Review: Cradlepoint IBR900-600M Connects Federal Workers from Anywhere

Environmental Challenges Don’t Stop This Router

Mobile and remotely installed devices are often exposed to debilitating forces such as extremes in temperature, high humidity levels, continuous vibration or the occasional shock brought on by being dropped or otherwise exposed to sudden impacts.

To compensate, manufacturers can ruggedize their gear, designing it specifically for survival in conditions that would hurt or even destroy nonrugged devices.

The Cradlepoint IBR900-600M wireless router is designed for use inside remote buildings at locations that may not have a controlled climate. It’s also a good choice for deployment in cars or work trucks, which have comfortable interior conditions only when the motor is running.  

In addition to temperature extremes, technologies within vehicles face constant vibration and the occasional hard shock when the truck hits a pothole or is traveling on unpaved roads. The IBR900 was made to resist and survive all of those hazards.

To test this out, I first exposed the IBR900 to extreme temperatures. It can survive while operating in temperatures up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as minus 22 F. A parked vehicle might reach those extremes, but probably not one that is being driven.

LEARN ABOUT: The Tripp Lite 10-device desktop AC charging station with surge protection.

As such, my test stayed away from the most extreme ends of that scale. It involved having the wireless router operate for several hours, first at 120 degrees F and then for several more hours at 30 degrees F. This was done while the router was active, with performance constantly monitored during the test.

At no point did the performance of the router falter. The wireless signal waned and waxed a little bit over time but experienced no negative impact due to the extreme temperatures at either end of the scale.

Also, as part of the router’s environmental ruggedness, it can operate in an environment of between 5 and 95 percent noncondensing humidity. So, while it cannot be submerged in water, it should operate in areas that are extremely humid or overly dry without a problem. If installed in a greenhouse, the IBR900 would still perform fine.

For vibration, I attached the router to a shaking test table in my lab, which provides much more constant vibration than the router would be exposed to in a vehicle under almost any condition. Like the temperature test, the vibrations did not negatively affect performance, even after several hours of constant shaking.

Cradlepoint has ruggedized its IBR900-600M wireless router against all of the most likely forces that a remote or mobile connectivity device would realistically face. It was able to stand up to those negative elements without any degradation in performance or persistence.