Can we get two internet connections to increase productivity?

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JuicyGuava

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#284517 27-Apr-2021 14:30

We work out of a shed. We have 2 pc's connected to router via cat 3 cable and 1 laptop connected via wifi. We also have 3 cellphones connected via wifi and security camera's also on wifi. We use dropbox as our file server and regularly upload many pictures at once to dropbox off our cellphones. Our cellphone connections are pretty sketchy due to our location and the fact we're in a tin shed. We have a fibre cable running past the shed but we cannot connect to it 🤯. Whenever someone is uploading a lot of files/pictures to dropbox the entire network runs slow and we cannot access emails, or anything else really. Would I be able to get a second internet connection and split who uses what connection to give us the ability to work more efficiently when someone is draining one of the connections?

[Mod edit |Stu| moved to more appropriate sub-forum]

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#2698765 27-Apr-2021 14:38

What service is the router connected to?

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Lias

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#2698769 27-Apr-2021 15:00

Your post is a bit short on detail, but the short answer is "Probably".

FWIW If there is fibre nearby, you can probably connect to it, it might just cost (e.g. No free UFB install, but you can pay $$$ for a non funded install)

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wellygary

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#2698774 27-Apr-2021 15:06

freitasm:

What service is the router connected to?

I'm guessing its async copper as they are saturating it with uploads.. .but yeah, more details required,

Also what is the budget to make it better.

JuicyGuava

13 posts

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#2699485 29-Apr-2021 11:54

The router is connected to vodafone ADSL. They looked into VDSL as an option to increase speed, then turned around and said they couldn't supply it.

JuicyGuava

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#2699487 29-Apr-2021 11:56

Lias:

Your post is a bit short on detail, but the short answer is "Probably".

FWIW If there is fibre nearby, you can probably connect to it, it might just cost (e.g. No free UFB install, but you can pay $$$ for a non funded install)

Would I contact Chorus and ask them for a price to connect us to the line outside?

BlueOwl

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#2699530 29-Apr-2021 12:23

JuicyGuava:

Lias:

Your post is a bit short on detail, but the short answer is "Probably".

FWIW If there is fibre nearby, you can probably connect to it, it might just cost (e.g. No free UFB install, but you can pay $$$ for a non funded install)

Would I contact Chorus and ask them for a price to connect us to the line outside?

No, contact your ISP and ask them to provide a quote to be connected. You shouldn't contact Chorus directly.

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Zeon

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#2699613 29-Apr-2021 13:28

What area are you in? There may be local WISP providers that could provide faster upload bandwidth (saturation of uploads is probably where you are struggling). Alternatives to a WISP include RBI and now also Starlink.

All will be better than ADSL.

While the fibre cable is there and would be technically the best, it could be costly to connect.

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chevrolux

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#2699617 29-Apr-2021 13:31

Unless you can get a provider to do a proper ML-PPP connection for you (VERY few will offer this, and I wouldn't expect the monthly cost to be much less than $250-300), load balancing a couple ADSL connections will do bugger all. And even then, a ML-PPP connection is only going to take uploads from 1Mbps to 2Mbps.

Chuck your address in here and see if you can get Vodafone 4G (or Spark, or Skinny, or literally anyone) RBI. With a proper external antenna install, that's going to net you an easy 30/10 connection, with the potential to be even better than that.

cyril7

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#2699672 29-Apr-2021 14:33

Hi I recently sorted a client out with a similar issue, had 10/1 ADSL and had (not with my input) moved their onsite file server to o365. Everytime someone touched a file it would sync to sharepoint and crash the site for everyone.

In this instance we added a 4G connection (cell site 2km away) and I added routes on their Fortigate to route all o365 and GSuite for both SYD and US via 4G leaving the ADSL free for their other online apps which are primarily downstream traffic.

Been running for 4months now and works a charm, by only having o365/GSuite traffic on the 4G they fit inside their 160G cap.

Cyril

JuicyGuava

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#2699684 29-Apr-2021 15:09

cyril7:

Hi I recently sorted a client out with a similar issue, had 10/1 ADSL and had (not with my input) moved their onsite file server to o365. Everytime someone touched a file it would sync to sharepoint and crash the site for everyone.

In this instance we added a 4G connection (cell site 2km away) and I added routes on their Fortigate to route all o365 and GSuite for both SYD and US via 4G leaving the ADSL free for their other online apps which are primarily downstream traffic.

Been running for 4months now and works a charm, by only having o365/GSuite traffic on the 4G they fit inside their 160G cap.

Cyril

Sounds good. What would be the downsides of us looking to purchasing a small onsite server instead?

Spyware

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#2699685 29-Apr-2021 15:12

It's more expensive than a 4G connection.

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cyril7

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#2699696 29-Apr-2021 15:27

Hi, if you are going cloud, then you are going cloud, if you want ubiquitous access to your files both onsite and offsite then cloud is the better solution. If you internet connection is poor performing then attempting to create you own "cloud" by making a file server (synology or other) fully accessible from mobile devices over the internet then your going to have a hard time.

If you can get 4G then that is probably a suitable solution, and you can as I did enhance that with the ADSL connection as well. The down side is your paying for two connections (assuming you can get 4G), a suitable router to enable dual WANs is only $100-200 (ie Mikrotik Hex would easily do it).

Cyril

JuicyGuava

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#2700029 30-Apr-2021 10:59

chevrolux:

Unless you can get a provider to do a proper ML-PPP connection for you (VERY few will offer this, and I wouldn't expect the monthly cost to be much less than $250-300), load balancing a couple ADSL connections will do bugger all. And even then, a ML-PPP connection is only going to take uploads from 1Mbps to 2Mbps.

Chuck your address in here and see if you can get Vodafone 4G (or Spark, or Skinny, or literally anyone) RBI. With a proper external antenna install, that's going to net you an easy 30/10 connection, with the potential to be even better than that.

Here's a screenshot of where we are on the map. Not a lot going on around here 😬

cyril7

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#2700032 30-Apr-2021 11:14

Hi, so exactly what are your current ADSL speeds? do you have the DSL line stats from the router

Cyril

chevrolux

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#2700058 30-Apr-2021 11:53

JuicyGuava:

chevrolux:

Unless you can get a provider to do a proper ML-PPP connection for you (VERY few will offer this, and I wouldn't expect the monthly cost to be much less than $250-300), load balancing a couple ADSL connections will do bugger all. And even then, a ML-PPP connection is only going to take uploads from 1Mbps to 2Mbps.

Chuck your address in here and see if you can get Vodafone 4G (or Spark, or Skinny, or literally anyone) RBI. With a proper external antenna install, that's going to net you an easy 30/10 connection, with the potential to be even better than that.

Here's a screenshot of where we are on the map. Not a lot going on around here 😬

There is plenty going on there!!

Get a Vodafone 4G RBI connection (not necessarily from Vodafone, could be from any of the MANY resellers) and an external antenna installed, and you'll crank in some awesome speeds with zero complexity of trying to load balance multiple connections.

Looks like an area that @coffeebaron might be able to do the antenna install?

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