Airsteam Connect

[Amg]

Bought a new Interstate with the Airstream Connect package. First year paid fixed amount for 12 months unlimited. Next year stopped unlimited and paid yearly fixed amount for 100 GB. That is also now cancelled. Now Monthly amount for certain levels of data. I only use service for the TV streaming for my grandkids. So only used a few months out of the year when they are with me. Is there another SIM from another service that I can use in my pepwave?

Is there another simple system I can use. I don’t want satellite. Very disappointed in Airsteam for selling me equipment and partnering with ATT. Seems like a bait and switch. Thanks

[Autoguy]

There ended is a very easy solution.....First let me say that the streaming of a wifi signal is probably the very best way to watch tv in your Airstream - but the rates that AT&T charges are out of this world. When I purchased my Atlas in August, I never signed up for the AT&T service, rather I just swapped out the sim cards that were pre-installed in the module with a single sim card from Verizon. Now for a substantially lower rate I have full wifi access and I can have the service stopped or started at my command.

The external antenna and the wifi router that are part of the Airstream Connect are outstanding, you just need to swallow the service to a different data carrier.

[Amg]

Thanks. Is the thing you did was to swap SIM cards or are there any other adjustments required. Thanks again

[uncle_bob]

Hi

We have plans with AT&T, Verizon, and TMobile. There is no predicting which one will be the only viable solution at this or that campsite. Indeed there is no predicting if *any* of them will be adequate here or there.

Bob

[Autoguy]

Setting up a Verizon ir other SIM card to the wireless router that the Airstream Connect uses is relatively simple - it just requires a laptop computer (or phone) and just a little bit of computer savvy.

Airstream Connect is preconfigured to use an AT&T account - as it already has the SIM car installed inside. What you need to do is:

- procure a SIM card from a cellular supplier preconfigured. (I went to Verizon and bought a wifi hotspot and had it set up to run with 100 gig/month service level)

- access the wifi router that is part of the Airstream Connect (AC)

- power off the router

- remove the two SIM cards from the AC router

- insert the SIM card from the Verizon wifi hotspot into one of the two slots on the
Airstream Connect router.

- Note that the Airstream Connect uses the Peplink MAAX Series wifi router - simply do a google search and get the set up instructions and follow them. You will need your laptop (preferred) or cell phone (screen will be a bit tiny to see everything) to navigate the required steps to set up the router. Suggestion: Make sure you do a full reset to the Peplink router before you start your configuration that the instructions specify.

The entire process should take less than 30 minutes.....and once completed, it will provide a very cost effective way to stream television to your Airstream from your preferred provider (Hulu, Xfinity, Spectrum, Apple TV, etc.). In addition, the wifi can be used for a variety of other uses you may require. I have found that the antenna that is part of Airstream Connect is very effective at signal procurement. I have zero issues with the set-up I did.

[casebor]

Any help is appreciated, with regards to making my unit a Wifi hotspot. I am picking up my 2022 Interstate GT this weekend, the dealer wanted almost $3000 to buy and install the Airstream connect. Seems a bit over the top.
It looks like the antenna is already installed. (see pic). Besides the Pepwave router (which model?) what else do I need?
How difficult is it to install, hate to start it and then have to go to the dealer to finish the job.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by casebor

Any help is appreciated, with regards to making my unit a Wifi hotspot. I am picking up my 2022 Interstate GT this weekend, the dealer wanted almost $3000 to buy and install the Airstream connect. Seems a bit over the top.
It looks like the antenna is already installed. (see pic). Besides the Pepwave router (which model?) what else do I need?
How difficult is it to install, hate to start it and then have to go to the dealer to finish the job.
Attachment 420787

Hi

So to set things up:

1) Buy a router

2) Get a random SIM card

3) Put it in the router

4) Get it working ( in our case this means a couple days / 16 hours on the phone)

5) Now take the router out and wire it up in the trailer / van.

(trust me, it's *way* easier to do it like this ....)

You now have the router working.

What you do *not* have is "Airstream Connect".

If you want the Airstream product, it needs to come from a dealer. So you are missing all the cool monitoring stuff.

Bob

[khocke]

Originally Posted by casebor

Any help is appreciated, with regards to making my unit a Wifi hotspot. I am picking up my 2022 Interstate GT this weekend, the dealer wanted almost $3000 to buy and install the Airstream connect. Seems a bit over the top.
It looks like the antenna is already installed. (see pic). Besides the Pepwave router (which model?) what else do I need?
How difficult is it to install, hate to start it and then have to go to the dealer to finish the job.
Attachment 420787

The Poynting antenna has 5 connections that terminate inside the top rear-center cabinet driver side. There's also a 12V round connector (powered by a keyed switch in the rear driver side electrical panel). Connections are for 2x cellular mimo, 2x wifi, 1x GPS. Some owners report having an ethernet cable up there too, but I didn't.

I bought an older used Peplink MAX BR1 router (HW version 1) off eBay which works fine for my needs with a TMobile SIM. You might want to spend some time on the Peplink site and have a look at their offerings. Airstream installs a MAX model which is why I went that way too.

PS: My '2020-chassis Mercedes MBUX system has inbuilt hotspot. It's on the TMobile network and has some OK pricing BUT when you turn the van off, the system (and hotspot) shut down after 15 minutes or so.

[casebor]

My 2022 doesn’t have the MBUX installed, due to supply chain issues.
They have replaced it with a 10” Garmin panel.
If anyone has any knowledge about the Garmin, I would be interested in your opinion of this unit.
I liked the MBUX, especially the NAV function when in the boondocks off the grid.

[jfreeham]

We have Airstream Connect in our 2021 Caravel 19cb, in which we live full-time. The Caravel came prewired, so installing and activating was simple and considerably less than the excessive $3,000 mentioned above. My wife works remotely and has never had any problems. Last winter we were at Padre Island National Seashore and she worked all of the two weeks we were there. People walked by as she was sitting at the picnic table doing the Zoom thing and ask, "How are you able to work? We can't even get a cell signal." She pointed to the top of the Caravel and replied, "Airstream Connect."

Unlike Musk's satellites, it works in the forest.

We like it.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by casebor

My 2022 doesn’t have the MBUX installed, due to supply chain issues.
They have replaced it with a 10” Garmin panel.
If anyone has any knowledge about the Garmin, I would be interested in your opinion of this unit.
I liked the MBUX, especially the NAV function when in the boondocks off the grid.

Hi

Might be better to start a new thread with your question. Right now it's buried deep in a thread on a completely different topic ....

Bob

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by jfreeham

We have Airstream Connect in our 2021 Caravel 19cb, in which we live full-time. The Caravel came prewired, so installing and activating was simple and considerably less than the excessive $3,000 mentioned above. My wife works remotely and has never had any problems. Last winter we were at Padre Island National Seashore and she worked all of the two weeks we were there. People walked by as she was sitting at the picnic table doing the Zoom thing and ask, "How are you able to work? We can't even get a cell signal." She pointed to the top of the Caravel and replied, "Airstream Connect."

Unlike Musk's satellites, it works in the forest.

We like it.

Hi

If you can get an AT&T cell signal, the stock AS setup will use that signal. There is no rhyme or reason to which outfit covers here or there. We carry gear from all three of the "big guys" for that reason. In some places AT&T wins. In others TMobile has the only signal that works. Right now / right here, Verizon is winning that race. Further complicating things are the places you have some number of bars on this or that provider and absolutely horrible data .... ( like right here / right now with AT&T ...).

Bob

[microbeta]

Hello all,

I have a '22 AI 19 and I am installing the Peplink MAX BR1 (HW3) router.

A couple of issues I have ran into:

1). The HW3 version of the router has a different DC power connector. I had to buy a 4-pin Micro Molex cable to connect to the Airstream installed 12VDC barrel connector.

https://www.amazon.com/MHS041420-Mic.../dp/B07NSMYHW4

And I used the Female one of these to connect to the existing Airstream supplied power cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Connect.../dp/B07C61434H

2). What was interesting was that there was no power at that 12V DC connector. I found it inside the control panel with the other end on the yellow Cat5 cable. The Cat5 (Ethernet) cable goes from behind the drivers seat router bay to the control panel bay. It is unterminated on both ends and is either a remnant of common cable assembly or something for future use. I am sure *we* will find a use for it at some point. What have others found? It seemed from this thread that the power was connected? I have a keyed switch on the control panel but it is for heating the batteries. I think I will have to put a switch for the router on the control panel so it can be switched OFF and ON. The battery heater switch has unstitched 12VDC on one side of the keyed switch which I was going to pick off and switch for the router.

[microbeta]

Replying to my own message with more info as I dig into it...

Power. According to the wiring diagram it looks like there is suppose to be another keyed switch next to the battery heater keyed switch that if for the (optional) Peplink Router. This is fed from the 24HR bus and will be powered (24 hours?) even when the house master disconnect is turned OFF. The power is being monitored by a low voltage disconnect device so that when the house battery gets to a certain level, power to the router will be disconnected.

Here is the part of the wiring diagram of interest.



Also, according to the wiring diagram(s) it looks like the other end of the mystery Cat5 (ethernet) cable is intended to attach to "Smart Network" device that is part of the CZone. Likely to allow internet control and monitoring of the RV in the future.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

That diagram is correct in terms of how it *should* be done. On our van, I had do to some work to get it so it actually *was* that way ( = there was a wiring error).

You are correct that the stock wiring bypasses the sort of kind of disconnect sorta switch. The device gets power 24 hours a day until the batteries die.

Bob