Uptime improves when connectivity is designed with diversity from the start.
The phrase “less is more” may be a suitable ethos for a studio apartment, but in a world where connectivity is king, “more is more” often rings true. Just as having multiple avenues to reach a destination can offer reliability and efficiency during a commute, so can the use of dual WAN routers in the realm of networking.
What is a dual WAN router?
A dual WAN router has at least two WAN ports to accommodate connections from multiple Internet providers. These connections can be any combination of wired, cellular, or even satellite sources. Dual WAN routers — also known as hybrid WAN or multi-WAN routers — capitalize on the availability of secondary connections to fall back on if the primary connection fails.
The value is not simply in having two connections. It’s the ability to intelligently manage them. Dual WAN routers enable dynamic failover and policy-based routing so connectivity adapts instead of collapsing when conditions change.
Load balancing
A second circuit won’t help if traffic still piles onto one path. Load balancing spreads demand across active links to prevent bottlenecks before they impact performance. With SD-WAN policies in place, business-critical applications take priority instead of competing with everything else.
Link bonding
Unlike load balancing, where two active, separate links carry unique data, link bonding combines multiple WAN connections into a single link. Creating a “fatter pipe” allows more data to flow through faster. This increases available throughput and supports high-bandwidth use cases such as HD video and large data uploads.
Bonding can also duplicate traffic across links to prioritize delivery over speed. If one link drops, data continues over the remaining path. In mission-critical environments, this level of protection is essential.
Link diversity is becoming the standard
Enterprises are reevaluating their reliance on wired circuits as the sole WAN foundation. IDC data shows increasing demand for 4G and 5G as primary or parallel WAN connections, with wireless-first strategies gaining traction across enterprise and public sector organizations.
This shift is not experimental. Enterprises that once treated cellular as backup are now evaluating 5G as a primary or parallel WAN path. Higher network failover capacity, mobility, and the ability to deploy without laying new circuits have changed the cost and performance equation.
Satellite connectivity, including low-orbit options, adds coverage in locations where traditional infrastructure is unavailable. While 5G often outperforms satellite in speed and cost, combining multiple link types on a dual WAN router provides the flexibility needed in rugged, remote environments.
What are enterprises looking for in a dual WAN router?
Like many businesses, Valvoline Instant Oil Change locations found value in dual WAN routers and decided to standardize. The flexibility to include a cellular connection as a primary or secondary WAN link helped squelch network downtime and streamlined operations across all its service centers.
Reducing downtime at scale requires specific capabilities. Here’s what enterprises like Valvoline look for:
Improved reliability and uptime
By supporting a mix of wired, cellular, and satellite connections through an all-in-one multi WAN (or dual WAN) router, enterprise businesses can achieve 99.99% uptime. If a single network link fails, there are always others to fall back on.
Over time — using technologies such as 5G network slicing through SD-WAN — businesses can achieve guaranteed performance from end to end, much like the coveted service-level agreements (SLAs) of MPLS connections.
IT control of dual WAN routers from anywhere
Distributed IT teams need visibility across every site. Cloud-based management platforms provide real-time performance data and remote troubleshooting capabilities, eliminating unnecessary truck rolls and reducing recovery time.
Beyond WAN connectivity, centralized management extends into LAN devices, giving IT a unified view of branch operations.
Effortless security
As bad actors become more advanced in their network hacking tactics, enterprises are scrambling for highly effective solutions that can be deployed on day 1.
A zero trust enterprise network is a “never trust; always verify” solution that provides secure access to the Internet and private and SaaS applications. Moreover, it protects against malicious activity and zero-day attacks and is easier to manage and more scalable than traditional VPNs. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is an additional layer of security providing third-party individuals, employees, and vendors access to resources on a case-by-case basis while preventing their lateral movement throughout the network.
Selecting a dual WAN router with embedded zero trust capabilities reduces attack surface without sacrificing performance.
Does your business need a dual WAN router?
Not every site requires the same design, but every distributed operation should evaluate its exposure to single-path risk.
Consider the following before selecting a multi-WAN solution:
- Which types of connectivity do you need to accommodate through one dual WAN router?
- Do you need SD-WAN for performance optimization?
- Do you need the option of using multiple cellular WAN carriers at the same time?
- How much bandwidth will your locations need in the next 5-10 years?
- Which data security capabilities are you looking to implement?
Answering these questions clarifies whether your current design protects against predictable failure or simply reacts to it.