Router with SIM Card and redirect to webpage from specific computer

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
1

Hi all,

I´m searching for a solution:

  • I need a router which have also a SIM card. A USB hub to connect a model would work also, but a integrated SIM Card would my prefered solution!
  • Connected user to the WLAN will have NO internet connection
  • Only one computer (my server) will have connection to the internet
  • User will be redirect to a capture portal to a webpage, which runs on the "server", like 192.168.2.200/myapp
  1. I would need a cheaper version to connect less than 50 user
  2. Expensive version, to connect more than 200 user
    ** Question1: Which router can you prefer here for those cases in year 2022?**
    What about this router? Zbtlink (WG3526)

** Question2: Is this in general possible and what do I need for that?**

2

Everything except the number of Wifi users: theoretically doable.

GLinet sells devices with mobile broadband (3G/4G/LTE etc) and OpenWRT, but I've never used mobile broadband or those particular models so I can't comment further.

For even 50 wifi users you will want several wireless access points. Exact count depends on what link speed (Mbit/s) you need them to be able to achieve and the max limits of your particular models of wireless AP before people start getting an unreliable link (disconnects, etc). Lookup "estimating number of access points" on the web, there will be lots of sources giving you approximate numbers.

3

Maybe just one more info about my webpage where the user will be connected:

  • They will be only for a few minutes to view pictures (gallery), so there will be not sooo much traffic.

And I would like to sell my webapp with this router and preconfig with Open WRT

4

If it's a product for other people to run unsupervised (ie without you around): best thing to do is try it. Buy a few different pieces of hardware, test with lots of users, see what goes wrong. Things that you never expect to go wrong will still go wrong, especially when money is involved.

5

Yeah, but maybe somebody has also experience here...
Do you have some recommendations for such routers? can you send some amazon etc. links?

6

Problem isn't the amout of users, but if the access happens all at once, or randomly through out the day.

There's a big diff, hw wise, between 200 users now, and 200 users spread out over, say >8 hours.

Check the ZBT devices, or any random router with at least one USB3 port, where you could plug in a LTE modem, or some old cell phone.

7

It´s moreless unrealistic that user will be at the same time at the webpage...Which kind of option are than possible for scalability?

8

You did say 50 and 200 user, so it doesn't really answer the question...

Same user 50/200 times, or 50/200 users?

9

50/200 different user

10

It contradicts what you wrote previously...

And it still doesn't say anything about the user frequency.

11

See the following pages:
https://openwrt.org/tag/1sim
https://openwrt.org/tag/2sim

12

Probably not what you want to hear, but this has been done commercially in numerous proprietary projects using openNDS, and available, I think, to purchase as a complete system from at least some of those companies.

But still, openNDS is open source so you are welcome to develop your own version of what has become known as "Museum Info Portal" or similar.

You will probably get some hints if you open an issue at openNDS on Github at:

13

do you have some recommendations for a Router with Sim card which can be used with Open Wrt?
I had already a look into the list - but I´, not sure which should be the best.

14

Which of them can you recommend which is working properly with Open Wrt?
Is it better to use a router with the SIM card integrated or use a Router with USB port and connect another device to it?

15

ZBTWE826-T + modem as low cost device; Teltonika 955 as (almost) industry grade quality. Take your choice; both (can) run using LTE-Modem.

16

There's a new boot loader in the RUT though, not accepting openwrt.

17

Ok, seems Teltonika 955 is what I´m looking for.
But @frollic you are want to say, that Open WRT is not working with Teltonika 955?

18

it's probably working just fine, but it can't be flashed.

but it also depends on what version of the loader the devices ship with, it might be old enough
from factory, but gets replaced when/if you update the official fw.
only making sure you're aware of the risk, don't own the device myself, but happened to see the thread.

it's a gamble.

19

it can´t be flashed means I cannot install Open WRT?
I need such device not only 1 time. I want to sell my software with the router completelly. Therefore I need a stable solution / router.

If I buy the router today and the newest firmware is on it, i cannot install Open WRT, right?

20

correct

read the thread, ask your RUT questions in it, I don't know more than what's already in there ...