Backup Internet for my Alexa and Particle.io Devices

I’m really enjoying using Alexa to control the lights in my home. One down side to this however is the requirement to be connected to the internet. Without an internet connection Alexa becomes a lazy idiot.

SmartThings, TPLink Nano, and iPhone

Since I live in an RV, I won’t always have a fast internet connection. So what I’ve done to deal with that is to have two separate hot spots, only one of which is ever active at any given time.

When my fast internet (was Roadrunner, will soon be Google fiber) is available and working, it transmits to all my devices.

When I’m on the road, or the fast internet breaks (like for the past 5 days!), I plug in a TPLink Nano Wireless N router. This little $35 box is very versatile, and can handle receiving and/or transmitting on Wifi and/or ethernet.

For example, as shown in the image, the SmartThings hub needs an ethernet connection. So the Nano is configured as a “Client”, to receive WiFi from the iPhone and convert it to an Ethernet connection for the hub.

Likewise, with the Nano connected to my normal WiFi router, I can configure the Nano to receive WiFi at whatever RV Park I happen to be staying, and distribute it to all my WiFi and IoT devices without having to reconfigure anything except the Nano.

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