RV router - high operating temperature range?

Technical Support for Routers
1

Hello,
I’m looking for a router to put on the roof of our RV, which will go inside a Winegard 360 enclosure. It looks like this:

Here’s the reasons why I want it on the roof:

  1. The LTE USB modem has an operating temperature range of -30 °C to +70 °C. This modem will be inside the 360.
  2. I can connect the LTE modem via USB using a short cable within the Winegard device.
  3. I’ll get better WiFi range to pick up campground WiFI with the Wifi antennas on the roof. I’ll have another GL-inet device inside the RV acting as an access point. This will allow me to flip to the campground WiFi if LTE is out of range.

Here’s my concern:
The operating range of all Gl-Inet devices is seems to be 0 ~ 40°C (32 ~ 104°F). However, it’ll get much hotter inside the winegard. Measured up to 129 degrees when it’s 110 degrees outside.

The commercial gl-inet stuff doesn’t seem be purchasable…or did I miss something?

Any suggestions? I’d like to make GL-Inet stuff work as their products seem good otherwise.

I can’t seem to find a GL-INet with external/SMA WiFi antennas. Perhaps I missed a product?

Even inside the trailer gets up to around 100-105 while stored. The current router we have has an operating temp range of -25℃ – +65℃, but it’s not a very good router TBH.

-Mitch

2

Hi Mitch,

I’ve asked myself nearly the same questions, before getting my Beryl. At first, we should not confuse ‘operating temperature’ with ‘storage temperature’. The device will allow a much higher range to be stored, than to be operational.
Operating itself will produce heat (in my case 33°C at 22°C room temperature) and if it is too cold, and the device is not waterproof packed the difference between temperature sourounding and working temperature could lead to condensation of water → short circuit. This is physics and not limited to GL.iNet.
If it is too hot, the solder points will melt → cold contact.

The routers are build to work mobile in hotels. This is given in any circumstance. That we want to use our routers in a RV, we need to check if we are able to provide the needed environment.
A GL.iNet Router could work in a top hat, because the sunlight isn’t direct on the device. In winter I would not risk to turn it in, If I am not able to put all electronics in a 100% dry environment (the datasheet says 95% should be enough). But If I had any choice I would place the antenna outside and the router inside.
In my case my wife won’t allow to drill a hole, so my setup is completely internal. And I am also strugeling with the issue of an external antenna. Next month I will crack the Beryl open and take a look how to replace the antenna. Maybe use some directional.

3

So don’t do much RVing but here is hak5 personal vans.

4

Why Wait

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5

Do you see any batteries in this k3rn3l? It doesn’t appear that way.

I just pre-ordered the Slate AX and hope it has u.fl connectors so I can use external WiFi antennas. :wink:

6

LupusE,
I’m not worries at solder melting as the lowest possible point for that to happen is 190F, while most solder melts at 300+F. It’s also going to be inside a sealed unit on the roof, so no water.

It doesn’t appear any of GL-Inet routers (travel, home, or LTE) have external WiFi antennas. It’s so limiting. I would much prefer to keep the router inside and only the antennas outside. :\

My current thinking is use to the new Slate AX and hope that it has U.FL connectors like the Beryl does and just use a U.FL conencto to SMA adapter, and then use a standard omnidirectional WiFI external antenna.

7

Inside of Wineguard Air 360+ enclosure, it is only antenna or their router is there?

8

Only XE300 or E750 has battery. Beryl, Slate AX etc does not.

9

No batteries or capacitors just heatsink, board and antenna. Glytch also has a video on modifying the GL-E750 mudi with external high-gain antennas

10

Answer: Because I am on the road and using the WG VPN, right now. :slight_smile:

Thanks for the picture, exactly what I’ve expected.

Just replace the small 2dBi(?) Antenna with something like https://de.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-antenna-thinkpad.html (Thinkpad Display brezel Antenna). Or 8dBi → Amazon.de
Maybe directional? https://www.amazon.de/Lysignal-Outdoor-Omni-Directional-Antenna-2700MHz/dp/B01J526QBK
So much possibilities. In the enclosure above, may are other solutions are more reasonable.

11

There 4 antennas. HD TV/radio, 2 lte, and one wifi. There’s no electronics. The gateway for it is around $250usd and has a crappy LTE modem. This is why I’m here, wanting better brains and capabilities.

1 Like
12

Hi @TazzyTazzy, I’ve looked up the ‘Winegard 360 enclosure’. Interesting approach. But I can’t find the provided plugs/interfaces.

There seems to be a reversed dishwashing bowl, with 4 antennas, fix mounted on the roof of my RV. The Vendor is suggesting to buy also a ‘GW-1000’ Router, that can be mounted in the Box on top, or in the RV with cables though the roof … So far, so good. This is what you’ve wrote before, now I understand.

But what is the question?
I haven’t seen any GL.iNet Routers with LTE. And even if there is a model, I would not be interested, because I am able to plug any Modem or Phone in USB and get the local net. If G5 is available, I’ll change the stick (roundabout 20-50e, here in Germany), instead changing the whole router (including complete reconfiguration).

Based on this, I would recommend a GL-AR300M16-Ext (or GL-AR300M-Ext), see GL-AR300M Series / Shadow - GL.iNet → Model Comparison.
If you are sure, you want the Winegard GW1000 between antenna and GL-AR300M*-Ext, and the available connection is ‘USB’ than just put the USB cable from the top in the RV and mount the AR300 inside the RV. The ‘operating temperature’ should match the living-temperature → No problem.
My opinion is, that the GW-1000 needs power as well, that should be removed, if possible.

If you’re living in an environment with very low or high temperatures, you should take the GL-AR300*-Ext out, with all other electronics, while not-using.
The other devices, such as the Beryl (see picture above), can be easily changed to something like SMA or whatever you need for your antenna.

Note: This is only my personal opinion and do not need to match with any other opinion. I just want to understand the situation and help, because I am in a similar process of decision making.

Today my Beryl is doing a great job in Denmark. Is is flying placed in my RV, get the WLAN (2,4GHz) from a house nearby (approx. 20m away) and give WLAN (5GHz for less interference) to 7 devices (2 Kindle, 2 Mobile, 1 Tablet, 1 Chromecast, 1 Laptop). On top it provides a VPN to my home Network, so I am able to stream from my NAS to my Chromecast in the RV. It is my first live test.
Now I want a more fixed setup with a better antenna, independent from 230V land power.

13

Thanks for the great response!

The RV came with this weatherproof dome on the roof. It has 2 LTE antennas, WIFI antenna, and HDTV/Radio antenna. The plugs for the LTE/WiFi antennas are MCX. The plug for the HDTV/Radio is standard old school RG6.

I think it’s a CAT4 modem with a few bands. Doesn’t seem like it would have good coverage. It also doesn’t have nearly any of the features in The GL Inet devices such as VPN. I’m planning to get CAT12 M.2 modem using a NGFF USB 3.0 adapter to connect to a Beryl router. This would provide me everything I need.

There’s plenty: GL-X750 / Spitz - GL.iNet is a great example, but it doesn’t have external antenna and I don’t know if there’s U.FL connector on the inside like many of their travel routers appear to have.

It’s not really feasible to remove all the electronics from the RV. We’re talking refrigerator, victron charge-inverter, heater/ac thermostats, smoke detectors, ‘smart home’ zigbee stuff, ESP32 with WLED installed, etc.

The hottest part of the RV is on the roof, in the summer. That is where I was planning to put the router. For now, I’ll just leave the CAT12 modem on the roof, and run try running 2 coax wires for the WIFI antennas and see how that works. There’s just so much losss of signal on thin coax wires.

Being independent from 120/230v is really nice. We have 7kw of lithium battery and can run our A/C for about 4-5 hours on a low fan speed, warm-ish temperature. It drops the 100 degree outside to 78 degrees inside. It’s not super comfy, but to extend battery life, we keep the A/C low. We can eventually recharge via solar or generator. It’s also nice to have the inverter to microwave something quick without having to mess with a generator at all.

14

Just throwing my 2 cents here both of the videos from Hak5 make numerous references to essential Faraday cage effect that many RVs have on signals and state that the higher you can get the transmitter/receiver antenna the better signal and speed you can get. Also remember that the beam pattern is a shaped like a doughnut from the antenna.

15

@K3rn3l_Ku5h thanks for the comment, I’ve got this issue in my second RV, which was a VAN. A nice 1 room apartment on 5,99 m length. As seen in the video.
My actual RV is a conventional, Fiat Ducato transporter, with a GFK ‘home part’. There is a multi layer walls, with much less signal blocking. The problems are concentrated around the fridge and maybe the wires to the main panel.
I haven’t seen the videos, yet. I will take a look, tomorrow.

But the best place inside out is still the windows. Often acryl/PVC or newer some kind of polycarbonat (frameless).
Any doughnut or cardioid beam-form wasn’t an issue at all. Best if the antenna is vertical to the ground, but also horizontally it works.

I am planning to create a WLAN heatmap in/around my RV, for a better insight. Right now I am at the beginning and still learning the basics. For example about the crappy closed source WLAN drivers.

16
  • GL-X750V2 (Spitz) has detachable 5dBi SMA antennas, you can change to the antennas as you like.
  • If you want gigabit Ethernet, you can check GL-AP1300LTE(Cirrus).
  • If you want metal case but don’t care about the wifi speed that much, you can check GL-X300B-GPS(Collie), it’s made for mobile vehicle internet.
  • If you want battery, you can check GL-XE300(Puli), it has two holes for adding external SMA antennas
  • GL-E750(Mudi) has dual-band wifi and built-in battery, which has better WiFi than GL-XE300, but it’s too compact and hard to add external antennas.

FYI: X750V2 has been introduced as a great RV router on wired.com: Gl.net Spitz V2 4G LTE Wireless Router Review: Country Roads | WIRED

1 Like
17

Spill the beans, how’d you open this up?

18

I traded my soul for supernatural powers and black magic. :rofl:

Heat Mat(100-110C) for 5 minutes
Precision heat gun
Metal and plastic spatulas
Suction cup
4 screws under non slip feet
You don’t need the heat mat and gun just makes things easier to pry apart
Alot of patience

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