USB cellular modems with dd-wrt

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wizardgmb
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 20:24    Post subject: USB cellular modems with dd-wrt Reply with quote
I need to set up a Netgear N600 WNDR3400 running the dd-wrt website recommended file "dd-wrt.v24-21061_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini-WNDR3400.c" with a Sierra Wireless MC7700 LTE modem WAN link to AT&T. After searching the wiki and the forums for information on USB attached modems I am confused. One of the forum posts stated the standard version of dd-wrt is necessary rather than the mini installed but when I reviewed the differences between versions the additional features didn't seem pertinent. All over the wiki & forums newbies are told to only use the firmware designated for your router model to avoid bricking. However, modem discussions recommend several specific build versions, not necessarily hardware specific, that aren't close to the one I installed. An older post detailed how to add programs to enable modem use but subsequent posts suggest the programs were incorporated in dd-wrt releases but no longer work with some hardware combinations.

I would greatly appreciate it if someone can share a current method to get my modem working with the installed dd-wrt version or obtain/create a version better suited to my needs. Failing that, please point me to an inexpensive router & dd-wrt build that will do what I need to do. Another possibility is to load dd-wrt on a PC but I don't know if I would be better or worse off. (power requirements would be an issue, see below)

If an existing post is current & pertinent to my configuration, please point me to it. Thank you!

Regards,
George

Background:

My disabled buddy living in a rural area needs Internet access to communicate with his VA medical team and provide VOIP. I set up an AT&T access point with an outside antenna, Sierra Wireless MC7700 LTE modem and a Wyse thin client PC running Connectify. When the trees on a nearby ridge bloomed, my buddy lost his link. Moving the AP up the driveway 800' affords a nearly clear 2 mile path to the AT&T tower (other providers are hopelessly obscured). Very soon I will be installing a pole, equipment cabinet, cell antenna, 5GHz back-haul antenna and solar power system next to the driveway. Connectify can't force 5GHz only WiFi for the link & repeat from WAN to WiFi, so I've turned to dd-wrt.

I have a pair of NetGear N600 WNDR3400v1 routers I intend to use next to the driveway & in the house. The device has four 2.4 & 5 GHz onboard antennas readily replaceable with SMA pigtails for outside antennas & they utilize 12VDC power that works out well for the solar power. My "antenna box" yielded a couple of antennas suitable for the link, surge protectors and cabling. I have solar components that are suitable for testing; my buddy will replace them if the system works.

I loaded one router with the dd-wrt website recommended file "dd-wrt.v24-21061_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini-WNDR3400.c" & have spent a couple of hours working with it. I think I've come up with a workable configuration for the house router with WAN incoming on 5 GHZ and distribution within the house on 2.4 GHz. Unfortunately, I'm a bit lost when I get to the driveway repeater due to the addition of the LTE modem.


Last edited by wizardgmb on Sun May 20, 2018 18:23; edited 1 time in total
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slice1900
DD-WRT User


Joined: 18 Feb 2013
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 16:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wouldn't it be better to run a wired link along the driveway? Should be pretty easy to trench RG6 or RG11 along the driveway those 800', and run ethernet over it (Directv DECA adapters would probably be best since they use a lower frequency than standard MoCA)
wizardgmb
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 17:42    Post subject: Burried cable isn't the answer to the question Reply with quote
I have previously installed several 5 GHz back haul links, a couple of them covering over 10 miles. The technology is relatively easy to implement over the the length of the driveway and quite reliable. DECA adapters aren't intended to pass signals over an 800' length of cable that is 3x the limit for "twisted pair" signaling but a much more expensive fiber cable link would work. Coax could also conduct lighting strikes to the house; my buddy has lost track of how many times CenturyLink has replaced the buried phone cable following the same path.

Renting a back hoe or trencher plus the cost of materials would be many hundreds of dollars; the 5 GHz link investment is less than $50, given materials on hand (that my wife would like to see out of our house) and some materials already installed for the non-working LTE link.

The only problem that needs to be addressed is how to get a router running dd-wrt to utilize a USB attached LTE modem in a reasonably straight forward manor...
hackler756
DD-WRT User


Joined: 17 Sep 2014
Posts: 68
Location: Austria

PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2018 6:50    Post subject: Reply with quote
BrainSlayer did some bugfixing for mobile broadband which will be included in the next build. Just wait for it ...

Take a look here, if you want to check your mbb config:
mbb config - I'll revise the post after next build is out

_________________
ZTE MC801A - 5G bridge mode
R7000 - router, AP 2.4Ghz / 5Ghz
wizardgmb
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2018 11:08    Post subject: Thank you Hackler! Reply with quote
Idea Idea Idea Idea

Based upon your recommendation, I investigated the WNDR4300. Compared to the WNDR3400, it has similar internal antenna connections that can be routed to outside antennas, the same 12VDC power requirement and as a bonus wall mounting holes on the bottom.

Searching for WNDR4300 firmware diverted my attention from the "Router Database" where I got the WNDR3400 firmware to the "Other Downloads" area. I now understand how to get device tailored versions of builds mentioned in the forum modem discussions.

I found a WNDR4300, less power supply, for USD16.00 on eBay and purchased it. When it gets here, I will load r33679 if the new build isn't available. the WNDR4300 should meet my needs at the top of the driveway and a WNDR3400, with a backup, should work in the house.

Many thanks to Hackler; I'm feeling much better about my project! Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge in the right direction...

Regards,
George
wizardgmb
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2018 20:08    Post subject: Sorta works but not quite Reply with quote
I got my WNDR4300 router and I installed factory image 36006 yesterday. After making the configuration changes specified in your 15 May post on cellular configuration and rebooting my router, I am able to get my Sierra Wireless 77000 modem to connect to AT&T and obtain an IP address. However, as soon as I try to access the Internet from a Chrome tab next to the dd-wrt management tab, the modem disconnects. I can leave it connected for a half hour but as soon as I try to access a web page other than 192.168.1.1, the modem disconnects.

Am I doing something wrong or have I encountered a bug?

Regards,
George
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