LTE Connectivity

The Web3 Pi UPS accepts an optional plug-in LTE-M module (Cat-M1 / NB-IoT cellular) that gives the UPS its own cellular link — completely independent of your home network and mains power. When the power goes out and your router goes dark, the UPS keeps reporting. The module ships with a pre-installed global IoT SIM and an included data plan — no SIM card, mobile contract, or carrier configuration needed (the SIM also carries the device's identity, so don't swap it).

With the module fitted you get:

• Remote monitoring — telemetry (battery, inputs, host state) uplinked roughly every 30 seconds, wherever the device is.
• Instant alerts — power-state changes (mains lost/restored) and faults are pushed immediately, not on the next 30 s tick.
• Remote commands — reboot or shut down the host, power-cycle the output, trigger a beep, and start/stop/restart the Ethereum clients running on the Pi.
• Remote firmware updates — both the modem module and the UPS controller can be updated over the air from the web panel.
• No network setup — the module is an outbound-only client, so it works behind carrier-grade NAT. No public IP, port forwarding, or VPN required.

Backend Modes

The module reports to one of three backends — exactly one active at a time. MQTT is the default and recommended mode: zero configuration, and the full web panel experience. HTTP and Arkiv are alternatives for specific needs. All three authenticate every message; MQTT and Arkiv are always encrypted, and HTTP mode adds encryption when you use HTTPS.

Mode	Where your data goes	Best for
MQTT (default)	Web3 Pi cloud + web panel	Most users — zero-config remote monitoring and commands
HTTP	Your own server — HTTP mode	Self-hosters who want data on their own infrastructure
Arkiv	Web3 Pi's Arkiv-compatible blockchain — Arkiv mode	Tamper-evident records for special/compliance needs

MQTT and Arkiv devices are fully managed in the web panel. In HTTP mode your own server is the backend — the panel can still list such a device, but its live data and commands go through your server.

Switching Modes

Modes are switched on the device itself, from the OLED menu:

1. On the Home screen, hold LEFT for 2 seconds to open the menu.
2. Select Network (requires the LTE-M module — shows NO MODEM otherwise).
3. Select Mode, then pick MQTT, ARKIV, or HTTP — * marks the active mode.
4. The setting is saved and the LTE-M module reboots into the new mode.

The choice persists across reboots and power loss. The module reboot only pauses telemetry for roughly half a minute to two minutes while it reconnects — power to the Pi and battery backup are handled in hardware and are never interrupted.

Without the Module

The LTE-M module adds remote visibility; it is not required for protection. Without it, the UPS still provides the full power path and battery backup, the OLED display, buttons, buzzer alarms, and the local settings menu — plus telemetry, event logging, and graceful shutdown for the connected Pi over the single USB-C cable (see Host Integration).