dual wan router, hotbrick

HoundDogOne, let us know your experience if you go through with the purchase...

HispaTrader, I have been looking into the Dlink LB604 which seems to be one of the cheapest dual Wan models out there...the negative reviews i read talked about a "Upnp" issue which causes frequent router reboots, but this seems to have been fixed in a recent firmware release.
People downloading this firmware release seem to be pleased with it now.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,17471407
 
I am currently testing the HotBrick LB-2.
Best looking router I have.
Zero heat... not even warm after 24 hours.

However...
The router/browser would not work with my DSL (but pinging worked).
Until I lowered the MTU from 1496 to 1400...
Because Magma/Primus tech support suggested this as a last resort.

This issue is not addressed in the HotBrick documentation...
And I doubt that any average person could have made this change.

The entire HotBrick manual "trouble-shooting" section is 1/2 page long.
As if it's a deliberate practical joke.

Also...
The HotBrick LB-2 does (a) load balancing or (b) failover...
But NOT both...
So the advertising/promotion is misleading.

I'm still gonna give it a chance...
If I can prove the failover works REALLY WELL I may keep it...
But right now it looks like a good candidate to go back to TigerDirect on Monday.

Since I'm in router hell anyway...
I think I'll do a head-to-head comparison...
LB-2 vs my Xincom DGP502 that's been a paperweight for 6 months.
 
hounddog - thanks for your post. it's quite timely - i succumbed, ordered my hotbrick, and got it yesterday. was going to install it and then report back; now, i'm debating whether to head down to nyc or not (65 degree weather in the metro area).

i'll report back after i've got installed, along with my (newly ordered) DSL. if you know of a way to simulate a crash, can you privately e-mail me?

and thanks for the MTU info - i wouldn't have known to look at it, would have googled or something to see if someone else had run into the same problems...
 
If anyone is using eSignal you may have problems with load balancing with these routers, eSignal does not like the session switching from one source to another. Solution is to use failover not load balancing with eSignal.

Regards,
TG
 
Quote from TradingGuy:

If anyone is using eSignal you may have problems with load balancing with these routers, eSignal does not like the session switching from one source to another. Solution is to use failover not load balancing with eSignal.

Regards,
TG
More...

I may not be explaining this with the correct terminology...
But quite a few special purpose programs like quote software...
Use very specific ports directly... often different ports out and in.

It's usually the NAT and firewall features of the router that block these programs...
Like my ILX quote software will not work straight up with any modern router.

Router manufacturers offer 2 solutions:

(1) "Special application" or "Port Mapping" feature that leaves certain ports wide open for that program.

(2) DMZ Zone.
You can put one PC in the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)... and it is completely outside of the firewall...
So all special programs will run fine on one machine...
But the rest of your network is protected.

With the HotBrick LB-2 that I am testing...
Today I did all my trading through it and it worked great...
But the PC with the ILX quote system had to be put in DMZ zone... outside router firewall.
Load balancing works great... and I'm gonna do some serious failover testing soon.

LOL. Today I find out that the Xincom DPG502 and Hotbrick LB-2 are made my same Taiwan manufacturer...
And are 99% identical... but slightly different firmware... and packaging...
So I have one of each... twins.

If you put them side by side...
Exactly same lights on front... exactly same size metal box...
It's just a marketing play to manufacture the appearance of competition.
 
Further update on my HotBrick LB-2...

It is working great...
I have 5 computers connected... 2 via an uplinked Linksys router.

And the load balancing...
And has more or less DOUBLED my bandwidth.
It's really obvious when you download files... they just fly.

So it's really worth the money...
Because every day... I am going to save precious minutes NOT waiting for something.
 
HoundDogOne, thats interesting..thanks for sharing, i should be receiving a D-link DI-LB604 soon and will be attempting to combine a cable and dsl connection through that router..
 
Quote from HoundDogOne:

Further update on my HotBrick LB-2...

It is working great...
I have 5 computers connected... 2 via an uplinked Linksys router.

And the load balancing...
And has more or less DOUBLED my bandwidth.
It's really obvious when you download files... they just fly.

So it's really worth the money...
Because every day... I am going to save precious minutes NOT waiting for something.
More...

HD,

Have you tried the failover when using a secure connection, such as your DOM or trading app? Did it keep the DOM connected or did you have to disconnect and reconnect. I recall a discussion on this subject, concerns that the nature of TCP/IP being what it is, would disconnect on the failover? I asked Ninja Trader and they weren't apply to confirm or deny it would work on failover without disconnect/reconnect. Thanks for the updates.

Dan
 
The HotBrick LB-2 and Xincom DPG502... are exactly the same router...
With different paint and slightly different firmware.
I have both in front of me.

BOTH make you CHOSE one of the following...

(1) Load balancing...
Which increases your download time by 80% or so... very noticeable.

OR

(2) Failover

Where you are using WAN #1 with no bandwidth increase...
And WAN #2 kicks in if #1 fails.

** But my experience has been interesting **

In 4 days of trading... I have had zero internet downtime...
Something that is unusual...
Because I would often have these short "brown-outs" of < one minute...
Regardless if I would be using the Cable or DSL...
Which can play havoc with the 10-15 programs I run while trading.

Set to load balancing mode... and set at the "packet" level...
The router appears to not only load balance beautifully...
But also by making a decision for each packet...
Eliminate these temporary "brown-out" issues...
Like I said 4 days and 100% uptime.

I have one Special Application... my ILX Quote platform...
That uses special ports and chokes on NAT firewalls...
So that PC was put in the DMZ.
There is other port specific ways of enabling Special Applications...
But I have free Avast anti-virus and free Sygate firewall on all computers for 3-4 years...
Without incident and feel pretty safe.
 
So, what happens if 1 connection goes out completely while the router is on "load-balancing" setting? Does it just continue working thru the other line uninterrupted? Have you tried physically unplugging 1 of the broadband wires?

On a second note, who are you getting your ILX quotes from? I had it 3-4 years ago as well and found it rock-solid.

Quote from HoundDogOne:

The HotBrick LB-2 and Xincom DPG502... are exactly the same router...
With different paint and slightly different firmware.
I have both in front of me.

BOTH make you CHOSE one of the following...

(1) Load balancing...
Which increases your download time by 80% or so... very noticeable.

OR

(2) Failover

Where you are using WAN #1 with no bandwidth increase...
And WAN #2 kicks in if #1 fails.

** But my experience has been interesting **

In 4 days of trading... I have had zero internet downtime...
Something that is unusual...
Because I would often have these short "brown-outs" of < one minute...
Regardless if I would be using the Cable or DSL...
Which can play havoc with the 10-15 programs I run while trading.

Set to load balancing mode... and set at the "packet" level...
The router appears to not only load balance beautifully...
But also by making a decision for each packet...
Eliminate these temporary "brown-out" issues...
Like I said 4 days and 100% uptime.

I have one Special Application... my ILX Quote platform...
That uses special ports and chokes on NAT firewalls...
So that PC was put in the DMZ.
There is other port specific ways of enabling Special Applications...
But I have free Avast anti-virus and free Sygate firewall on all computers for 3-4 years...
Without incident and feel pretty safe.
More...
 
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