Dedicated line offers consistent speed and reliability, while broadband internet provides wider access and more devices.
Dedicated line offers consistent speed and reliability, while broadband internet provides wider access and more devices.
For educational settings, dedicated 30Mbps broadband with three APs per floor offers more reliable performance compared to a single ISP 100Mbps or 50Mbps setup with two providers. This configuration typically ensures smoother connections for devices used in Zoom and Meet sessions. For users with 30 to 50 devices, a router with Wi-Fi 6 on each floor provides better coverage and stability. If budget is a concern, exploring cost-effective options with solid performance could be considered, but prioritizing stability for classes is key.
In practice, you're not achieving load balancing; you're pairing two connections together. Unless your setup demands a 100% SLA, having two ISP lines isn't justified since the expense remains high. Opt for wired links unless you face major physical barriers. For instance, a large office with many private rooms needs multiple access points for strong signal reach. Conversely, in spaces dominated by closed offices, this approach falls short. One project I managed ran entirely on WiFi, and the performance was poor. Mesh networks aren't ideal either. You should maintain a solid wired link from each AP to the central switch. Otherwise, a single point of failure remains. A single AP typically serves only a handful of users, and your main constraint is the upstream ISP's bandwidth. Even with 200 Mbps downlink, if only 5 Mbps goes upstream, congestion will occur. If you connect several optical lines to the same building, they all originate from the same ISP, and you're still paying that provider for both ends. The same applies when using a third-party ISP over DSL or cable. You might pay for one connection, but the external provider handles the backhaul on the other end. Consequently, you won't gain redundancy or failover if the fiber connection is interrupted, since most neighborhood fiber comes from the same source. On the flip side, questioning whether using two ISPs offers any advantage usually comes back empty. Any real benefit appears only when you're already pushing your fiber capacity to its limit; otherwise, you're just duplicating links without improving performance. Congestion remains unchanged. Cable and DSL users often rely on multiple connections to boost bandwidth, but this increases latency and doesn't eliminate bottlenecks. For meaningful gains, you need dedicated space at the DSL/DSLAM or cable CMTS for those links. If you employ two ISPs with separate backhauls (like DSL and cable), you might gain routing flexibility, but it won't raise your actual bandwidth. You'd still need a router to manage traffic decisions—like directing Zoom over one channel and YouTube over another—which only randomly selects connections, not optimizing for quality of service. You should prioritize QoS needs first—especially for bandwidth-heavy apps like Zoom or video calls. Calculate your requirements: if 50 users join a 25-person Zoom session, you'll need roughly 4 Mbps per person (200 Mbps down, plus 1-4 Mbps per user with camera on). Even then, if everyone is in the same room, video streams work smoothly without needing external routing. Otherwise, a lower-capacity link might suffice, but two ISPs won't fix the underlying QoS issues.
Balancing traffic is usually a solid choice. It looks like your signal strength might be low in some areas—consider checking the AP placement and adding more units. Refer to this guide for more details: https://unifi-mesh.ui.com/#home
They all refer to internet links... the exact meaning varies based on definitions, and so does "broadband" and "dedicated line." For 2 ISP load balancing, reliability of local ISPs is key. I concur with the previous comment... if a fiber connection at your school is interrupted, having two ISPs is beneficial since both can use the same cables. For strong backup, a radio modem subscription could work if you have clear line of sight—up to several kilometers is possible. A 10mbps radio link might suffice as a fallback, allowing audio lessons while regular internet goes down. I’d run Ethernet cables to every classroom and set up wireless access points in each room or provide Ethernet ports/switches at teachers’ desks. It’s also wise to use Wi-Fi 5 and even Wi-Fi 2.4G for better penetration through walls and obstacles—don’t aim for high speeds, just strong signal and device compatibility.