Request for feedback: Dual WAN

[RMerlin]

Since the Dual WAN webui has so many issues, and that recovery isn't properly handled while in failover mode, I'm increasingly considering disabling this feature until the time Asus gets more advanced in its development.

I'd like to know if there is anyone who is:

Using Dual WAN in load-balancing mode

or:

Using Dual WAN with something else than an USB modem (i.e. using a LAN port)

If virtually no one is using those Dual WAN-specific features, then reverting back to the regular 3G/4G USB failover code would be fine for most people.

Making a separate build with Dual WAN enabled is another option, however due to the increase of work involved in build and testing two more firmwares, I need to know if there would be enough users using Dual WAN to be worth it. That would also not resolve one of the issues, which is the amount of support requests I get from users with issues specific to Dual WAN.

 

[diehardfan]

Hey Merlin,

I just got my N66U, I was ecstatic to see the Dual WAN feature. As I have 2 DSL lines and now with this function I do plan on using it in load-balancing mode.
I was actually searching for a guide on how to set it up.

But, if its a lot of work for you and I am the only one using it then it does not make sense for you to waste your time for one user only.

 

[ColH]

I also purchased this router with one of it's benefits being the Dual Wan as I occasionally require a backup.
However, as I can work round this requirement, I'm not in any great hurry so waiting for Asus to sort this out correctly is fine by me.

 

[RMerlin]

I also purchased this router with one of it's benefits being the Dual Wan as I occasionally require a backup.
However, as I can work round this requirement, I'm not in any great hurry so waiting for Asus to sort this out correctly is fine by me.

Are you using a 3G/4G USB modem for the backup? Cause that would still work with the original USB Failover feature that would be available if Dual WAN was disabled.

 

[bheiser1]

I will definitely be using Dual WAN connectivity

I have DSL and Cablemodem service and will definitely be using dual-wan connectivity by one means or another. To date my failover method has been to schlepp downstairs & physically move the cables. I've been considering a dual wan router/firewall, but seeing as the RT-AC66U shows hope for providing this functionality, I might use it instead.

I did a quick test this morning, and as you said, the functionality isn't fully there yet. When I had both DSL and Cable plugged into the box (cable as primary) and unplugged the Cable line, there was a lag where there was no connectivity, but then it did fail over to the DSL line. When I re-connected the Cable line, connectivity did not fail back over to it as I would have liked.

My configuration:

Enable Dual Wan: on
Primary WAN: WAN (Cable modem line)
Secondary WAN: LAN, LAN Port 1
Multi WAN Mode: Fail Over
Enable the Routing rules: no (this option doesn't seem to be "selectable")

If the path to full functionality of this capability on the RT-AC66U is discontinued then I'll have to back to my previous plan of buying a dedicated dual-wan box as originally planned. To be honest this might end up being better anyway so I can put the dedicated dual-wan box near the cable modem and then have the freedom to place the WAP where it works best for wireless connectivity. I'm also hoping whatever box I use for dual-wan routing will also support VPN for Mac, Windows, and iOS clients (preferably not PPTP), and with the ability to use the VPN for remote web access from public Wifi hotspots. (i'm not asking for much, heh heh)

Another option for me could be to use the old RT-N16 for dual-wan routing if it were to be enabled on that platform.

 

[RMerlin]

Failure recovery is yet another major component of Dual WAN that does not work properly yet

Overall this whole feature just isn't ready for prime-time yet. I enabled it as an experimental feature so people could play with it, more hectically skilled folks being able to deal with its limitations even.

I should poke at Asus sometime to see what are their plans regarding Dual WAN (we never discussed it in our Email exchanges). The recovery part is something I know they are aware of, since it also affects USB 3G/4G users, and this is an official feature of the router.

 

[bheiser1]

I would say even if the recovery part isn't there yet, it's still worth having the initial failover enabled. Better to be up, but (presumably) a slower speed, than to be down.

One feature I'd like to see though, is to have a more robust failure-detection capability. For example, not just check for a link, but be able to provide a remote IP address for monitoring. That way if there's an issue further out (e.g. on the other side of the cable modem) it'd still trigger a failover.

I doubt I'll use the load balancing option since my cable service is about 36Mb/s and the DSL is only about 2.5Mb/s, so load balancing doesn't really make sense.

Speaking of Mb/s I wish the Traffic Monitor feature would enable selection of units displayed. I rarely think of things in terms of KB/s... These days it's almost always Mb/s, but maybe that's just me .

 

[bheiser1]

Oh, and "stateful failover" would be nice but I guess that's wayyy too much to ask for .

 

[Txdk]

well i bought the ac66u after i read about the dual wan as i have 2 dsl lines and want to do load balance and make 1 domain use onely one off the dsl lines.
as one off my isp's homepage have services that there's only available on there line so to use them i need to connect to there router but by doing that im not connected to my 2 nasservers and dvr server running on the other line.

so i am fairly interested by the dual wan feature

 

[Data]

Hi,

sorry for my english ....

i have a RT-AC66U and two 150 MBit Cable DSL Accounts. The Download Speed is only by 150 MBit. It seems that the second Modem is not connected.

On the Main Screen under Intertnet Status the Primary WAN seems to be o.k. but the secondary WAN under Connection Type is USB Modem and WAN IP is 0.0.0.0, DNS - and Gateway is 0.0.0.0.

The Dual WAN Configuration is o.k. Multi WAN Mode is set to LoadBalance.

I hope someone can help me

Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

You will have to make sure your USB device is supported first - Asuswrt only supports some specific models (I don't have any list, sorry).

Note that load balancing does not double your speed. It means that you can download two separate files, and they would both download at full speed (provided they were using separate WAN interfaces and weren't on the same interface).

In general, load-balancing gives good improvements if you have multiple users download at the same time, or are using a P2P application. For a single user download a file through a browser, you will get next to no improvement from lb.

 

[Data]

Hi Merlin,

The Cable Modems are Cisco EPC3208 and it was per LAN connected to the router not as USB.
for downloads i use 'Newsbin' with 60 Connections. Some people say, that this config works. The Download through a browser is ok. But i want more speed
with Newsbin i.e.

 

[RMerlin]

the secondary WAN under Connection Type is USB Modem

Did you set the Secondary interface to "LAN" on the Dual WAN configuration page?

 

[Data]

Yes

Secondary WAN is set to LAN / LAN Port 1

 

[RMerlin]

Then it's related to one of the known issues (webui for DualWAN doesn't work properly yet).

 

[Data]

OK, this means that we have to wait

in the meantime we use the 'other 150 MBit'

Thank you and i wait for a fix in the near future ....

Bye

 

[clintb]

I'm not using it yet, but it may be a decent thing for our customers that simply cannot afford a Sonicwall (what we try to sell), but that's not always feasible due to the cost. Having a AC66U with at least some type of failover is better than the alternative of separate gateways and static IP addresses.

 

[NoSync]

We are using it in my office; eventhough we have to play with cables in case the primary connection goes down, it's still rather easy to explain to my colleagues who're not technically inclined and way better than guiding them through the phone to change the config of WAN connections.

 

[nubyOz]

Hi,
My personal scenario will be shortly:
Primary Std WAN plus USB 3G/4G (ideally would prefer Android as tether) as failover/emergency.
It will become critical for in a few month.
Alternative will be tether directly to Desktop.
Cheers

 

[RMerlin]

Hi,
My personal scenario will be shortly:
Primary Std WAN plus USB 3G/4G (ideally would prefer Android as tether) as failover/emergency.
It will become critical for in a few month.
Alternative will be tether directly to Desktop.
Cheers

That scenario would still work without the full-blown Dual WAN feature.