Freedom Robotics Guide to Cellular Routers for Robot Connectivity


At Freedom Robotics, we have worked with hundreds of robotic customers using LTE connectivity to implement robotic applications. Based on the use case, budget, and reliability requirements, the solutions they have implemented fall into three general categories:

Cheap - LTE USB Flash Drive

Medium cost: entry-level commercial LTE routers

High cost - Reliable high-end routers for business options

Here we compile category specific routers that we have implemented for our clients with great success.

Low cost LTE USB flash drives

Huawei_CellularConnectiity_FreedomRobotics-1 While not a hardened router solution, USB drives (like the Huawei E8372h-517 shown here) are common in robotics. We have seen fleets of robots with this class of router that provide decent connection quality. They are also inexpensive enough to add as a backup or in addition to the other solutions listed here.

Specs:

 

150Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink - very fast for an LTE USB dial-up internet

You can mount an outside antenna as it has two TS-9 connectors for an external antenna

Accept a cell phone card

Can generate a wifi access point

Low energy consumption

Operating temperature –10 ℃ to + 40 ℃

Who is this solution for?

A USB LTE dongle is a great option for quickly and inexpensively testing prototypes outside of Wi-Fi range. However, putting your robot into production with a solution like this is not recommended. Since USB drives are a consumer product, you should expect regular dropouts and frequent replacements. They are also not recommended for critical use.

MicrohardDragon_CellularConnectivity_FreedomRobotics

The Microhard Dragon-LTE-100-GL will provide a reliable joining on a single SIM card and allow the flexibility to design this product on your robot without breaking your budget.

The entry-level commercial router that stands out here is the Microhard Dragon-LTE-100-GL. This router will not increase your connection speed on an LTE USB stick, but it will increase the reliability of the connection, which is much more important for most applications. It is still just a single SIM router designed to be integrated into a system and deployed in production. Here are the specs:

150 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink

Connects via Ethernet

Accepts LTE or Wi-Fi signal

Can generate a wifi access point

Operating temperature –40 ℃ to + 85 ℃

The maximum power consumption is 4 watts.

Firewall Rules and VPN Tunnels via ACL

Can generate data usage alerts

See full specs here

Who is this solution for?

This router is ideal for robots in a geographically limited operating environment with reliable cellular coverage from a single carrier. It is also best suited for robots that do not log critical data remotely and are capable of receiving human and remote mission commands in the same working environment.

High-end commercial LTE routers

Looking for a robotic connectivity solution? The PEPLINK MAX Transportation DUO CAT 6 (MAX-TST-DUO-LTEA-W-T-PRM) maintain a fast and stable connection.

 The PEPLINK MAX Transportation DUO CAT 6 (MAX-TST-DUO-LTEA-W-T-PRM) maintain a fast and stable connections.

When maintaining a fast and stable connections is critical to the success of your application, you will need a high-end commercial LTE router. This class of router allows for faster connection speeds, dual simulation capabilities, high shock and temperature rating, and the ability to manage your connections through cloud management softwares.

The router highlighted here is the PEPLINK MAX Transit DUO CAT 6 (MAX-TST-DUO-LTEA-W-T-PRM). Here are the specs:

300 Mbps down and 50 up

Dual SIM with instant switching (many comparable routers can take 3-5 minutes to change or require additional hardware)

  techdirtblog  slashdotblog  justhealthguide  healthandblog  supercomputerworld

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