How do I optimize bandwidth/throughput using two DSL lines in a home environment?

I have two DSLs (<6Mbps each) at home because:

each is capped at 150GB/mo and I use more than that
there are no other broadband options available to me that aren't severely capped
I'm hoping to find a way to improve overall bandwidth and/or throughput.

I tried a dual-WAN router in load-balance mode, but streaming performance from various services was dismal. I have only one device that can dual-home (a Mac Pro). I could put the house on line A and the Mac Pro on line B, then manually swap every two weeks, but this doesn't solve #3 above (and it's manual).

Is there a better way to architect my (Apple-centric) combination-wired/wireless network so all devices can communicate with each other and bandwidth and/or throughput are better? There are many wired devices, and many wireless devices on the network. I have any number of switches and Airports at my disposal, and I'm not averse to buying some new hardware, but keep in mind this is a home and not a business with a 4- or 5-figure network budget.

pseudon

Posted 2013-02-15T17:58:53.203

Reputation: 293

There are other devices on the network that can sort of dual-home (manually): AppleTV, for example, will use wi-fi unless it has an active wired connection, so it could potentially be hooked to separate networks. This could allow one AppleTV to source from devices within the house and another AppleTV to source from the internet simultaneously and (relatively) speedily. – pseudon – 2013-02-15T18:17:09.883

Answers

Connectify Dispatch will aggregate multiple Internet connections to create one faster/more reliable connection, and has special support for metered connections.

Connectify Hotspot will let you share a connection (including a Connectify Dispatch connection) with other clients. Hotspot Lite is free and included with Dispatch, and Pro adds more features which you probably don't need but might want.

Although Connectify currently only runs on Windows, you can run it on OSX in a Windows VM. You can also sign up to be notified when it is released for other platforms.

rob

Posted 2013-02-15T17:58:53.203

Reputation: 13 188

I wonder if this would have some of the same streaming issues as the hardware dual-WAN router did, or if not, how it gets around them. Some streaming protocols seem to be pretty well known for not behaving through more than a single IP address. – pseudon – 2013-02-15T19:55:15.057

I guess the only way to know would be to try it. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee. – rob – 2013-02-15T20:00:23.517

Alas, I don't have any Windows PCs, though it looks like Connectify may develop a Mac version. Just saw your edit... Yes, a VM is a possibility. – pseudon – 2013-02-15T20:03:09.397

Also keep in mind that you need 10 Mbps for Full HD content (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaming_media#Streaming_bandwidth_and_storage), and if anything else on your network is consuming bandwidth, your 12 Mbps might be falling short, especially if you're sharing it among many devices. Some streaming video services let you manually set a bandwidth limit so, for example, your HD Netflix movie doesn't stall and switch to a slower connection speed whenever something else on the network starts competing for bandwidth.

– rob – 2013-02-15T20:10:21.043

Netflix says 5Mbps for its best HD, comparable to other 720p services [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_video] [http://www.hometheater.com/content/how-much-bandwidth-do-you-need-streaming-video]. Unfortunately, I have little hope for much 1080p streaming with my current ISP offerings. But if I can have concurrent 720p streams, that's a big win. – pseudon – 2013-02-15T21:00:24.593

Disclaimer: I've never tried it. (Since I don't have multiple connections!) However, Sopho's Firewall has this feature : Increase your Internet Bandwidth - You can make easy use of multiple Internet connections at the same time, giving your home more bandwidth

Jasjeev Singh

Posted 2013-02-15T17:58:53.203

Reputation: 166