2 internet feeds- how can I do it ?

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brodnicki steven
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2 internet feeds- how can I do it ?

Postby brodnicki steven » 24 Oct 2009

I had my DSL connection die for 7 hours(very rare but could be financially disasterous) and since then, I've been wondering if anyone is setup with 2 internet feeds, so that if one drops out, the connection is handled with the other one. I was planning to add cable to my existing DSL as a backup feed. Does anyone have an inexpensive way to have 2 internet feeds connectted to one computer ? I was hoping to use two NIC cards and have software handle the two feeds.
(I've heard of some very expensive routers that can do it but I'm too cheap for that)

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TJ
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Postby TJ » 24 Oct 2009

connecting 2 internet services used to be difficult...
but hardware prices have come down,
and there are lots of professional instructions on the web.

I have given the dual connection a lot of thought,
but decided to pass it up.
I just want to keep things simple;
if the power goes out,
or the internet dies,
or the computer dies,
I will just let my stops and profit target orders to handle the exist.
If I am really worried, I will just pick up the cell phone, call my broker and liquidate everything.

If you have your mind set on a secondary connection,
I would suggest putting the money on your cell phone's 3GS subscription.
Because if your have a regional black out (either power or fiber), both internet connections will fail. But the cell might still work.



just my 2c

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Postby bowlesj3 » 24 Oct 2009

I think the same way. I have an IB bracket on all trades. If I pass out for some reason the target/stop brackets take care of it. I control the bracket via my software (lines on the chart guide me - lots of bottons I can click here to make the bracket do what I want - anything I want).

brodnicki steven
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Postby brodnicki steven » 25 Oct 2009

I use IB, so using a bracket on all trades is probably the most practical thing that I can do for now. I usually enter a profit target after entry but I generally don't enter the stop , since market makers can see the stops and run them at will. (ES)
I've noticed when we've had neighborhood power outages, that cable always worked(DSL always dies). I have a UPS that will last more than an hour, so as long as I have power to the cable modem, it would work. I think I might just hook up cable internet to my backup computer, it would only take a few minutes to load up MC and TWS on the other computer, in a power outage.
I don't have internet access on my cell phone(it's just for emergencies), so that's not an option at the moment but I'll look into it, that would be an excellent power outage proof backup..

Thanks for the suggestions !

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arnie
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Postby arnie » 25 Oct 2009

A USB 3G modem would be the best backup internet connection.

Check Vodafone UK

In Portugal, one of the Vodafone plans is only 10 euros, for a 10 hour connection. The next 10 euro payment must be made 180 days later for the service to continue active.

So if it's only for backup purposes, this is a very cheap connection, though the speed of it isn't higher than 1Mb.
Above this you need to subscribe a monthly plan.

brodnicki steven
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Postby brodnicki steven » 25 Oct 2009

Thanks Arnie but I'd ideally like to have a failsafe connection. Basically 2 internet connections always on, feeding a router and if one connection fails, the router keeps feeding with the other and I can't even see any change-over.
I did find that Linksys has a router model RV042 for about $200, that handles 2 internet connections. (not wireless though) I'd like to have wireless as well , to feed 2 other computers in the house but it seems that most dual WAN routers don't offer wireless, I guess they're designed for secure business use only.
I do like the cell phone option though, as a second connection. I still have to research that .

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Postby arnie » 25 Oct 2009

Hey brodnicki,

You have a UPS that last more than 1 hour :shock: ?

Mine, an old APC model, RS1000, but with a brand new battery, never lasted more than 15 minutes :( and this with only 1 monitor connected because if I connected all 4, well, I think that I don't need to say more :(

I didn't know that there were routers capable of receiving and transmitting 2 different ISP's. My guess is that both connections must be DSL or cable.

But it is an interesting way to protect yourself, though, a bit expensive.

If you have the 3G modem always connected to the USB port, and it's software installed, everytime you have any internet connection failure, a window pops up asking you to connect throught the 3G connection.

Is it possible nowadays to still have a 56K connection? In Portugal all connections are broadband now, DSL, cable, and 3G. One celular carrier is already offering 3G service, if I'm not mistaken, at 21Mbs :shock:

brodnicki steven
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Postby brodnicki steven » 25 Oct 2009

Hey brodnicki,

You have a UPS that last more than 1 hour :shock: ?

Mine, an old APC model, RS1000, but with a brand new battery, never lasted more than 15 minutes :( and this with only 1 monitor connected because if I connected all 4, well, I think that I don't need to say more :(

I didn't know that there were routers capable of receiving and transmitting 2 different ISP's. My guess is that both connections must be DSL or cable.

But it is an interesting way to protect yourself, though, a bit expensive.

If you have the 3G modem always connected to the USB port, and it's software installed, everytime you have any internet connection failure, a window pops up asking you to connect throught the 3G connection.

Is it possible nowadays to still have a 56K connection? In Portugal all connections are broadband now, DSL, cable, and 3G. One celular carrier is already offering 3G service, if I'm not mistaken, at 21Mbs :shock:
**Arnie: I have the APC 1500 (2 batteries) and what I do during a power failure, I shut down 3 monitors (LCD of course) and just run 1 for TWS, exit positions, shut down the last monitor and wait 30-45 minutes , if the power still hasn't returned(rarely), I shut down the PC. I've been able to go 45 minutes + with 2 good batteries in the UPS, with plenty of power left.
I like your 3G modem into the USB idea, I didn't know that it was that easy. You do have to be there to change connections though(maybe a macro could fix that). The Linksys modem will take 1 DSL and 1 Cable connection and seamlessly and automatically, switch between them if either connection fails. From what I've been reading, it's very fast and reliable too.
If I had reliable internet switching, I might try running the UPS off of a car battery, that could run all day.

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Postby TJ » 25 Oct 2009

please note that your TWS account authentication is with ONE internet connection.

When you switch the connection (between DSL/cable/3G), your authentication is lost...
you have to be re-authenticated. i.e. you have to log in again.

The authentication requirement is not apparent with web surfing... because you can go to any webpages without log in.


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Last edited by TJ on 25 Oct 2009, edited 1 time in total.

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Postby tcat » 25 Oct 2009

If you stick to your first idea, which is to have a pre-configured dual dsl connection, you may find new hardware which support load balancing over dsl.
Check www.xrio.com/Products/ubm-200i.aspx for example.
However, what you don't want to do is have the load balancing done on your windows trading station, as this configuration might not be reliable and might degrade overall perf.

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Postby arnie » 26 Oct 2009

You do have to be there to change connections though(maybe a macro could fix that).
Maybe there's a function in the software that switch the connection automatically, but I wouldn't rely on that.
Remember that 3G connection is very expensive, at least in Portugal (the cheapest monthly plan is almost 40 euros and don't go above 7Mbs of speed), and the operators have to put safes to prevent a connection without the user request.

When you switch the connection (between DSL/cable/3G), your authentication is lost...
you have to be re-authenticated. i.e. you have to log in again.
Even using TWSStart?

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Postby Emmanuel » 26 Oct 2009

Hi Tj,

When my internet is down, and if my routeur switch of internet provider,

I agree the connection is maybe lost for 20-30 seconds depending on the routeur,

but my IB give the alert, that lose the connection but, I don't have to log in

again manually, IB reconnect to the available internet connection. without the process of log in.

Emmanuel

.

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Postby Emmanuel » 26 Oct 2009

Hi ,

I would only use internet 3 G conection only as secondary internet provider.

you put it on, and you set up your router, so it use the 3G only in case of failure of the cable or DSL.

Like that you 3G bill will be mini

Emmanuel

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Postby TJ » 26 Oct 2009

Hi Tj,

When my internet is down, and if my routeur switch of internet provider,

I agree the connection is maybe lost for 20-30 seconds depending on the routeur,

but my IB give the alert, that lose the connection but, I don't have to log in

again manually, IB reconnect to the available internet connection. without the process of log in.

Emmanuel

.

that's good to hear.

Do you know if your service providers use the same backbone?


thanks

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Postby bowlesj3 » 26 Oct 2009

So what your saying TJ is that if TWS gets that grid which shows it is having a problem, and it is in the process of trying over and over to get connected gain (which it often times does successfully) that the software at IB can determine that the repeat attempts to reconnect are coming through a different service provider (or a different back bone maybe) and that the TWS software is set up to block this if it occurs.

I would say that this is actually a question for the IB support people at the technical level.

To me when TWS is trying to reconnect (and does it without the need to log in again or the need to shut TWS down and bring it back up again) it should be sending the authorization info down with every attempt and it should not really matter what internet path it comes from. I am thinking of the security device here. There is no way anyone can get the authorization code if I am using that device unless they steel it form me and have my ID and password too.

However, even if the IB support people say the "2nd service provider repeat reconnect attempts" need a manual log in, this added delay may still buy the trader enough time to get out of the position before it goes bad.

For me I have not had a problem with MMs running my stop probably because I am a small trader and it is not worth their while. I could go on and on with thoughts/theories in this area but this is not the place.

I just checked to see if IB had a forum and it appears not to. Too bad. If it did this is where this dicussion should be actually (or at least a parallel one).

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Postby Emmanuel » 27 Oct 2009

Hi Tj,

I don't know about the same backbone, I know it is a compleat different provider, one is cable, one is radio modem. The DNS adress is compleatly different.

The only thing I had to do was to put the DNS adress of each internet provider.(sometime you can put 1,2 or 3 dns adress for each provider) like that your computer know directly which adress provider to swtch to , in case of failure on one of the adresse. :wink:

I hope this help :)

Emmanuel

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Postby Emmanuel » 27 Oct 2009

Hi TJ,

Of course, I guess , if IB lose the connection for a longer periode of time, in this case, it should ask to log in again.

But I think it depend how you set up the second internet connection.

If you use the second connection as the fail over, it mean that IB may detect the lose of the first internet provider before the modem. if the modem don't switch fast enough. you may lose the connection.

And you may had to log in again.

On another another hand, you can do a round robin where you can open them constantly. like that , your computer can switch immedialty as he please.

in the case of the round robin, it is up to the router to balance the load depending on your setup. and the 2 internet connection a constantly open.

I hope , TJ it will help,

I am sure, you don't need to log in, if you configure your router to detect the lost of internet connection , every 15 second. this is for sure,

it mean that it would switch in less than 30 seconds. IB is reconnecting each time, as soon as the first provider is coming back , IB is swicthing back without ask to log in.

Emmanuel

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Postby Emmanuel » 27 Oct 2009

Hi,

Trade I prefer using cable because of the stability of internet connection.

DSL could can be used only if you are near the server.

I use Radio only in case of failure of the rest.

Emmanuel


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