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We actually use (2) LTE connections, because weather affects the reliability and we need as much reliability as possible to perform remote computer work.

* one connection using T-mobile/Sprint towers
  * https://calyxinstitute.org/membership/internet
    * unlimited bandwidth/data, bandwidth may be deprioritized but it's enough for us
      * $40 or $50 per month, depending on the plan you choose ($500/year vs $150/3 months, respectively)
* one connection using Verizon towers
  * https://www.visible.com/plan/
    * unlimited data, bandwidth capped at 5MBPS up/down without TTL modification, may be deprioritized but it's enough for us
      * $40/month default, $25 with "party pay" (search online and you can join an existing party easily)

The router firmware we use supports multiWAN, but it doesn't work reliably, so we've primarily been using the Visible connection as we have direct line-of-sight to the tower several miles away across the valley.

# Instructions (SIM unlocking only applies to Visible)

## Hardware
* Modem
  * Franklin T9 hotspot ($14 on ebay last I checked, without a battery)
    * SIM unlock with [instructions from snt.sh blog](https://snt.sh/2020/09/rooting-the-t-mobile-t9-franklin-wireless-r717/)
      * [updated blogpost](https://snt.sh/2021/09/rooting-the-t-mobile-t9-franklin-wireless-r717-again/) in case the firmware auto-updates OTA (over the air) and you need to downgrade to access the hidden/engineering menus (to lock frequency, etc)
* [TS9 to N-female adpaters](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HSRVMC5/)
* Netgear R8000
* [Waveform log-periodic antenna kit, with lightning protectors](https://www.waveform.com/products/mimo-log-periodic-hotspot-external-antennas)
* [Waveform panel antenna](https://www.waveform.com/products/mimo-outdoor-panel-antenna)
* [Cheap log-periodic antennas](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VUSR5GS/)
* APC® Back-UPS® BVN650M1 Battery Backup
  * works fine to keep things running when the power "blips" (we haven't experienced a failure of more than seconds at a time, but it is annoying/terrible when we're on a VOIP meeting)

## Software
* FreshTomato firmware for the R8000 router

## Process
* buy hardware
* SIM unlock Franklin T9, using linux terminal or [this javascript utility](https://jsfiddle.net/4zds6531/)
* activate Visible SIM in cell phone, then swap into SIM unlocked Franklin T9
* check cellmapper.net to find you local antennas, and whether the best frequency bands are FDD or TDD

### Attach TS9 adapters to external antenna ports
* remove back cover screws on Franklin T9
  * remove plastic sticky circles covering the (2) FDD or TDD ports, whichever your local cell tower (and best-looking frequency) uses
    * drill out the plastic cover with 11/64 inch drill bit
      * reinstall plastic cover with screws
        * connect TS9 adapters
          * add hotglue liberally, between the TS9 adapters and the back cover, to prevent them from disconnecting

### Connect (2) antenna cables between modem and antennas
LTE uses MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) method of signal transmission. This utilized multiple antennas, which are positioned with 90 degrees rotation between the two. This enables better signal quality in case of reflections due to trees or other obstructions between radios (i.e. hotspot and cell tower)

* screw the N-male ended cable to the TS9-to-N-female adapter
  * repeat for other adapter and other cable
* screw opposite end of N-male ended cable to the antenna
  * repeat for second antenna

### Setup APN on modem
* Turn on the Franklin T9
  * power connection is USB to a computer, or router, or USB phone charger
* default configuration should be with Wi-Fi enabled, the password will be on the back cover of the modem
* Connect to the WiFi with the supplied password
* Follow the login instructions, you will have to change the password.
  * I used the engineering page login password, to keep things consistent
    * frk@r717

### Setup FreshTomato on Netgear R8000
* download the correct firmware image
  * check the md5sum to ensure no corruption occurred during download
    * flash image, possibly needs some "shibby" image flashed first, then the freshtomato image flashed second. I can't remember.
      * I also bricked it once, and had to do something with a USB to TTL adapter, doing something with a serial terminal that I can't remember.
        * luckily the TX/RX pins were accessible through the vents in the case, so I didn't have to unscrew anything
* setup WAN to use LTE
  * APN can be left blank, the modem APN supplied via the web interface is used

#### setup multiWAN
Doesn't work reliably, so "your mileage may vary"

* setup VLAN
  * I don't really know what this does, or remember what I did
* setup second WAN
  * freshtomato doesn't support (2) USB LTE connections in the GUI at least, so I had to setup a second router with freshtomato and basically repeat the above section on it
    * second WAN is setup in DHCP mode, with an ethernet connection to the second router

### Tweak TTL settings on Visible modem
* use snt.sh instructions to gain SSH access
* use iptables script to "mangle" the packet TTL
  * TTL of 64 works for us

## Antenna direction tuning
Currently for Visible I have a panel antenna just sitting in my attic, because I've been lazy to get on my roof and measure how much RF cable I need to go from the pole on the chimney to inside the roof vent, and to the modem/router area of the attic.

I setup Calyx using a pole that is mounted to our chimney on the roof. The cable runs into a roof vent with a hole cut into the insect-screen, and then down and across the attic.

* find your cell tower's location on Google maps
* find your location on the map
* orient (rotate) the map according to your house/building edge
* zoom out so you can see the cell tower "pin"
* orient the antenna in roughly the same direction as google maps shows from your location to the cell tower
* check "SNR" on the modem debug page
  * this our the IP address and URL
    * http://192.168.0.1/hidden/debug-lte_engineering.html
      * password is as mentioned earlier, frk@r717
* perform speed/ping test
  * speedtest.net
* tweak direction/aim, recheck SNR on debug page, re-check speedtest