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Peplink Settings to Get Started

Pardon our dust...this guide is under construction!

Peplink offers many features in their mobile routers that sets them apart from other mobile router options on the market. But this can also be a little daunting when you first get started. In this guide, we'll help you set up your router for mobile internet use. The settings we cover in this guide are:

• Set up Time Zone and Device Name
• Baseline LAN Network, Adding SpeedFusion Dedicated Network, Adding Guest Network
• Enable SpeedFusion Cloud (optional for customers with more than 1 connection, remote work needs)
• Configure WiFi Network (s)
• Primary Network
• SpeedFusion Network
• Guest Network
• Configure Outbound Policies
• Configure Bandwidth Management/QoS
• Saving Changes, Backup Config & Share!

For more on Peplink products, see our full Peplink Resource Center:

Peplink Getting Started Initial Settings Video

Here's our video where MIRC founder Chris and Erik of MobileMustHave discuss setting up a Peplink router from scratch

Introduction

This guide will help you configuring your Peplink router for mobile internet use.

We will also share the configuration file of the device (as configured in the video and described here) so that you can easily apply the configuration. However, if you are new to Peplink we encourage you to follow along on your own device to build familiarity with your Peplink options and controls.

Compatible Peplink Devices

In the video we configured a MAX BR1 Pro 5G but this configuration file work with any Peplink device including popular models

• Peplink BR1 Mini
• Peplink Max Transit
• Peplink BR2
• Peplink B One and
• Peplink B One 5G
• and others.

First Steps

The very first steps are as follows.

• Remove the device from the box
• Attach any antennas to device
• Plug the device into power, and wait for the green lights to appear!
• Insert a sim card
• Connect a computer/tablet to your device. Connect to the device via WiFi and open the Admin Page. You can do this with a phone, but its likely much easier with a full keyboard for typing.
  • To get to the Admin page: open a browser window and enter the router's ip address (on the bottom of the device)
  • Log into the admin, and reset your password (Peplink will make you do this) (And make sure to write this password down)
  • Change your device's WiFi password (Peplink will make you do this). You will be disconnected from the device once you change your password.
  • Now reconnect to your device again via WiFI and enter in the new WiFi password you just created.
  • Log back into the Admin page with your new admin password.
  • Erik made a video on how to do these steps: https://youtu.be/_9LfDnECWq4
• Update the firmware to the latest version
  • We have a video for this here: https://youtu.be/bulhAcgLaAQ

If you are following along the video, note that Chris and Erik have already set up a WiFi as WAN connection in their example router so that they could film and show the device's screen. You do not have to do this to complete the initial settings for mobile internet. But if you'd like to, here are some instructions: https://youtu.be/Bg8iN5tXfLQ

Basic Configuration

Now that you have created new passwords and logged into your device you can get started with some basic settings. One of the advantages of a Peplink is that you can save your configuration and always reinstall a previous configuration should you decide you do not like your changes.

For this guide we will be making changes in five different tabs: SYSTEM, NETWORK, ACCESS POINT, SPEEDFUSION CONNECT, and ADVANCED.

The shorthand for describing what we are doing for each configuration is TAB --> LEFT MENU OPTION - MAIN SCREEN ROW. For example "System --> Time - Set Time Zone " tells you to select the System Tab, select "Time" on the left menu and go to the Set Time Zone row on the main screen.

The last step after making these changes is to apply the changes. You can make all the changes described in this guide (or make and fix mistakes too) and Peplink will save your progresss, but none of these will be implementented until the "Apply Changes" button is actually selected.

System Tab

First we will open the System Tab to set the time zone. Having the correct time zone will help when/if you need to check the system log.

System --> Time - Set Time Zone

System Tab is also where you can enable or disable Incontrol2.

InControl2 is a cloud based tool to manage your device remotely. Incontrol2 is alsohelpful if you forget admin password. We have a video with instructions for this https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/guides/peplink-incontrol2/.

System --> Incontrol - Controller (disable if your never going to use it)

Your PrimeCare includes one year of InControl. For more information on InControl see our guide:

Network Tab

Sometimes its really helpful to control how different devices or users access the internet. You can do this by creating different networks. We have a whole Peplink guide on using Virtual LANs to manage your internet access, check it out for more detailed information.

Here, we cover setting up a couple of common network and port options many nomads will use.

Renaming the Default Network

In the network Tab, you have a Left Menu with "LAN" and "WAN" options. In the LAN option the first Network you will see is "Untagged Network". You can rename this to something more helpful, like "Primary Network" or "Streaming Network", as you will need to refer back to this name.

Network --> LAN Network Settings - Name

Reconfiguring a WAN Port to LAN

In the LAN Port Setting you can assign one of your device's Ethernet WAN ports to become a LAN port. This can be handy to connect devices that may not connect via WiFi, like a security camera or printer etc.

Network --> LAN Port Settings - WAN

For more on the Peplink vWAN:

Creating a Speedfusion Network

To create a new network you click the New LAN button found in the topmost box in the LAN Network Settings:

Network --> LAN Network Settings - LAN - New LAN

Then in the new window's top box you add a new IP Address (e.g. 192.168.51.0). In the second box ("Network Settings") give it a name (e.g. SpeedFusion Network) and a VLAN ID (e.g. 2). In the third box ("DHCP Server) tell the router to assign IP range (eg "192.168.51.10" to "192.168.51.240"). And leave all other settings unchanged.

Creating a Guest Network

Sometimes you want to allow guests access to the internet, but you do not want them to have access to other information that is on your main network. A guest network lets you control their access.

Network --> LAN Network Settings - LAN - New LAN

You add a new IP Address (e.g. 192.168.53.0). Then in the "Network Settings" box, give it a name (e.g. Guest Network) and a VLAN ID (e.g. 3), unselect "Inter-VLAN routing", and tell the router to assign IP range (eg "192.168.53.10" to "192.168.53.240").

The most important step here is to unselect the Inter-VLAN routing to make sure they don't have access to your whole network. There are other things you can do with guest networks.

Connecting with Starlink

If you have Starlink and want to connect your Peplink device to Starlink you will want to enable the Starlink Controller setting.

Network --> WAN - Starlink

More Resources

For more information on virtual WAN, Guest Networks, and using Starlink and Peplink together, see

Access Point (AP)

Enabling External Access Points

You may have other external devices you wish to control with your Peplink device. To do this you will use the AP, or Access Point, tab.

If you turn on the Access Points, it will find devices and automatically connect. You can enable External Access Points this now even if you do not have any external devices you need to connect right now.

AP --> Wireless SSID - AP Controller - AP Management - toggle External AP

Creating a Wireless Network

To set up a Wireless Network. This the "WiFI" you can see when you go to connect wirelessly to the Peplink device/

AP -> Wireless SSID - New SSID

For "SSID" you create a text name for your wireless network (e.g. "Smith Family"). You can schedule it to be always on, and you tell it which virtual network to use (e.g. Primary Network, Speedfusion, Guest...). Set to Broadcast the network so you can find it. In the next box you set the security policy you wish to use. We recommend WPA2 or WPA3 (not WPA/WPA2 option). Finally, in the Shared Key row you add your password.

You can repeat these steps to set up wireless networks for each of your VLANs.

Finally, you will want to delete the factory SSID

AP -> Wireless SSID -> Delete Factory SSID (NOTE: if you apply changes now you will be logged out and have to log in using one of the new WIFI you just created).

Setting up Wireless Mesh (Optional)

To set up a Wireless Mesh

AP -> Wireless Mesh - "Add"

For Mesh ID use a text name (e.g. Smtih-Mesh-5G), toggle the frequecy you want (5GHz, 2.4 GHz or both), and create a password (AKA "Shared Key").

More Resources

For more information on Access Points see our guide

SpeedFusion Connect Tab (SF Connect)

In the SpeedFusion Connect tab you can enable a basic SpeedFusion Tunnel. To manually create a SF Tunnel follow this guide. Note that Peplink has "wizards" to help you do this, but they have the potential to miss settings/features you would want to have.

⁃ ⁃ SFC Connect

⁃ ⁃ Client Mode - Set Location to Auto or Location -> Click Green Checkbox

For more information on using SpeedFusion, See our guide:

Advanced Tab

Outbound Policies

⁃ ⁃ Advanced Tab -> Outbound Policy ->

⁃ ⁃ Adjust Default Rule - Consider Adjusting Default Rule

⁃ ⁃ Default is load balance, may be fine or cause issues depending on needs

⁃ ⁃ Consider priority, weighted balance or just leave default for new users

⁃ ⁃ Add Rule - Create SpeedFusion Rule for 192.168.51.x Network

⁃ ⁃ Use Enforced or Priority Policy

⁃ ⁃ Set SFC to Priority 1

⁃ ⁃ Terminate Sessions on Recovery Setting

⁃ ⁃ OPTIONAL Rules - Consider rule for Guest Network

⁃ ⁃ Choose based on your needs

For more information on outbound policies, see our guide

QoS Policies

⁃ ⁃ Advanced -> QoS -> User Groups -> QoS Clients -> New Rule

⁃ ⁃ Group by Subnet 192.168.52.0 for Guests

⁃ ⁃ Advanced -> QoS -> Bandwidth Control -> Individual Device Limits -> Enable ->  5mbps Down 2Mbps Up

⁃ ⁃ Advanced -> QoS -> Application -> Add -> VOIP -> All Protocols set to High

⁃ ⁃ Advanced -> QoS -> Application -> SpeedFusion VPN traffic Optimization -> ENABLED

⁃ ⁃ Advanced -> Firewall -> Content Blocking - Consider for Children or sensitive networks

For more information on Peplink Quality of Service Policies See our guide:

Wrapping Up

Once you have made your initial settings, it is time to click the "Apply Changes" button. Do remember that if you deleted the default network, you will be kicked out and have to log in again using one of your newly created networks.

And since you have created a wonder baseline, now is a great time to download your currect configuration.

System -> Configuration -> Download Current Configuration

You can keep this handy for when you wish to restore this set up.