Router with USB upstream (WAN) port?

[GerdSchneider]

Hello,

Is someone aware of a router in which it is possible to use a USB ethernet device (like tethered Mobile hotspot) as upstream WAN port?
The goal is be to create some internet access using a mobile hotspot in an area without wired Internet access.

I don't want to use the mobile hotspot alone because it's WiFi range is not large enough to cover the whole area. I want to connect the mobile hotspot somehow to an Ethernet router, then distribute internet over wires to various locations and then maybe use WiFi access points where needed

Is someone aware of such a router where it is possible to connect to the WAN port an USB ethernet device instead of a an Ethernet cable?

Thank you
Gerd

 

[bill001g]

Many tplink and asus routers will accept mobile broadband usb dongles as wan. You have to very carefully check the lists of what they support for compatibility. Some ISP do not provide the information the router manufactures need but the list of supported devices is growing. If you are willing to load third party firmware dd-wrt has a very large list of supported usb deviecs.

In general using a tethered phone or mobile hotspot is very limited in support mostly it is the USB dongle/modems that are supported.

 

[GerdSchneider]

Many tplink and asus routers will accept mobile broadband usb dongles as wan. You have to very carefully check the lists of what they support for compatibility. Some ISP do not provide the information the router manufactures need but the list of supported devices is growing. If you are willing to load third party firmware dd-wrt has a very large list of supported usb deviecs.

In general using a tethered phone or mobile hotspot is very limited in support mostly it is the USB dongle/modems that are supported.

Thank you Bill
After your reply, I tried to search some Asus & TP-Link routers. There are many who have USB ports, but they all speak about using the USB port for storage, not for a USB mobile hotspot. Also I was not able to find out from the DD-WRT website if this FW would support USB mobile hotspot on a USB port intended to support storage devices. Do you have maybe one or two Asus/TP-Link router references in mind who would be able to support a mobile hotspot as WAN, so that I can start my research from there?

About your saying:
"Some ISP do not provide the information the router manufactures need..."
Does this depends on the ISP? I thought that if the mobile hotspot is showing as USB network device, all the ISP should proprietary stuff should be totally abstracted (hidden) and the mobile hotspot seen as a standard Ethernet interface (I was expecting the router not even know what exactly is upstream. Just "a" network). Isn't it like this?

Thank you very much
Gerd

 

[bill001g]

The part that seems to be a little different from ISP to ISP would be something how it logs into the network. It is the same reason you must still load device drivers for USB modems on a pc they are not just built into even win10. I am not 100% sure why the exact same model of hardware will work from 1 ISP but not another on a router but it is one of those things that is true. There may be some ISP that are just jerks and want to force you to buy their overpriced router and make it so only that device supports their modems.

This is the link from asus...I think this is their most current one.
http://www.asus.com/event/networks_3G4G_support/

This is the list from dd-wrt...there is another list of router that you can even run dd-wrt.
https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/3G_/_3.5G

If you do not find a exact match for the ISP and exact hardware dongle be very very careful, many times they are not supported

 

[GerdSchneider]

Thank you Bill. Things are very clear now

I am living in China and, as not speaking well enough the language, and knowing how messy things are here and how difficult the communication is, I prefer not to touch this (China is not listed in the Asus link about supported ISP and HW).
I searched for some alternative not using my current USB Mobile hotspot. I found that there is a Huawei 4G/LTE router (B315s) sold in China for much cheaper as in USA. Cheap enough to give a try (<$100, actually cheaper as the USB mobile hotspot I purchased in USA). By this way I can remove at least the uncertainty of the USB interface between router and mobile hotspot as everything is included.

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.6.Nevt8P&id=529673601755&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=1&skuId=3155802516910

I am going to order one and try during the Christmas vacation

Thanks again for all your explanations
Gerd

 

[am07232]

Thank you Bill. Things are very clear now

I am living in China and, as not speaking well enough the language, and knowing how messy things are here and how difficult the communication is, I prefer not to touch this (China is not listed in the Asus link about supported ISP and HW).
I searched for some alternative not using my current USB Mobile hotspot. I found that there is a Huawei 4G/LTE router (B315s) sold in China for much cheaper as in USA. Cheap enough to give a try (<$100, actually cheaper as the USB mobile hotspot I purchased in USA). By this way I can remove at least the uncertainty of the USB interface between router and mobile hotspot as everything is included.

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.6.Nevt8P&id=529673601755&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=1&skuId=3155802516910

I am going to order one and try during the Christmas vacation

Thanks again for all your explanations
Gerd

Hello Gerd!

I think this is exactly you want:

tp-link TL-MR3020
https://www.tp-link.com/il/products/details/cat-14_TL-MR3020.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KnyfY6PwNw

tp-link TL-MR3040
https://www.tp-link.com/sa/products/details/cat-4691_TL-MR3040.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQujikfzxO0