Tutorial Asus Dual WAN Router Load Balancing and Failover Router Problems and Fix

[Aiadi]

TP-Link ER605 is the easiest to configure and often available for about $60.

That is the one I have finally settled on using and I have to say that it has been working really well. Just wish that it could pass my ISP's public IP directly to my Asus downstream router but despite not being able to achieve this, I am really impressed by the overall value for the functionality offered.

 

[Tech9]

You have multiple WAN IPs in multi-WAN configuration. This router supports 3x WAN connections.

 

[AnClar]

OK...I'm going to ask assistance from some of the smart folks here. Here's my current hardware and what I'd like to accomplish if I can.

ISPs:
Primary: AT&T Fiber symmetric 5gig pipe. That goes to a Nokia BGW320-505 ONT/gateway box in passthrough mode. The box will not do true bridge mode, passthrough is all I can do.
Secondary: Spectrum cable 1gig down/40mb up. currently live, but not connected to the network.

Network: Main router GT-AXE16000
Three AIMesh nodes RT-AX86U wireless backhaul
Netgear MS510TX managed multi gig switch

The network in that config is working well. Current topology: 5gig port on the BGW320 to the 10GB port 1 on the 16000. Netgear switch on the 10GB port 2 on the 16000. Wired computer on the switch as well.

I'd like to set the network up in dual WAN failover mode with the AT&T fiber as primary and the Spectrum pipe as secondary.

If I try to connect the Spectrum cable modem to the WAN 1gig/2.5gig port on the 16000, and configure it in dual WAN mode It will pretty much freeze the wired network.

Any ideas to try to get this to work? Thanks!

 

[DocUmibozu]

OK...I'm going to ask assistance from some of the smart folks here. Here's my current hardware and what I'd like to accomplish if I can.

ISPs:
Primary: AT&T Fiber symmetric 5gig pipe. That goes to a Nokia BGW320-505 ONT/gateway box in passthrough mode. The box will not do true bridge mode, passthrough is all I can do.
Secondary: Spectrum cable 1gig down/40mb up. currently live, but not connected to the network.

Network: Main router GT-AXE16000
Three AIMesh nodes RT-AX86U wireless backhaul
Netgear MS510TX managed multi gig switch

The network in that config is working well. Current topology: 5gig port on the BGW320 to the 10GB port 1 on the 16000. Netgear switch on the 10GB port 2 on the 16000. Wired computer on the switch as well.

I'd like to set the network up in dual WAN failover mode with the AT&T fiber as primary and the Spectrum pipe as secondary.

If I try to connect the Spectrum cable modem to the WAN 1gig/2.5gig port on the 16000, and configure it in dual WAN mode It will pretty much freeze the wired network.

Any ideas to try to get this to work? Thanks!

Buy a Tplink ER605 or an Edgerouter ER-X.
Then put it in front of asus and behind the nokia and the spectrum.

 

[Smokey613]

Buy a Tplink ER605 or an Edgerouter ER-X.
Then put it in front of asus and behind the nokia and the spectrum.neither one will support his 5 gig speed

Buy a Tplink ER605 or an Edgerouter ER-X.
Then put it in front of asus and behind the nokia and the spectrum.

Neither of those units will support his 5 gig connection.

 

[DocUmibozu]

Neither of those units will support his 5 gig connection.

Oh...yes... my mistake...
I think the only solution is a custom x86 router (pfsense/openpfsense or similar)

 

[Tech9]

Any ideas to try to get this to work?

Your options are:

a) whatever is available in Asuswrt good or bad, may or may not work for you in terms of reliability
b) commercial x86 firewall with multi-Gigabit ports and proper multi-WAN in front of this Asus router*
c) Do-It-Yourself x86 PC-based firewall with multi-port multi-Gigabit NIC running pfSense/OPNsense

* - very likely more expensive than this Asus router

This 5Gbps ISP if not really needed only drags you to higher and higher expenses in speed chasing. If you had 2x Gigabit connections well working reliable solution is under $100. With 5Gbps connection ready made solution starts from $800. Otherwise you rely on whatever Asus have promised in advertisements and hope it's working or will be fixed before your router enters End-of-Life state.

 

[AnClar]

Thanks for the suggestions...I was sorta expecting that answer. I'll look into devices to go in front of the Asus. I've seen a number of folks running a pfsense setup. Heck, this is bringing me back to my Cisco days when I was buying T-1s for my clients. I ought to just go full on commercial. I could then try to write off some of the costs as a small business expense. Anyone had any experience with this? It's listed for only $485 I mean they advertise only 3gig so I'll keep looking for now.

 

[Tech9]

Firewalla is a consumer product. I use Netgate 6100 for my business networks, but it starts from $800. The corresponding to it switch with multi-Gigabit ports and PoE starts from $2500. Not sure if you want to go this way for a home network. Access points extra. There is always something better, but may not be needed. I don't know why you need 5Gbps ISP at home. I'm sure if you drop it to Gigabit no one from your family members will even notice.

 

[AnClar]

Yes...I'm looking at the Netgate products...they may be what I end up going with. I really wish I still had my Cisco contacts from years ago. I could have had a good (read reasonably priced) way to go with Cisco gear. But that is what it is.

As far as why such a large pipe...I can eat up bandwidth pretty quickly with 3 machines devoted to content creation and high-def video to remote clients, added to normal household use of several 4k TV, iot devices, etc.. And, as they always do, the ISPs are out ahead of available technology. AT&T is already working on their preliminary 10gig deployment strategy. This when most home PC vendors are still using 1gb nics, and premises infrastructure in some cases is still 100mb equipment.

 

[Tech9]

There is something fundamentally wrong in this picture. The 3 machines generating content are perhaps used for generating income. Why they are mixed with your home use devices? You already have 1x Cable Gigabit line (1000/40) for your home devices. This is more than enough for few 4K TVs per family member. Another dedicated Fiber Gigabit line (1000/1000) can upload 100GB content in under 20min time. Now much content is generated daily? You are paying for ISP you can't match with your equipment and you have subscribed for beta tester of some spider toy with RGB lights. Really?

 

[AnClar]

Sorry I asked. I was asking for equipment advice. Nothing more. I won't bother again.

 

[wollyka]

I live in a remote area so the only connection that i get is 3G connection. I have two modem CAT4 and CAT7 LTE modem from two ISPs (I had to get two since the speed is low and we get disconnections).

One connection ISP1 is max 40 Mbps (Quota 100 GB per month) and the second ISP2 is 25 Mbps (Quota 25 GB per month).

I linked them both to an Asus RT-AX68U. I tried to used Dual Wan load balancing but the connection is not stable. I am getting frequent/slow connection (even though if i disable Dual Wan and use each one, the connection is stable).

If I use Dual wan failsafe, the connection works but only using one connection.

I want to use load balancing with 4:1 (or 3:1) due to the quota limitation.

I can get the mikrotik in my country but not the other TP link ER605 or an Edgerouter ER-X (not available at all). Will the mikrotik help me? From the posts here, it looks like it should do but I may need help in setting it (Should i use PCC or firewall marking, etc..)

Thanks

 

[Aiadi]

I live in a remote area so the only connection that i get is 3G connection. I have two modem CAT4 and CAT7 LTE modem from two ISPs (I had to get two since the speed is low and we get disconnections).

One connection ISP1 is max 40 Mbps (Quota 100 GB per month) and the second ISP2 is 25 Mbps (Quota 25 GB per month).

I linked them both to an Asus RT-AX68U. I tried to used Dual Wan load balancing but the connection is not stable. I am getting frequent/slow connection (even though if i disable Dual Wan and use each one, the connection is stable).

If I use Dual wan failsafe, the connection works but only using one connection.

I want to use load balancing with 4:1 (or 3:1) due to the quota limitation.

I can get the mikrotik in my country but not the other TP link ER605 or an Edgerouter ER-X (not available at all). Will the mikrotik help me? From the posts here, it looks like it should do but I may need help in setting it (Should i use PCC or firewall marking, etc..)

Thanks

Can you get one of the GL.iNnet routers where you are? I finally settled on using one for load balance and found it to be working better than anything else so far. They have a single WAN port but you can easily add a USB to RJ45 adapter to create the secondary WAN. Just post here if you need more specific help.

 

[wollyka]

Can you get one of the GL.iNnet routers where you are? I finally settled on using one for load balance and found it to be working better than anything else so far. They have a single WAN port but you can easily add a USB to RJ45 adapter to create the secondary WAN. Just post here if you need more specific help.

Unfortunately no. My options are very limited due to the financial crisis in my country and I can't buy it from outside currently. But thx for the suggestion
I have also tried @Ranger802004 script but I am facing disconnections in load balance mode (Out of 10 websites, 7-8 opens and two no without refreshing)

 

[Tech9]

Will the mikrotik help me?

Unlikely. I wouldn't bother with load balancing because wireless ISPs are inconsistent in both speed and latency. It depends on how many people use the closest cell tower, what obstructions you have on the way, what the weather conditions are, etc. No load balancing router will work well with 2x dynamically changing lines. Just keep the more reliable ISP and cancel the other one. Hopefully the more reliable is the one with 100GB quota.

 

[wollyka]

Unlikely. I wouldn't bother with load balancing because wireless ISPs are inconsistent in both speed and latency. It depends on how many people use the closest cell tower, what obstructions you have on the way, what the weather conditions are, etc. No load balancing router will work well with 2x dynamically changing lines. Just keep the more reliable ISP and cancel the other one. Hopefully the more reliable is the one with 100GB quota.

Thx for the input. I didn't think of that! But unfortunately i have to keep two connections since my wife works remotely (she isn't tech savvy) and she needs a constant connection and I can't rely on one only@
So should i stick now with Asus failover? My idea was to use the mikrotik load balancing as a failover too.

 

[Tech9]

So should i stick now with Asus failover?

If you are physically there (have access to the router) and can monitor it - use whatever you already have. On Asus routers Dual WAN is unreliable and may or may not fail over/back. You may need to unplug some WAN cables from time to time. I don't know how often your ISPs fail. May be acceptable for occasional outages with no extra hardware needed. For load balancing - don't use it on Asus. It's very basic and will make things only worse.

 

[wollyka]

Thx for the input. I didn't think of that!
So should i stick now with Asus failover? My idea was to use the mikrotik load balancing as a failover too.

If you are physically there (have access to the router) and can monitor it - use whatever you already have. On Asus routers Dual WAN is unreliable and may or may not fail over/back. You may need to unplug some WAN cables from time to time. I don't know how often your ISPs fail. May be acceptable for occasional outages with no extra hardware needed. For load balancing - don't use it on Asus. It's very basic and will make things only worse.

I am only there at night and my wife works remotely from home and she isn't tech savvy! She won't be able to switch cables lol. Thx for the advice.
As for the outages, i say there is an outage once per week. It could last several minutes to several hours!! (Due to power outages on the towers mostly!)

 

[Tech9]

I am only there at night and my wife works remotely from home and she isn't tech savvy!

In this case proper multi-WAN router is perhaps needed, but I can't help you with MikroTik settings. Last time I played with MikroTik was years ago.