diy solar

diy solar

Remote Internet and Power

NC_hydro

NC_hydro

Solar Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 14, 2022
Messages
224
So my off grid place in WNC I'm designing a small system for getting internet to the house which currently barely has 1 bar of Verizon signal. 500ft from the house we have a hilltop that gets full signal LTE from Visible(Verizon). Using Visible's lower tier service I get 20-30Mbps download and 20Mbps upload speeds. My plan is to get a used Google Pixel (probably a 6) and USB tether it to a GL iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) travel router. Then use a directional Wifi AP to jump the 500ft down to the house and pick it up and rebroadcast inside the house as well as provide some wired ethernet inside the house. Sounds complicated but I've worked in IT for 20yrs+ so it's my bread and butter :).

My final snag is battery/solar choice. I'm not using an inverter, I'm staying DC with some step down converters to power 2 USB ports (one for the router, one for the wireless charger for the Android phone). The Wifi AP is 24V POE with a small POE injector that comes with it. If I run 24V setup I can power that directly or if 12V I would just need to convert from 12V to 24V for that one device. The router uses <8Watts, Wifi AP at 24V/0.5A (12watts?) and then the cell phone probably another 15watts. Total power draw maybe 40watts... Would ideally like enough battery to power the setup for 48hrs due to the often cloudy periods we experience in the mountains at 3,500ft halfway up a 6,200ft. Nice sunny summer days will even have 5-6 10min rain showers frequently. Temps usually no higher than low to mid 80s in summer, most often high 70s, lows in the winter generally only a few days a winter are below zero.

I'm thinking AGM is probably going to be the route to go given the cold temps in the winter. It will be in a weather proof box, with the travel router, POE injector, and batteries with solar panels nearby. Has anyone else done something similar? Oversizing the solar will help recovery happen quicker in the periods of sun. I have seen some small solar panel kits with midnight solar charge controller that may work.
 
I‘m in a similar situation. Wish I understood all that wifi stuff.

I was a 12 volt purist until I got my first little victron inverter. Now I’m sold. It’s simple, reliable, and efficient. While there are a lot of 12 volt things around for the RV crowd, there are even more 120 volt things that come in handy.
 
Bluedog225 said:
was a 12 volt purist until I got my first little victron inverter. Now I’m sold. It’s simple, reliable, and efficient. While there are a lot of 12 volt things around for the RV crowd, there are even more 120 volt things that come in handy.
Click to expand...
Yes. I do a lot with 12V
Bluedog225 said:
situation. Wish I understood all that wifi stuff.
Click to expand...
i get ish 1 bar AT&T here
I bought a $120 cell signal booster and have 4 bars
 
Why bother with the Google Pixel device, tethering and a separate AP, you can get all in one LTE routers with an external SMA connector, cabled directly to a directional Yagi antenna directly to your house in a P2P config, a cheap 12V buck /boost converter to run the router directly, then hook up your PV/charge controller/battery combo. gotta be way cheaper and more efficient than relying on several devices.

https://www.amazon.com/Networks-Ind...sprefix=inhand+networks+ir300+,aps,136&sr=8-1

$175 9v to 36v input, no double NAT from tethering, all in one.
 
Last edited:
shavermcspud said:
Why bother with the Google Pixel device, tethering and a separate AP, you can get all in one LTE routers with an external SMA connector, cabled directly to a directional Yagi antenna directly to your house in a P2P config, a cheap 12V buck /boost converter to run the router directly, then hook up your PV/charge controller/battery combo. gotta be way cheaper and more efficient than relying on several devices.

https://www.amazon.com/Networks-Industrial-Management-Platform-Certification/dp/B0BBVFP8HR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=159CMHG50L8XR&keywords=InHand+Networks+IR300&qid=1682360057&sprefix=inhand+networks+ir300+,aps,136&sr=8-1

$175 9v to 36v input, no double NAT from tethering, all in one.
Click to expand...
I’ve yet to find a $30/mo unlimited plan with unlimited hotspot/tethering like what Visible has and visible only does phones, not hotspot only or modems. Also has to be Verizon tower service as it’s the only one with service there. Your way would definitely be simpler no doubt. $30/mo no contract unlimited is hard to beat.
 
12VoltInstalls said:
Yes. I do a lot with 12V

i get ish 1 bar AT&T here
I bought a $120 cell signal booster and have 4 bars
Click to expand...
That’s definitely an option I suppose. Then I could eliminate the point to point wifi from up on the hill and just do a tethered phone to a travel router at the house.
 
NC_hydro said:
I’ve yet to find a $30/mo unlimited plan with unlimited hotspot/tethering like what Visible has and visible only does phones, not hotspot only or modems. Also has to be Verizon tower service as it’s the only one with service there. Your way would definitely be simpler no doubt. $30/mo no contract unlimited is hard to beat.
Click to expand...
You'll find most if not all Sim cards designed soley for phone plans work fine in cellular modems, the sim has no way to identify the device the other end of the cellular modem. providing you set up the APN details on the router the same as they would be in a phone you're away and working.
 
Probably the best Forum for cellular internet can be found at https://wirelessjoint.com/
Trying to use phone plans that have unlimited Data in cellular routers is a hit or miss proposition at best. The phone companies have pretty much made it impossible over the years. I have been on cellular for my Internet since 2015 but my needs are handled with a 20gb plan from Cricket. I use a Netgear MR1100 hotspot with outside antenna.
 
DIYrich said:
The Verizon equipment is 4g.
Click to expand...
Good to know. I checked on their home internet since I get $10 discount on Verizon wireless home internet (for being on Visible+) but they don’t offer service at my address.
 
NC_hydro said:
Good to know. I checked on their home internet since I get $10 discount on Verizon wireless home internet (for being on Visible+) but they don’t offer service at my address.
Click to expand...
Has always annoyed me that both AT&T and Verizon that do work at my home for cellular Internet (Cricket is AT&T) on a phone but they do not offer a home internet plan in my area. At least AT&T or Cricket does have Prepay Data only plans (limited GB) that can be used with approved hotspot devices. Verizon that my phone utilizes (I am using them through a Red Pocket annual plan) has nothing for the data only folks at a reasonable cost.
 
I know this doesn't apply to the OP since only Verizon works there, but T-Mobile home internet is phenomenal. Just saying.
 
Mattb4 said:
Verizon that my phone utilizes (I am using them through a Red Pocket annual plan) has nothing for the data only folks at a reasonable cost.
Click to expand...
I have AT&T- an unlimited everything plan now retired as available to new subscribers. I have 1 bar to sometimes 3 bars or zero bars at my location. I use a ‘yagi’ type signal booster for 3-4 bars consistently.

My plan, however, allows for 4.x GB of hotspot. I live alone so only me. Hotspot is annoying as it frequently needs resetting the hotspot on my iPhone to use the laptop, and after 4GB they throttle the throughput.

I inquired recently about a chip for a cellular router. AT&T would do it for an additional ~$75/month. This is annoying- I live alone and wouldn’t (can’t!) use any different GB/mo than I do now. So $1000/yr just to have internet I need a booster for. Seems silly to give away $1000 so I didn’t sign up.

Before fiber was everywhere in Vermont and you could get dsl or other ‘high speed’ connnections you could feed an entire company with 30+ users for $150/month

The economy of scale has somehow escaped the selling price scheme in North America. One would think that data retailing would cost less with a higher number of users paying and the bandwidth that is the norm for the last 5-10 years. So I either pay too much or live with my phone most of the time.
 
Yeah because I am old and use virtually no phone ( maybe a few minutes a month) the combo unlimited phone data plans that are offered make no sense.I simply do not need unlimited calling. Nor would I pay for a unlimited phone line so that I had the privelege of buying an add on Data hotspot plan. At Red Pocket I buy a $60 yearly plan or $5/mo. (100 minutes, 500mb/mo) and it works fine for my phone needs. My Cricket 20gb data plan is $35/mo.
 
Might want to check out wilson's products. They specialize in repeating cell signals which could keep you from actually having to have a dedicated cell phone account/wifi spot.

I have several trucking companies I host website/stores for that use them is where I heard about them.

Cell Phone Signal Boosters | Wilson Electronics

Manufacturer of America's strongest cellphone signal boosters. Shop Wilson Electronics signal boosters for all your home, vehicle, office, or business needs.
www.wilsonelectronics.com
 
shavermcspud said:
providing you set up the APN details on the router the same as they would be in a phone you're away and working.
Click to expand...

Interesting cause I've used cellular as home internet in a router before , but they provider eventually throttles the speed

How do you change the APN details?
 
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