# Backup Network anyone?



## HalfEatenPie (Aug 19, 2014)

With more and more jobs/work/shenanigans based on the internet or work-at-home scenarios, I was wondering what do you have (for those of you who are working at home) to make sure you can clock in everyday?  Do you have an additional service from another company you use as a backup network connection?  

This is after the recent post on Reddit about the guy who used Comcast Residential for his go-to job-connection and ended up getting fired for it a few months afterwards due to how spotty their service to his area was.  People complained that he should have probably upgraded to a Business line, and while that is true it still doesn't excuse their terrible service.  

Lets hear em!


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## mojeda (Aug 19, 2014)

Tethering my android or iPhone for 4G LTE service, I have unlimited data on both.

I live an area where Verizon coverage is pretty strong and the service hasn't really ever been spotty for me.


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## SGC-Hosting (Aug 19, 2014)

My main line is fios (residential).  My backups are: optimum wifi, t-mobile hotspot, tethering my iPad with AT&T, or tethering an iphone with verizon.  The only real "planned" backup was the t-mobile hotspot - everything else is just because it's available and convenient.

I'd say I end up using fios 80% of the time and optimum for 20% -- haven't even charged my t-mobile hotspot in a year.

While comcast's service is unacceptable in the case on reddit, when your job (or anything important) relies on the service, there is no excuse for not having some kind of failover solutions -- even if they had record uptime and reliability, things happen - if you choose to ignore this, then the only person to blame is yourself.


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## Amfy (Aug 19, 2014)

HalfEatenPie said:


> This is after the recent post on Reddit about the guy who used Comcast Residential for his go-to job-connection and ended up getting fired for it a few months afterwards due to how spotty their service to his area was.  People complained that he should have probably upgraded to a Business line, and while that is true it still doesn't excuse their terrible service.


Can you link us to this post?


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## mikeyur (Aug 19, 2014)

My main line is a 50mbps cable connection (Shaw Cable). I've considered adding an additional DSL line, but for the few outages I've had - I've just been able to tether off of my phone temporarily.

If my connection really does go down hard, it's not too difficult to head to a coffee shop or a friend's house to work.


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## D. Strout (Aug 19, 2014)

Backup connection? Neighbor's wi-fi. We have good friends down the street, and they use a different ISP (yes, I'm in the US, I'm just lucky enough not to live in an area with only one option), so simultaneous outages is unlikely. I also have a FreedomPop and I can tether from my phone, but I've not had reason to very much. One or twice, so it's nice to have, but I could get by without it.

*In order of priority:*

ISP fiber line

Phone tethering

FreedomPop

Neighbor's wi-fi

McDonalds


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## dave (Aug 19, 2014)

I used to have 2 dsl lines, but these days I just use a 3g/hsdpa service for backup if I need it, which isn't often.

I've got a cradlepoint router that I can plug my phone into, and then plug the cradlepoint into my main router to share the connection with my whole lan.


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## HenriqueSousa - WebUp 24/7 (Aug 19, 2014)

I have my DSL connection as primary, and for backup I have:

2x 4G broadbands from different providers

And as last resource I have the internet from my phone also 4G.

- Henrique


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## concerto49 (Aug 19, 2014)

Yeah, like most have a backup 4G connection. Usually the best way. I've tried applying for a second fiber connection here but got rejected by the building manager actually.


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## Wintereise (Aug 19, 2014)

Tethering.


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## Jonathan (Aug 19, 2014)

At home I have DSL then tethering.

At the office we have:

Cable Line

DSL Line

Verizon Tether

AT&T Tether

Currently looking into satellite backup options to add to the mix in the event of a natural disaster or area outage.


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## splitice (Aug 19, 2014)

Its impossible to get a second line in this locality unfortunately. The copper in the ground barely supports a phone line (techs report it barely passes compliance, and on some days it doesn't at all - but its hard to get a phone tech to verify that). As such we use cable, much faster sometimes anyway (even if its significantly more expensive).

Tethered 3G is the backup if the net goes down (which does happen). And if that's down, well I guess I go to the pub? Haha


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## perennate (Aug 19, 2014)

mcdonald's


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## HalfEatenPie (Aug 19, 2014)

Amfy said:


> Can you link us to this post?


http://redd.it/2dvjyw


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## HalfEatenPie (Aug 19, 2014)

Haha it seems 3G/4G is pretty common for folks here!  Satellite isn't that bad of an option in my opinion, but I'm not too sure how expensive it'd be to maintain it as a backup option!  Benefit of unlimited data on a family plan is that you can setup an old device as the backup system and share the unlimited data whereas a satellite system you'd have to constantly pay for a subscription fee even when not in use (I don't know any pay-as-you-go option)


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## linuxthefish (Aug 19, 2014)

Neighbors wifi, he has plain ADSL and i have VDSL, and he works from home and uses my net when his is down. Also unlimited 3G


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## HostUS-Alexander (Aug 19, 2014)

I have two phone / broadband lines with two providers, I also then have my unli 4GB tethering, then if shit really shits the fan, I have an emergency Nokia on another network with £30 credit and a full charge


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## KuJoe (Aug 19, 2014)

I've got a FreedomPop 4G Hot Spot (<- Referral Link) that I picked up for $18 shipped and comes with 500MB of 4G data per month for free. I pay them $4/month so the unused data rolls over and I use it when I'm traveling or when Comcast goes out (only happened once, but it was down for almost 2 hours and nobody in the house noticed the speed difference).

The 4G isn't LTE, but 10Mbps is fast enough for 3 people.


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## concerto49 (Aug 19, 2014)

Sat is mostly too slow / high latency to be usable.


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## Kris (Aug 19, 2014)

Heard nothing about nightmares from FreedomPop, check the Amazon reviews before purchasing.

Get the Virgin Mobile Hotspot, you can activate it daily if you want to use it or cheap monthly, uses 4G LTE over Sprint. I'm grandfathered in on an unlimited 4G for $35/month plan. 

My favorite so far has been YourKarma, runs on the Clear WiMAX network, and LTE is in the works. You buy data once, it never expires. You also get 100MB for every person who connects, I haven't refilled my account since last December and still have 5GB. It broadcasts a 'Free Wi-Fi by Karma' SSID and you can earn a gig quickly at an airport.


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## Patrick Bostwick (Aug 19, 2014)

I use cox cable at home and tether with AT&T if my home connection goes down (this rarely happens with cox though).  Failing that I just drive down to the datacenter and use our connection there.


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## KuJoe (Aug 19, 2014)

Kris said:


> Heard nothing about nightmares from FreedomPop, check the Amazon reviews before purchasing.


I was skeptical when I bought it, but for $18 it wasn't a huge investment and the free 500MB was legit, I opted to pay for the rollover MBs because I want to avoid using hotel WIFI if I can so I'm stocking up on MBs before my vacation.

People complained that you can't cancel the free trial and are automatically billed unless you sit on hold for 30 minutes but I was able to cancel my free trial in maybe 6 mouse clicks (no phone calls, e-mails, tickets, waiting, etc...).

Connectivity was a concern also but I get better signal at work and in my apartment than I do on my cell phones. Speeds at my apartment are faster than at work, but considering my work is not within their coverage map I'm happy with 6Mbps down (my cell phone only has 3G and I'm lucky to see 1Mbps down anywhere in the state).


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## devonblzx (Aug 19, 2014)

Cable at the home/office with AT&T 4G as a backup with the hotspot feature.  Hotspot is included in my AT&T plan now, but even before it was free I just used FoxFi on Android to get around the AT&T limitations.  So I suggest anyone who needs hotspot and doesn't have it included to check it out.  It was a $7 one time purchase in Google Play and it works perfectly.  I started using it ~2 years ago when AT&T was still trying to charge $20/month for Hotspot.


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## KuJoe (Aug 19, 2014)

I used to use my Republic Wireless phone as a hotspot but then I upgraded to a new phone and there's no easy way to root it without making their software sad which is why I got the FreedomPop hotspot, it was cheaper than voiding my warranty.


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## devonblzx (Aug 19, 2014)

KuJoe said:


> I used to use my Republic Wireless phone as a hotspot but then I upgraded to a new phone and there's no easy way to root it without making their software sad which is why I got the FreedomPop hotspot, it was cheaper than voiding my warranty.


Android phone?  If so, FoxFi in Google Play enables the hotspot without the need for rooting.


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## sv01 (Aug 19, 2014)

4G for backup, but just top up when my cable down.


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## nunim (Aug 20, 2014)

[SIZE=10.5pt]My Telus connection is remarkably stable, however if you work online having a backup internet connection is absolutely critical.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]I use my Nexus 5 as a 3G backup in case my internet does go down. The issue I'm facing is my mobile dynamic IP changes far more often than my DSL dynamic IP, which is an issue with IP restricted services.  The only workaround is using an RDP/NX instance; unfortunately the latency on a mobile connection makes it painful.[/SIZE]


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## AshleyUK (Aug 20, 2014)

Here in the UK I have a 4G Connection with EE with 50GB/Month with the ability to purchase extra when/if required, aswell as phones spread across multiple networks. As well as a standard home Broadband Connection.

Being 4G, if works great if not better than the standard Broadband with sub 10ms ping's and Up/Down rate of 40+.


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## mikeyur (Aug 20, 2014)

KnownHost-Jonathan said:


> Currently looking into satellite backup options to add to the mix in the event of a natural disaster or area outage.


Just don't do what my previous employer did.. have 3 backups for internet, but no backup power in the event of an outage. Kinda screws up stuff for an ecommerce business, with voip phone lines and electronic entry on every door in the building. Were down for a few hours while we bought a generator and rewired all the important stuff.



nunim said:


> [SIZE=10.5pt]My Telus connection is remarkably stable, however if you work online having a backup internet connection is absolutely critical.[/SIZE]


I'm jealous of Telus' routes, but Shaw has been stable. Considering a backup as I do work online from home and more bandwidth/higher data cap never hurts.


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## Serveo (Aug 22, 2014)

As I'm most of the time on the move around in Europe I live with:

- Apartments line connection (I always choose for coax seen the improvements the past couple of years)

or Hotel wifi


As backup when line ain't working I always have data plans on the go

- iPhone 5s with 4G global dataplan cover

- iPhone 4s local SIM

- mifi device


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## TekStorm - Walter (Aug 28, 2014)

Well, I have a package from my internet company with unlimited access, but for some reason that it does go down then i go to my phone, true it might eat up alot of money doing it that way if it a prolong down time with the net. But, it will save you missing you work objective and keep you out of hot water with the company when you fail to fulfil the contract that you and the company agreed upon.


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## hostinghouston (Sep 3, 2014)

I have AT&T U-Verse and it's been very reliable so far. But, in case of it going down, I have a Sprint Galaxy S5 that I can switch on the mobile hotspot and use 4G-LTE. And, if for some strange reason that fails too, there is also a 3G Virgin Mobile hotspot laying around.


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## Amitz (Sep 3, 2014)

100 Mbps cable -> 6 Mbps DSL -> 4G tethering. If all this breaks at the same time, then I call it a day and have some drinks and joints.


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