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user12096
Asked: 2010-04-06 17:45:29 +0800 CST

How to build an outbound load balancer with linux?

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We have 2 flatrates in the house and have double bandwith theoretically. There is a local network in the house that connects everything.

But when I am alone I wonder how I can use both connections at the same time.

I want to build a solution where I can browse the web and page requests are spread between the 2 connections.

I imagine there are expensive routers who can split the traffic between 2 lines (Edit: which I do not want to buy or install). But is there a good way to do it with linux (Edit: which I prefer)?

The solution I am looking for will split the requests already for one page (multiple images, css files, javascrfipt files) between the two lines.

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3 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    I've heard of Dual-WAN routers. Could you buy one of those to do the job?

    I suspect its possible to use the Linux distro called Vyatta, which does WAN Load Balancing i think: http://www.vyatta.com/downloads/doc_registration.php

    Another name for this kind of thing is "Bonding" or "Trunking" I think .

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  2. I think "ip route default equalize" can solve your problem. 

    ip route replace default equalize nexthop dev ppp0 weight 1 nexthop dev ppp1 weight 1

    ppp0 is a device, ppp1 is another device
    weight 1 means the probability that packet will choose

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  3. You can't do this with only the machines in your house unless both connections are to the same ISP and that ISP supports load balancing across two multiple connections, which would be rare for a residential service.

    If you have access to a Linux computer that is out on the Internet you might be able to do the following (this is off the top of my head, it's not well researched, so I don't have specific software in mind).

    • C1, C2: Two client machines at home.
    • R1: Linux computer at home acting as your router to the Internet.
    • R2: Linux computer, virtual server, whatever out on the Internet somewhere.
    • L1, L2: Two flat rate links to your ISP
    • R1 establishes two VPN, PPP, or L2TP links over L1/L2 to R2.
    • Setup load balancing software on both ends. Something like the Linux bonding driver over the two virtual interfaces the VPN or whatever creates.
    • Setup C1 & C2 so R1 is the default gateway
    • Setup R1 so it routes traffic from C1 & C2 to the R2 via the bonded connection.
    • Setup R2 so it routes traffic from C1/C2/R1 to the Internet.

    Now that I've written all this, I have less confidence it will actually work, but it might get you on the right track.

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