How best to connect 850MHz 3G service to Time Capsule?

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How best to connect 850MHz 3G service to Time Capsule?

Hi all, I have recently created a 2TB Time Capsule network and want to link it to my only reliable internet source, a 3G mobile internet service which only transmits in 850MHz (I live in a developing country so have limited options!). I have tried connecting a Huawei E5151 mobile wifi device via ethernet cable to the WAN/LAN port, which worked but because the device does not have 3G capability at 850MHz, I could only get 2G.

Does anyone have any suggestions about the cheapest and lightest device which will get the job done? How about a TP-Link TL-MR3020 - I already have a 3G USB dongle which looks to be compatible (a Huawei E160e) and if that doesn't work, suspect that I can easily find another. Would this be able to transmit the 3G internet to the Time Capsule via ethernet in the same way as the Huawei E5151 did?

Many thanks for any assistance anyone can provide!

OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Apr 4, 2014 8:01 PM

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Answer 1

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LaPastenague

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Apr 4, 2014 11:05 PM in response to Lukkerdukker

The TP-Link should work.. it is hard to predict these things. Getting 3G service going is never super easy.

As long as something that is 3G connected works as a router then the TC can just plug into it in bridge.

Lots of adsl modems also have fail over to 3G and some of those might be cheap.

Hunt around.. there are heaps of 3G routers for instance on ebay.. I suspect because they half don't work.. or the 3G service is so expensive that people get out of it asap.

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Answer 2

Lukkerdukker Author

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Apr 9, 2014 10:09 PM in response to LaPastenague

Thank you for your guidance. I decided to try the TP-Link TL-MR3020, which turned out to be very simple to connect and does work, although speed is perhaps limited by the 'no-brand' 3G USB dongle supplied by my provider which seems to be slower than when I was using the sim in a ZTE MF60 - but then, the ZTE MF60 did not have the ethernet port to connect to my Time Capsule. In the longer term, I might try and find the best possible compatible 3G USB dongle and swap them over.

Thanks again.

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