Dual WAN configurations vary in complexity; the most complex configuration uses two physical routers with discrete IP addresses on each router. The simplest configuration involves assigning WAN links to a single router interface or virtual LAN (VLAN).
Dual WAN is a term that refers to the use of two internet connections (WANs) for one network. It’s also called “double-homed,” It provides many benefits, including improved security and increased bandwidth. A typical dual-WAN setup involves an ISP connection for data coming in from outside your company’s firewall and another ISP connection for data going out inside your company’s firewall. This allows you to do things like remote office backup without having to go through the internet.
What Is Dual WAN?
Dual WAN is a form of internet connection capable of providing the benefits of both wired and wireless connections. It offers some advantages to those using devices with fixed or limited WiFi access and those on the go. In addition, Dual WAN is more affordable than many other high-speed internet plans.
Dual WAN is a particular type of internet connection. It can be wired and wireless at the same time using two different channels or IPs. This connection has two public IP addresses that allow you to use multiple ISPs simultaneously, giving you an aggregated bandwidth equal to the sum of both ISP networks for each direction.
What Are The Benefits Of Dual WAN?
Makes Connections Enabling Both Organization And Network. The benefits of Dual WAN are making connections to an organization’s data center and local networks. It is a single connection that enables both the organization and its network. Many organizations use Dual WAN as it is an efficient way for businesses to protect and secure their network and data.
Stable And Reliable Connection. The connection is also stable and reliable and can be used to transfer data with ease. Many business partners will also prefer to deal with you as they know that your company is reliable as they have been based on Dual WAN.
Less Costly. It is also an excellent way for businesses to save on costs as they can use one connection for everything. They will usually only need to purchase one Internet service for their organization. It means that there will not be any downtime due to connecting to the local area network or their data center. This is an excellent way for businesses to save money and avoid any issues with their data centers or networks as they know that the Internet connection works at all times.
Easy Update And Transfer Of Data. The Dual WAN allows users to transfer data and update files easily and quickly, a tremendous advantage for employees within a business organization. They will always be able to keep in touch, and the Dual WAN will make it a lot easier for all users to keep their data safe.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Dual WAN?
Not Easy To Set Up. One of the drawbacks of Dual WAN is that it is not easy to set up. The first challenge with setting up dual WAN is deciding which internet connection will be utilized for the management network and the branch office.
There are three different approaches to setting up dual WAN. You can use two routers, one router on each side of the building, or you can use one router for both networks. If you use a router on each side of the building, this means that either all traffic will go through one router or it will have to bounce from one router to another before reaching its destination.
Cano Not Be Implemented If There Is No Secondary Internet. If there is no secondary internet connection in the primary ISP, then only one WAN interface would work at a time. Also, Dual WAN cannot be implemented if the branch offices are located across different ISPs.
Despite these challenges, it is still a good idea to implement Dual WAN. Most branch offices only need internet connectivity and do not require high-speed data transfers such as video or file sharing.
This means that the branch office usually does not need the same internet connection quality as the corporate HQ. Dual WAN allows for more cost-effective management of internet connections and provides the customer with a better level of service.
How To Set Up A Dual WAN?
- To create a Dual WAN, you need to configure both ISP’s. This means setting up one with the public IP that the internet is provided from and then another for your private IP.
- You will then need to set up a default gateway for both servers to make sure that traffic is going back and forth between them in a seamless manner.
This can be done by setting up static routes. Static routes allow you to configure the network to automatically make the connection between one default gateway and another default gateway without requiring user input each time there is a connection that needs to be made.
Conclusion
Dual WAN is a configuration in which two internet service providers are used for redundancy and load balancing. The benefits of dual WAN include increased performance, better uptime, enhanced reliability, less risk of downtime or outages because there are always 2 paths to the internet available at all times.
Dual WAN drawbacks may be that it requires more resources to manage than single WAN configurations do. It also means you will need an additional provider contract with another company if one ISP goes down so you can still have access to the Internet while your other ISP comes back up again after being fixed.
