Robware Software by Rob

Van Conversion: Part 12 - Internet and bling

In order to accommodate working from the van better, I decided to install a 4G antenna and WiFi router. The idea is that, while a phone does work very well, a dedicated antenna outside the Faraday cage that is a van would improve the chances of actually getting a signal vs a phone.

The antenna is a Poynting MIMO-3-12, which is a 2x2 MIMO 2G/3G/4G/LTE/5G antenna. The router is a Huawei B535. There is a small irony in that the router has a 4x4 antenna, which is faster than 2x2, but it isn't quite as strong.

Installing this did require another hole in the roof...

Installation

Area prepped
Area prepped

Fresh hole
Fresh hole

Antenna placed
Antenna placed

Antenna cable dropped in and route in insulation cut
Antenna cable dropped in and route in insulation cut

Antenna cable routed to over-cab shelf
Antenna cable routed to over-cab shelf

Router installed
Router installed

Working
Working

Would recommend a USB-C monitor, btw. The cheap ones don't have great colour, but they get the job done.

Bling

I also invested in some van bling. The old wheels were very tatty and I decided something a bit nicer was in order.

Old wheels
Old wheels

New wheels
New wheels

Posted on Monday the 4th of March 2024