Have you ever gotten frustrated when Netflix starts buffering just when the plot reaches a climax? Or when your video conference call freezes up right before your big presentation at work? We rely so heavily on home internet these days for streaming, gaming, working remotely and controlling smart home devices that even small hiccups feel enormously disruptive.
So you‘ve probably wondered: would adding a second internet provider solve these annoying problems?
Great question! Combining multiple ISP connections holds unique technical advantages compared to upgrading your single provider‘s plan. But the approach also introduces cost and complexity tradeoffs to weigh.
In this guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of using two home internet providers, walk through how to set it up, and compare alternatives to help you decide what works best.
Why Add a Second Internet Link?
First, let‘s examine what motivates home owners to consider getting supplemental internet access in the first place.
More Bandwidth for Congestion Relief
With today‘s homes now containing over 10 connected devices on average, our internet pipes get flooded during peak evening hours. 4K video streaming, video calls, mobile gaming, and smart home voice assistants all drive simultaneous bandwidth demand through the roof!
Total global IP traffic is projected to reach 4.2 ZB per year by 2022, up from 1.5 ZB in 2017. That‘s a staggering 2.8X growth rate in under 5 years!
| Year | Annual Traffic | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1.5 ZB | – |
| 2022 | 4.2 ZB | 2.8X |
To keep up, a secondary provider effectively doubles your home‘s internet capacity for faster speeds during these peak congestion periods.
Redundancy Minimizes Downtime
Even the most reliable networks occasionally go down. Construction crews accidentally sever buried fiber lines. Satellite earth stations get struck by lightning. ISPs botch software upgrades taking systems offline.
Having dual WAN links lets you stay productive despite outages on either connection. Automatic failover support continuously monitors availability, smoothly rolling over to the backup link when failures strike.
| Connection Type | Avg. Outage Time |
|---|---|
| Fiber | 2 hours |
| Cable | 14 hours |
| DSL | 41 hours |
| Satellite | 12 hours |
Fiber optic connections average impressively low annual downtime of just 2 hours thanks to redundant backbone links between providers. But even they aren‘t immune.
Flexibility for Specialized Uses
Beyond raw speed and uptime metrics, segmented networks open up useful scenarios like:
- Separating smart home IoT devices onto their own firewall-protected network
- Creating adult and child SSID access with custom content filters
- Keeping work and personal logins securely apart
Dual links make configuring these isolated use case connections simpler than complex VLAN or VPN approaches.
How Do Multi-ISP Setups Work?
Constructing a reliable multi-provider network requires choosing the right combinations of connection medium, wiring approach, hardware configuration and failover orchestration.
Connection Type Combinations
Most homes receive internet service over one of four access methods – cable, DSL, fiber or satellite:
- Cable – Fast and widely available, but usually only allows single provider per address
- DSL – Slower than cable but runs over phone lines, also locks out secondary accounts
- Fiber – Blazing speeds through dedicated fiber optic lines, often supports additional lines
- Satellite – Slower performance but wide coverage from orbiting satellites, readily complements other links
The key is mixing mediums – connecting cable + satellite for example. That way, your firewall router or SD-WAN controller can monitor both links and seamlessly roll traffic between them when issues arise.
Inside Wiring and Hardware Placement
Installing additional ISP wiring introduces some logistical hurdles:
- Running cables/lines through exterior walls or along baseboards
- Mounting extra satellite dishes or antennas
- Situating additional modems/routers nearby for easy cabling
Proper hardware placement matters greatly – both in physical positioning and network setup:
- Separate channels to prevent wireless interference
- Connect critical devices to both for redundancy
- Set distinct WiFi SSIDs to prevent confusion
- Enable automatic failover on supporting routers
With quality components correctly configured, typical homeowners shouldn‘t perceptibly notice transitions between links as outage rollovers occur. The network simply stays up regardless of any one equipment failure or provider network glitch.
Budgeting for Extra Costs
Of course, paying essentially double for home connectivity doesn‘t come cheap. Realistically budget for:
- $100+ in added activation, install and equipment fees
- $50 – $100+ more per month for dual subscriptions
- $300+ annually in first year expenses alone
Pro remote workers, gamers, or Wall Street day traders will gladly bear those expenses. More casual users may find the cost less easily justified.
Key Benefits of Multi-ISP
Okay, so now you understand how one activates multiple internet accounts. What benefits result exactly?
Near 100% Uptime Reliability
Combining two less reliable links together achieves greater than 99.999% total uptime – equivalent to just 5 minutes of annual downtime! Critical for users that absolutely can‘t afford disruption.
Total Speeds Up to 2X Faster
Adding a secondary line doubles your home‘s cumulative peak bandwidth capacity. Where a single 1000 Mbps/1 Gbps link might lag from congested evening usage, combining with even just a 100 Mbps second line achieves full speeds more consistently.
Unconstrained Data Caps
Mobile carriers have conditioned consumers to data limits. But home broadband connections routinely impose overage charges too once you pass prescribed amounts. Distributing usage across dual ISPs essentially doubles your data ceiling threshold.
Isolation Options
There‘s security appeal in dedicating internet-connected cameras, doorbells and sensors to a network distinct from your family‘s primary usage. Likewise keeping kids on a child-filtered profile. Using two links simplifies splitting access.
For the right home use cases emphasizing always-on connectivity, dual ISP delivers. But simpler single provider upgrades often suffice too.
Alternatives to Consider First
Since few families require the extreme redundancy and network configurability that multi-line internet enables, less complex alternatives better suit more conventional needs.
Bandwidth Monitoring
Often perceived "slow internet" ties back to specific heavy usage devices or high-bandwidth activities by particular household members. Analyzing current consumption patterns first before upgrading plans helps Right Size fixes.
Wired Mesh Networking
Instead of added lines, Mesh WiFi systems provide blanket signal coverage through multiple base station nodes linked over your existing home wiring. Models like Google WiFi and Eero distribute bandwidth widely.
SD-WAN Bonding Routers
Sophisticated routers aggregate multiple mediocre DSL or 4G links into one faster bonded connection, without requiring dual full-service ISP accounts. Peplink Balance routers excel at this capability.
VPN Redundancy
Small office routers from manufacturers like Ubiquiti support automatic VPN connections as backup links. When the primary internet line fails, traffic securely tunnels over the VPN to cloud infrastructure.
Evaluating if any of those alternative remedies sufficiently resolve friction points around lagging speeds, buffered video, or choppy conference calls saves money. But hardcore internet enthusiasts may still justifiably insist on configuring multiple physical links.
Key Takeaways
Adding a secondary ISP boosts home bandwidth, minimizes downtime, and segments access for productivity and security.
Combining different connection mediums like Cable + Satellite enables more reliable failover redundancy.
Setup costs extra for installs and monthly fees but rewards home-based businesses and remote workers.
For most mainstream users, Mesh WiFi, SD-WAN routers or Usage monitoring often address frustrations easier.
So carefully weigh your home‘s needs before pursuing multiple full ISP subscriptions. The enhanced technical capabilities carry very real benefits but overkill some scenarios. Prioritizing devices and uses with flexible single provider plans makes sense for many. But premium dual line configurations decidedly serve high demand users too.
