Please help! Niche use case - how to I tackle this?

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billymac
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Please help! Niche use case - how to I tackle this?

Post by billymac »

Use Case
I'm trying to figure out a way to get an Internet connection on my boat. I am using a Raspberry Pi 4 B as an audio streamer with a specialized DAC HAT that is powered by the Pi. The goal is to improve overall sound quality by leveraging the DAC versus Bluetooth streaming. This would be achieved by using AirPlay, Spotify Connect, or simply streaming high quality Internet streams directly from the Pi. Volumio software running on the Pi gets me this functionality.

I bought a GL-iNet travel router (Mango), which is powered via USB from the Pi and was thinking I could simply use my iPhone in personal hotspot mode to provide the travel router with Internet and use WiFi repeater function. Well, it works, kind of, but something I learned quickly is that I can't leverage both WiFi from the iPhone and the hotspot from the phone at the same time. Makes sense, only one radio I guess, but am I missing something from a basic networking perspective? It just seems there's got to be a way to address this. I'd prefer not to tether via USB as that means the phone has to remain near the Pi & travel router setup.

Is there something I can do to share the personal hotspot AND be able to connect to the Pi and router on the same WiFi network SSID? I can get the Pi to connect to the phone, start an Internet radio stream from a separate laptop connected on the same WiFi networki, but this requires WiFi being turned off on the phone, which means no AirPlay or SpotifyConnect. As soon as I connect to the travel router's WiFi SSID, it dumps my hotspot connection to the router/Pi and breaks everything.

I'm not completely adverse to adding a USB LTE dongle or USB stick (if they still exist) and paying for an additional data plan, but it needs to be low power and hopefully powered via USB (if possible). Is this my only option here, and if so, can anybody recommend such a USB LTE device?
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Didneywhorl
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Re: Please help! Niche use case - how to I tackle this?

Post by Didneywhorl »

Your best bet is likely going to be a low cost modem and adapter plugged into the PI, and have the pi install the appropriate qmi or mbim drivers and maybe modemmanager.


Modem like: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modem ... furbished/

Adapter like: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/mini- ... new-style/

You'll need some antennas too:
Basic: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/anten ... tors-pair/

Big outdoor ones for your boat: https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/anten ... rine-base/
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