Failover now works on Linksys 3G WRT54G3G-ST EVDO Router

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1893

After upgrading my Linksys 3G WRT54G3G-ST EVDO Router to latest firmware, i decided to test its 'failover' feature again.

here is how i set up for the test

-- operated linksys evdo router with sprint ac595 card in it
-- set the 'failover priority' on linksys router to wan/internet
-- operated topglobal mb6000 with verizon ac595 card in it
-- ran ethernet cable from mb6000 to linksys wan/internet port

with this configuration, both routers operational, and the ethernet cable in place, the linksys served up connectivity from the verizon card in mb6000.

as soon as i disconnect the ethernet cable, the linksys switches to its ac595, and served up sprint connectivity.

i can safely say that the failover feature on the linksys evdo router now does what i expected it to.

btw, my testing with evdo pipe on both 'sides' was intentional. i think this is a great solution for full time RV'ers!

in addition, the linksys evdo router now becomes the router of choice for home offices/small offices who want to use evdo as a failover to their existing cable or dsl connection.

Ready to buy your Linksys 3G WRT54G3G-ST EVDO Router from the EVDO Experts? Just click here!

Michael · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject:

Alex, this is great news, can you update our review to reflect this new feature that works:

Linksys WRT54G3G-ST Mobile Broadband EVDO Router Review - EVDOinfo.com
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colebert · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 106

now to move on to whining for advanced routing and the ability to to use both connections simultaneously. Very Happy

i.e., routing certain traffic over WAN vs WWAN.

wayneco · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 18

Alex,

The only problem with setting 'failover priority' on the linksys router to wan/internet is that you can never use the WWAN side *unless* you unplug the WAN cable. If you have both plugged in and say "connect" it will connect and then instantly disconnect.

And if you have a static IP address on your WAN side, it gets written over by the EVDO's assigned addess when it's connection is brought up. See the end of this post for URL to my bugs thread I just started.

I have business grade satellite service (iDirect platform) on my WAN port and have 'failover priority" set to 'mobile' (I feel it should be called WWAN if the other is called WAN) so that I may manually bring up the EVDO connection when the dish is down and we're in motion or only parked for a short while. It might also be handy if one could provide a ping address on the WAN that the linksys could periodically ping to determine when to automatically switch to the WWAN connection for smart failover.

I see the promise of this product -- *this* is the ideal RV'er internet combo router -- now we just need linksys to fix some firmware bugs and the linksys + sat + evdo all in one box with smart failover (or even bug-free manual failover!) is a really formidable combo. Bugs aside, I'm fairly pleased. My KR1 just got moved to the drawer of things that I don't seem to use anymore. Smile

See my other posting on the Linksys 3G3 bugs I've found at this url: http://www.evdoforums.com/thread5318.html

wayneco

rickster · EVDO Junkie Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 216

I'm a little skeptical of the demand of dishing out the monthly fees for wireless bb just for failover. Most businesses that would want failover need it for servers and I'd say more typically those are hosted elsewhere that have greater through put. I'm sure there will be odd cases, but I'm just not thinking this is hitting a main stream business need.
I see the technology of it ('geek factor' ) interesting, just not business angle.

wayneco · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 18

I can easily see this as being a viable option for small offices, especially satellite offices of larger companies that have come to rely on the internet as a critical element of their business.

DSL or some kinda of leased line (T1 or fractional T1) as primary and an EVDO card as backup. Sprint's $60 a month EVDO service, even if only used as a backup, is well worth the price. If EVDO is only going to be used as a backup connection, I'd imagine that Sprint and Verizon might be compelled to even cut a nice deal to a corporation that had a few hundrec or thousand satellite offices and price the EVDO service at less than the $60 advertised.

This Linksys 3G3 router is really a very strategic offering if sold to the right market segments.

I know from my own experience that every RV in America should leave the factory or dealer with a 3G3 and a sprint or verizon card. It's *really nice* to have Google Earth w/real-time GPS tracking and other services while driving and EVDO provides that. It nicely complements and integrates with my existing mobile internet satellite service on my vehicle.

See: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/99809455_1a245a1d99.jpg?v=0

If I were the EVDO product manager at Sprint I'd be all over developing ties with the RV industry or settting up RV dealers as Sprint dealers to get 'em signed up right at the time of vehicle purchase or rental.

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1893

wayneco · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 18

Yes, that's right. I manually bring up EVDO when my dish is down either by pressing the button on the 3G3 or by pressing "connect" on th web page.

I don't unplug the WAN ethernet cable ever to force an EVDO connection. Due to Linksys firmware bug if I do that my WAN fixed IP address, netmask and gateway addresses get replaced by whatever the address the EVDO ppp server assigned the card at time of connect. And you can never again get back up on the WAN without going to the Linksys web admin and typing in the sat service assigned fixed IP address, netmasp and gateway address. This is a real bummer and easy to reproduce bug I hope Linksys fixed in their next release. I have posted other bugs in the "Linksys 3G3 bugs" thread I started last night.

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1893

wayneco · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 18

Alex,

Clearly you've misunderstood my feedback.

I'm delighted with this product as it's an excellent start toward solving the WAN/EVDO problem nicely and at a friendly price point. IIt has already obosleted the D-Link KR-1 product I was using before -- but it's still barely v1.0 on the software feature set -- rudimentary failover being added only in the latest firmware release.

Like all early products there's room for improvement and I have suggested some. I posted my thoughts on this site to simply stimulate conversation with other like minded people who are also using the 3G3 to manage a WAN and EVDO connection in the real world as I am.

Of course I'll be providing this and other feedback to Linksys directly and on a continuing basis as I have a real interest in seeing this product become more useful over it's life span.

Talking about problems and ideas for this product on this board and talking to Linksys about them are not mutually exclusive pursuits.

Sprint is absolutely the wrong entity to send comments to regarding this product. In fact, when I was looking around for this product I called about a dozen Sprint stores and none of them had even heard of the product. They ended up asking me questions about the product in return.

There is simply a co-marketing relationship between Sprint and Linksys, Linksys being the technology creator and manufacturer. Linksys has been shipping this product in Europe with their wireless partner Vodaphone for nearly a year, I expect there to be others, and over time I expect this product to fall away from the wireless partner exclusivity and become simply a Linksys 3G router.

Besides, I'm using it with a KPC650 on Verizon although I am considering jumping ship to Sprint around the end of the year wen our Verizon contract expires.

I tried to order it from the 3G store folks but they said they couldn't get one to me the next day and I was on the road so I ended up buying it from Ingram Micro directly as they could provide it to me same-day since I happened to be only a couple miles from one of their large distribution centers outside Los Angeles the day I bought the router.

dan · EVDO Newbie Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 1

Can the failover be configured to failover from WWAN to WAN or is only from WAN to WWAN ?

It would be nice it it were configurable.

wayneco · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 18

There is a button for "faillover preference" (I don't have the router in front of me to read you the actual words)

It's not documented but I have to assume that one way it perfers WAN, the other WWAN.

kjs45 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Hello,

Is there any update on this? Is it still necessary to have to press a button or remove the cable to get the wireless card to activate?

Are there any new routers out there that allow automatic failover and load balancing?

Thanks!

David77 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

I too would like to know if Linksys failover has improved.

I found some high end routers:
Junxion Box CLJB-110b has failover
Waav AirBox X2 can use dual Aircards

Unfortunately these are several times the cost of Linksys