The Basecamp 2.0 from MobileMustHave – Use OEM Winegard Air 360 Rooftop Antennas With Peplink Routers

For years, Winegard has partnered with many RV manufacturers to factory-install its Air 360+ Dome antenna system on new RVs. The Air 360+ combines an amplified TV antenna with cellular, Wi-Fi antennas, and 12v power that are all pre-wired, allowing RV owners an easy cellular router upgrade path, without needing to drill any additional holes or pull additional wires to tap into the antennas on the roof.

However, the downside is that the system is designed to work only with routers specifically designed for the Air 360+ system. This system uses non-standard cable connectors and a proprietary design that mounts Air 360+ Gateway routers to the RV ceiling where the cables are located—an inconvenient location for more traditional routers. Additionally, the router options from Winegard and WiFiRanger lack the performance and features that more advanced users desire.

For most people, trying to use a more advanced router, like a Peplink, with the Air 360 + system has been too much of a hassle.

The Basecamp 2.0 from MobileMustHave is designed to change all that.

First Look Video

 

Basecamp 2.0 Details

The Basecamp 2.0 is a kit designed to easily allow using a variety of popular Peplink cellular routers with a factory-installed Winegard Air 360+ dome antenna. The kit includes a case that mounts to the ceiling that holds the router, as well as all the parts, screws, wires, and connectors necessary to install everything. 

The Basecamp 2.0 is compatible with the following Peplink models:

• MAX BR1 Pro CAT 20 & 5G (all models)
• MAX Transit DUO & MAX Transit PRO DUO (only 1 modem supported on the standard Winegard 360+ V2.S version)
• MAX BR1 MINI (all models)
• MAX BR1 MK2

MobileMustHave says to contact them if you have a different model, so other models can potentially work as well.

The Winegard 360+ dome antennas come in two versions: the standard version, with two cellular antennas and one Wi-Fi antenna, and the newer 5G version, with four cellular antennas and one Wi-Fi antenna. For all the technical details, see our Review of the Winegard Air 360+ system.

The 5G version only started getting installed on RVs with the 2023 model year, so it is not as common as the standard version. This means most systems are the standard version, which only supports 2x2 MIMO. Using the standard Air 360+ with the MAX BR1 Pro Cat 20/5G router, which has 4x4 MIMO, means the router would need to be run in Peplink's two antenna mode.

For the Transit Duo and Pro Duo models with dual 2x2 modems, one modem uses the rooftop antennas, and the second modem uses paddle antennas on the router itself.

If you have the Winegard 5G rooftop dome with four cellular antennas, customers using the BR1 Pro or DUO models will need to order the $19.99 option for additional MCX-SMA adapters.

Those who want to use the Wi-Fi antenna in the dome will need to get the optional adapter ($9.99) for that connection.

What About Non-Peplink Routers?

Although the Basecamp is explicitly designed for a few Peplink models, the enclosure is roomy enough to hold other routers besides those from Peplink. Although the mounting holes won't exactly line up, it should be possible to zip-tie or otherwise mount other routers inside the enclosure as long as they fit inside the enclosure. From our measurements, the interior dimensions are approximately 8" x 7" x 1.5", which would provide a little wiggle room. Note, too, that the corners of the box are not squared.

We put the popular GL.iNet Spitz AX 5G router in the Basecamp, and there is plenty of room as it's a small device.

Concluding Thoughts

It's hard to count the number of times we've been asked about the potential for using other routers with the Winegard Air 360+ system, and it's easy to see why - who wouldn't want to take advantage of factory-installed rooftop cellular antennas in their RV?

Unfortunately, our answer has always been that for most, it's not worth the expense and hassle to find the rare and expensive adapters and figure out how to mount a router to the RV ceiling in an attractive way so it doesn't look like a rat's nest of wires.

It's nice that the Basecamp solves this problem and provides an option many have been looking for.

But it's still important to consider whether using the Winegard antenna system is worth it compared to buying and installing a higher-performance antenna and placing your router in a tech cabinet instead of on your RV ceiling, especially considering the Basecamp is pricey at $199 list. And for many, the ceiling location of the Air 360+ system will always be inconvenient in ways the Basecamp can't overcome, especially for those who want to connect anything else to their router, such as Ethernet devices or additional WAN inputs. 

Ordering the Basecamp 2.0

The Basecamp 2.0 is available to purchase from MobileMustHave. The list price is $199 for the kit, but it usually sells for $149.

Affiliate purchasing link for the Basecamp 2.0:

• MobileMustHave

If you're an MIA, please be logged in to use your vendor discounts instead - they pass along our affiliate kickbacks to you!

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