1
My home has an HP PC, an HP laptop and an iPad all accessing the same wifi.
Is it possible to have wifi from a different isp also installed in the house, at the same time, for the use of the laptop?
If yes, can the laptop and iPad switch between the two wifi systems at the users whim?
sharon
Posted 2014-12-30T15:35:15.290
Reputation: 21
2
If you have the money, you can buy a router that supports two ISP connections. In effect it's a double modem. We use one at work, a Draytek 2860 I believe. It can handle both ADLS and cable. Draytek even has a model for three providers. There are different models for different setups. It can handle failover, but in my experience this does not work flawlessly. Based on client IP (the local IP address of each connected computer or ipad, phone), you can set which ISP is used. You can set limits on use, like with other routers.
Be prepared though that this router is complex and not for the average user. You can get lost at the settings. There may be better routers around. And it's not cheap.
In this scenario, you only have one Wifi. I don't know if that is a problem. If so, you can simply add another wifi router. That wifi router has its own IP address in the Draytek network, so you can set which ISP is used for the router. The result is that all devices connected to that second router have to use the same ISP.
SPRBRN
Posted 2014-12-30T15:35:15.290
Reputation: 5 185
+1 for the dual WAN router idea. -1 for the bit about devices connected to another router having to have the same ISP (the second router can be used purely as a switch and access point). – David Schwartz – 2016-05-05T22:07:45.273
0
Yes, you can have multiple access points, though they will interfere with each other unless they are on sufficiently separated channels (channels with numbers that are close actually overlap). The ease with which you can switch between networks depends on the software on the device. On an iPad, you just have to go into Settings/WiFi and select the AP you want to be on, which will also make it the default for future connections.
James
Posted 2014-12-30T15:35:15.290
Reputation: 1 029
0
You certainly can, but I'd ask what you are trying to accomplish. If to separate business and personal communication (and perhaps costs) then there's no technical issue (but check with your accountant for usable limitations), and most wireless routers will configure themselves so they will not interfere with other nearby wireless networks (i.e., your other network). Just make certain the wifi networks are named differently, use different passwords (common sense, I hope), and consider things like network connected printers, scanners, storage, etc. and if you want them available (in a basic network configuration you are only connected to one network so if your printer is on one and you're connected to the other you'll be unable to print). If you just have a bandwidth issue, the cheaper option is usually to upgrade the existing connection. Finally, if you're looking for a backup connection, this is basically the same as the business and personal option I mentioned above, though there are advanced routers which can manage two connections, but they're expensive and can be complex to maintain.
David W.
Posted 2014-12-30T15:35:15.290
Reputation: 1
0
Yes, It is definitely possible!
I am myself using two WiFi Connections at my Home. One is Hathway and another is MTNL. However, I can connect only one at a time on my laptop. The WiFi that you setup first on your system becomes the default ISP which your system connects. You can manually change which ISP to connect by default in the network connections window. The two WiFi are also simultaneously ON and still they work very well and data doesn't get mixed up or tangled in any way. :) (just in case you had this doubt at the back of your mind)
Also, I would like to add up that if the connection from one ISP cannot be established, then the Laptop will try to connect to the other available ISP. So, If you are trying to enhance availability of your internet connection then yes, it will help you. However, this switching time is of a few seconds to minutes. Some real-time applications may get affected or may disconnect in the switching time delay. However, I am not sure if there are any programs available for quick switching from one ISP to another.
If you want to switch from one connection to another on your iPad and/or laptop, you can do so manually through the WiFi connectivity options where it gives you an option to choose which WiFi ISP to connect.
For Example: If you are using Hathway & MTNL ISPs and you have a Laptop & an iPad.
On your Laptop you will get a list of available WiFi connections from Hathway as well as MTNL. Lets say you connect to the Hathway ISP connection. Now, your iPad will search for Available Wireless Networks. It will also see Hathway and MTNL ISP connections which your iPad can connect.
So, as you can see, both Laptop and iPad are independent of each other. Even if one device is connected to an ISP's connection, multiple other devices can still connect to the same connection.
Similarly, If your Laptop/iPad is connected to Hathway ISP's Connection, then you can still switch to MTNL's connection by going to the Wireless Network Connection settings and choosing the MTNL Connection and pressing the Connect button. However, this will disconnect you from the previously connected ISP's Network connection.
Hope it helps. Let me know if you need any more clarifications.
Murtuza K
Posted 2014-12-30T15:35:15.290
Reputation: 1
0
Yes, but you may have to change the wiring setup in your house a bit to make it work. For example, on the outside of my house there is a splitter with a single input and multiple outputs. The line from the ISP connects to the input port, while the output ports are connected to the various cable drops inside the house. With this setup I cannot use two ISPs at the same time, as there is only one input. With two ISPs you will obviously have two input lines, so you will have to find a way to get some of the drops inside the house connected to the first input line, and some of the ports connected to the second input line. This may be easy or hard depending on your existing setup (for example, the splitter may be inside the wall or in a hard-to-reach place).
As for setting up WiFi to switch, that part is easy - you would just need to connect one router to a cable drop served by the first ISP, another router to a cable drop served by the second ISP. If you want seamless switching ("roaming") between the two ISPs, then give the networks the same name and security settings. If you don't want it to switch automatically, then just give the networks different names and then you can select the network manually.
tlng05
Posted 2014-12-30T15:35:15.290
Reputation: 699
yes it is definitely possible – EBGreen – 2014-12-30T15:38:22.567
1As far as I know, you can have as many WIFI hotspot as you want. But if all of them are operating on same channel then you may see low bandwidth. – JackLock – 2014-12-30T15:38:27.640
thank you so much to all of you for your prompt replies. They were very helpful!! – sharon – 2014-12-30T15:58:15.607
2It's no different than you and your neighbor having your own WiFi access points, routers, and ISPs. – Brad – 2014-12-30T17:32:01.293
1I have to ask: for what purpose do you want two Wifi radios? And, separately and distinctly, for what purpose do you want two ISP's? It's entirely possible you actually want two Wifi radios but don't need a second ISP, particularly if your issues are with signal strength. – Anti-weakpasswords – 2014-12-31T02:37:10.040
The simple answer would be a plain "yes" (and "yes" again). But the question does not seem to be clear enough to generate a well targeted answer. Probably there is some underlying question (like bandwidth or sharing WiFi among several clients, …) which provokes the question. Can you give more details? Especially because you did not except any of the suggested answers, you may get your feedback by being more precise. – Dirk – 2015-10-03T21:08:38.943