Community Forums

vegas1 · 01-13-2020, 01:29 PM

I am currently exploring mobile internet options, particularly WiFi extenders.
At this point, I am very interested in the Wifiranger Converge line. The Denali appears to be a replacement to the Sky Pro pack which will be phased out eventually. The flagship is the Everest, which replaces the Elite AC Fm pack, also scheduled to be phased out. The Teton and Denali are available now, and the Everest is scheduled to be released early 2020.
I rely heavily on reviews before making a purchase, but unfortunately, I have yet to see one review on the the performance of the Converge.
Is anybody currently using the Converge line that can share their thoughts on the pros and cons?
Wifiranger appears to be the leader in mobile technology, but I am hoping to get feedback from real world users.

Thank you!

tileman71 · 01-13-2020, 05:56 PM

Mine just arrived about an hour ago. Having some paint correction done and ceramic coating. Plan on installing next week.

vegas1 · 01-13-2020, 07:46 PM

Please post an update once you get it up and running! Anxious for some feedback!

docj · 01-13-2020, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegas1

I am currently exploring mobile internet options, particularly WiFi extenders.
At this point, I am very interested in the Wifiranger Converge line. The Denali appears to be a replacement to the Sky Pro pack which will be phased out eventually. The flagship is the Everest, which replaces the Elite AC Fm pack, also scheduled to be phased out. The Teton and Denali are available now, and the Everest is scheduled to be released early 2020.
I rely heavily on reviews before making a purchase, but unfortunately, I have yet to see one review on the the performance of the Converge.
Is anybody currently using the Converge line that can share their thoughts on the pros and cons?
Wifiranger appears to be the leader in mobile technology, but I am hoping to get feedback from real world users.

Thank you!

Here are test results published by the Mobile Internet Resource Center, a well-respected independent resource for RVers.

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/gui...mimo-antennas/

Joel (AKA docj)

tileman71 · 01-14-2020, 08:02 AM

docj, I'm not seeing any test results. All I'm seeing is the youtube video's that I looked at before I purchased. Maybe I'm not looking in the correct place. I hope this Converge was the right choice. We will be hooking it up next week.

docj · 01-14-2020, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tileman71

docj, I'm not seeing any test results. All I'm seeing is the youtube video's that I looked at before I purchased. Maybe I'm not looking in the correct place. I hope this Converge was the right choice. We will be hooking it up next week.

I pointed you to the Mobile Internet Resource Center because they are the most reliable independent group that I know of. They are conducting comparison tests between the Ranger and some of its competitors as you saw in the article I linked to. Converge is a new enough product that there aren't any other reviews that I know if.

But the firmware in Converge is exactly the same firmware as exists in the previous line of WiFiRanger products so there is every reason to expect it to perform in exactly the same manner as it does in the >100,000 units currently in the hands of customers. IMHO it's the firmware that makes the product--the ease of use and the stability of the connection.

Sure, a company can make a claim of a particular distance at which a wifi connection can be made under ideal distances and such claims, IMO, have absolutely no practical significance. What really matters is how well does it perform for customers and there are plenty of WiFiRanger customers who can attest to that.

Thanks for purchasing a Converge and feel free to ask me or our Customer Support staff any questions you may have with respect to using it.

Joel (AKA docj)

vegas1 · 01-14-2020, 03:29 PM

The numbers look pretty impressive thanks to Mobile Internet Resource Center. I am pretty much sold on the Denali, but wondering if the Everest will perform even better.
Not sure when it will be available, and is it worth the extra money?
I may just have to wait for the release and go for it.

creativepart · 01-14-2020, 03:57 PM

I’m a longtime WiFi Ranger user/owner. I have a GoAC router but I pair it with the older Elite AP. I purchased the original Go2/Elite package maybe 5-years ago. Then when the GoAC and Elite AC came out I decided to only upgrade the router, not the Elite AP.

I like WFR and hate to say anything the hampers a sale for them... but honestly the Elite just isn’t very helpful. I would say it’s helped us get connected 1% to 2% of the time. The reason is 99 times out of 100 the “extra” WiFi you can reach with the Elite is password protected and unusable for you.

One or two times in the past couple of years it has made a difference and got us connected when otherwise we could not.

The GoAC router is great and we wouldn’t be without that.

Most of the time when we can’t connect well via WiFi it’s because the available WiFi is bad. It’s not a signal strength or distance issue.

The sure way to stay connected is to carry multiple cellular data devices and connect them to your WFR router. We use ATT and Verizon.

docj · 01-14-2020, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creativepart

I’m a longtime WiFi Ranger user/owner. I have a GoAC router but I pair it with the older Elite AP. I purchased the original Go2/Elite package maybe 5-years ago. Then when the GoAC and Elite AC came out I decided to only upgrade the router, not the Elite AP.

I like WFR and hate to say anything the hampers a sale for them... but honestly the Elite just isn’t very helpful. I would say it’s helped us get connected 1% to 2% of the time. The reason is 99 times out of 100 the “extra” WiFi you can reach with the Elite is password protected and unusable for you.

One or two times in the past couple of years it has made a difference and got us connected when otherwise we could not.

The GoAC router is great and we wouldn’t be without that.

Most of the time when we can’t connect well via WiFi it’s because the available WiFi is bad. It’s not a signal strength or distance issue.

The sure way to stay connected is to carry multiple cellular data devices and connect them to your WFR router. We use ATT and Verizon.

You have made some excellent points. As WiFi at RV parks has evolved along with the cellular system itself over the past decade, WiFiRanger has continued to evolve its products. The rooftop Elite you own was largely replaced in the OEM market by the Sky router series which is available with an integrated LTE SIM slot as a recognition of the increasing importance of cellular communications to RVers.

The Sky was available with a GoAC or Core indoor router to make it possible to tether LTE hotspots. FWIW use of a rooftop router along with an indoor one does provide increased WiFi throughput since each radio is dedicated to a specific function.

With the Converge family of routers WiFiRanger has continued the integration of LTE/cellular into its products. All rooftop units have cellular modems and SIM slots either included or as options and the top-of-the-line Everest model will support dual modems. The Poplar and Aspen indoor routers also include SIM slots and all indoor routers will support tethering of cellular hotspots.

Currently, I use my GoAC in Load Balancing mode to combine the capabilities of my tethered unlimited Verizon and AT&T hotspots. Load Balancing allows the router to connect to the faster of the two hotspots on a moment-by-moment basis virtually ensuring that we don't suffer pauses in our streaming video. Although Load Balancing isn't unique to WiFiRanger, it is a feature only found on higher end devices.

Thanks for being a long-term WiFiRanger customer and we hope you will continue to support our products. If you have any questions about the Converge product line feel free to post them or send them to me via PM.

Joel (AKA docj)

Johnontheroad · 01-15-2020, 09:46 PM

Joel: I have two unlimited accounts, one Verizon, one ATT. Both are grandfathered and no longer available. Both are running in a dedicated hotspot, a 6620 Jetpack for Verizon and United Explore for ATT. I use a GoAC to distribute the best signal into my RV.

Do you think I could run either of these in a Coverge without causing cancelation of my grandfathered unlimited account? Especially VZW seems pretty adamant that you can’t move the SIM card to a different device...

docj · 01-15-2020, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnontheroad

Joel: I have two unlimited accounts, one Verizon, one ATT. Both are grandfathered and no longer available. Both are running in a dedicated hotspot, a 6620 Jetpack for Verizon and United Explore for ATT. I use a GoAC to distribute the best signal into my RV.

Do you think I could run either of these in a Coverge without causing cancelation of my grandfathered unlimited account? Especially VZW seems pretty adamant that you can’t move the SIM card to a different device...

If your SIMs are already operating in hotspot devices then I wouldn't expect that moving them to another approved hotspot device would cause an issue. Converge has already been certified for use with A&T and T-Mobile. Verizon certification is in process and I would expect it to be complete in another month or two.

However, if you have any concerns, I suggest getting an indoor Spruce router to go with your rooftop Converge unit. Then tether your hotspots to the Spruce and eliminate all concerns. Your Spruce can set up Load Balancing for the two hotspots which I find yields a substantial performance improvement.

Joel (AKA docj)

JOe_D · 01-26-2020, 09:14 AM

I agree with Vegas1, the converge Teton and Denali have been selling for months now, and still not a single review on its performance (as compared to the legacy models or any other systems). I think I will wait for a technical review.

docj · 01-26-2020, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOe_D

I agree with Vegas1, the converge Teton and Denali have been selling for months now, and still not a single review on its performance (as compared to the legacy models or any other systems). I think I will wait for a technical review.

As was previously noted, the Mobile Internet Resource Center has stated it is doing a field test. MIRC is a well-respected, technologically sophisticated entity that isn't affiliated with any product brand. I'm sure it will have a detailed report when it has completed its testing.

OTOH the software (firmware) used in the Converge products is the same as has been running on the older, legacy systems. The key difference is that the Converge products have more advanced computing capabilities. For example, Spruce utilizes a Quad-Core ARM based processor running at >700 MHz. The difference in the speed of command response between the Spruce and the GoAC is very obvious for basic tasks such as making a connection or saving a configuration.

Joel (AKA docj)

GASII · 04-21-2020, 08:14 AM

Thanks to WiFiRanger for their Covid-19 Response - Well Done !!! and thanks to you Docj for your responses and review link help. The MRIC review data looks very promising. I am anxiously awaiting release of the Everest. I am just a little confused as some of the early, pre-release review information mentioned TV & AM/FM antennas would be included in the Converge Line. I am just confirming that the Converge system is a WiFi / LTE system only, correct?