Question

Using "the best of two" average internet connections?

Asked by: jaesonrosenfeld

Hi there,
I run a small internet business out of Guadalajara, Mexico and we use a VOIP connection to the US (vonage) as well as 11 computers over our high-speed internet connection from the local cable company (supposedly 1GB download 256k upload).  The quality of the connection is variable -- the main problem is on some days the packet loss is unbearable, which really degrades the quality of the VOIP (I am stubborn -- the Mexican monopoly on international long distance charges 25-40 cents per minute to the US, and we have thousands of minutes of call time per month, for 34.99!).  I have recently contracted another broadband service which seems to have the same intermittent quality problems.  The question I have is -- is there a router I could buy or some method I could use to connect both connections to our network and some how the network "decides" which connection has higher quality at any given time and uses that connection? What would you experts suggest in terms of maximizing the time I am spending on the higher quality connection?

Thanks!

Jaeson

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Asked On
2005-06-23 at 07:34:17ID21468375
Topics

Miscellaneous Networking

,

Telecommunications

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: reedsrPosted on 2005-06-23 at 08:12:21ID: 14284902

a server with connection balancing that has dual nics ?

 

by: pseudocyberPosted on 2005-06-23 at 08:13:16ID: 14284912

Yes, there is.  However, you'll need some "professional" gear to do it.  If you had a decent Cisco router and leased lines - such as two T1's, you would have guranteed bandwidth, Service Level Agreements - which would help your latency problems, and the ability to have the router analyze the connections and pick the better one.  This would cost you up front on the equipment and the configuration, and you'd have monthly reoccuring costs on the T1's to an Internet provider (or do they use E1 in Mexico - same thing) but you could still come out ahead by being able to use the VOIP.

 

by: decoleurPosted on 2005-06-23 at 09:45:17ID: 14285949

you are going to run into peering issues...

how do you determine the best route out, and how does your traffic returning find the best route in?

unless you can set up something like bgp between a router on your network and both service providers it will not work.

this is something ISPs do all the time, but there really isn't a method to do it on the SOHO level.

HTH

-t

 

by: jaesonrosenfeldPosted on 2005-06-23 at 10:32:15ID: 14286470

OK, well what I decided was the simplest solution was to buy a router with balancing capabilites -- and also with Qos for ensuring good VOIP quality. I found some reviews and decided to go with the Xincom DPG-502 which is in my price range -- CISCO would be nice, but too expensive for now.

Thanks,
Jaeson

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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