Explore the guide library · Router comparisons
Understand what a dual-WAN router can distribute and why one download may not use the sum of both service speeds.
Do not buy two internet plans expecting an ordinary load-balancing setting to double every single download. Load balancing distributes traffic according to a policy; bonding a single flow across links requires a different arrangement. Read exactly what the router and any supporting service implement.
What the documented policy does
GL.iNet describes its load-balance ratio in terms of assigning new connections to available interfaces. It separately describes failover priorities. That is a useful distinction: keeping several tasks active across different paths is not the same promise as accelerating one task by adding both line rates.
Choose the outcome you need
- Keep working during an outage: prioritize failover, detection behavior and a tested backup.
- Serve several simultaneous users: load balancing may distribute their connections, subject to the actual policy.
- Make one transfer use both lines: investigate an explicitly supported bonding solution and its remote endpoint or service requirements.
Account for application behavior
Some services are sensitive to the source path or public address changing during use. Include banking sessions, work VPNs, calls and large uploads in the acceptance test. If needed, use the router’s documented policy controls to keep a particular device or application on a stable route.
Also consider asymmetric plans. A backup connection with a small data allowance or weak upload capacity should not receive ordinary household traffic merely because a ratio looks balanced.
Measure separate questions
Run one large transfer and note its path. Then run several independent tasks from different clients and observe how the router distributes them. Finally, disconnect one upstream path during a scheduled test and check recovery. These three tests assess single-flow behavior, aggregate use and resilience respectively.
Keep the results separate in your purchase decision. A product can perform well at one and poorly at another. Verify the exact firmware’s routing features before buying, and do not treat an aggregate marketing number as a guaranteed speed for every application.
Sources and editorial notes
Sources checked 8 October 2026. Independent guidance and original illustrations; product comparisons use published specifications rather than hands-on benchmarks. Check the exact model, revision and regional documentation before changing settings.