How to set up using mobile hot spot VMB4000

[MLH997]

Have no wifi or phone lines to use with traditional modem. I do have a straight talk mobile hot spot. Can the hot spot be used with a router to set up my security system?

[michaelkenward]

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@MLH997 wrote:
I do have a straight talk mobile hot spot. Can the hot spot be used with a router to set up my security system?

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You will need something that provides a wired  Ethernet connection.

Start at the network end first. Get that sorted and then move on to the Arlo.

Be warned that Arlo needs a constant Internet connection and is always sending data to the cloud servers. It could eat up a lot of mobile traffic.

[Mike225]

I have a similar setup utilizing a Verizon Jetpack.

You will need to either purchase a bridge or a Router which has a bridge function.  I used a netgear router.

Basically, follow the instructions to setup the router as a bridge to your hotspot.  After that physically plug the Arlo into a LAN port of the router and everything will work.

Ensure you have unlimited data or a big package if you plan to use this very much as it doesn't care how much it uses.

Hope this helps,

Mike

[michaelkenward]

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@Mike225 wrote:

I have a similar setup utilizing a Verizon Jetpack.

You will need to either purchase a bridge or a Router which has a bridge function.  I used a netgear router.

I can think of at least three different ways i which the term "bridge" is applied to modems and routers.

Is this a wireless bridge or something else?

[Mike225]

OK, sorry.

I have the ARLO plugged into the LAN port of a Netgear AC1750 Smart WiFi Router model R6400.

Per page 129 of the router user manual it is set into Bridge mode.

Bridge is directed to the Jetpack(mobile hotspot) so it treats the Jetpack as if it was another router (which is basically is)

The only issues I have had out of it involved having to setup the Jetpack to NOT go to sleep after a period of inactivity.

I will admit that a router is a bit overkill for this function especially since you lose the router's wifi function but the setup is in a remote location and there was a very limited selection at the local Walmart and Lowes unless I felt like making two 200mile round trips or actually use planning beforehand.

Honestly you can accomplish the same thing with a wireless print server or actual bridge but I had limited success using wireless print servers in the past and found them not as robust.

I hope this resolves any confusion.

Admittedly I'm not an expert at networking and had to reboot the router a few times during the initial setup.

Good Luck,

Mike

[michaelkenward]

I see it now.

In that context, "bridge mode" means a wifi repeater. It is probably not the best way to set up a network for an Arlo. A network with a wifi link in the middle is never as good as wired. But if the Jetpack does not have a LAN Ethernet port, it is a good workaround.

A better option would be to find a Jetpack alternative that does support Ethernet, use that as the modem, and plug the R6400 into it. Netgear makes those "mobile hotspots".

Such a setup might then require a completely different sort of bridge mode. In that case it might require putting the modem into bridge mode, to bypass its router bit.  The R6400 could then work as a genuine router and you could use the wifi from that.

But why mess around when you have something that works? I just suggest it or anyone in the same boat.

[MLH997]

Thanks for info.  I did not want to purchase phone or cable lines, as that means they need to actually come out an install the lines, etc..  Which is why I was hoping for a solution that did need a hard line.  Thanks, Maris

[MLH997]

Thanks for the info.  I will start by getting hte router.  My data package caps off to prevent "unlimited" use.   But once i get this working I will have to look into unlimited data.

[Mike225]

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@MLH997 wrote:

Thanks for info.  I did not want to purchase phone or cable lines, as that means they need to actually come out an install the lines, etc..  Which is why I was hoping for a solution that did need a hard line.  Thanks, Maris

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I understand.  Our issue was that physical phone or cable is not available in the area and the satellite system that we used initially was intermittent and quite expensive for any daytime use.

[Mike225]

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@michaelkenward wrote:

In that context, "bridge mode" means a wifi repeater. It is probably not the best way to set up a network for an Arlo. A network with a wifi link in the middle is never as good as wired. But if the Jetpack does not have a LAN Ethernet port, it is a good workaround.

A better option would be to find a Jetpack alternative that does support Ethernet, use that as the modem, and plug the R6400 into it. Netgear makes those "mobile hotspots".

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Bridge mode seems to kill the wireless functionality on that series router and dedicates the wireless to being the bridge but next time I'm out there I'll give it a deeper look.

The original post was asking about the Straight Talk hotspot.  I only saw where they offered one model which seems to be much like the three verizon mifi offerings which don't have a port.

I did find the Nighthawk you were talking about which seems to only show up for AT&T.  I didn't see this offering when we were initially migrating off of satellite.  This would have been a better solution (if the pricing is the same) because it could have just been plugged into the WAN port of the router and allow the router to maintain network addressing which would give the user the ability to overcome the eight(8) device limit hard coded into the Verizon hotspot.

I know that Verizon and AT&T phones are not compatible from service to service so I just assume that the verizon SIM would not work in the AT&T hotspot.  I might drop them a note and ask.  I guessing that Straight Talk might actually be GSM which would increase the chance that this netgear product could be transferred to their service.

Anyway, have a nice weekend,

Mike

[michaelkenward]

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@Mike225 wrote:

I know that Verizon and AT&T phones are not compatible from service to service so I just assume that the verizon SIM would not work in the AT&T hotspot.

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I did wonder about that issue of "locked in syndrome". I love it when mobile and broadband operators try to tie people into their hardware.

I refuse to get into contracts that include a phone. I buy SIM-free hardware and can then do what I like.  So called "free" phones are usually very expensive.

Over on the Netgear website you can see if there is something that meets your needs and fits your budget.

Mobile Hotspots | Portable WiFi | NETGEAR

I am sure that other hardware makers also have suitable kit.