i’m puzzling over how to use an “old” smartphone as an alternate communication device if the Internet connection goes down. I’m particularly interested in using it to send SMS for notifications in place of the Internet path and i’m trying to sort out how one could do this. I’d also like to examine if there is any way to use its 3G/4G data path as an alternate path for Vera.
I have an “HTC One” with a spare number sitting around so I did experiment with it using Tasker and AutoVera checking some Multiswitch settings in Vera. But it has never been particularly successful so I was curious if anyone had tackled this and had a workable solution.
For the SMS notification solution off the top of my head I would think that some variation on Richard Schaefer’s excellent “Vera Alerts” Plug In along with a modified version of his associated Android Vera Alert APP would be a good solution. The Plug In would have a Profile that pointed at a Wi-Fi connected smartphone running a modified version of the Vera Alerts Android APP. The Plug In could then direct messages to the smartphone Profile when the Internet was unavailable so that it could originate SMS to the normal “remote” users.
I have a router (Cisco) with DUAL WAN - One is actually my phone … If the normal internet goes down I rollover to my mobile.
I actually live out in the boonies … My Mobile data rate is 20MB but my ethernet is 5MB … When I am in a hurry I sometimes disconnect my internet.
If data plans where cheaper I would live off my mobile.
[quote=“RichardTSchaefer, post:2, topic:188776”]I have a router (Cisco) with DUAL WAN - One is actually my phone … If the normal internet goes down I rollover to my mobile.
I actually live out in the boonies … My Mobile data rate is 20MB but my ethernet is 5MB … When I am in a hurry I sometimes disconnect my internet.
If data plans where cheaper I would live off my mobile.[/quote]
I have a Dual Wan Linksys in the closet and at one time I had it running in failover using a MegaPath DSL as the primary and a Comcast Cable modem as the secondary. It kind of worked but it was never really reliable. Right now I have ATT uVerse and their NVG589 “router” makes this solution a real mess so I don’t use it any longer. I get 28Mbps on the uVerse and I in my area I can get 8-10 Mbps on the 4G/LTE.
But even if I can’t solve the alternate online access I’d still like to solve the notification problem. Our uVerse doesn’t go out very often but …
If your extra smart phone has mobile data can’t you just get that data into your dual wan router to use when the main service goes down? Then use the Vera add on’s in their usual way?
I am not sure you would even need your extra smart phone if you can get a mobile to wired ethernet device to go into your dual wan router.
@clippermiami, sorry to hijack your thread but it sounds like this is what you are trying to do? If not I will take this to another thread.
I have been wanting to test failover routers using Freedom Pop or some other “free until used mobile service” for service when my main internet service goes down. I really do not want to pay for a backup internet service I am not using until it is needed in the event of main internet service failure. Freedom Pop is the only one I have found.
Any advice? Anyone else doing this?
[quote=“Jamr, post:4, topic:188776”]If your extra smart phone has mobile data can’t you just get that data into your dual wan router to use when the main service goes down? Then use the Vera add on’s in their usual way?
I am not sure you would even need your extra smart phone if you can get a mobile to wired ethernet device to go into your dual wan router.
@clippermiami, sorry to hijack your thread but it sounds like this is what you are trying to do? If not I will take this to another thread.
I have been wanting to test failover routers using Freedom Pop or some other “free until used mobile service” for service when my main internet service goes down. I really do not want to pay for a backup internet service I am not using until it is needed in the event of main internet service failure. Freedom Pop is the only one I have found.
Any advice? Anyone else doing this?[/quote]
It started out looking for a way to use the smartphone simply for notifications when the Internet is down. I use Vera Alerts via Twilio to send SMS to family phones when various things happen, (alarm armed, disarmed, violated, Blue Iris motion detected on a particular camera, etc). When the net connection is down those notifications don’t happen.
The idea of a backup data path would be nice regardless of whether it was 4G data or cable modem or something. But as I said the ATT uVerse “router” makes putting a router behind it a pain. They call it cascade touter and I have beat my pick against that setup for several weeks to no avail. I have been unable to get it to work.
Got it. Service supplied routers are a pain! If you have to keep it, maybe split the internet service before it gets to the router and install a personal router or the dual wan router? Is this fiber or coax to your modem/ router?
Its ATT uVerse, twisted pair. Works very well for the most part and its very fast considering its ATT :), 28MB is normal. There is no way to put a 3rd party modem on the link, proprietary signalling. There are instructions for putting a cascade router behind it but as I said I’ve beat my pick on that problem for weeks without success.
I have attached secondary routers by spitting the line after the modem but if your unit is a router and a modem together you may be stuck until you figure out how to install another one after your router.
Maybe someone that knows a lot about service provider routers can help you here.
I will keep peeking in to see if someone can chime in on the best way to set up a dual wan system with a “No Pay Until Needed” basckup.
[quote=“Jamr, post:8, topic:188776”]I have attached secondary routers by spitting the line after the modem but if your unit is a router and a modem together you may be stuck until you figure out how to install another one after your router.
Maybe someone that knows a lot about service provider routers can help you here.
I will keep peeking in to see if someone can chime in on the best way to set up a dual wan system with a “No Pay Until Needed” basckup.[/quote]
Thanks
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