Peplink Wireless Setup Best Practices

In this video, we review the wireless (not cellular) settings of the Max series mobile routers and set up the wireless for optimal performance and flexibility.
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There are 4 videos in this series for setting up your Wifi. For the best results, make sure you have watched the videos in order as each builds on the previous.
Video 1: Setting up wifi on your Pepwave (this video)
Video 2a: Adding an Access Point if you have AP Control support - • Adding Secondary Acces...
Video 2b: Adding an Access Point for a BR1 MK2 (no AP Controller) - Coming soon!
Video 3: Setting up a Wireless Mesh Network with Pepwave - • Configuring Wireless M...
For the second video when setting up an Access Point, you will need to watch 2a OR 2b depending on the unit you purchased. If you got a Pepwave that has an AP control included in the firmware, video 2a shows the correct setup steps. If you purchased one of the bundles, this video is for you if you have the Speed Demon and Ultimate Road Warrior.
Video 2b shows how to set up an Access Point if your Pepwave does not have an AP control. The most common models sold without an AP controller are the Pepwave BR1 MK2 or the BR1 Mini. These are units included in the Essentials and the Full-Time bundle.
Product Links
NEW: 5 Port DC Power PoE Switch: mobilemusthave.com/products/5...
DC Powered 8 Port PoE Switch Available here: mobilemusthave.com/products/8...
PoE Injector for Single AP Installations: mobilemusthave.com/products/1...
Wireless Access Points:
AP MINI: mobilemusthave.com/products/a...
AP AX Lite:mobilemusthave.com/products/p...
AX AX: mobilemusthave.com/products/a...

[@mysideofearth]

As someone who works in IT, this has to be one of the most detailed but also concise explanations I have heard in a while.

[@MobileMustHave]

Thank you for the kind response! We're happy to hear that the video was helpful for you!

[@MrWelbus]

Awesome help!!! Step by step instructions. Watch this guy of you Have any issues with your peplink router. Great work

[@davidcarter3053]

Thank you for the information! This was one of the setup challenges i was trying to figure out and your video took care of it! Thanks again for the great subject matter and content.

[@MobileMustHave]

You're very welcome!

[@stevesmith9173]

PERFECT.... short, to the point and everything that i needed! thank-you!

[@MobileMustHave]

Glad it helped!

[@jpowley2691]

Awesome video! Can’t wait to order my system from you.

[@TLG78]

This helps a bunch. Thank you. Now I’m gonna redo my network.

[@Bhos68]

You all are the best. Very helpful video and wonderful staff

[@MobileMustHave]

Glad you liked it!

[@RichardDeAgazio]

Amazing instruction....got it going to perfection! Thanks

[@MobileMustHave]

Thanks Richard, Glad it helped!

[@stanhowarth8709]

I have recently purchased a Pepwave max BR1 KM2 bu in the AP tab it has about 1/3 of the config settings that you show in your screen. Thoughts why that would be? Eg) I have no Auto option in channel width and management vlan ID and no auto channel update. Thanks.

[@NikosPiano]

Thank you for this super helpful video! I’m looking into purchasing a peplink dual modem router and I was curious if you know whether it’s possible to connect it to an existing wireless mesh system (I’m currently using Eero). Thanks!

[@MobileMustHave]

You can connect any wifi system via the lan port of any router including pepwave but note youll have two separate admin pages since you have to admin separately and also should turn off the pepwave wifi so they dont fight. In general if your investing in a pepwave with dual modem that has a wifi controller youll be happier if you get matching access points so its all controlled by the firewall but to answer your question yes its possible, just more complicated.

[@NikosPiano]

@@MobileMustHave gotcha thanks so much!

[@russellnesbitt4548]

Do you have any video's that talk about security? For example, when I connect my peplink router up to a campground wifi, how secure is my local wifi network? Should I work on setting up firewall rules, or is my default setting in the peplink router sufficient?

[@MobileMustHave]

Hi Russell, regardless of any settings you put on your firewall, your traffic is going over a public wifi system provided by the campground (or Starbucks etc) so once traffic leaves your router it's inside the network of the campground provider. You can choose to run your traffic over a VPN by installing a VPN software on your laptops such as nordVPN or others you'll find all over the net which are simple and easy to set up. You can also choose to enable SpeedFusion cloud which can be configured on your Pepwave to route traffic from the Pepwave to the internet via an encrypted VPN tunnel to a data center and then out to the internet. This is a much more advanced function and not for everyone as it can also cause problems (the first option is a lot easier with a software VPN like nord you can just turn on/off within your computer). We have a guide on how to use SpeedFusion cloud if you are interested here: support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000690510-enabling-speedfusion-cloud-on-peplink-devices

[@StressLessCamping]

What a clear and well presented explanation. Thank you so much!

[@MobileMustHave]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stancunningham7612]

It would really help if you told us how to get into the pepwave dashboard. I have one of your units installed with the sim card in, but don't know how to get to the dashboard. If any one could help I would appreciate it

[@MobileMustHave]

Hi Stan, check out our guide on accessing the admin console. Here is a link: support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000671993-accessing-pepwave-admin-page

[@WilliamvanNunen]

Can I leave 1 connection of the wifi connection outdoor antenna not connected? Replace it with the paddel antenna to get better wifi inside the rv? Or always use an ap?

[@MobileMustHave]

Great question, yes you can do that! That's actually the route we suggest for people with Airstreams to help produce a wifi signal both inside and outside of the RV, to help workaround the faraday cage affect! If you have any other questions for us, reach out to us via email at [e-mail] and we'll be happy to help!

[@garydevore3330]

So how would this differ if you are usinga system with two sim cards. Do i just add another 2.4 amd 5ghz network using same procedure?

[@MobileMustHave]

Using a second wan source (second modem/sim card) would not require you to have a separate wifi. The pepwave by default if you set both modems in priority 1 would load balance your connections across the two sims. If for some reason you wanted to have a dedicated wifi for each sim you could do this by creating a second wifi then using the outbound priority function to set that network to use that sim. That said this typically wouldnt be how youd want to setup for mobile use as it would be better to just have one wifi and set the outbound priority to for example always use the sim with the lowest latency or fastest response time. This way you dont have to keep switching your clients to different wifi or clogging up your wifi spectrums with multiple networks. That said for the right use case it’s certainly doable!

[@marvinbeacham6817]

Hello, I have the BR2 and when I am home, I would like the Pepwave to pick up my home wireless internet and EXTEND/REPEAT my home WiFi thru my Pepwave. This way, I can get DHCP issued by my home network and therefore my devices in the RV acts like they were in my home on my home network. I need this so I can work with the NASs in my RV exchanging files for when I hit the road without having to copy everything over onto a HHD and make the transfer. Please assist.

[@MobileMustHave]

This is a great question! To much to cover in a KZbin comment so reach out to us and we can head you in the right direction. Short answer is there is a Peplink relay you can use on your home network that will link all this together.

[@NickKarpen]

Is this really necessary if al the devices in my RV are modern devices? I have been running a single 2.4/5gmz SSID for years on my home Unifi system without issue.

[@MobileMustHave]

its up to you. Most IT professionals still do not recommend using auto on most networks as your letting the access point determine what network to use not your device or the user. This can create undesirable switching between networks, saturation on slower networks, and incompatibility issues but was developed as many home users do not have the ability to set up the networks separately as generally recommended. Keep in mind you can also create separate 2ghz and 5ghz networks like this video shows and/or also create a 3rd "auto network" where you leave both bands enabled. This would give you the best of both worlds with forced 2ghz and 5ghz networks and a 3rd option for devices you wanted to just use whatever the router thought was best. We arent recommending the need for 3 networks, but it certainly can be done (or you could have just a 2ghz and then a 5ghz/2ghz auto network and keep it at 2 total networks as another example). Simply check/uncheck the boxes under wifi settings for the radios you want to disable/enabled for each SSID to customize to your preference.

[@oneonly7182]

I need help with a new product out of the box, I put antennas on, two solid green lights, I picked up my tablet and put in my password for the first time it came back with " Authentication problem" I can't get on the internet or pepwave to get on the dash board to make any changes.

[@MobileMustHave]

If this is your first time setting it up, it might be worth doing a factory reset. This will insure the password is the factory default. If you are still having issues, reachout to us at [e-mail]

[@perryb5373]

Just bought the 5g Pepwave. Can you help me change the Nat Type?

[@MobileMustHave]

not sure if the firmware supports that yet as the 5G version is still not running its final version. Reach out to our support team and then can help if its possible. [e-mail]

[@gerryp9717]

I dont see the ssid settings on the AP/settings tab. I have the Pepwave max BR1 mini. Where do I find the 2.4/5 ghz checkboxes for each ssid? I’ve looked at every screen in there and it doesnt appear anywhere.

[@MobileMustHave]

Hi Gerry, if you have the mini with s single wifi antenna your device only supports 2.4ghz which is why you do not see the radio settings. The new mini released this year now has 5ghz support.

[@gerryp9717]

@@MobileMustHave Got it! Thanks!

[@DeekJohnson]

Wonder why don't I see this "Settings" screen layout on my MAX BR1 MINI? Firmware version 8.2.0 build 5167

[@MobileMustHave]

I would recommend updating to 8.3 and if you still dont see an option please reach out to us via email and we will look into it further with you!

[@3wadesanrv498]

I made a mistake and lost my login info to get into the admin page online. Is a hard reset the best way to be able to login again? I tried the icontrol2 and logged in but I couldn’t find where I could control the Pepwave and settings.

[@MobileMustHave]

You can do a Password Only Reset. Power on your device and wait for the status light to remain solid green. While the device is powered on, insert a paperclip into the reset hole shown above and hold the rest button for 5-7 seconds. DO NOT hold the button for more than 10 seconds or you will factory reset the settings on your device as well as the password. Allow the device to reboot and attempt login after you see a solid green status light once again.

[@3wadesanrv498]

@@MobileMustHave perfect!! Exactly what I was looking for. I couldn’t find or wasn’t looking in right area. Thank you very much.

[@stevecabacungan]

How do you get in to the Pepwave dashboard?

[@MobileMustHave]

our guide to accessing the Pepwave admin console is here: support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000671993-accessing-pepwave-admin-page

[@scottydudley5700]

How do you get to the pepwave dash board?

[@MobileMustHave]

Article on accessing the dashboard is here: support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000671993-accessing-pepwave-admin-page. NOTE newer firmware may pop up a security warning that must be bypassed (its not a security threat, you contacting your local router sitting next to you) - instructions on bypassing this are here: support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000628667-bypassing-certificate-error-logging-into-pepwave-admin-console

[@cliffscott8891]

Why not just leave the old one incase something goes wrong then remove/delete after testing?

[@MobileMustHave]

You could do that too if you like! We have set up thousands of these so this is our default process, but you can always remove it later. Worse case, factory reset the device and start over. :)

[@KeithStrang]

Not sure if separating networks applies to WiFi 6. Take this all with a grain of salt as this is my experience with Ubiquiti equipment, it’s just been my interpretation and experience… the new WiFi 6 standard combines 2.4Ghz and 5GHz into one AP for auto negotiation depending on the device/load. To separate them out I think you’re technically forcing it back to WiFi 5. WiFi 6 also has greater “punch” and range. I’ve found a single WiFi 6 router/AP will cover a whole property adequately where multiple repeaters/APs were needed previously. WiFi 6 also greatly improves band selection in congested environments. Long story short, a lot of the tricks of the past, WiFi 6 fixes. Before adding multiple APs and separating the frequencies, try a WiFi 6 router as is and I’d bet you’d be fine.

[@MobileMustHave]

Hi Keith, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 both supported single SSID with both frequencies. Since the primary reason for breaking out your SSID's is for legacy device support and to ensure devices use the band you want. You will still take advantage of many WIFI 6 benefits even when utilizing band steering by SSID as WiFI6 supports wider channel widths of 160mhz among other features. One option is to follow this guide but create a 3rd wifi SSID set to auto with both 2ghz/5ghz WIFI enabled and testing devices on that 3rd SSID. We have customers who also just have one SSID set to auto then create a 2ghz only WIFI as a secondary to use only when they experience issues. A great question/comment, thanks Keith!

[@KeithStrang]

@@MobileMustHave Thanks for the reply!

[@faahcue]

Didn't work and now I cannot access the Web admin page.

[@MobileMustHave]

remember to wait and also make sure you are checking the AP access point section for an adopted ap, it will no longer be accessible the same way once the controller takes it over and will now be administered from the admin console of the router withe the AP controller. Be sure to wait long enough for the device to reboot and if you have an issue you can also start again by simply holding the reset button the on the AP for 15 seconds with a paperclip and re-adopting if needed. Take care to follow each step and if you purchased from us reach out and we can help you get it working.

[@escapetoparadise2226]

What website do u go too why don’t you say it in video??

[@MobileMustHave]

I'm not sure which website you are referencing. let me know for sure. But our website is MobileMustHave.com For specific help, feel free to email [e-mail]

[@escapetoparadise2226]

@@MobileMustHave to get to the settings menu!!!!

[@MobileMustHave]

​@@escapetoparadise2226 ah the Peplink dashboard, to access the dashboard of your router follow our quick start guide which will guide you through all of the basics including how to access your admin dashboard for the first time: support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000391582-pepwave-max-series-max-series-bundle-get-started-guide-

[@escapetoparadise2226]

@@MobileMustHave literally the hardest website to use. No idea how access homepage to sign in. Absurd you cannot call anyone live.

[@MobileMustHave]

@@escapetoparadise2226 Are you referring to accessing the Peplink admin panel? The most common issue is that customers are not connected to the Peplink wifi when they attempt to access the admin panel via web browser at 192.168.50.1. We have a complete guide on how to access including videos here support.mobilemusthave.com/support/solutions/articles/67000671993-accessing-pepwave-admin-page If you are an MMH customer you can also join our bi-weekly live Q&A hosted by an expert Peplink certified specialist who can answer additional questions and direct you to additional resources. You can attend as may of those sessions as you'd like each week as your questions evolve with the product. We also offer scheduled consultations (callbacks) for customers interested in learning more and technical support teams schedule calls with customers all the time that are having issues. If you are an MMH customer and are stuck let us know and we can get you scheduled for a live Q&A and if you are experiencing a hardware issue or another issue escalate with our support team to ensure you are taken care of. Sorry for the trouble but we are here to help and will get your issues resolved!

[@djamesgraham]

Maybe you all can respond back to my tech support tickets- I dropped 1500 dollar’s on tech and you don’t even have the courtesy to call me back to support me. I will never do business with you again.

[@zulmamorales3583]

Mi signal is so bad and no one to talk to!!!