Backup internet options

KPG · 25 Jun 2020 at 16:28

Hello all.

I'm new here. Like so many people right now, I'm working from home for the foreseeable future and am even more reliant on a stable internet connection than usual. Also like many people, I only really look into these matters when things go wrong, and I am not especially tech-savvy.

I switched to FTTC about three months ago and a TP-Link Archer VR900 modem-router. It's been pretty sturdy in general, but over the past few weeks it has dropped connection randomly and would only reconnect after a reboot. The result is I spend as much time checking the lights on the router as I do looking at the work PC it's sitting next to.

My question is this: how can a person get as close as possible to having 'guaranteed' internet access in a domestic environment? What are considered the most reliable/cost-effective backup methods if/when fixed-line broadband fails?

I have been told, and have read on here, about 4g dongles and mobile tethering - sim-only mobile plans with large (unlimited?) data allowance - and have considered business broadband, for the promise of dedicated support (though I haven't looked closely into eligibility - I'm a freelance journalist but not self-employed). I know these matters have been discussed in the forum before and I have read the threads, but some up-to-date advice would be much appreciated.

Journey · 25 Jun 2020 at 16:31

I keep it simple, using a router that supports fail-over WAN, using the main Internet ISP as the day-to-day solution and a 4G data SIM that sits in the router and picks up if the ISP WAN fails. The SIM is PAYG/Pre-paid data that has no expiry on it (or one that is about 5 years away), so as long as you have a single provider that can give good 4G coverage then you are almost guaranteed an uninterrupted service.

Your TP-Link Archer VR900 supports a USB 4G modem, check page 42 in the user manual for the following.

"8. 4. 1. As a Backup Solution for Internet Access Using 3G/4G network as a backup solution for internet access, your modem router will be directly connected to the 3G/4G network when the original network service fails. Follow the steps below to set your 3G/4G network as a backup for internet access:"

1. Plug your USB modem into the USB port of your modem router.
2. Visit http://tplinkmodem.net, then log in with the account you set for the modem router.
3. Go to Advanced > USB Settings > 3G/4G Settings, and select the box of Enable 3G/4G as a backup solution for Internet access.

You just need to check you get a USB 4G dongle that is supported, most of them will be these days.

Obviously if its your router hardware that is the issue, rather than your ISP, then you'll need to ignore what I have just said and investigate the router, and again if not that have the line looked into if it keep dropping for no reason.

Caged · 25 Jun 2020 at 16:56

If you're only interested in being able to continue working from home on your laptop then I wouldn't bother with putting any sort of auto failover in place and paying each month to keep things running - just enable the hotspot on your mobile phone and carry on with whatever you were doing. You're not likely to massively dent any data allowance over the couple of days tops that you need to use the setup for, especially if you tell your OS that your connection is metered so it disables updates.

That buys you time to put something else in place if the outage is likely to be a significant one - either ordering a prepaid SIM with a large chunk of data, an LTE router etc. If I worked from home permanently I might consider something like the 4G assure that comes with BT Business.

If your router is crashing then plugging a 4G modem into it won't make it more reliable. If you're losing sync then you likely have a line fault.

KPG · 25 Jun 2020 at 17:26

Didn't think of an LTE router. My only experience of one of those was a poor one, but it was in a cottage in the countryside, so I can't fairly judge them on that basis!

KPG · 2 Jul 2020 at 13:21

A further question on this if I may: with a 4G modem/dongle plugged into a router, if the router switches to 4G during an outage, does it transmit a wifi signal as it usually would or is the dongle only good for device(s) connected to the router via ethernet? Is this entirely dependant on the router itself?

Andre · 2 Jul 2020 at 13:25

The wifi should be totally independent of the Internet provider, so the switch to 4G should be totally transparent to everything on your internal LAN

KPG · 2 Jul 2020 at 13:46

That's what I would hope. Thanks for the response.

Fergin · 5 Jul 2020 at 20:42

Really interested in doing this, I have a TP-Link archer vr600 which supports 4g USB modem, but for the life of me can’t find a list of compatible ones. Anyone have used one and recommend make / model etc? Also what would be the best sim as most look like they run out monthly

any help much appreciated

Fergin

KPG · 5 Jul 2020 at 22:21

I found this - it's not from TP-Link's UK site, but you can select your location from the drop-down menu and it implies that in the UK the vr600 is not compatible with any 4g USB modems. Not sure if this is up to date/definitive though.

https://www.tp-link.com/au/support/3g-comp-list.html?model=Archer VR600&location=1162

Fergin · 6 Jul 2020 at 17:30

Yeah found that, list is empty for lots of countries,seemed a bit odd that a router with that capability would not have any supported devices

Oh well will keep looking

cheers

fergin

Duke · 8 Jul 2020 at 21:28

Caged said:
If you're only interested in being able to continue working from home on your laptop then I wouldn't bother with putting any sort of auto failover in place and paying each month to keep things running - just enable the hotspot on your mobile phone and carry on with whatever you were doing. You're not likely to massively dent any data allowance over the couple of days tops that you need to use the setup for, especially if you tell your OS that your connection is metered so it disables updates.

That buys you time to put something else in place if the outage is likely to be a significant one - either ordering a prepaid SIM with a large chunk of data, an LTE router etc. If I worked from home permanently I might consider something like the 4G assure that comes with BT Business.

If your router is crashing then plugging a 4G modem into it won't make it more reliable. If you're losing sync then you likely have a line fault.

Completely agree with this.

Although I've not used TP Link for a few years, back in the day they were a cheap brand for a reason and I wouldn't use them for wireless or for routers. Maybe its changed but I'd go for a slightly better router to begin with and as said above just hotspot to your phone if needed.