The Lifesaver: My 4G Backup Internet Setup
How a simple 4G backup connection saved my sanity during a recent outage.
As a developer working primarily from home, a stable internet connection isn’t just a luxury—it’s a requirement. Recently, my broadband fibre was knocked down by a tree, causing a major outage.
Instead of panicking or migrating to a noisy coffee shop, I simply flicked a switch.
The Setup
For my backup connection, I used:
- Modem/Router: Cudy LT700E 4G LTE Router
- Plan: Smarty SIM card (80GB/month for £10/month promotion - a great deal!)
Since I don’t have an automated dual-WAN router yet, the switchover was manual. When the fibre line went down, I booted up the Cudy LT700E and manually connected my main devices to its Wi-Fi.
The Experience
While not completely transparent—my call dropped and I had to take two minutes to switch over—it was a lifesaver. Once connected, I was able to continue working, pushing code to GitHub, and even triggering CI/CD pipelines without a hitch.
Next Step Investment: Automatic Failover
Manually switching works in a pinch, but the ultimate goal is a seamless transition. My next planned investment is a Unifi Dream Machine Pro (UDM Pro).
Once in place, the Cudy LT700E will sit inline as a secondary WAN. The UDM Pro supports Dual WAN with auto-failover, constantly pinging 8.8.8.8 on the primary WAN. If it drops for more than 15 seconds, it will automatically and seamlessly route all network traffic over the 4G backup.
Future Upgrade: Going 5G
The LT700E has been a reliable workhorse, but 4G LTE tops out at speeds that make it feel like a compromise rather than a true replacement for fibre. The upgrade I’ve got my eye on is the Cudy P2 5G Router, which would turn my backup from a “keep working” stopgap into something genuinely comparable to my main line.
What makes the Cudy P2 a compelling step up:
- 5G speeds: 5G NR (both SA and NSA), with downloads up to 2.6 Gbps on NSA and around 2 Gbps on SA — a huge leap over 4G LTE.
- Wi-Fi 6 (AX3000): dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with OFDMA and MU-MIMO, handling up to 256 clients — plenty of headroom for the whole house on the backup line.
- Proper failover built in: it supports failover between wired WAN and the 5G connection, plus band lock and VPN options.
- Gigabit ports: 2 × Gigabit RJ45, so it slots cleanly inline with the UDM Pro as a secondary WAN.
The plan is for the Cudy P2 to eventually take over from the LT700E in the failover setup above — same seamless switchover, but at speeds where I might not even notice the fibre had dropped.
If you rely on the internet for your livelihood, even a simple manual backup WAN is the best insurance policy you can buy. Highly recommended!