Easy way to connect two ISPs together!
Easy way to connect two ISPs together!
I've been exploring various options recently and considering a more straightforward and affordable method to link two broadband connections from different providers to boost bandwidth. There are numerous complicated solutions like SD-WAN, MPTCP, and OpenMPTCProuter, along with costly paid services. As a home user, I'm seeking something simpler and more budget-friendly. The biggest challenge in internet bonding comes from how packets are distributed across two networks, which is why a VPN acts as the central hub to merge bandwidth and forward packets. After reviewing a lot of information, I have a question: If I set up ExpressVPN on a Linksys router and use Linux or a WAN aggregation device such as an Asus AX56 or Netgear AX12, would combining WANs from two ISPs work similarly to how PCs, TVs, etc., receive data from a single IP? Would packets still be sent through ExpressVPN via connections from both ISPs?
Pfsense handles load balancing but does not manage bandwidth bonding. It also faces challenges similar to other load balancing solutions: for instance, if you're browsing a site and packets travel through one ISP, switching to another ISP mid-transmission can cause errors because the new connection uses a different IP address. Additionally, load balancing isn't ideal for streaming since packets from a stream rely on a single connection; switching between connections too frequently disrupts the flow. Bandwidth bonding or aggregation across two links doesn't work in the same way as it does with load balancing.
I don't think streaming would function that way because traffic spikes would simply become stuck on one WAN. You'd need to check the IP range of your uploaded servers, set up a manual routing rule, and route all other traffic through the alternative WAN so streaming doesn't interfere with gaming. Load balancing works well for downloading game patches when a single fast connection isn't available. Bonding isn't recommended since latency-sensitive tasks can be disrupted by out-of-order packets. I haven't tried streaming myself, but I've had no issues with load balancing. Gaming appears to run smoothly, though I'm not sure why it picks a WAN at random.
Anannyo Linus demonstrated this technique in a video long ago. His configuration involved two connections from the same ISP, which also provided the bonding device. This setup functioned effectively since both links connected to the same data center using their equipment, resulting in similar latency. Trying to bond with multiple ISPs or varying latencies would probably fail with the same appliance. You’re likely to need a specialized service, but it may be too expensive and unavailable locally. A premium tier connection would be cheaper, though.
I would have tried it myself with two VDSL connections, but I wasn't comfortable introducing another point of failure before my router. The two connections had different latency and bandwidth, which was a concern. I prefer the flexibility of routing WANs instead, as combined upload speed is usually unaffected. After 5G launched, I didn’t play much online gaming, so I used it for fast downloads on my gaming PC—just a few clicks to switch back to DSL for reliability. There’s someone on forum.kitz.zo.uk who uses a bonded ADSL connection in a very rural area; he faced Zoom call issues due to inconsistent line performance, which could affect gaming quality.