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  * [[:user_manuals|Back to Documentation]]
  * [[:network:internet_multiwan|Multi-WAN]]
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====== Multi-WAN introduction ======
  * MESHdesk and APdesk now offer multi-WAN support.
  * This allows you to ensure that your customers are always connected.
  * The multi-WAN feature includes the following options
      * Support for a number of Ethernet ports that can be used as a WAN connection.
      * Support for up to three radios that can be used for WAN over WiFi.
      * Support for up to six LTE modems.
  * You can use any combination of these connection types and customise them to your needs.
  * We offer two modes:
      * Load balancing
      * Failover
  * In load balancing mode, the active and standby connections can in turn be grouped and weighted (to distribute traffic).
  * Next, we will look at the Multi-WAN Profiles applet and finally see how easy it is to apply these profiles to devices.

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====== Multi-WAN Profiles ======
  * The Multi-WAN Profiles applet is located under the **Other** selection. 
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===== Anatomy of a multi-WAN profile =====
  *  A functional multi-WAN profile consists of the following:
    * A name, which can be thought of as a kind of folder, under which the interfaces are grouped. There is also a site-wide option that makes the multi-WAN profile available for all clouds in RADIUSdesk.
    * One or more interfaces that are used for WAN access.

===== Gentle reminders =====
  * There are two gentle reminders with instructions on how to make the multi-WAN profile usable.
  *  The first reminds you that you need to add at least one interface.
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{{:network:multiwan:multi_wan_new.png?nolink|}}
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  * The second reminds you to apply a policy after you have added an interface to the Multi-WAN profile.
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{{:network:multiwan:multi_wan_policy.png?nolink|}}
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  * Each Multi-WAN profile has an associated policy. 
  * Here you define the mode of the multi-WAN profile and the weighting of the individual interfaces as well as the role in the event of failover mode.
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{{:network:multiwan:multi_wan_policy_app.png?nolink|}}
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  * Once you have applied the policy, the multi-WAN profile is ready for use.
  * Next, we will look at the settings that are triggered when an interface is marked as **down** or **up**.

===== When to switch sides =====
  * For each interface you define, there is a separate area where you can specify the conditions under which the respective interface is considered unavailable / offline.
  *  Here are some things to keep in mind when customising some values.
    *  Active monitoring, where the hosts are pinged, is not mandatory
    *  If it is not enabled, the multi-WAN configuration will still monitor whether the interface itself is available or unavailable and act accordingly.
    * Some of the more popular hosts used for ping testing may limit the number of responses or not respond at all.
    * This can lead to a false trigger and also to the device being unreachable on the specific interface (e.g. for accessing the device via ssh or Luci).
 
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{{:network:multiwan:ping_test.png?nolink|}}
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====== Application of a multi-WAN profile ======
===== Applying a multi-WAN profile =====

  * When you connect a device to a Mesh or Access Point profile, you have the option of selecting the type of Internet connection.
  * If you select the Multi-WAN option, a further selection field is displayed in which you can select which Multi-WAN profile you want to apply.
  * Remember that the Multi-WAN profile and the hardware must be compatible. For example, you cannot use a Multi-WAN profile with an LTE interface on hardware that is not LTE-capable.

 
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{{:network:multiwan:ap_multi_wan.png?nolink|}}
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===== Multi-WAN reporting =====
  * Multi-WAN Internet connections are visually recognisable in the overviews of the mesh nodes and APs.
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{{:network:multiwan:ap_multi_wan_internet.png?nolink|}}
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  * In the following screenshot we have an access point with a multi-WAN profile in failover mode.
    * The WAN interface is active.
    * The traffic allocation is 100%
    * Two LTE interfaces are in the standby role.
    * They are actively monitored and are therefore marked in blue as being in standby mode.
    * The WiFi interface is not actively monitored but the interface itself is up.
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{{:network:multiwan:active_standby.png?nolink|}}
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  * Next, we introduce a scenario that triggers a failover.
<code bash>
#We block ping packets from being sent on the host to which the access point is configured.
#This will trigger  a failover 
sudo iptables -A INPUT -s 197.64.14.100 -p icmp --icmp-type echo-request -j DROP
#We remove the block 
#This leads to a fallback.
sudo iptables -D INPUT -s 197.64.14.100 -p icmp --icmp-type echo-request -j DROP

</code>
  * Failover triggered
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{{:network:multiwan:standby.png?nolink|}}
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  * Ping block is removed and the active role connection is restored.
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{{:network:multiwan:recover.png?nolink|}}
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