Besides backup batteries for Konnected and your Smartthings hub, you need a backup internet solution. Without internet you have no control of Konnected or Smartthings' ability to trigger an intrusion, arm or disarm. In order to prevent this, I installed a Netgear 4G LTE backup modem that uses a sim card for internet service. If your normal internet service goes out, the modem automatically and immediately switches to the LTE service. When your normal internet service returns , the modem will switch back. And for the best part you can get the 4G LTE service for free! So how do you get it for free? Go to Freedom Pop website and signup for their service. They'll send you a sim card (which works off of the AT&T network) for $1. As a new customer you get a 30 day free trial with 2GB of data. After the 30 days you have to pay. Before you reach the 30 day deadline you lower your service level to the FREE 500MB data plan. Smartthings uses very little data so I never get close to the 500MB level even if my internet out for a couple of days. Now you have a rock solid system. And if that isn't good enough for you, I have the ultimate backup to the backup ... two German shepherds at hone. CRUNCH :)
Hey ..Nice info
Would you be able to provide the link for the modem and some information as to how the setup is done. I am a little confused how the new modem will take over when the main one is down?
Sorry for the late response. Just saw your post. I use this modem.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-LB1120-100NAS-LTE-Modem-Connection/dp/B01N5ASNTE/
I just connect the Netgear modem into one of the ports on my home router and then connect the Smartthings Hub to the Neatgear modem. Insert a SIM card from a carrier into the Netgear modem. That's it. Te modem will automatically switch from your home internet connection to the backup 4G LTE if your connection goes down. Very easy
I just did this, rock solid.
Very interesting.
Jack R, As you've described your install, you must have the LB2120, and not the LB1120 that you linked to above correct?
Thx
Yes I have model LB2120.
I have been using this solution for a minute and of course we had some storms and internet outage.
ST came online via the backup LTE internet. I noticed anything that was hardwired via the Konnected board did not show up on my smart things app.
The Konnected Boards connect via WiFi to your main SSD and if your main WiFi goes down, so does the connection to the boards. This leaves the backup solution with a big hole.
Since I discovered I setup a WAN Failover to the Netgear on my router/server and restrict everything except the ST hub, boards, and my WAPs. This has now filled this gap and working well.
I guess I'm confused what exactly the smartthings hub even does. If you put the netgear backup modem in between the Konnected and your home wireless network, wouldn't that solve both problems without having to set up a failover in your router? Is it a necessity that the smartthings hub itself needs to keep talking to the internet if Konnected is able to? Obviously non-konnected devices wouldn't work without the hub connecting but for the purposes of home security that shouldn't matter
My question being, would this setup work and provide a complete backup experience for Konnected, its sensors, the sirens/alarms, and remote arm/disarm capability?
Internet modem
-> Router
-> Netgear LTE modem
-> Second router just for Konnected
-> Konnected
And the SmartThings hub is just connected to your regular router, and would go down if your internet goes down.
Also ideally if Konnected were to get an ethernet port, the second router could be skipped
Konnected is not a stand alone system. It has to be connected to Smartthings hub to function. The hub needs a internet connection to operate. That's why a backup internet is extra protection.
@Chris yes your setup will work fine. Mine is a little bit more non traditional with a router/server and WAPs. With the Netgear setup you described, everything will be work perfectly fine. I wanted to limit the data going through the Netgear on my main internet failure due to data usage limits on the plan that I chose.
The original article described getting 500mb of data per month for free through freedom pop, I didnt want my kids streaming if the internet went out. Only wanted ST working for security purposes.
One other thing. If you are using the Freedom Pop sim, the company will deactivate the sim if it doesn't see any activity during the month. To reactivate you just go to the website and click a button. No big deal. But I didn't want to bother with that. So I just use the parental control on my main router to block the internet to the netgear LTE modem once a week for a brief period of time. That way the Netgear LTE modem fall over will activate and Freedom pop sees some activity.
Yea I noticed that too. I have my server pinging it every few hours so it sees data.
I have a DSL modem/router, is there anyway to integrate one of these so it works as a backup to my system? I've attached a pic of my device. If it will work, which port would I attach it to?
Or do I need to have a separate router?
Thanks!
Does the netgear dual WAN / SIM capable modem allow you to do policy based routing for the critical devices (i.e. SmartThings hub, konnected boards, keypads, etc.) so that they can use the LTE backup but so that other devices in the home do NOT failover?
it does not...I use a Opnsense firewall router to do that.
Regarding internet disconnection. The node MCU board supports AP mode. If Konnected could release a version of the system which simply puts the node MCU into AP mode as a failover then as long as the alarm panel had one of this portable UPS devices plugged in, a home owner could connect directly to the NodeMCU (as an access point) to dis/arm the alarm in an event of a power/wifi outage.
Any thoughts or feedback on this would be appreciated.
Saj Varghese, Your WAN fail over solution doesn't leverage the both ports of the LB2120 because you are using physically separate router NICs to connect to your primary modem and the Netgear 4G modem correct?
Therefore, the single port LB2120 would suffice?
Thx
This is an old topic but Im wondering if anyone has actually got this to work using freedompop and the netgear lb2120. I had it set up in bridge mode w/ failover but no dice. I just lose connection. My modem is att fiber and im using orbi mesh as a router.
Maybe I need to use router mode? I wish there was a guide on how to actually implement this so
1. failover works
2. Monthly scheduled failovers so freedompop activates on a monthly basis to keep the sim/free plan active
3. Restrict failover to smart home devices/hub/konnected
If anyone has this successfully done, and dont mind sharing, that would be awesome!
I'm about to go down this route, so hopefully Ahmed - you figured this out.