This Raspberry Pi-Powered Portable Provides Connectivity Almost Anywhere, Thanks to a Cellular Modem

Pseudonymous maker "intergalactictrash" has turned a Raspberry Pi 4 and a Raspberry Pi Pico into a portable system for off-grid use — powered by a 30Ah battery and with integrated cellular networking, all in a chunky housing with custom keyboard.

"I['m] going to be honest, this project was hard […] and finishing it just became a matter of principle," intergalactictrash admits of the build. "I didn’t know anything about CAD, soldering or electronics before I started; but I’ve learned so much and I’m already planning a much smaller build with a [Raspberry] Pi Zero W or Compute Module 4."

Designed to be usable both as a portable computer in its own right and to serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot with cellular backhaul to get other devices online, the unnamed machine lives in a 3D-printed Peli-inspired clamshell case. Its heart is a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, the company's latest-generation model of single-computer — though still plenty powerful enough to drive the small display and accessories included in the build.

The bottom half of the case houses a custom circuit design, which includes a mechanical ortholinear keyboard powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico and its RP2040 microcontroller, and a joystick-style mouse — meaning there's no need to carry a separate pointing device. A SixFab cellular modem provides connectivity where Wi-Fi is unavailable, and two USB ports — one USB Type-C and one USB Type-A — are brought out to the front panel, next to an Ethernet port, with another two on the side.

More details on the build are available in intergalactictrash's Reddit post.