My business is based on the Internet; my phone is an IP phone, it uses the Internet. If the internet goes down, so does most of my business until it’s back up and running in a few hours or days. It doesn’t stop there though because even my TV uses the internet these days and then there are all those cloud services which means some of my data may not be on any of my computers. I have a wired internet connection and it’s pretty fast, especially when it comes to downloads. The faster broadband is, the more we can do with it and the more we will depend on it. And…it doesn’t even stop there either! Laptops, mobile phones, tablets, TVs, set-top boxes, NAS drives, stereo systems, cameras, etc. uses wireless connection, so wireless connection is also very important.
If you run a business that relies on the Internet or would really miss your Internet connection at home, you never want it to go down! Well, maybe when you’re on vacation… oh, oh, you have a remote security camera connected to your phone via the Internet or some other device, maybe an Internet-connected pet feeder or something.
I think most of us want reliable all-9 uptime for our internet, but of course that’s not always easy to achieve. Make it 100% reliable. I can’t promise that in fact even all 9 won’t be that easy, but I can probably show you how to make your internet faster, have higher capacity, make it more reliable, and improve your wireless connection while keeping costs reasonable.
a common problem
Most homes and small businesses have 1 Internet connection, 1 line, and 1 router that doubles as a wireless router, switch, and access point… right? If any of those items fail, so will your Internet access. You can go ask the neighbor if you can run a cable to your business from your supply or ask them for their wireless password and maybe sometimes this is okay, it’s kind of a temporary solution. If you want to be self-sufficient, you’ll probably need a better solution.
What if…
Your router fails
Simple, find another router, set it up (I hope you know where your broadband login details are) or better yet, have another router on standby, just in case! In my experience, most people or companies do not have spare parts. Your current router may be a bit special, but anything will do to get it working again if a direct replacement isn’t available.
Your internet connection fails
It could be your ISP, a line failure or a JCB digging outside. Either way, it depends on your provider’s service level agreements. It will probably be down for a few hours, maybe a few days and if you are really unlucky a few weeks, it will happen, especially if the road needs to be excavated.
scaly wireless
Wireless has come a long way, but it’s still a shaky service. It depends on many things, how many people are already connected, what is in your building, weather conditions, the type of wireless network you have, and the capabilities of the devices you are trying to connect, etc.
It’s also not so good when you have more than 1 wireless access point but your device stays connected to the access point that was nearby 2 minutes ago and is almost out of range now. You could be standing next to another access point on the same network but still not connect to it unless you do it manually.
Does all or any of this sound familiar?
A solution
There are very fast internet connections with high uptimes and great service level agreements meaning if your internet goes down it is fixed quickly but of course that can cost a lot of money and a JCB that goes through the cable is probably going to ruin even that plan for a while. There’s WiMax, line-of-site links, and even satellite hookups, but hey, it’s a bit pricey and perhaps a little overkill for many.
The solution I suggest below is not new, but it has improved over time and costs less than before. Not all makes and/or models will allow you to do this, but the correct devices are readily available and affordable.
more than 1
Broadband is pretty cheap, so how about 2 supplies on different networks so that if it’s the ISP or just 1 line that fails, the other one will likely continue to work. Just to make it a belt and braces, how about powering up a mobile broadband supply in case clumsy JCB crosses your path and cuts all the cables to your premises (don’t laugh, this happened to a company I worked for).
In this case you should have 2 broadband sources on the same router which will balance all your internet traffic using the 2 services giving you more speed and capacity. If 1 broadband service fails, the other continues until the failed service comes back up. If both services fail, mobile broadband is activated.
Mobile broadband depends on what mobile signal you can get where your router is and whether it is 3G or 4G, but at least it will allow you to access the internet. If it’s 4G, this could be pretty cool! You’ll need to monitor your mobile broadband usage based on which tariff you’re using, but at least it’s still up and running.
What if the router fails? Well of course this can happen so for the cost I would keep a second router as a backup. You can backup the configuration of the router in use and upload it to the second router. You can backup the configuration every time you change it and upload it to the second router or at least have it ready. For some devices, extended warranties are available where they will replace your faulty device the next business day with no quibble. You could even use the second router as a second modem if you set it up correctly, but that’s a topic for another day.
Improved wireless connectivity
Wireless or WiFi has improved over time. The range is greater, it’s more reliable and easier to connect than before, but it’s still a variable and sometimes quirky technology. If you need consistent service in a defined area, you probably need to go overboard with wireless coverage.
Many routers aren’t just routers; They are routers, switches, modems, and wireless access points. The wireless portion of your main router will provide everything you need in a small footprint, but as your operating space grows, you’ll need more wireless access points to cover the area. Wireless access points can be obtained for both indoor and outdoor environments and can work well in a campus environment.
two variants
There are two main variants that we can call push and pull systems. To use a couple of technical terms, we’ll call the wireless system the server and your mobile phone, portable tablet, or other wireless device the client.
Sweater
Most home or small office wireless systems are pull systems, which means that you manually connect your client device to a wireless server. For example, an office or home has 2 access points, 1 is a wireless router on the ground floor and the other is a wireless access point on the upper floor. When your client device is connected to the router below (the server), it stays connected to it until you go out of range, so if you go upstairs, you may need to manually disconnect from the router below and connect to the access point wireless upstairs. It works but it’s clunky and doesn’t move smoothly from one wireless zone to another. Both wireless access points are part of the same system, but the connection to them is not managed automatically. You could say that you have to pull connections.
Push
Using the same scenario now, the wireless system is being managed and pushing the connections. The effect is that when you walk up the stairs, the system’s built-in wireless management software monitors your connections, and as one wireless access point’s signal gets weaker and another stronger, it pushes the connection to the access point. stronger wireless connection to your client device, such as your phone.
Another big advantage of Managed Wireless is that it will share the load, so if multiple devices are in range of more than one access point, those access points can share the wireless traffic instead of one being overloaded and the other barely be used.
Now you can walk up and down stairs with your client device and stay connected without having to think about it. When two or more access points are located to handle a large amount of wireless traffic, they can handle the traffic loads so that the user gets a good solid wireless service in the entire operating area.
expensive sounds
Managed Wireless used to be expensive, but now it isn’t. It costs more than wireless, but not much more and is within a credible cost for home or small business users. If you need it, it’s worth the modest extra cost.
You will need routers and wireless access points that can function as part of a managed wireless system and you will need 2 broadband supplies which can be a mix of ADSL max, ADSL2+, fiber known as FTTC or some other suitable broadband/Ethernet supply. . You can use broadband via cable. 2 lines carrying BT as broadband will also give you 2 voice lines.
