Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

I'm working with a business that needs a reliable dual-wan solution since
they're preparing to move to an online ASP vendor for their mission-critical
app (ticketing system for a live theatre). Small shop, need to support
maybe 10 online users, running SBS 2003 R2. They currently have DSL with a
cheap consumer grade router/firewall, I am looking to add either satellite
or cable ISP to that. Primary need is for automatic failover if the main
connection goes down, but since they'll be paying for 2 internet connections
it'd be nice to have them both active and load balanced for daily use.
Would like to have them hosting their own email on SBS, so I'd configure DNS
with MX records for both connections' IPs. Don't think any other issue
would arise from the load balancing, as long as the Dual-wan router does a
decent implementation of it.

Have looked at XinCom and Hotbrick, but have read enough negative comments
about each that I'm looking for second opinions about those and any other
good dual-wan routers.

Thanks in advance for all thoughts.

BJ

Re: Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

In article ,
BJ wrote:
>I'm working with a business that needs a reliable dual-wan solution since
>they're preparing to move to an online ASP vendor for their mission-critical
>app (ticketing system for a live theatre). Small shop, need to support
>maybe 10 online users, running SBS 2003 R2. They currently have DSL with a
>cheap consumer grade router/firewall, I am looking to add either satellite
>or cable ISP to that. Primary need is for automatic failover if the main
>connection goes down, but since they'll be paying for 2 internet connections
>it'd be nice to have them both active and load balanced for daily use.
>Would like to have them hosting their own email on SBS, so I'd configure DNS
>with MX records for both connections' IPs. Don't think any other issue
>would arise from the load balancing, as long as the Dual-wan router does a
>decent implementation of it.
>
>Have looked at XinCom and Hotbrick, but have read enough negative comments
>about each that I'm looking for second opinions about those and any other
>good dual-wan routers.
>
>Thanks in advance for all thoughts.
>
>BJ
>
>


Linksys makes some "business grade" routers that do this. The writeup
I saw showed retail DSL and Cable services hooked to to do
auto-fail-over. I'll gues it doesn't keep a standing connection
running, but good enough for 99% of what I can see.

Look on their web page. ISTR they were what I would consider
reasonably priced.

--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
Don't blame me. I voted for Gore. A Proud signature since 2001

Re: Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

On Feb 13, 8:21 am, "BJ" wrote:
> I'm working with a business that needs a reliable dual-wan solution since
> they're preparing to move to an online ASP vendor for their mission-critical
> app (ticketing system for a live theatre). Small shop, need to support
> maybe 10 online users, running SBS 2003 R2. They currently have DSL with a
> cheap consumer grade router/firewall, I am looking to add either satellite
> or cable ISP to that. Primary need is for automatic failover if the main
> connection goes down, but since they'll be paying for 2 internet connections
> it'd be nice to have them both active and load balanced for daily use.
> Would like to have them hosting their own email on SBS, so I'd configure DNS
> with MX records for both connections' IPs. Don't think any other issue
> would arise from the load balancing, as long as the Dual-wan router does a
> decent implementation of it.
>
> Have looked at XinCom and Hotbrick, but have read enough negative comments
> about each that I'm looking for second opinions about those and any other
> good dual-wan routers.
>
> Thanks in advance for all thoughts.
>
> BJ

Cisco or Linksys.

Flamer.

Re: Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

In article ,
BJ wrote:
>I'm working with a business that needs a reliable dual-wan solution since
>they're preparing to move to an online ASP vendor for their mission-critical

Juniper SSG series

laan

Re: Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

You may wish to investigate the Cisco Router Matrix:

http://www.bradreese.com/cisco-router-port-matrix.htm

Cisco Small Business Network Designer:

http://64.224.10.185/sbnd/child/1.0/index.asp

Cisco Solution Designer:

http://www.ciscowebtools.com/sa2/child/1.0/index.asp

Cisco Product Advisor:

http://tools.cisco.com/GCT/PCTPST/index.jsp

Cisco Secure Business Advisor:

http://www.securebusinessadvisor.com/

Sincerely,

Brad Reese
http://www.BradReese.Com

Re: Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

"BJ" wrote in message
news:B63Ah.5352$NI1.2468@newsfe14.lga...
> I'm working with a business that needs a reliable dual-wan solution since
> they're preparing to move to an online ASP vendor for their
> mission-critical app (ticketing system for a live theatre). Small shop,
> need to support maybe 10 online users, running SBS 2003 R2. They
> currently have DSL with a cheap consumer grade router/firewall, I am
> looking to add either satellite or cable ISP to that. Primary need is for
> automatic failover if the main connection goes down, but since they'll be
> paying for 2 internet connections it'd be nice to have them both active
> and load balanced for daily use. Would like to have them hosting their own
> email on SBS, so I'd configure DNS with MX records for both connections'
> IPs. Don't think any other issue would arise from the load balancing, as
> long as the Dual-wan router does a decent implementation of it.
>
> Have looked at XinCom and Hotbrick, but have read enough negative comments
> about each that I'm looking for second opinions about those and any other
> good dual-wan routers.
> Thanks in advance for all thoughts.
> BJ



http://www.draytek.com/product/index/dualwan.php

Re: Reliable Dual-WAN router - Does such a thing exist?

"BJ" wrote in message
news:B63Ah.5352$NI1.2468@newsfe14.lga...
> I'm working with a business that needs a reliable dual-wan solution since
> they're preparing to move to an online ASP vendor for their
mission-critical
> app (ticketing system for a live theatre). Small shop, need to support
> maybe 10 online users, running SBS 2003 R2. They currently have DSL with
a
> cheap consumer grade router/firewall, I am looking to add either satellite
> or cable ISP to that. Primary need is for automatic failover if the main
> connection goes down, but since they'll be paying for 2 internet
connections
> it'd be nice to have them both active and load balanced for daily use.
> Would like to have them hosting their own email on SBS, so I'd configure
DNS
> with MX records for both connections' IPs. Don't think any other issue
> would arise from the load balancing, as long as the Dual-wan router does a
> decent implementation of it.
>
> Have looked at XinCom and Hotbrick, but have read enough negative comments
> about each that I'm looking for second opinions about those and any other
> good dual-wan routers.
>
> Thanks in advance for all thoughts.

Netopia EN-3386 with the firewall option enabled has a nice failover feature
that is implemented badly. It does the failover to the backup just fine,
but you have to manually switch back to the primary.

Without implementing complicated routing protocols on a real router, what
you want is a low maintenance solution that would essentially test each of N
broadband connections by pinging upstream sites that can only be reached if
the link is up. Each of the N connections would have its own ping list,
and each ICMP list would be directed to its associated link alone.
Success of the link's ICMP traffic would constitute proof that the link is
up.

You then want a way to establish failover and recovery policy that specifies
which links have priority for handling traffic, and when recovery of the
downed link occurs what is the action to take.

If you find a product that does that all correctly, and has the ability to
build some basic border router filter sets, please post the name of the
product. I've been looking for a long time and have found nothing very
well implemented or reliable to this specific purpose of failover on
redundant WAN connections. You would think such a product would be
popular, but apparently among the small business market there isn't a lot of
demand. Medium size businesses probably use real routers and routing
protocols, and it's ugly.

--
Will