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TABLE OF CONTENTS




Products Covered


  • Peplink MAX BR1 Mini


Article Summary

This article will walk you through how to enable the WiFi WAN connection options on a MAX BR1 Mini. Previously, a feature pack was required to use this feature. However, this feature is now included in firmware 8.3.0 or higher. There are a few issues you can run into when trying to enable this feature. One issue could be that you do not have an active internet source such as a cellular connection. Another issue could be that you did update your firmware to 8.3.0 or higher and this feature is still not enabled. This article will show the different ways to enable this. 


Education


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Backing Up Your Configuration

Before you begin, it is highly recommended you backup your Peplink device settings first. To back up the settings on your device, navigate to the System Tab of your Peplink Admin console and select the Configuration Tab. Then select Download under the Download Active Configurations section, as shown below. The config file will begin to download. Save this file in a safe place in the event you need to restore your settings. 



Step 1 - Updating your Firmware

Note: If your firmware is already up to date, please skip to step 2

Method 1 - With Internet Access

Note: If your firmware is quite out of date, please skip to method 2.

 

If you have access to an internet source such as a cellular connection, you can update your firmware by following the steps below.

 

  1. Log in to your Peplink Admin panel
  2. Click on the System tab
  3. Click on the Firmware subtab
  4. Click on check for firmware
  5. Update firmware

 


Method 2 – Without Internet Access

 

You can update firmware using the manual process by following these steps:

  1. Download the correct file for your model here: https://www.peplink.com/support/downloads/ (You can find the model of your device on the sticker on the bottom of your router. You may need to click through to the second or third page in any given category to find your router model's firmware file)
  2. Log in to your Peplink Admin panel
  3. Click on the System Tab
  4. Select Firmware from the submenu
  5. Use the manual upgrade feature to upload the file that you downloaded in Step 1.

If you are still coming up short and you have very out-of-date firmware, you may need to upgrade to a more recent but not MOST recent version, then upgrade to the current version from there. You can find previous firmware versions here: https://www.peplink.com/support/firmware-archive/ Make sure to use the search bar to quickly find your router model.

 


Make sure that regardless of the method you are trying, you give the firmware update ample time to complete. During the update process, you will see the progress bar move past 50%. Once it reaches that point, the router will automatically reload its firmware and temporarily drop offline. This is normal.

Important: You cannot refresh or access the local web admin during this stage. 

Wait until the router fully reboots and all status LEDs return to their normal green state. Once the lights stabilize, you can reopen your browser and log back into the admin panel to confirm the upgrade. You can refresh your InControl tab, as that does not interfere with the update and can help confirm current status, but avoid refreshing the local admin page until the router has completed its reboot sequence.


A full firmware update typically does not take longer than 30 minutes. If the router still appears stuck after that time, reboot it manually, check if the update has been applied, and try another method if needed.


After updating your firmware, check your dashboard for the WiFi WAN 2.4 GHz and WiFi WAN 5 GHz options.
For guidance on using these features, please see: Managing Multiple Internet Sources


If you do not see the WiFi WAN options listed, please continue to Step 2.


Step 2 – Activating the SpeedFusion Trial


If your device is not connected to an internet source and you do not see the WiFi WAN options on your dashboard, you will need to activate the SpeedFusion trial as this feature is baked into the firmware and enabling this will turn on the features included in firmware 8.3.0. This allows for your device to communicate with Peplink servers to apply these features.

  1. Navigate to the Status tab
  2. Activate the SpeedFusion trial
  3. Then please check if the WiFi WAN connections are now available on the dashboard. If you are still experiencing issues with this, please reach out to info@mobilemusthave.com for further support


Method 2 — Activate the Trial Version to Enable WiFi-as-WAN (BR1 Series)

  1. Log in to the router’s admin panel.
    Navigate to the System tab from the top menu.

  2. Create a backup of active settings.

  3. Restore Factory Defaults.
    Select Factory Reset (Restore Factory Settings). Confirm the reset when prompted.

  4. Wait for the router to fully reboot.
    The reboot may take several minutes. Do not refresh or interrupt power during this process.

  5. Verify the trial license is active.
    After the reset, the device will automatically activate a trial version of the WiFi-as-WAN feature.

  6. You should see WiFi as WAN on the connection list

  7. Download or apply any licenses you need.
    With the trial active, you can now:

    • Download your purchased license keys

    • Apply new licenses without a cellular connection

    • Load or Activate an eSIM

    • Confirm WiFi WAN 2.4 GHz / WiFi WAN 5 GHz is now available on the dashboard



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MMH Explore members can join the conversation and gain access to our support forums located within the Mobile Internet Resource Center. Senior members of MobileMustHave's Technical Staff moderate the MobileMustHave.com Support Forum and tackle more advanced configurations, troubleshooting, and general advice.  


In addition, MobileMustHave hosts monthly live webinars on advanced topics. These sessions cover everything from the basics to the more nuanced areas of configurations on Peplink devices.  Past Webinars have included deep dives into; SpeedFusion Connect Protect (Cloud), Outbound Policies, VLANs, and much more.  


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