Best Multi-WAN Routers

 

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Table: Multi-WAN Device Specs Comparison

	WAN Connections	Load-balancing or failover	Mountable	External Cellular Antennas	External Wi-Fi Antennas
Peplink MAX adapter 5G	2	yes	x	yes	x
MOFI5500 LTE Dual SIM Router	3	yes	-	yes	yes
Peplink Balance TWO	2	yes	-	x	x
Cradlepoint E300-C18B	5	yes	-	4	x
Cisco RV340W	2	yes	yes	x	yes (fixed)
DrayTek Vigor2926Lac	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
Ursalink UR32 Router	3	yes	yes	yes	yes

 

Multi-WAN routers provide two (Dual-WAN) or more (Multi-WAN) options for WAN connectivity through multiple ISPs. The multiple broadbands connect through a single local gateway on the router, especially for load balancing, bonding, and failover, where high availability and reliability are required. For various applications such as at home, small office, large office, and remote site connections with these multi-WAN routers, check Multi-WAN Routers.

 

See below an overview of some of the major applications of Multi-WAN routers:

 

1. IoT Applications

Building/Home Automation: smart buildings are on the rise - the use of smart lighting, smart thermostats, sensors, and more require a stable connection. It becomes convenient to use two separate internet connections in case one link goes down. See this application.

Modern agriculture: Multi-WAN setup in this application is necessary for continuous monitoring for proper actions to be taken.

Healthcare: monitoring devices for patients need reliable connectivity for medical professionals to access real-time data.

See more on IoT.

Sample overview of multi-wan links in IoT applications for various industries

 

2. HVAC applications: In remote monitoring and control, data collection of HVAC equipment for analysis, and integration with other control systems for building management. Click to learn more.

 

3. Industrial applications: For applications such as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), 900MHz (ISM) wireless applications, and machinery control

 

4. Security firms with video surveillance: To avoid disruptions and blindspots, multi-wan routers can ensure video streams are uninterrupted.

Contact us to purchase pre-packaged remote surveillance kits with pre-sized solar power, outdoor enclosure, LTE/5G NR connectivity, and an IP PTZ camera such as AXIS Q8752-E Bispectral PTZ (to be purchased separately).

 

Here are some of the best Multi-WAN routers available today:

 

Peplink MAX Adapter 5G NR/4G LTE Modem

Do you have existing Peplink products with USB port? The MAX Adapter is a good modem to make them a 5G NR/4G LTE WAN. The MAX adapter 5G is compatible with the balance series, MAX series, and the MFA series.

This is also compatible with other compatible USB-capable routers/devices. Even when on the move, you could hook this to a Windows/Linux on-the-go device and you would access 5G service (Windows/Linux manual setup here).

With multiple cellular external antennas, you can achieve superb connectivity with existing antennas or with more powerful external antennas for improved connectivity in hard-to-reach areas.

 

• 2 SIM cards and e-SIM. Enables dual cellular connection.

• Easy to incorporate in existing IT infrastructure for Multi-WAN connection.

• Easy power up, USB-C port acts as a source of power.

• Up to 4 external antenna ports for better connectivity with high-performance antennas (see possible antenna kits for better signal reception)

• Can connect to Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and US-Cellular (see compatible antennas with specific bands for the MNOs).

 

 

Peplink Balance 20 Multi-WAN Router

 

This is one of the affordable multi-WAN routers that can easily be used for home or small office setups. It gives you the ability to connect to multiple ISPs and improves performance by minimizing latencies and maximizing bandwidth utilization.

 

• It has 2GE WAN ports and a USB WAN modem port allowing up to 3 WAN connections (You can use the MAX Adapter modem on the USB port).

• With its various logarithms, you have options for controlling the outbound rules on the WAN connections, with default auto-failover.

• It gives various bandwidth control options as well as email notifications, and health checks on the WANs connected in case of any issue.

• It can support up to 60 users making it ideal for any home and small office setup.

• Allows VPN setup which can achieve up to 60Mbps throughput. The recommended number of users on the VPN network is about 15, which is ok for remote working and the security of data via public networks.

• Bandwidth bonding is not supported on this model hence may not be as fast in video streaming and VPNs in case you are utilizing multiple WAN connections

 

 

 

Cradlepoint E300-C18B Router

 

With 5G technology operations taking shape, this 5G router can be utilized to combine multiple ISPs to improve performance. Ideal for a small office use, typically up to 50 users.

 

• The Wi-Fi antennas are internal hence the only way to improve the indoor Wi-Fi coverage would be through access points via LAN network.

• Has external cellular antenna with order 4x4 MIMO. The router also supports 2x2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6.

• Provides a throughput of up to 940Mbps and a VPN throughput of up to 400Mbps.

• Has 5 GE ports plus 1 SFP+ port which can be used interchangeably as WAN or LAN. It also has an embedded LTE modem and an expansion slot for an MC400 Modem.

• Does not support rack mounting.

 

 

          

 

 

Peplink Balance Two

 

With the Fanless feature, the Peplink TWO provides a quiet but high-performing multi-WAN router ideal for small and even large enterprises given it can support up to 150 users. It gives you the ability to connect to multiple ISPs and improves performance by minimizing latencies and maximizing bandwidth utilization.

 

• It has 2GE WAN ports and 1 USB port for 4G LTE modem enabling support of up to 3 WAN connections (you can also use the MAX Adapter modem on the USB port).

• It has a high throughput, up to 1Gbps. The VPN connection and Speedfusion connection throughput is up to 150Mbps. The speedFusion is available as an optional add-on.

• Downside: it is costly. Also, while it can run quietly, its fanless design makes it unsuitable for areas that can get hot and especially with high loads.

• Its power consumption is also high-40W.

 

  

 

 

Cisco RV340W

 

This Dual Gigabit WAN port and a VPN router has a user-friendly user interface for easy setup. It offers various encryption for better VPN security as well as load balancing for a reliable connection. It is an ideal option for small offices.

 

• It has 2 GE WAN ports and 2 USB ports that support 4G modems (check out compatibility here for mobile USB broadband). This allows up to 4 WAN connections. Includes 4 Gigabit ethernet for LAN connectivity.

• With the USB 4G modems, it is possible to improve the signal reception for areas with poor signals.

• It has integrated 802.11ac Gigabit Wi-Fi for mobile devices.

• Has high TCP throughput, up to 900Mbps hence improving network performance.

• Provides various QoS such as WAN policing, WAN bandwidth, Traffic classes, and WAN queuing.

• It supports link aggregation. However, it only supports static aggregation and not LACP which would allow for automatic failover and mitigate configuration errors.

 

 

MOFI5500 5GXe LTE DUAL SIM Router

This Mofi model uses 2 SIM cards that can be used at the same time for a reliable connection. It is compatible with U.S. carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint as well as other providers in Canada like Bell, Telus, Rodgers, and others.

Additionally, since this router supports band 71, users can experience the best performance on T-Mobile's 600MHz network (even with a poor link, it is possible to add this narrowband LTE band 71 antenna for improved performance).

With business software installed, it includes features such as Robust Fail Over, OpenVPN Server, IP Sec, Remote Cloud Management Interface, SMS Router Control via Your Cell Phone, Multi-WAN, Band Locking, and Advance Bandwidth/Speed Controls. It also has the ability to obtain a public static IP address on any provider direct from Mofi Cloud.

 

• Dual SIM together with 1 WAN port can be used for better speeds and reliability

• Ability to assign a static public IP address for any device that requires one (for example for your DVR or anything that you need a direct connection from the outside)

• Full bandwidth monitoring to see the usage of every device connected and have the ability to limit bandwidth/speed.

• Multi-WAN with fail-safe.

• External antenna ports for both cellular and Wi-Fi for signal improvement when used with more powerful antennas (see sample antenna kit here and Wi-Fi antennas).

 

 

DrayTek Vigor2926Lac

 

Vigor2926 series is a Dual-Ethernet WAN router. Ideal for home and small office setups it supports VPN, advanced routing rules, content filtering, and bandwidth management. This provides an integrated solution to build a reliable and secure network. Its price is also pocket friendly.

 

• 2 GE WAN ports with 1 fixed and the other switchable between and WAN/LAN. Also has 2 USB ports for 4G LTE modem. This feature makes this router to support up to 4 WANs.

• Load balancing features gives you the ability to create ratios for the WAN connections in terms of usage, as well as dedicating specific WAN for certain websites.

• It has 4 dedicated LAN ports that allow for AP management as well as a hotspot portal for easy client management.

• Throughput up to 900Mbps

• VPN throughput up to 80Mbps

• The Lac model supports Wi-Fi.

 

 

 

It is common for small businesses to extend local LAN connection to a remote office/site using a reliable Point-to-Point (PtP) link to leverage the multi-WAN connection for better reliability.

This way, even if the main office is using a cellular link as one of the WANs and has been amplified when it is weak (see more on cellular signal improvement), it is only amplified once, and then the LAN network is distributed via a wireless link.

Here is a sample way to bridge a main site with a remote office/site.

See the overview diagram below for a multi-WAN connection (featuring an improved cellular connection with an external antenna and a wired broadband connection).

Multi-WAN router showing wired and wireless links (with an improved wireless cellular link) 

 

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