Dual Wan Routers

Quote from SideShowBob:

A dual-wan router is a single point of failure. So if your router dies it doesn't matter if you have two internet connections. And I've had this happen....now I use two ethernet cards, haven't had a problem since I added the second card (one ISP has gone down but I've never lost connectivity).

SSB
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SSB,

I am using a dual-wan RVS042 Linksys router and it has worked flawlessly with automatic switchover (Load balancing is another issue). However, I understand and acknowledge your set-up and reasoning. Could you shed a little light as to how one utilizes two connections with two cards for one computer?

D

Thanks
 
Quote from SideShowBob:

A dual-wan router is a single point of failure. So if your router dies it doesn't matter if you have two internet connections. And I've had this happen....now I use two ethernet cards, haven't had a problem since I added the second card (one ISP has gone down but I've never lost connectivity).
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The odds of having the computer fail is much higher then a hardware router IMO so if you are really concerned about single points of failure then you wouldn't go with this setup.

Having a cheap backup router (doesnt have to be dual-wan) would be one way to mitigate the router as a single point of failure, albiet the switchover would be manual.

I can also image scenarios in which the dual NIC PC method will not accurately detect a loss of internet connectivity, it all depends on what failed (that may be true for the dual-wan router depending on their design)
 
Quote from GTS:

The odds of having the computer fail is much higher then a hardware router IMO so if you are really concerned about single points of failure then you wouldn't go with this setup.

Having a cheap backup router (doesnt have to be dual-wan) would be one way to mitigate the router as a single point of failure, albiet the switchover would be manual.

I can also image scenarios in which the dual NIC PC method will not accurately detect a loss of internet connectivity, it all depends on what failed (that may be true for the dual-wan router depending on their design)
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Odds, schmods, I had my dual wan router fail twice in 2 months before getting rid of it. :D
But I will admit the PC is definitely another single point of failure. However, unless you're going to set up a cluster of some kind there's not much you can do about it except get RAID drives and have a backup PC handy (which I do).

Setup for me was easy -- just install a second ethernet card and plug in the second connection. Windows XP automatically configures it for you, giving each it's own IP address.

I actually run two different single WAN routers in between (for firewall reasons) which are themselves potential failure points, but for me having a hardware firewall is more important than worrying about Zonealarm going nuts and crashing my PC. IF you're going to do this (use two routers) make sure you get ones that have a configurable address -- if they both hard code the address to 192.168.0.1 you are screwed). Note if one of the LAN connections goes down XP automatically routes to the one that's working -- but it can take longer with routers because the LAN connection is still up between the PC and the router -- it's the WAN connection that went down.
 
Quote from SideShowBob:
Odds, schmods, I had my dual wan router fail twice in 2 months before getting rid of it. :D
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Two hardware failures? Wow you have terrible luck or lots of power spikes. Were they on UPS's?

But I will admit the PC is definitely another single point of failure. However, unless you're going to set up a cluster of some kind there's not much you can do about it except get RAID drives and have a backup PC handy (which I do).
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Since a PC has moving parts (fans and drives) and is much more complex it only follows that it is much more likely that a PC will fail then a more simple device like a typical SOHO router which typically has no moving parts.


Note if one of the LAN connections goes down XP automatically routes to the one that's working -- but it can take longer with routers because the LAN connection is still up between the PC and the router -- it's the WAN connection that went down.
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Yes, this is what I was alluding to previously.

In many (most?) failure scenarios you may lose internet connectivity but still have a live ethernet connection coming from the ISP supplied device (be it cable modem, dsl modem, whatever) to your PC. Unless you are using something smart enough to detect that the connection is "up" but useless then it will not failover automatically since from the PC NIC point of view the connection is still up.
 
I just called tech support at Xinicom. They state that if your computer connection isn't idle, which it wouldn't be since we are getting data for trading, then the normal failover time from one isp to the other is 2-5 seconds. This is better than Hotbrick which is supposed to be 20 seconds. This is important to someone like me that scalps sometimes.

I would like to hear feedback from you folks though, if you have actually gone through an auto failover with any product?

Also does SPI slow down data tranmission?

Dan
 
I have a Xincom router and it fails over O.K.

You can set up loose binding to the MAC address of your PC network card so that all taffic from that PC goes down your most reliable ISP but fails over to a backup ISP.

However, you still get a gap whilst it is switching over and the software is setting up a new link. It aso does not help with a slow or intermittent ISP connection.

Saw this thread
http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76273&highlight=TAIST

Seems like a better way of doing things by sending down two links to get speed and reliability with no dropouts at all.
Don't know of any broker that supports anything like this though.
 
I bought a D-link DI-LB604 on recomendations but so far only have one line cable. No problem. I have a commercial address so they want ridiculous monthly for DSL. When I get it together , will report.
 
I've had two Hawking dual band routers. Each time one of the 2 wan connections quit working. The automatic rollover was iffy and slow. Threw them both in the trash, and bought two Linksys routers. Connected each to a separate computer with different ISP cable modem providers. If computer, cable or router goes out, I just slide over to the other set-up.
 
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