I was going to post this to the Internet on the Road thread, but since the objective is different from that topic - I thought it would be best as a separate thread.

Now that I have replaced my old Sony with a Internet HDTV and added a networked AV receiver and BluRay player, I find that I now have a little local network (LAN) inside my coach.  Including 2 iphones, there are now five (5) wired/wireless devices.  So I started thinking about how to make all of this work on a local LAN segment that can connect to a campground or other hotspot as I move from location to location.

At first this seemed like it was going to be pretty easy.  Connect all the devices to a wireless router in the coach and create a LAN that all the devices can access.  Great, except that most wireless routers require a WIRED connection to the WAN (DSL modem, cable modem, etc).  Since I want to connect to a host router WIRELESSLY, the typical wireless router will not work.

Has anyone attempted this and found a solution yet?  I have spoken to several router manufacturers, but so none of them either a) understood what I needed to do, or b) could figure out how to do it.

I do have a bit of networking knowledge and think the solution may lie in what is called a client mode AP router, which I have found only one supplier.  Fortunately, they are inexpensive so I've ordered one to try it out.

If anyone has any thoughts on this or has already figured out the way to do it, please let me know.  As we all start adding new HDTV and other internet capable devices (Pandora radio, Netflix streaming, etc), this will something others may need to do as well.

Jim

From a post back in Feb. this year from Ed Buker

There is a device called the Bullet M2HP by a company called Ubiquity. It is available in a 1 watt version at about $85. You also would need a $15 power supply and an antenna $20-$50. This device is a little electronic miracle. It houses a transmitter, receiver, microprocessor, firmware (software), and an Ethernet interface all housed in a 1 inch by 6 inch weatherproof housing. What it enables, is to mount an antenna and all of the radio communication circuitry outside of your RV and just feed a small Cat 5 Ethernet cable to the inside of your RV. The sailing community has embraced this device to latch onto WiFi in harbors. What I have heard of for installs in the RV community is a ladder install either temporary or permanent. I also heard of one install where a person fed the Ethernet cable up to the batwing antenna alongside the TV antenna coax and mounted the Bullet and antenna to the square tube of the batwing and could then rotate it for reception. For my case I experimented with an interior install.

http://www.wifi-stock.com/details/bulletm2.html

Antenna link for what I used....many 2.4 GHZ antenna choices from Lcom

http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=21808

Jim,

I have a little photo tripod, the Bullet, and antenna arrangement that I stow when not in use in the coach. From the Apple Airport Express I have an ethernet cable run, that I stow in the driver dash lift panel, and extend it when I use the Bullet. I use the Bullet inttermittently as needed. The Airport Express is a router that has the option of either an optical or wired audio out port. I use this router all the time to stream my Ipod or computer music to the Bose system in the coach. If I connect the Bullet to the router I can then use Pandora and stream online music sources also from my Ipod if the bandwidth of the source is good. The nice thing is that I can connect wirelessly to the Bullet menus through the Airport Express router from my laptop and select a wireless signal source using the Bullet menus much like you do in Windows with your laptop. When I am home I leave the system on and tied wirelessly to my router at my house and enjoy an extended wireless network to the coach and shop.

This is a pretty nice set up and if we lived in the coach full time I would probably go to the trouble to install a small vertical antenna on the ladder and have a permanent run of Ethernet cable between the Bullet and the Airport Express. If you search on Bullet in the forum there are photos of this set up. Hope this helps.

Later Ed

Jim,
I ordered a WiFiRanger Pro that arrived today to use as the wifi router within the coach (www.wifiranger.com) In e-mail conversations with the folks at WiFiRanger they indicated they would be releasing a new "wifiboost outdoor unit" in the next few weeks. That product includes a Ubiquiti Bullet 2 and a Laird antenna. I beleive the antenna will be a TRA24003P . Unit price for the antenna is $96.68 w tax and shipping.
The receiver sensitivity difference between  BULLET 2 and BULLET 2HP is approximately 2-3 DBm across the frequency spectrum. The power rating and sensitivity are both higher on the 2HP (http://www.ubnt.com/bullet). The price of the 2HP is around $80  and the Bullet 2 is about $40.
As to the antenna location I have been looking at either mounting a higher gain antenna and the M2HP on the on the TV mast or drilling a 1/2 hole in top of the front A/C cover and mounting the Ubiquity Bullet inside the A/C housing with the low profile Laird antenna mounted outside.

If I can find my notes I will post a list of several other  wifi  routers that looked promising
good luck

Ed,

When you are at home, I'm guessing you put the Airport into Wireless Distribution (WDS) mode?  Do you have an apple router at home as well?

When away, how do you tell the Airport to connect to the campground's wireless router?  WDS mode or does the Airport support client mode AP?

What I really want to do is create a private LAN segment ie. 192.168.5.x and have all my devices within that segment with IP addresses assigned by a local router's (in my coach) DHCP server.  Then when I'm in a campground, I want my local router to act as a gateway and make a remote client attachment to the campground/hotspot's wireless router.  In theory, the campground router will only see one IP address connected to it, although there may be several.  This is no different from the way a normal router uses NAT to make multiple computers look like one IP to the internet.

I guess I wasn't clear if your Apple Airport works this way or maybe only in part.
Jim

Keith,
That wifi ranger pro looks promising.  I will have to talk with them a bit and send them a diagram of what I'm trying to do.  If it also allows me to plug my tethered iPhone into it, then I can even have 3G internet access as well as hotspot access.  Thanks for the info.
Jim

UPDATE:
I think this is exactly what I was looking for!  For those interested, this article really does a good job explaining what I want to do and why.....

http://geeksontour.tv/2011/04/internet-connections-while-traveling/

Jim,

I have a Cisco/Linksys at home. The Airport Express is just set up as a wireless router. The Ethernet connection from the Bullet HP acts like a modem connection from a provider to the router.  I click on the Airport Express Router in Windows, and sign in with my security code. I can sign in with multiple devices. Once signed into the Airport Express, if the Bullet is already connected to a wireless network, it is seamless. The Bullet will join the network automatically, once you have selected it and put in a security code, if required.  If you power the Bullet down and bring it back up, it joins automatically, given that you had previously joined an available wireles network with the Bullet firmware. The nice thing about the Airport Express audio out, with my iPod or computer, is that you do not need to make any changes to the Airport Express software to use the feature.....I'm quite happy with it all.

I, also, have an Apple TV module in the RV, that joins into the network, and I can play slide shows on the TV, with music wirelessly, from my IPod.

later Ed

Quoted from keithc290

Jim,
I ordered a WiFiRanger Pro that arrived today, to use as the wifi router within the coach (www.wifiranger.com).  In e-mail conversations with the folks at WiFiRanger, they indicated they would be releasing a new "wifiboost outdoor unit" in the next few weeks. That product includes a Ubiquiti Bullet 2 and a Laird antenna. I believe the antenna will be a TRA24003P . Unit price for the antenna is $96.68 w tax and shipping.
The receiver sensitivity difference between  BULLET 2 and BULLET 2HP is approximately 2-3 DBm across the frequency spectrum. The power rating and sensitivity are both higher on the 2HP (http://www.ubnt.com/bullet). The price of the 2HP is around $80  and the Bullet 2 is about $40.
As to the antenna location I have been looking at either mounting a higher gain antenna and the M2HP on the on the TV mast or drilling a 1/2 hole in top of the front A/C cover and mounting the Ubiquity Bullet inside the A/C housing with the low profile Laird antenna mounted outside.

If I can find my notes I will post a list of several other  wifi  routers that looked promising
good luck

I've been using a WiFi Ranger for the past 6 months.  Currently, in my MH, I have a network consisting of 2 computers, a printer, a DirecTV DVR, a Blu-ray player, an Internet-enabled photo frame, and a smart phone.  The Ranger makes it possible to switch from campground wifi to cellular effortlessly.  I have not yet purchased the WFBoost option which is the name for the Bullet device, when sold by the folks at WiFi Ranger.  I find that campground wifi is so variable, that many times I use my cellular (10GB for $80), because it is reliable.  Furthermore, we like to go to places that don't have wifi, and often barely have cellular service.

The WiFi Ranger has had a few growing pains over the past 6 six months.  As an early-adopter, I can now say it works pretty well.  It does have a somewhat limited list of supported cellular modems, but the list now includes most popular ones, and the company will help you, if you own one that is not on the list.  From what I know of competing routers, I believe the Ranger is the product to beat at the moment.

Ed - Thank you for that explanation.  Sounds like the Bullet makes the WAN port wireless.

Joel, glad to hear this works, like you described.  I am going to get a Ranger Pro to try out ASAP.  I like the one box solution.  It will be interesting to see, if I can tether my iPhone to the USB port for Internet access, when out of wifi range.  I'm hopeful that will work, and provide coverage withing the AT&T network, wherever we are....

Jim

Jim,
In addition to the routers discussed on this thread, here are a couple of the WiFi routers I looked at before settling on the WiFiRanger.  

1) the Wirie AP $350 and not ready for prime time - still in development. However, it looks promising
2) Radiolabs O2 wireless router & repeater kit $179 with WaveRV antenna $169 - not fond of a USB connection (restricts power output to 500ma and USB cable length to 31' + USB connectors add an additional issue when looking at permanent mounting locations and passing the cable thru the roof.  Antenna is 28" long restricting vertical placement locations.

One of the reasons I settled on the WiFi Ranger pro, was the ability to fall back from wifi to a tethered iPhone. There are, however, a couple of points to be aware of:
First, if you fall back to cellular, there currently is no automatic return to wifi when and if the wifi network returns.
Second, iPhone may drop to 2g coverage  unless you lock onto the 3G network (http://forum.dailymobile.se/index.php/topic,12627.0.html)
Finally when I started looking, I started with the following links:
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelessrouters/tp/80211bhome.htm
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelessrouters80211g/tp/80211ghome.htm

Hope this helps.

At this point I am looking forward to getting the Wifi Ranger up and running. Want to take a shot at carrying this one step further by adding a FEMTO cell to the coach to allow cellular coverage in locations, with wifi and poor or non-existent cell coverage.

Quoted from Jim Casazza

It will be interesting to see, if I can tether my iPhone to the USB port for Internet access, when out of wifi range.  

Jim--
The Ranger's USB port was designed to support USB cellular modems.  I've not heard of anyone using it for a tethered device.  I would check with the WFR folks before buying it for that purpose.  They are a good group of technically savvy guys; if they think it will work I'm sure they will be eager to help you.
Joel

Joel,
You might be interested to know, that my reply to this thread is using an iPhone 4 tethered to a WiFiRanger Pro.  iPhone 4 supports wifi connectivity. I should clarify this, I have the native personal hotspot function turned on, on the iPhone, and have been up for several hours without dropping the connection.

Ranger Pro arrived Fri, and I've been testing it out.  It seems the wifi wan connection to wireless host router has very slow thruput, as opposed to a direct client connect to the host router.  Anyone else notice this?  Have not tested tethered or wired yet.

WFRP is now working well, after learning that low throughput was caused by a buissness class router operational setting (unlikely to ever find this particular setting in a CG).

Now trying to get tethering to work.  Joel, I see you use an iphone 4 with native tethering (4.3 feature).  That should make things pretty easy indeed.  I an currently on iphone 3GS 4.0.1, so that is not available to me.  I have to weigh out upgrading the phone to 4.3, which would mean giving up certain freedoms.... Not sure if native tethering even works for 3GS, so that  is another issue I'd need to get answered.

Keith, you mentioned you are tethering your phone.  What s/w and iphone are you using?  Also are you USB or hotspot tethering?

I'm attempting to use Mywi's hotspot feature, but it only  seems to support ad-hoc (rather than infrastructure) mode on the 3GS.  I'm wondering if anyone is tethering using a 3GS and if so how they have done it?  The WFRP sees the iphone hotspot and attempts to connect, but then fails with no reason or messages.  When attempting to use USB, the WFRP attempt to "dial".  This seems like the old modem to internet simulation that was around years ago.

I will have to call Bluemesh again today to see what they can tell me.  Support at Bluemesh (Wifiranger guys) has been decent so far.  Product does has it's quirks, but overall looks like it be exactly what I was looking for to support about 6 network devices....

Thanks to the group for recommending this product.
J

I have been using an iPhone 4 running on 4.3.3 and I have been using hotspot tethering. This handset happens to be a corporate line so I am using the native personal hotspot feature rather than miwi. As to miwi, the FAQ's at http://support.intelliborn.com/index.php?option=com_kb&appName=MyWi%204.0 indicate it supports AP tethering but unfortunately not on the iPhone 3 platform.