of end of Friday - that's China to NZ in two days - which I found hard to believe. Anyway, it duly arrived on Friday morning.
I think I might have been lucky to get all the transport links lining up for me for a fast transit, but I'm happy.
For the half dozen times I've ordered stuff from AE, I've used their cheap shipping and it's always been 6-8 weeks (to southern California, so not that much farther than NZ). I'll definitely check out the various manufacturers' non-AE stores and see if they have DHL before I commit to the huge wait of AE.
