The CBA850 is ideally suited for an installation where there is an existing network infrastructure. The CBA850 connects to the ethernet failover port on the existing router/firewall. When the router/firewall detects a network failure, it will connect to the CBA850 to provide network connectivity. All CBA850 transmission then passes thru the existing network infrastructure. Most users are unaware that a failover situation has occurred. In some cases, users are aware of the switchover because of the faster internet response time. When the ethernet connection is restored, the router/firewall will fail back to the ethernet connection.

The other usage of the CBA850 is as a 'Captive Modem'. 'Captive Modem' is CradlePoint's implementation of the CBA850 as an external modem. The external modem can be situated at a location where there is good reception, while the router can be located in a wiring closet. Current implementations of the 850 as an external modem is with the usage of the 4250 router. The 4250 does not have a modem. The 850 becomes the modem for the 4250. The combination of the 4250 and the 850 are treated as 1 unit for management.

The CBA850 can also function as the only means of connectivity for an existing network infrastructure.

WiFi is not available on any CBA850 model.

The CBA850 is a POE device, i.e., power over ethernet. This allows the CBA850 to be placed in a location with the best reception without regard for the location of the nearest power outlet.

The CBA850 is available in 2 models. The 1st model is the CBA850LP6-NA. It contains a CAT 6 modem. It is available for all 4 major carriers. The LP6 modem handles LTE Advanced and LTE transmission. 3G HSPA+/HSPA fallback is available for ATT and T-Mobile. No 3G fall back is available for Verizon or Sprint. This unit has carrier aggregation where the transmission is split across 2 bands and combined at the tower for a theoretical download speed of 300 Mbps and a theoretical upload speed of 50 Mbps.

The 2nd model is the CBA850 with a 1200M-B Modem. It is a CAT 18 Modem. The 1200M-B modem handles LTE Advance-Pro transmission. The 1200M-B is capable of downloading a theoretical max of 1.2 Gbps with 4 antennas, and an upload of 150 Mbps. LTE Advanced - Pro is considered to be a pathway to 5G, as it is faster than LTE Advanced with lower latency.

The 1200M-B uses several techniques to achieve this speed.

• First, it uses carrier aggregation. Carrier aggregation allows transmission to be split across up to 3 bands, simultaneously.
• Second, it uses 256 QAM. 256 QAM allow for more data bits (8) to be packed into a signal, resulting in denser transmission. There is an excellent youtube video, Alan Talks Tech Modulation and QAM Basics that explains how this technology works.
• Third, it uses 4x4 MIMO. MIMO stands for multiple in, multiple out. 4x4 MIMO allows up to 4 transmissions to occur at the same time.

It is capable of handling all 4 major carriers in the US.

All of the CBA routers have SIM-based Auto-Carrier Selection for all North American carriers. Once the SIM is inserted into the unit, the router will detect the carrier and load the appropriate modem firmware automatically.

In all cases, SIM cards and a data plan are required.

Highlights

In addition to the information above, the CBA850 has the ability to do cloud based Out-of-Band Management of a router/device which is attached to it via a console port using an RJ45 cable. The user can correct router/device configuration issues remotely by using NCM Advanced (subscription required) and entering into console mode. Static IP addresses and/or an additional telephone line are not required for remote management when using NCM Advanced.

The CBA850 has 2 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, one default NAT (LAN 1) and one default IP Pass-thru (LAN 2).

The beauty of the CBA850 is that you can just take the CBA850 out of the box and drop it into an existing infrastructure. Of course, you need a SIM and a data plan. And you will need a router which is capable of transferring control to the 850 and back. But once the modem is provisioned, just connect the CBA850 to the failover port on the existing router/firewall. The CBA850 is turnkey ready to take over internet connectivity in case of a failure.

The CBA850 has the ability to provide GPS information. The router has 'active' GPS which may require a GPS antenna. This feature must be enabled in the configuration. The coordinates may be sent to a 3rd party provider as part of the configuration. The physical location of the device may be viewed through NCM with an Advanced NCM subscription.

Physical Attributes

The 850 is approximately 4 1/2 inches square by 1 3/4 inches tall. It has a white housing, allowing it to be installed on a wall or desk without being too obtrusive. It comes with 2 white cellular antennas for the LP6 models, or 4 cellular white antennas for the 1200M-B models. The power supply, however, is black. But if the unit is being powered by an ethernet cable, the black power supply will not be used. The unit comes with 2 LAN 10/100/1000 ethernet ports. One is default configured as an IP pass-thru interface while the other is default configured as a NAT interface. In addition, there is an RJ45 Serial Port for console access or out-of-band management.

Remote Management

CradlePoint products can be configured and monitored easily, without installing any additional software. NetCloud Manager (NCM) allows you to keep tabs on all your devices, check status, configure settings and update firmware. NCM is almost a necessity for those businesses with geographically dispersed devices. Whenever the device needs a firmware upgrade or a configuration change, the devices may be upgraded from a central location rather than dispatching a technician to each individual location. 850 Models purchased after May 31, 2018 come as a package. The package includes the router (with a choice of modem), 24x7 support, and NetCloud Manager. If you need to use the Out-of-Band Management remotely, an upgrade to NetCloud Branch Advanced is required.

Summary

The CBA850 is an ideal device that can fit into an existing network infrastructure, providing failover connectivity to the internet. If the existing ethernet router/firewall network connection fails, the router/firewall transfers control to the CradlePoint which will take over and provide 4G/LTE connectivity to the internet. When the existing ethernet router/firewall detects that network connection is restored, control will be transferred from the CradlePoint back to the ethernet router/firewall.

The footprint of the CBA850 is relatively small and has POE capability. The white color makes it less obtrusive in a retail display. The CBA850 provides a quick and relatively inexpensive solution to network failures, keeping your business online when the existing network connectivity fails.

And finally, the CBA850 has many more features which are accessible with an Advanced NCM subscription.

Extended Warranties can be purchased in subsequent years, and as a follow-on warranty at the conclusion of the standard warranty period. No gap in coverage is allowed: the new warranty must be in place before the existing warranty expires.

• Hardware repair/replacement — extend standard warranty to 2, 3, or 5 years.
• Pricing based on annual subscription.

Cradlepoint's Extended Enterprise License provides advanced routing and security features that are designed to increase productivity and business continuity for an enterprise's network. Customers who opt in will have immediate access to a number of features.

• Routing: OSPF/BGP/RIP; VRRP; STP; NHRP
• More Advanced VPN & Tunneling Protocols: OpenVPN (SSL VPN); L2TP
• NEMO (NEtwork MObility) / DMNR (Dynamic Mobile Network Routing from Verizon)
• WiFi: WPA2 Enterprise Authentication for WiFi as WAN

The CBA850 does not have the ability to add a 2nd modem. However, if your modem fails, you may purchase a replacement modem for the unit.