3G Router

[Guest Nucleus Networks]

Hello,

I hope I'm not breaking any advertising rules by posting this, but we have the solution to your problems - so I'll give it a go!

We would recommend the Billion BiPAC 7300GX with an Option GT Max HSUPA data card (7.2 Mbps download 2.0 Mbps upload - when the networks catch up). The 7300GX is very stable and we use them a lot for ADSL 3G failover solutions. They can also be configured so the 3G connection is the primary intferface for installations where no fixed line is available, or if you are too far from the exchange.

http://www.nucleusnetworks.co.uk/3g-router/3g-router.htm

Someone asked about remote access - well we can help here too. We can provide 3G SIMs with a public static IP. With appropriate port forwarding set up, remote access to your router and equipment sat behind the router's NAT is possible over 3G. A typical 3GB contract with static IP is £20 + VAT per month.

http://www.nucleusnetworks.co.uk/mobile-br...ic-fixed-ip.htm

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Regards

Andre

Nucleus Networks

[Guest robf80]

We have been toying with 3G routers for a while at work. The best by far is the Westermo MR-250, 3G/HSDPA Router. Beware though its pricey and its for mainly industrial networks. We control machinery to a remote site.

http://www.westermo.com/Resource.phx/conte...uter/mr-250.htx

It has two sim card slots therefore supporting to HSDPA paths which gives it fault tolerance. Massivley complicated as it has almost every feature know to man.

Might be no good to anyone for home use because of the price but i thought i would add it.

[Guest Mysterious Stranger]

It has two sim card slots therefore supporting to HSDPA paths which gives it fault tolerance. Massivley complicated as it has almost every feature know to man.

Can it aggregate the two lines or is it fallover system? Topglobal's 3G/4G PCMCIA based units allow you to configure the redundancy various ways. Not *that* expensive either at about $1000 - the basic 1st gen PCMCIA based ethernet / wifi router MB6000 cost me £199 about 2 years ago but needed a PCMCIA card added to that.

http://www.topglobalusa.com/product01.asp

We have been toying with 3G routers for a while at work.

The best by far is the Westermo MR-250, 3G/HSDPA Router.

We have been using ( not toying with) 3G routers in live production environments for quite a while - over 3 years - and each solution has +/- points - to say one is 'best' is incorrect - it may be 'best for your needs' but it isn't going to be THE best.

Complicated doesn't always mean best. Which other ones have you tried to make that very subjective statement? Any chance of mini reviews for/against? ;-)

M.S

Edited November 8, 2008 by Mysterious Stranger

[Guest robf80]

Can it aggregate the two lines or is it fallover system? Topglobal's 3G/4G PCMCIA based units allow you to configure the redundancy various ways. Not *that* expensive either at about $1000 - the basic 1st gen PCMCIA based ethernet / wifi router MB6000 cost me £199 about 2 years ago but needed a PCMCIA card added to that.

http://www.topglobalusa.com/product01.asp

We have been using ( not toying with) 3G routers in live production environments for quite a while - over 3 years - and each solution has +/- points - to say one is 'best' is incorrect - it may be 'best for your needs' but it isn't going to be THE best.

Complicated doesn't always mean best. Which other ones have you tried to make that very subjective statement? Any chance of mini reviews for/against? ;-)

M.S

"Using", "toying" same thing in my eyes but I not going to try and belittle you in your posts!

That one was the best "For our needs" for reasons I don't want to go into on this forum, the moderators would not appreciate turning this into industrial control thread.

Complicated was actually a negative.

For and against in my eyes as a mentioned before would not be suitable 99% of people using this thread so I won't go into my opinions. (i.e PLC multicast messaging!!)

Used Linksys and Digi Connect 3G routers.

My post was to let people know there is another product out there that exists.

[Guest Mysterious Stranger]

"Using", "toying" same thing in my eyes but I not going to try and belittle you in your posts!

That one was the best "For our needs" for reasons I don't want to go into on this forum, the moderators would not appreciate turning this into industrial control thread.

Complicated was actually a negative.

For and against in my eyes as a mentioned before would not be suitable 99% of people using this thread so I won't go into my opinions. (i.e PLC multicast messaging!!)

Used Linksys and Digi Connect 3G routers.

My post was to let people know there is another product out there that exists.

The verb of toy means 'something to play with or consider':

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/toy

to toy (third-person singular simple present toys, present participle toying, simple past and past participle toyed)

To play with, to mock

Figo is toying with the English defence.

To ponder or consider.

I have been toying with the idea of starting my own business.

My point was that we are no longer at the considering or playing with them toying stage and actually use them live. But if that upset you or belittled you my apologies.

By all means mention new devices but please avoid 'the XYZABC is the BEST' without qualifying fully *why* as it's of no value, especially for a small brand that many are not familiar with in a market segment that has exploded in recent months / years.

Some people may have similar criteria so by all means share your opinion. The one feature you mention is common and more developed in a lot of the top end 3G routers and is limited in the mr-250 to only having sim / network redundancy - it only has 1 wireless stage so in effect is merely a complicated dual sim slot.

'Note: SIM 1 and SIM 2 cannot be used to access two networks simultaneously.' Page 13 of the manual.

So you don't get any real redundancy but you do get service interuption during changeover. That would defo rule out their products for some of our sites.

From googling and checking their website it's a new product line for them from March this year for the model you mention and last month for their new MRD series.

I'd rather not beta test / bug fix a new product for a small co. ( and they are small - their annual turnover as is €24 million and their wikipedia page is only in their native language and consists of the 6 lines of their website introduction!) and I can't see any firmware updates for this range so for me, this would count against the unit you mentioned, as there are established units that are more developed already out there.

But hey, just my thoughts..... B)

M.S

Edited November 9, 2008 by Mysterious Stranger

[Guest robf80]

The verb of toy means 'something to play with or consider':

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/toy

to toy (third-person singular simple present toys, present participle toying, simple past and past participle toyed)

To play with, to mock

Figo is toying with the English defence.

To ponder or consider.

I have been toying with the idea of starting my own business.

My point was that we are no longer at the considering or playing with them toying stage and actually use them live. But if that upset you or belittled you my apologies.

By all means mention new devices but please avoid 'the XYZABC is the BEST' without qualifying fully *why* as it's of no value, especially for a small brand that many are not familiar with in a market segment that has exploded in recent months / years.

Some people may have similar criteria so by all means share your opinion. The one feature you mention is common and more developed in a lot of the top end 3G routers and is limited in the mr-250 to only having sim / network redundancy - it only has 1 wireless stage so in effect is merely a complicated dual sim slot.

'Note: SIM 1 and SIM 2 cannot be used to access two networks simultaneously.' Page 13 of the manual.

So you don't get any real redundancy but you do get service interuption during changeover. That would defo rule out their products for some of our sites.

From googling and checking their website it's a new product line for them from March this year for the model you mention and last month for their new MRD series.

I'd rather not beta test / bug fix a new product for a small co. ( and they are small - their annual turnover as is €24 million and their wikipedia page is only in their native language and consists of the 6 lines of their website introduction!) and I can't see any firmware updates for this range so for me, this would count against the unit you mentioned, as there are established units that are more developed already out there.

But hey, just my thoughts..... B)

M.S

Small company maybe but as I said earlier these are industrial solutions. Linksys or Draytek don't meet our standards for vibration, ingress and electrical tolerance. Also the company is a framework product for a lot of utility companies in Europe so they are going nowhere.

We have them on 8 of our 578 sites and our systems are robust enough to handle a small service interruption (check your spelling before pointing out errors with others grammar)

Again this product is probably no good to most people but good for us. I responded to the question in the thread title "3G Router, Does such a thing exist?" I will make sure my grammar is perfect in future so i don't confuse anybody else.

We agree to disagree B)

[Guest Mysterious Stranger]

Small company maybe but as I said earlier these are industrial solutions. Linksys or Draytek don't meet our standards for vibration, ingress and electrical tolerance. Also the company is a framework product for a lot of utility companies in Europe so they are going nowhere.

We have them on 8 of our 578 sites and our systems are robust enough to handle a small service interruption (check your spelling before pointing out errors with others grammar)

Again this product is probably no good to most people but good for us. I responded to the question in the thread title "3G Router, Does such a thing exist?" I will make sure my grammar is perfect in future so i don't confuse anybody else.

We agree to disagree B)

Great, Now you're backing up the 'the best by far' statement with some actual valid reasoning. Well done. Thanks for the thoughts.

A 'small service interuption' in many situations will not be acceptable especially if the failure occurs at a critical time. For example, have you considered what would happen should your link fail while you are attempting to access your 'industrial control' device during it's operation? B)

Becuase there are other solutions that can load balence or switch over with *no* interuption they will in some cases be 'the best'. There are also CFR21.11 compliance issues in my case so like I said, it's a very subjective issue and doesn't need unreasoned 'it's the best' type comments - more a case of 'horses for courses'.

Well done on picking up the typo. Single R instead of double R. I type too fast for my Redfly keyboard to register some repeat digits. Oops, ya got me! But it is a widely known issue with the hardware... I'll try to be more observant.

Not really the same as confusing the meaning of a word though is it? [joke]Thankfully the latest redfly firmware has fixed that particular bug ...B) [/joke]

You've responded to a 3 month old thread on a topic that's been covered a few times. It's already been mentioned they do exist. I'm all for learning about new products but without any substantive description of why you find it the best etc just mentioning a model number is no better than linking to a google keyword search....

Again this product is probably no good to most people but good for us.

Good? I thought it was 'the best'? What happened? Service failure?....Firmware bug? Only kidding.

M.S

Edited November 9, 2008 by Mysterious Stranger

[Guest Samsonite]

From googling and checking their website it's a new product line for them from March this year for the model you mention and last month for their new MRD series.

I'd rather not beta test / bug fix a new product for a small co. ( and they are small - their annual turnover as is €24 million and their wikipedia page is only in their native language and consists of the 6 lines of their website introduction!) and I can't see any firmware updates for this range so for me, this would count against the unit you mentioned, as there are established units that are more developed already out there.

I never made a mention of the Westermo range simply because we market it as an industrial solution only and as such it aint priced for 'domestic' applications! we have been successfully selling the range into the Utility markets for well over 18 months now...

We would never simply sell a box to someone and leave them to it. We have produced application notes on how to construct simple VPN's between our UMTS/HSDPA/GPRS and ADSL routers as well as run technical seminars on how to use the latest technology! as much as we here all very aware of this magic, the wider world is struggling with the concept of IP based remote access.

I would agree with anyone about being careful on stating what's the 'best' product - features don't always mean benefits! The MRD range has a number of serial ports on it because the vast majority of installed automation is still RS-232 or R422/485 based so some form of encapsulation is needed for that traffic to go down a tunnel... I dont think anyone would design a network with serial technology in mind but for a remote access path using IP without ripping out thousands of pounds worth of PLC's, the serial functionality is a useful feature.

One thing i would say in general (rather than getting all steamed up about specific products, whether I work for the company that sells them or not...) is that interoperability is a big issue with this sort of equipment. If all you need is Internet access then any device will work to some degree; its when you need to connect different brands together over the 'net that problems may well occur. IPSec is unfortunately open to some degree of interpretation so implementing IKE based comms is a potential nightmare with different brands being used at each end. If your application needs tunnelling, get the same kit at the other end!!!