Networking

Review: Government Workers Can Go Online Anywhere with Cradlepoint IBR900-600M

This wireless router can withstand extreme temperatures and shocks to remain connected.

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John Breeden II is an award-winning reviewer and public speaker with 20 years of experience covering technology.

County and state workers may have to conduct business at far-flung outposts where there is no reliable broadband internet, or perhaps within their vehicles as they visit remote locations. But those places don’t have to be unproductive dead zones. The Cradlepoint IBR900-600M wireless router can use a cellular signal to connect those workers and their devices to the internet, to online services or to their office networks.

As long as there is cellular service in an area, the IBR900 can keep devices connected.

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Just How Compact and Tough Is This Router?

The wireless router is small and weighs less than 1 pound, yet it is ruggedized against all the typical hazards many remote devices face. That includes shock, which is basically being dropped or otherwise impacted by something; and it includes vibration, which is important in vehicles, especially when driving on unpaved roads.

The router is also protected against extremes in temperatures. It can function without fail at anywhere between minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to 158 degrees F.

The Cradlepoint Router Is Device-Friendly

Device setup was extremely easy. The router can be connected to a standard electrical outlet or the power supply in a vehicle. On the cellular side, it can use any LTE-based network signal. And it has four antennas that allow it to provide reliable 802.11ac wireless connectivity for about 100 feet or so around the device, using the new wave 2 technology to manage bandwidth for multiple users or applications.

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From a user perspective, once it’s configured, using the Cradlepoint router is little different from connecting with any other router or access point, even if it is being used from within a vehicle. And thanks to the wave 2 technology, it can also easily be managed and used as a hub for multiple Internet of Things or other devices.

As long as there is cellular service in an area, the IBR900 can keep devices connected.”

Your Connection Will Be Fast and Readily Available

For example, it can be set up in a remote outpost or building without wired internet access, ensuring that all IoT devices, such as sensors or security cameras stationed there, can constantly report their findings. With a maximum throughput of 600 megabits per second, the router has more than enough bandwidth to serve an army of IoT devices and still provide connectivity for the occasional human visitor.

DISCOVER: The next generation of wireless.

The Cradlepoint IBR900-600M wireless router is a great choice for connecting remote state government assets to the internet, as well as providing internet access for workers in their cars or work trucks. It’s easy to set up and maintain, and provides fast and reliable connectivity from almost anywhere.

CRADLEPOINT IBR900-600M WIRELESS ROUTER

SPECIFICATIONS

Product Type: Wireless cellular router
Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac wave 2 wireless connectivity
Max Cellular Transfer Rate: 600Mbps
Security: WPA2 Enterprise encryption
Dimensions: 4.5x4.6x1.2 inches
Weight: 14 ounces

Ruggedized Router Resists Environmental Challenges

Mobile and remotely installed devices are often exposed to debilitating forces such as extremes in temperature, high humidity levels, continuous vibration or the occasional shock brought on by being dropped or otherwise exposed to sudden impacts. To compensate, manufacturers can ruggedize their gear, designing it specifically for survival in conditions that would hurt or even destroy nonruggedized devices.

The Cradlepoint IBR900-600M wireless router is designed for use inside remote buildings at locations that may not have a controlled climate. It’s also a good choice for deployment in cars or work trucks, which only have comfortable interior conditions when the motor is running. In addition to temperature extremes, technology within vehicles face constant vibration and the occasional hard shock when the truck hits a pothole or is traveling on unpaved roads. The IBR900 was made to resist and survive all of those hazards.

To test this out, I first exposed the IBR900 to extreme temperatures. It can survive while operating in temperatures up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as minus 22 degrees F. A parked vehicle might reach those extremes, but probably not one that is being driven. As such, my test stayed away from the most extreme ends of that scale. It involved having the wireless router operate for several hours, first at 120 degrees F and then for several more hours at 30 degrees F. This was done while the router was active, with performance constantly monitored during the test.

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At no point did the performance of the router falter. The wireless signal waned and waxed a little bit over time but experienced no negative impact due to the extreme temperatures at either end of the scale.

Also, as part of the router’s environmental ruggedness, it can operate in an environment of between 5 and 95 percent noncondensing humidity. So, while it cannot be submerged in water, it should operate in areas that are extremely humid or overly dry without a problem. If installed in a greenhouse, the IBR900 would still perform fine.

For vibration, I attached the router to a shaking test table in my lab, which provides much more constant vibration than the router would be exposed to in a vehicle under almost any condition. Like the temperature test, the vibrations did not negatively affect performance, even after several hours of constant shaking.

Cradlepoint has ruggedized its IBR900-600M wireless router against all of the most likely forces that a remote or mobile connectivity device would realistically face. It was able to stand up to those negative elements without any degradation in performance or persistence.