Dual-WAN routers (e.g.,Vigor2920 series) have two Ethernet WAN Interfaces. The Dual WAN Ports allow you to connect to two separate network connections for automatic fail over and load balance. You may refer to the figure shown below. Here Vigor2920 is taken as an example.
Automatic Failover Function
When WAN1 is Down, WAN2 will be Up automatically; when WAN1 is Up again, WAN2 will be Down automatically.
For your business you need a reliable connection. The downtime of even just a few minutes is equal to quite a bit of revenue loss. You can use Automatic Failover for network redundancy to keep your Internet connection always online. Assuming you have two links, one is Cable connection (WAN1) and the other is ADSL connection (WAN2). Normally you want all the traffic goes through WAN1.
Refer to the steps below to setup your Vigor router.
1. Connect a Cable line to WAN1 port and a DSL modem to WAN2 port respectively.
2. Open the Web configurator and go to WAN >> General Setup.
3. Click the WAN1 link. Choose Always On for Active Mode. Click OK to save it and exit the page.
4. Click the WAN2 link. Choose Backup for Active Mode and choose When any WAN disconnect or When all WAN disconnect as Backup WAN.
5. Go to WAN >> Internet Access.
6. Select Static or Dynamic IP for WAN1 and PPPoE for WAN2 respectively. Then press the Details Page button to display the corresponding configuration page.
7. Configure the proper settings for Cable line and DSL line connection in those pages according to the information offered by ISP.
After the configuration, Vigor router will use ARP to check the liveness of WAN1/WAN2 Gateway. If there is no response for a period of time, the router will drop the connection of line and then automatically dial the DSL connection for WAN2. After WAN2 is connected, all the traffic will be guided and switched to WAN2. Though WAN1 is down, Vigor router would always send ARP to check the liveness of the gateway. When it receives the ARP response sent from the Gateway and reestablished the connection, Vigor router will use WAN1 again and disconnect WAN2.
Load Balance Function
With multiple WAN connections, you will get the effective combined Dual-WAN speeds for all your LAN users. Both WAN1 and WAN2 are UP. The traffic will be routed according to the Load-Balance mechanism.
Assuming you have you 2 links, one is Cable connection (WAN1) and the other is ADSL2+ connection (WAN2).
Refer to the steps below to setup your Vigor router.
1. Connect a Cable line to WAN1 port and a DSL modem to WAN2 port respectively.
2. Open the Web configurator and go to WAN >> General Setup.
3. Configure Load Balance Mode. If you know the real speed of both lines (WAN1 / WAN2), please select According to Line Speed. If you have no idea about the line speed, please just select Auto Weight. Vigor router will automatically detect the maximum available bandwidth.
Note: By monitoring real time speed of both WAN connections, the Dual-WAN Gateway will establish new sessions based on the ratio of the amount of the remaining available bandwidth.
4. Click the WAN1 link. Choose Always On for Active Mode. If you know the real speed of both lines, please enter the speed value (you have to select According to Line Speed as Load Balance Mode first). Click OK to save it and exit the page.
5. Click the WAN2 link. Choose Always On for Active Mode. If you know the real speed of both lines, please enter the speed value (you have to select According to Line Speed as Load Balance Mode first). Click OK to save it and exit the page.
6. Go to WAN >> Internet Access.
7. Select Static or Dynamic IP for WAN1 and PPPoE for WAN2 respectively. Then press the Details Page button to display the corresponding configuration page.
8. Configure the proper settings for Cable line and DSL line connection in those pages according to the information offered by ISP.