I am trying to have one PC always connected to the USB WAN on the Surf Soho MK3. This is how I know that the backup DSL connection is working properly in case the primary WAN (cable modem) fails. I don’t want to find out the hard way that something went wrong with the DSL connection when my cable fails.
I had this functionality in my prior Dual WAN router. I’m reasonably certain I could have the functionality in a Balance 20 or other Peplink Balance router, but I like having the Surf Soho WiFi as WAN feature.
Here is what I’ve tried to date:
I’ve set up a VLAN just for the PC (so DHCP works), then set up an Outbound Policy with Algorithm=Enforced, Source = IP Network 192.168.11.1, Destination=Any. It doesn’t work despite a Peplink forum statement that made me hopeful: “enforced policy with any | any (source | destination) will force all outbound traffic via the specified wan link whether its healthy or not.” Most likely this is because Peplink documentation says “Outbound rules are only applied when more than one WAN is active”. The Surf Soho MK3 only has one active WAN with the USB WAN being in Standby.
Another possibility is that the Surf Soho doesn’t support custom Outbound Policies. I had to use the following URL to add a custom policy: 192.168.50.1/cgi-bin/MANGA/index.cgi?mode=config&option=outboundpolicy as you can’t navigate to the Outbound Policy web page using the Surf Soho web interface.
Your understanding is correct, the Surf SOHO allows you to connect to the Internet using a USB cellular modem, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi. Hook the Surf SOHO up to Ethernet and Cellular connections, and it will automatically fail over from one to the other as needed.
Is there a way to test the standby USB line without disrupting the main WAN connection on the Surf Soho? By testing, I mean more than just the Health Check.
As previously commented, I have found out the hard way that my backup DSL line may not be working satisfactorily until the main WAN (cable) fails. At the moment, the only way I know to thoroughly test the standby DSL line is to physically disconnect the WAN cable from the Surf Soho, test to see if everything is working properly on DSL, then reconnect the WAN cable.
This is inconvenient to do. It also interrupts connections that are active on the main WAN line. And I can’t do it remotely which is sometimes needed.
The Balance One looks attractive. However, I haven’t yet been able to find anything about supporting Wi-Fi as WAN on the Balance One, to give it parity with the Surf Soho. Wi-Fi on WAN is one of the features that attracted me to the Surf Soho.
I am hoping I can have it all and not have to make a decision about what trade off to make when comparing the Surf Soho or the Balance One. Does Peplink offer a way to have Wi-Fi as WAN plus the dual wan capability that I am looking for?