Comparing Cradlepoint Load Balancing vs. Peplink/Pepwave Load Balancing & Bonding |
Thursday, 29 December 2011 | |
Comparing Cradlepoint Load Balancing vs. Peplink/Pepwave Load Balancing & Bonding![]() Pepwave Max 700 with multiple modems connected When comparing the features of all the various 3G/4G routers, the terms "Load Balancing" and "Bonding" can cause some confusion. Many Cradlepoint and Peplink/Pepwave routers offer load balancing, and several of the Pepwave models also support connection bonding. Load Balancing refers to balancing traffic across multiple connections (for example, using one Verizon and one Sprint modem; all of the users' traffic would then be split up so that some goes out over Sprint and some over Verizon instead of everyone sharing the bandwidth from just one connection) and is a commonly available feature even on inexpensive routers, while Bonding (AKA Aggregation) refers to actually combining the speeds of multiple modems into one higher-speed stream and requires more expensive full-featured equipment. Each of these features can be highly beneficial and determining if you need load balancing or bonding will depend on what you want to accomplish. The best way to figure out what you need is to ask yourself if your goal is simply to support a lot of users, or if you need one single high-speed internet stream to support a bandwidth-intensive application like real-time video streaming — load balancing between multiple connections would be sufficient for the former, while bonding/aggregating would be necessary for the latter.
CRADLEPOINT: The MBR1200B, MBR1400, and newer models like the COR (IBR600/IBR650 & IBR1100/IBR1150 models only) and AER (1600/1650, 2100, 3100/3150) line of routers all support load balancing. The MBR1200B and the MBR1400 can balance between 2-3 USB, 1-2 ExpressCard, and two wired WANs. The COR and AER Cradlepoint models allow the user to load balance via USB, wired and embedded WAN connections. Overall, Cradlepoint's load balancing routers let you choose between four different load balancing methods:
PEPWAVE/PEPLINK: The Peplink Balance and Pepwave Max routers all support load balancing, and they take the concept far beyond what Cradlepoint routers are capable of. This is thanks to their sophisticated outbound policy management system that allows you to distinguish and control how each connection is utilized. Peplink/Pepwave routers feature up to seven different algorithms for a variety of different applications that can be crucial for system admins struggling with multiple network connections:
![]()
![]()
Load Balance Wrap-Up: If you have a small business, the load balancing features on the Cradlepoint routers can be a great low-cost solution. If you run a larger business and demand complete control over your network connections, the Peplink Balance and Max routers offer the ultimate end user control. You can combine different algorithms by IP Address, IP Network or Mac address giving you unprecedented amount of control over your network. ![]() In addition to the load balancing functionality, the Pepwave Max routers (in conjunction with a Peplink Balance 210 or above) also offer bonding (which the Cradlepoint routers can't do). Bonding allows you to take multiple connections and turn them into one single stream, which allows you to have an increased download and upload speed. This can be incredibly useful for companies that demand a single pipe that offers faster speeds to download or upload real time video, route large amounts of traffic and handle video conferencing. After the connection has been bonded you can use their outbound traffic management feature to optimize outbound traffic and prioritize your VPN traffic. To bond multiple connections together, you'll need both a Pepwave Max router and a Peplink Balance 210 or higher to establish the bonded VPN connectoin back to the Pepwave Max. For detailed information on Pepwave bonding see this article: Click: Pepwave Max Bonding Information
If you would like more information or to schedule a demo: Click to fill out our Pepwave Max Contact Form
The Pepwave Max 700, Max HD2, Max HD4, as well as the Peplink Balance (models 210 and above) and MediaFast routers are the only routers on the market that can bond multiple connections together without any monthly recurring fees (please note that certain models such as the MediaFast 200/500, MediaFast HD2/HD4 or Balance 305, require a SpeedFusion license to use this service). This means the only costs are the hardware itself and the monthly service charges from your ISPs (which you're already paying for). In fact, if you're using any leased lines you'll be able to configure specific priorities ensuring you utilize the cheapest connections, and only use more expensive connections when necessary to further save you money. Related Links:
|
|
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 June 2016 ) |
< Prev | Next > |
---|