Cradlepoint, a provider of cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network offerings, yesterday launched the R2100 Series 5G Ruggedized Router, which it described as a “router-on-the-roof.’
Built for vehicle and IoT networks, the device provides mass transit, public safety, and other organizations that require a high-bandwidth IoT or mobile router with the latest cellular performance in a simplified form factor, it said.
“As in-vehicle applications have rapidly advanced, more use cases have emerged, along with diverse deployment requirements,” the company stated in a release. “Designed to be mounted on the rooftop of a vehicle or attached to IoT cabinet enclosures, the R2100 integrates the modem, antennas, and router into a single aerodynamic, IP67-rated casing that guards against weather, vibration, and shock.”
It will be sold with or without Wi-Fi 6, and can be deployed as a self-contained router or to supplement an existing router as a 5G adapter.
Key benefits, said Cradlepoint, include:
Simplified router installation: Since antenna cables are no longer needed, many vehicle installations will only require one power cable and a single small hole to the router on the roof. Organizations with large fleets can significantly reduce installation complexity and cost.
Seamless 5G extension: Customers can add 5G to a current installation by deploying the R2100 in Captive Modem mode as an adapter that is controlled by an attached Cradlepoint router. The company’s NetCloud management system treats the R2100 as an internal modem, eliminating the need for a separate license and saving the customer money.
Streamlined Wi-Fi addition: As with Cradlepoint’s Captive Modem capability, the R2100 Series can serve as an additional Wi-Fi source in captive mode to expand coverage for applications such as video offload, enhanced customer broadband and computer aided dispatch connectivity while in a station. Adding this Wi-Fi capability won’t incur an additional expense as all control and licensing is attributed to the incumbent router.
In addition, the R2100 is designed to support local containers to provide edge computing functionality. NetCloud handles container creation as well as container and workload distribution and connectivity, making deploying edge computing applications a simple and secure process.
Ken Rehbehn, principal analyst at CritComm Insights said “modern public safety operations leverage data to make operations safer and more effective, and the data demands in and around vehicles continue to grow.
“Simplified integrated antenna form factors that bring high-performance 5G capabilities without running additional antenna cables will translate to reduced installation costs, faster installation, and improved radio performance.”
Organizations, said Donna Johnson, senior vice president of marketing at Cradlepoint, are entering the next phase of their transformations, extending their reach through vehicles that need reliable connectivity to access cloud-based applications.
As far as pricing is concerned, the company said that since the router will be sold through the channel, “customers can work with their channel partner for details/configurations and pricing.”