WiFiRanger's Aspen indoor router is the middle tier in the lineup of TetherPoint indoor routers that are designed to easily pair with a WiFiRanger Converge (Teton, Denali, or Everest) installed on an RV roof.
But the Aspen also works standalone - and if you do not need the roof-mounted features, the Aspen by itself is an exceptional value with plenty of features built in and future upgrade potential.
The Aspen router is built with the ability to add an internal LTE modem upgrade, it has an SD Card slot for data collection, and USB 2.0 port to allow tethering cellular devices.
If you have a powered USB hub, you can tether up to three mobile hotspots and/or cellphones to a WiFiRanger Aspen router to load balance your usage across multiple WAN inputs
WiFiRanger tells us that:
"Aspen is like a GoAC (WiFiRanger's current indoor flagship) on steroids. It’s 802.11ac with a quad core processor and hardware acceleration. It has external antennas and beam forming."
For just $50 more than Poplar and vastly less than the $349 GoAc, the Aspen seems likely to be a fantastic value for a feature packed router.
The WiFiRanger Aspen was officially announced in September 2019.
For an overview of the full WiFiRanger product line (and a look at some of the software features in common across different devices), see our gear center entry:
Specifications
- Model Name: Aspen
- Base Technology: TBD
- Router Specs:
- Cat-4 Cellular Modem Upgrade Specs:
- Supported Networks and Bands: LTE Bands: 2, 4, 5, 12/17, 13, 14, 66, 71
- LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: No
- MIMO Support: 2x2 Integrated Antenna
- LTE Performance Category: Category 4
(Max Theoretical Speed: 150 Mbps Down / 50 Mbps Up) - Cellular Antenna Ports: TBD
- SIM Card Type: TBD
- Dimensions: TBD
- Power Source: 12V or 24V DC Power / AC Power Adapters Optional
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Retail Price: $129
- + $99 for Internal LTE Cat-4 Modem Upgrade Kit
- + $59 to for LTE Cat-4 to Cat-6 Upgrade
Review & Testing Status
In late October we received our evaluation WiFiRanger Spruce indoor unit, along with a WiFiRanger Converge Denali - courtesy of WiFiRanger. We most likely will not test the Aspen once released, as the Spruce is comparable enough.
Here is our first look video:
We will be integrating these into our testing, and sharing our hands on experience with our members.
During our evaluation, members can track our impressions and testing data in these places:
- [Testing Lab Report] Pepwave MAX Transit Duo vs WiFiRanger Converge, MIMO Antennas (Fall/Winter 2019/2020)
- In Progress Testing Forum Notes
Potential Alternatives to Consider:
For other popular mobile routers on the market we are tracking - here are our featured options:
Learn More About Selecting Mobile Routers
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Our members have funded this resource center and any extensive hands on time
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Purchasing Options
The WiFiRanger Aspen is expected to go on sale in Mid-November, 2019.
You can mix & match indoor and outdoor WiFiRanger units as desired - or go with just indoor or just outdoor. You can also purchase the Aspen as part of a package with the Converge Denali outdoor unit for $549.
WiFiRanger has a wiring setup they call "TetherPoint" that makes it easy to connect between indoor and outdoor WiFiRanger units - and which provides power to both sides.
WiFiRanger's lineup of "TetherPoint" indoor routers are designed to easily pair with the Converge units on the roof.
An indoor router is not required for a WiFiRanger system - but having one will give you ethernet ports for wired networking, USB tethering support for connecting via cellular hotspots, and it will let your indoor Wi-Fi network operate independently from the long-range Wi-Fi radio on the roof - improving overall Wi-Fi performance across the board.
Or you can purchase just the indoor router if you don't need the longer range roof mounted components.
Whichever way you go - you can always expand your system later, as needed.
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