Dream Internet and Wi-Fi setup for a RV?

[Neal]

In recent chit chat about cellular and wi-fi router options, and not derailing a thread on topic (again), the gears are turning in what would be an ideal dream Internet and Wi-Fi setup in a RV?

Having just upgraded my mother to a new router and going to Wi-Fi 7 and subsequently my own house, I wonder how I would design my dream setup in my RV. Right now I use a Peplink "Pepwave" (I think they're doing away with the Pepwave term) MAX BR1 PRO 5G which is a combination cellular and Wi-Fi router. It has Wi-Fi 6 and has been great to date, I run two of them in the coach which is nice for mixing up Wi-Fi in vs. out, 4 cellular SIM options, and Starlink as another WAN (Internet) source.

My thought is an ideal setup would separate cellular from Wi-Fi. Not required and I did this long ago when I suffered through using a Wi-Fi Ranger and used my own Netgear Wi-Fi routers at that time. I really like Ubiquity UniFi setup and tried it in my house once but I'm not really wired for it. Imagine if Newmar, for example, hardwired your coach so you had a Wi-Fi antenna in the roof of your living room, roof of your bedroom, and one in the basement supporting the patio side of your RV? Have your cellular router and/or Starlink all feeding into a switch (supporting PoE) either of some other brand or UniFi's switch with their OS built in.

It's a bit funny in that a RV is a small space and any Wi-Fi router should provide sufficient range, and the newer Wi-Fi specs (6E/7) will be even better, yet several of us are running mesh or additional access points for whatever reason. Whether the interference in this radioactive coaches, or frames of the vehicle are an issue, seems we need "more power".

Then with the UniFy switch feeding the properly placed antennas we'd have great Wi-Fi coverage. You can feed the UniFy system with cellular and Starlink but controlling the WAN sources would be interesting. That's something I like how Peplink does, it's been a while since I used a UniFi setup to know how to control WAN inputs.

So if designed your dream RV with a dream Internet setup, how would you set it up?

 

[Buster]

Would you include Bluetooth in this dream setup?

I have a couple of Bluetooth speakers build in and they work great without any additional equipment but that's not the case with my TPMS sensors on the toad when I am towing that. I had to mount a Bluetooth repeater back in the chassis battery compartment to reliably get the signal up to my TPMS monitor.

Would the same apply to Bluetooth cameras? Bluetooth has such limited distances, but with the right setup, would we find uses and maybe even better solutions?

Just something else to consider if going down this journey.

 

[Neal]

Bluetooth is typically its own beast and I don't know much about extenders or improving it. The newer implementations such as Bluetooth 5.2 have longer range but that doesn't solve the problems with our ancient tech in RV's. It's really not part of the "Internet" equation but certainly a struggle to deal with connectivity between devices.

 

[Jim]

Then with the UniFy switch feeding the properly placed antennas we'd have great Wi-Fi coverage. You can feed the UniFy system with cellular and Starlink but controlling the WAN sources would be interesting.

Not sure why you need to "control" the WAN sources. The Ubiquity system will, by default, load balance them for you. Or am I missing something?

 

[Neal]

Not sure why you need to "control" the WAN sources. The Ubiquity system will load balance them for you. Or am I missing something?

Managing cellular sims and bandwidth for limited plans. I may not always want Starlink if it’s permanently mounted on the roof. Just want to control the provider for various reasons. I have 3 cellular plans.

 

[Jim]

Managing cellular sims and bandwidth for limited plans. I may not always want Starlink if it’s permanently mounted on the roof. Just want to control the provider for various reasons. I have 3 cellular plans.

Ah, I see what you mean. Well, as simple as it seems, can't you turn off the ones you don't want contributing?

EDIT: I'm sorry Neal. I just got it. Yeah, that is an interesting problem . . .

 

[Neal]

Probably. Just depends what’s feeding the network and if I want to control from my phone or computer. Keeping things simple are always key.

 

[Jim]

I'm sure I'm behind at this point, so let me ask. Given there could be several different Internet sources, are you trying to find an automated method of managing these sources to determine which of them will feed the 2 available WAN inputs on the Ubiquity?

Or should I just call it a night and go feed Ryker?

 

[Neal]

I like how the Pepwave handles the WAN sources. I don't know how UniFi handles it, it's been a long time since I tried it in my house. The ideal setup may be a Pepwave/Peplink product that manages the WAN's and feeds into the UniFi switch. The switch then manages the networks, antennas, etc. If you haven't seen how Pepwave does this here are a few examples:

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Back to the design in a RV concept, I think antennas like below that are ceiling mounted would be ideal. I'd suggest a manufacturer offer the option to run ethernet cables to the ceilings and put in a small white plug for access. Or integrate into the massive air conditioning units as that could hide them behind the hinged grill. This tech changes over time so having the option to upgrade or change antennas would be nice. I'm not sure how a patio side antenna would work, that may require a different offering such as a wall unit.

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Just dreaming, but ideally the ceiling mounted antennas would solve a lot of problems, whether Ubiquity/UniFi or some other tech is less important but they do a great job of it and probably what I would lean towards.