Balance Router Selection

#1

I need some assistance in selecting a dual WAN router for my home network.

I currently have the Comcast cable Internet service (260 MBps), but I want the ability to add a 2nd WAN service for redundancy if I switch to VOIP and to avoid a Comcast lockin. The 2nd service could be ATT or a wireless interface.

My current configuration:

  1. Comcast Service 260 MBps
  2. Motorola MB8600 Cable Modem (10/100/1000 WAN port)
  3. Netgear FV114 router (10/100), this is an old router that I want to replace which is limiting my download speed to around 25-30 MBps. A laptop connected directly to the Cable Modem had a 250 MBps download speed test.
  4. Structured Wiring Panel with Cat5e Ethernet cables to various home computers.
  5. Most of the home computers have 10/100/1000 Ethernet interfaces.

I have been reviewing the specs for the Balance 20 router, and I think that router has a throughput bottleneck.

  1. The Balance 20 WAN ports are 1 GBps
  2. The Balance 20 Stateful Firewall Throughput is 150 Mbps
  3. The Balance 20 LAN ports are 1 GBps

So my questions:

  1. Will my actual throughput be limited by the Stateful Firewall Throughput at 150 MBps?
  2. If so, are there better router options without breaking the bank?
#2

I’d suggest looking at the Balance One: Router throughput (which is what you should care about, never mind the Ethernet ports speeds) is 600Mbps, enough to handle balancing your two WAN connections.

I don’t know about your bank, but its price point is very good for what it offers.

For a bit more future-proofing, there is the Balance Two (available for pre-order), at 1 Gbps router throughput. Some of our locations have fiber access at 1 Gbps and support for that is rather nice.