Multi internet connections in residential (US)

[AhmedIlyas]

Unfortunately since virtually everything is "offshore", who cannot understand or know anything... (sorry, it's true)

 

Does anyone here know if it is possible for a residential home to have multiple internet providers? (fiber) 

I am trying to do a failover/backup provider thing. 

 

If so, how will it work with just the 1 coax cable coming into the residential home? (apartment complex...)

 

Thank you

[kirashi]

15 minutes ago, AhmedIlyas said:

Unfortunately since virtually everything is "offshore", who cannot understand or know anything... (sorry, it's true)

 

Does anyone here know if it is possible for a residential home to have multiple internet providers? (fiber) 

I am trying to do a failover/backup provider thing. 

 

If so, how will it work with just the 1 coax cable coming into the residential home? (apartment complex...)

 

Thank you

As mentioned in your other post, you'd have a second modem from another ISP that's able to service your address. This could be a second cable modem, or it might be a VDSL modem if the provider uses phone lines to deliver a connection. None of us will be able to tell you what's available at your exact address, you'll need to contact local ISPs that service your area.

 

[Kilrah]

Typically that's only possible if you're using different connection types, e.g. one phone line or cable and one fiber. 

 

[brwainer]

If the ISP is using cable modems (sounds likely from your description), then it is possible to have more than one modem connected next to each other. The DOCSIS system is already splitting up bandwidth between all the apartments in your building (and possibly other buildings as well - often the entire apartment complex is a single DOCSIS headend), so there is actually no difference on the networking/connection side between two modems inside the same apartment and two modems in two separate apartments. Where you are more likely to run into issues, is that most cable companies' systems can only handle a single account at each address, and possibly only a single modem per account. If you have a roommate, it may be possible to have a second account be under their name to rent a second modem.

 

More than one Modem is not possible in a DSL setup, nor having more than one ONT in a FTTH setup (where the fiber goes all the way to each house/apartment, not just to a nearby pedestal or the apartment building in general).

[Donut417]

8 hours ago, AhmedIlyas said:

just the 1 coax cable coming into the residential home

You need more than one wire coming in. Then you need two modems and a dual wan router. 

[AhmedIlyas]

Thanks all!

[brwainer]

1 hour ago, Donut417 said:

You need more than one wire coming in. Then you need two modems and a dual wan router. 

pardon? You can definitely have a single coax coming into a house/apartment, use a splitter, and connect multiple modems. It is no different from the splitter(s) outside the house/apartment. All that matters is whether the resulting signal is strong enough.

[mynameisjuan]

4 minutes ago, brwainer said:

pardon? You can definitely have a single coax coming into a house/apartment, use a splitter, and connect multiple modems. It is no different from the splitter(s) outside the house/apartment. All that matters is whether the resulting signal is strong enough.

That does not result in redundancy. The coax being split still leads to the same line card and if that is what was down due to maintenance then both modems are still going down.

 

You want two independent lines from different providers

[Donut417]

31 minutes ago, brwainer said:

You can definitely have a single coax coming into a house/apartment, use a splitter, and connect multiple modems. It is no different from the splitter(s) outside the house/apartment

You cant if you want multiple providers. The OP wants MULITPLE providers. That coax coming in can only be connected to ONE cable company at a time. 

 

The only thing splitting it and getting a second modem will do is have two internet accounts with the SAME provider. If that provider goes down BOTH modems would be useless.  Also splitting the signal might not be an option either. It all depends on how strong of sginal you have. 

[brwainer]

1 hour ago, mynameisjuan said:

That does not result in redundancy. The coax being split still leads to the same line card and if that is what was down due to maintenance then both modems are still going down.

 

You want two independent lines from different providers

 

47 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

You cant if you want multiple providers. The OP wants MULITPLE providers. That coax coming in can only be connected to ONE cable company at a time. 

 

The only thing splitting it and getting a second modem will do is have two internet accounts with the SAME provider. If that provider goes down BOTH modems would be useless.  Also splitting the signal might not be an option either. It all depends on how strong of sginal you have. 

You are both correct, I missed that they were looking for redundancy. I have seen multiple modems in use in multi-wan where the ISP’s highest available bandwidth tier is not enough.

[AhmedIlyas]

Oh really? Interesting. 

So 1 coax cable cannot serve 2 different providers? 

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, AhmedIlyas said:

Oh really? Interesting. 

So 1 coax cable cannot serve 2 different providers? 

No. Espeically now that cable co's are moving to Docsis3.1 and they will need every part of the spectrum to be able to compete with Fiber. 

[AhmedIlyas]

Damn.

So, what are my options for a failover, living in a residential?

 

 

[Donut417]

8 minutes ago, AhmedIlyas said:

Damn.

So, what are my options for a failover, living in a residential?

 

 

Haveing another hole drilled in your home. Thats how people do it. 

 

Or the other option is LTE. No wires involved. But can be expensive. 

[AhmedIlyas]

yeah looks like LTE in this case. Unfortunately because it is an apartment complex, they wouldn't allow dropping another line.

[Kilrah]

You can't have 2 cable lines, but you can use cable + phone or cable + fiber if available.

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, Kilrah said:

You can't have 2 cable lines, but you can use cable + phone or cable + fiber if available.

Hes in an apartment. At least here in the US, most apartment complexes do an exclusive agreement with 1 provider. 

[Kilrah]

OK, here cable is managed by completely separate companies to phone/fiber lines, and most places have both available.

[Donut417]

3 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

OK, here cable is managed by completely separate companies to phone/fiber lines, and most places have both available.

Again its an Apartment complex. Diffrent set of rules. Because the building owners would be the ones that approve any service that gets added. So even if the city has multiple options, doesnt mean an apartment would.