Insty Connect Releases Updated System With Multi-WAN Capabilities Including Speedify Bonding

Insty Connect is a small family-run company that provides a cellular connectivity system focused on the RV market.

The Insty Connect system combines a rooftop antenna featuring an integrated Qualcomm X62 cellular modem module, connected via Ethernet to a companion indoor router.

By integrating the cellular modem directly into the outdoor antenna, Insty greatly reduces the signal loss over long antenna cables compared to systems with indoor cellular modems and antennas outdoors.

Insty Connect has just updated the indoor router portion of its system with entirely new hardware and custom firmware that gives the system much more capability than previous models.

The signature feature is support for multi-WAN and bonded connections, which gives Insty Connect capabilities similar to Peplink's SpeedFusion.

This should make the Insty Connect a great way to bring cellular and Starlink connections together.

Read on for all the details....

Insty Connect Gen 2 First Look Video

 

The New Gen 2 Insty Connect Router

The new Gen 2 router is substantially more advanced than the original Insty router.

It has faster internals, supports Wi-Fi 6, and the firmware allows up to three WAN connections to be used simultaneously.

The router offers 2x Ethernet WAN ports (for the outdoor Insty antenna, and for another Ethernet WAN source - such as Starlink),  and also supports Wi-Fi-as-WAN to add a third WAN connection.

For local wired connections, the router has 3x Ethernet LAN ports

The router does not have a USB port that can support Insty Connects' older USB-connected rooftop modems. It is only compatible with the newer Insty PoE (Power over Ethernet) modem models that connect over Ethernet.

The more advanced hardware allows for more advanced firmware than the previous model.

The user interface, in particular, appears to be much cleaner, and it is easier to change settings and WAN priorities.

Multi-WAN and Speedify Integration

The major focus of the new Gen 2 router and firmware is integrating multiple WAN sources.

Insty Connect says up to three WAN sources are supported - 2x Ethernet and 1x Wi-Fi-as-WAN. Insty Connect says that USB tethering to hotspots and phones will likely be added at some point in the future too.

The router supports load balancing and failover for multiple WAN connections, and, particularly new and exciting - bonding!

The new Speedify integration is one of the biggest highlights of the new Gen 2 Insty router.

Speedify is a third-party service that bonds multiple internet connections - such as cellular, WiFi, and Starlink - into one stronger and more reliable connection.

The Gen 2 Router integrates Speedify compatibility into the firmware, so there is nothing for the user to install.

The router can bond up to three connections and manage them directly from the Insty interface.

Bonding is a holy grail for many mobile internet users who require reliable connections for work and critical tasks like video conferencing.

While Speedify has long been available as an app for phones or laptops, Insty Connect is the first to offer It integrated directly into a router that is pre-configured into a simple integrated package targeting the RV and nomad community.

The most well-known router-integrated bonding technology is Peplink's SpeedFusion, which has made Peplink gear a popular option because it made this enterprise-grade bonding easy for non-technical customers to access.

Now Insty Connect aims to have a similar core feature, thanks to working with Speedify.

While the Insty router firmware has integrated Speedify, utilizing this feature requires a Speedify account and service plan, which can be purchased on the Speedify website.

Speedify service starts at $14.95/mo - though there are often discounts and sales running, particularly for those interested in paying for a year (or more) in advance.

Once Speedify is configured on the router, turning it on is a simple toggle switch on the dashboard.

Dual Cellular Connections

Now that the new Gen 2 router provides multi-WAN capabilities, Insty Connect can simultaneously manage two Insty Squared antenna systems, not just one.

This would allow dual rooftop cellular for simultaneous cellular connections on two different carriers, which would be available for failover, load balancing, and bonding.

Of course, the Insty can also accept any Ethernet WAN connection, so dual-cellular can also be achieved using another cellular device (such as many mobile hotspots) with Ethernet output.

Cellular + Starlink Integration

Another new feature of the Gen 2 router is better Starlink integration, which allows users to use Starlink as a WAN connection easily.

Starlink pairs extremely well with cellular for failover and bonding, and the new Gen 2 Insty router makes this possible.

The current Starlink Standard Gen 3 and the Starlink Mini, each with Ethernet, can be added to an Insty Connect Gen 2 router as an Ethernet WAN connection, and any Starlink can be use with Wi-Fi-as-WAN.

Insty Connect soon plans to offer a mounting solution that allows users to install both an Insty Squared antenna and a Starlink Mini on a single custom-designed mount suitable for RV roofs.

Insty Connect User Interface Improvements

With an all-new firmware comes an all-new user interface, and the new firmware and UI look to be an improvement on the previous system.

The UI has a vibrantly colored dashboard that shows the status of multiple WAN connections simultaneously.

It also includes some cool graphing interfaces that track each connection's uptime, latency, download, and upload in real time, similar to how Starlink displays this information in its app.

Bonding with Speedify shows similar graphical metrics to show the live connection status.

The user interface allows for drag-and-drop priority for each WAN, making on-the-fly changes quick and easy to determine which connection you want to be primary.

Insty VPN

Insty Connect with the Gen 2 router also offers a built in custom VPN service.

Insty Connect founder Nick says this is a "stateful" VPN, which is different from most traditional consumer VPNs, which are considered "stateless." Although we don't know the full details of Insty's implementation, stateful VPNs are commonly found in enterprise networks, and can have some advantages over standard VPNs.

The Insty VPN can be turned on as needed.

Insty Online Data Plan Changes

Insty Connect supports customers bringing their own SIM cards and data plans to use in their outdoor modem.

But Insty Connect also offers its own data plans, branded as "Insty.Online," that were previously available on the T-Mobile network.

It has now added a Verizon option.

Insty.Online offers an option to utilize both networks in some unique ways - thanks to the Insty modem supporting two SIM cards (though only one is active and used at a time).

Here are the updated plan options that include both T-Mobile and Verizon:

• Unlimited Premium ($129/month):
  • Unlimited data at up to 100 Mbps on either T-Mobile or Verizon.
  • Customers can switch to the other network once per billing cycle by calling Insty and swapping SIM cards via the Insty UI.
• Unlimited Freedom ($199/month):
  • Unlimited Data at up to 100 Mbps is active on both the T-Mobile and Verizon SIM. Customers can switch to the other network by swapping which SIM card is active, and they don't need to contact Insty. The squared antenna can be set to automatically switch between either network if the signal is lost.
  • Only one SIM/network can be used at a time.
• Dual Modem Freedom ($219/month):
  • For customers that have two Insty Squared systems
  • Unlimited data at up to 100 Mbps active on both networks, with one SIM in each Insty Squared.
  • This allows the simultaneous use of both SIMs with two Insty Squared Antennas for load balancing, failover, and bonding.
• Business Plan ($149/month):
  • 300GB of priority, unthrottled data on either network.

The Terms of Service state that heavy data users (300+ GB/mo) may also have the network selected for them. Using over 800GB may result in throttling to 1-5mb/s for the remainder of the month.

Insty.Online's other plans are still available but have had some changes to the terms.

Options include:

• Essential Plan ($99/month) - 25 Mbps speed cap, throttled after 200GB of usage
• Tiered Data Plans - From 2 GB to 100 GB.

Insty Connect Availability and Pricing

The Insty Connect with the Gen 2 router is available for preorder, and shipping will begin on September 23rd.

Insty Connect has also added a new gray option for the rooftop Insty Squared antenna.

A full system with the Insty Squared, Gen 2 router, and 15-foot Ethernet cable currently costs $599 - a preorder discount price from the standard $799.

Insty Connect says existing customers with a PoE Insty Squared will have a direct upgrade path to the Gen 2 router - those customers should contact Insty Connect for options.

Note: Older USB Modems Not Compatible

One major downside of the new Gen 2 router is that Insty Connect's older USB modems are not compatible with it.

This includes the "Angel Wings" and "Cloud Wings" rooftop systems.

The reason is the USB modems in those systems required the special firmware in the Gen 1 router to act as the "brains" for the USB modem.

Although the Gen 2 router does have a USB port, the new firmware does not allow for the control of a USB modem in this fashion.

Only customers with the newer PoE modems can utilize the Gen 2 system, and going forward, Insty will only sell the PoE modem and Gen 2 router.

For customers still using the first-generation router and USB modem, these will continue to function normally, but they will not receive any major updates going forward.

Member Exclusive Analysis

Concluding Thoughts

Insty Connect, a small, family-run company, has long been able to innovate quickly.

We have always been impressed with their focus on the RV market.

Less than a year ago, Insty introduced the new PoE modem and Insty Squared antenna design.

Now, they have leveraged that more flexible PoE design to pair with a much better router that provides many of the advanced capabilities mobile users are looking for - at a lower price.

With all these features packed into one device, the latest Insty Gen 2 Router offers a powerful solution for anyone needing consistent and high-speed internet on the go.

If the multi-WAN capabilities, especially the Speedify bonding, prove to be easy and reliable - then Insty could be a worthy alternative to Peplink for those looking for reliability and redundancy.

We plan to obtain a new Insty Gen 2 router and will put it through its paces to see how it performs.

Our members will be able to follow along with our testing and have access to the full results when complete.

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