Cradlepoint MBR1200 3G/4G Cellular Router
The MBR1200 is the latest addition to Cradlepoint's family of
cellular routers.
The Cradlepoint MBR1200 is a cellular router that simultaneously
supports up to five separate 3G or 4G mobile broadband modems as its internet
connectivity. The key purpose of any cellular router is to allow multiple
computers access to the internet -- via 3G modems
like those from Verizon and AT&T, or 4G devices like those from Sprint
and Clear -- and the MBR1200 is the most versatile router to make that
happen.
With its three USB ports, expresscard and pcmcia slots, the MBR1200
officially supports more 3G and 4G modems than any other cellular router,
and Cradlepoint stands alone as the manufacturer who adds support for the
newest modems in the shortest amount of time -- often having support for
a modem even before the modem is officially launched by a carrier!
Aside from having the most inputs, the MBR1200 doesn't hold back when
it comes to creating a local area network. The MBR1200 is the first cellular
router to offer a built-in four-port ethernet switch that offers not just
10/100 speeds, but also 1000mbp/s LAN connectivity (a.k.a. "gigabit ethernet").
In addition to its gigabit switch, the MBR1200 supports up to 64 wireless
clients over 802.11N WiFi (backwards compatible to
WiFi B/G) through two internal MIMO antennas or two external high-gain
WiFi antennas.
Beyond just being a cellular router, the MBR1200 also features a dedicated
ethernet WAN port allowing it to perform as a Cable/DSL/Satellite router...
but it doesn't stop there. The MBR1200 also features the ability to convert
LAN port #4 to serve as WAN port #2, allowing for a total of seven different
paths to the internet.
To provide connected users the highest level of "internet uptime", the
MBR1200 can failover between ANY of the internet sources,
and will even simultaneoulsy provide load balancing across all active internet
sources. This ability to quickly switch from a failed service to a backup
service means many businesses with unstable internet service will find
the MBR1200 hard to live without.
Another feature is support for up to five concurrent VPN sessions,
making the MBR1200 a great option for branch offices, client-site workgroups,
and remote enterprise gatherings... we're sure the MBR1200 will also allow
more executives to work remotely from home, even when that home does not
have common cable/dsl service available to it.
The MBR1200 ships with a 110v A/C Power Adapter (12V, 1.5A output), CAT5
Ethernet Cable (5 ft), Mounting Hardware, Quick Start Guide, and Accessory
Guide. An optional 'Security Cover' is available that covers modems to
prevent theft. Optional high-gain WiFi antennas are available to extend
the wireless range to and from the router. Optional 12v cigarette lighter
adapter allows for use in vehicles.
The
MBR1200 is arguably the MOST versatile a 3G/4G cellular router on the market
today.
continue reading: MBR1200 Features
and Specifications
Cradlepoint MBR12000 Features/Specification/Requirements
Specifications:
- WiFi Standards: 802.11 b/g/n; "MC-Plug"external antenna ports for
optional MBR1200 WiFi antennas (2)
- Network Connections: Four (4) 10/100/1000 LAN/WAN configurable ports, One (1) 10/100/1000 WAN (ethernet), three (3) USB 2.0 Modem Ports, One (1) ExpressCard Modem Slot, One 1 (1) PC/PCMCIA Card Slot
- Buttons/Switches: WiFi on/off switch; WPS Button (WiFi Security); Modem Signal Strength; Reset; and Power Switch
- LED Indicators: Power LAN/WAN 1-4, 1G WAN (Wired Network), WLAN (Cellular Network), WPS (WiFi Protected Setup), ExpressCard Modem, PC Card Modem, USB Status 1-3, Signal Strength
- Dimensions: 9" x 5.1" x 1.57"
- Certifications: FCC, IC, CE, WiFi Alliance
- Operating Temperature: 0-50 degrees celcius
- Power: 12v, 1.5amp input (110v A/C adapter included, 12v
D/C cigarette lighter is optional)
Features:
- Active Load Balancing between all internet sources.
- Failover between any input, Failback to ethernet/WAN.
- LAN Port #4 can be converted for use as 2nd WAN port via web admin.
- Automatic channel scan for best wifi channel
- WiFi client type (Lock to B or G or N, lock to B or G only, allow all)
- Access controls to limit activity by IP address, MAC address, day/time, website name, and website rating (very cool for parents, schools or even kiosk deployment)
- Virtual server settings to easily route specific port activity to servers on LAN side by IP address
- Wifi radio power settings. Useful when you need/want to limit/reduce wifi range
- Online check for latest firmware, straight to firmware update
- Dynamic DNS (DDNS) with support for 10+ different DDNS services
- Email notifications when certain router issues are triggered
- Log submission to a syslog server
- Offline storage of router config (useful when you want to save different settings for different uses)
- 2.412 to 2.484 GHz Frequency
Band Operation
- Compliant with IEEE 802.3 and 3u standards
- Supports OFDM and CCK Modulation
- Supports Cable/DSL modems with Dynamic IP, Static IP, PPPoE, PPTP, or L2TP connections
- Traffic Control and Virtual Server (max 32 servers) and DMZ
- UPnP (Universal Plug & Play) and ALGs Support for Internet applications such as Email, FTP, Gaming, Remote Desktop, Net Meeting, Telnet, and more
- Compatible with HSPA, EVDO, and WiMAX Cellular Network Devices
- Easy Management via HTTP and Remote Management via HTTP and SNMP
- Flash Memory for Firmware Upgrade, Save/Restore Settings
- Full Integration with WiPIPE Manager (optional managed services from Cradlepoint)
VPN Information:
- Create, manage, and terminate up to 5 IPSec VPN sessions
- Supported VPN Implementations: MBR1x00 to MBR1x00, MBR1x00 to Cisco/Linksys routers, MBR1x00 to Linux Systems
- Tunnel (default) and Transfer (aka Transport) modes
- Hash Algorithms (hardware accelerated) - MD5, SHA128, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512
- Cypher Algorithms (hardware accelerated) - AE2, 3DES, DES
- Keying - automatic using IKE 1.0 or Manual
- Authentication Method: Pre-shared Key
- Full Integration with WiPIPE Manager (optional managed services from Cradlepoint)
Security:
- Optional MBR1200 Security Enclosure ensures your modems stay where you put them
- Firewall features Network Address Translation (NAT) and Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) which prevents against DoS attacks
- Access control available in encryption and open modes, as well as password protected Internet Access to prevent unauthorized usage
- Provides additional security of Enable/Disable SSID and Internet Access Control (Services, URL, and MAC Filtering)
- Supports multiple concurrent IPSec, L2TP, and PPTP VPN Pass-Through Sessions
- Supports 64/128-bit WEP, WPA, WPA2 (Personal and Enterprise) Wireless Security Modes
In the box:
MBR1200 Failsafe Gigabit N Router, Power Adapter (12V, 1.5A), CAT5 Ethernet
Cable (5 ft), Mounting Hardware, Quick Start Guide, Accessory Guide
Minimum Requirements:
- Mobile Broadband USB, ExpressCard, or PC Card data modem with active subscription
or supported phone with active tethered (phone-as-modem) plan
- Windows XP/2000/Vista, Mac OSX, of Linux computer with WiFi adapter
- Firefox 2.0, Internet Explorer v6.0, or Safari 1.0 internet browswer
Available accessories for the CradlepointRouter MBR1200:
continue reading: MBR1200 Compatibility
MBR1200 Compatibility
As of the publish date of this review, the MBR1200 is compatible will all
the same USB and ExpressCard modems as the MBR1000 and adds official support
for these PCMCIA cards:
Verizon:
Sprint:
Alltel:
EVDOinfo maintains a complete list of router/device compatibility at http://www.EVDOinfo.com/routers
continue reading: MBR1200 Performance
MBR1200 Performance
With all officially support devices, the MBR1200 will transfer maximum bandwidth provided by any internet service/carrier. Devices that function in MBR1200 but are not officially supported, may experience less than maximum available throughput made available by attached modem.
The MBR1200's gigabit ethernet switch was able to do a local transfer of a
1GB file in an average of 50 seconds or approximately 20 megabytes per second.
The same file over the 100mb/s switch on an MBR1000 took an average of 95 seconds
or approximately 10.5 megabytes per second. The MBR1200's increased LAN capacity
will seriously benefit professional film crews that need to move video files
around on local network, before sending "dailies" to film executives.
The MBR1200 has two built-in WiFi MIMO antennas that work very well, but initial
testing resulted in about 10% reduced range compared to the MBR1000's three
external antennas. However, when we added the two external WiFi antennas designed
for use with the MBR1200, their high-gain design signficantly increased signal
power over the MBR1000's three external antennas. Its worth noting that other
high gain WiFi antennas can be used with the MBR1200 but they must be used
in pairs. In the near future, we are planning to do a thorough
WiFi range shootout comparing the older MBR1000's three external antennas vs.
the MBR1200's internal antennas vs. the MBR1200 with Cradlepoint's external
antennas vs. the MBR1200 with the WiFi booster antennas we sell for the CTR500.
continue reading: Our Take
What We Like and What We Wish It Had
- Really Cool
- five cellular inputs
- a total of seven possible internet sources, simultaneously
- the most supported 3G modems and cell phones or any cellular router
- 4G modem support
- load balancing across all available internet sources
- failover and failback (to ethernet)
- option for high gain wifi antennas
- gigabit ethernet switch
- security cover to prevent modem theft
- Cradlepoint support -- especially staying as up to date as they do
with new device support
- all for ONLY $50 more than the MBR1000
- Why Can't We Also Have?
- SMS/Email alerts when bandwidth thresholds are hit
- More common SMA jacks for WiFi antennas
- Bandwidth aggregation (drool!)
- Support for USB network storage
- Support for USB printers
- Support for USB voip like magicjack
- Support for USB WiFi adapter to serve as another input (WiFi-As-WAN)
If you are in the market for a cellular router for mobile use or for failsafe
backup, the MBR1200 has state-of-the-art features that make it the most versatile
choice in the market today.
If you have questions about the MBR1200 feel free to contact the mobile broadband
experts at http://3gstore.com
continue reading: MBR1200 Photos
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