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Re: [LUG] IPCop with 3G modem as a backup connection

 

Dave Berkeley wrote:
> I'm just looking at a similar problem. My UkFsn / EntaNet connection is still 
> down after 17 days. I can't even get the *****s to send me a MAC code to 
> transfer out. If anyone is thinking of using EntaNet, my advice would be 
> don't. I've even been put round a loop with their complaints procedure. I've 
> now canceled the direct debit as I'm sick of phoning them. I've had enough. 
> I'm getting cable installed.
>
>   
That's not good, I'd have thought they would at least give you a Mac 
code, but as you say you're going to Virgin so I guess it's not really 
needed and they can just cease the connection.  I still haven't received 
my Mac either, I think it must have got lost in the ether.
> Anyway, I've been running off a Vodafone E220 3G modem, which is patchy. 
> Sometimes quite good.
>
>   
That's good, I'm looking at Vodafone's Top Up & Go modem at £39.  I'm 
just using my dad's Three contract modem at the moment.
> I'm interested in approaches to failover. I would have thought that you could 
> just leave the modem connected, and use the metric on the routing table of the 
> router to provide the failover. Has anyone tried this?
>
> D
>
>   
Well I haven't managed to get IPCop to work with the modem yet.  I think 
it's more down to my patchy reception on Three than the IPCop box.  I 
think I'll have to investigate further when I get my Vodafone modem.

I did a bit more searching and it seems that pfsense (a FreeBSD based 
firewall distro) will support dual WANs but I can't find anything on 
automatic failover or using a 3G modem.

The reason I ask is because one of my clients is on Enta and they're 
reliant on the connection.  It's been fine so far (one 5 minute outage 
which was fixed by a power cycle of the router) but I'm trying to be 
proactive about it in case it does ever go down (there's a few horror 
stories on the Think Broadband forums about a fibre cut on the link to 
Sheffield which supposidly caused an outage).

I'm just thinking that it could go down either through a BT fault, an 
Enta fault or simply someone spilling coffee on the router and I'd 
rather have a Plan B for internet access if I can help it.

Rob


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