D200: LTE Failover

Topic

This article describes the function of LTE failover on the Datto Networking D200.

Environment

  • Datto D200

Description

The D200 delivers uninterrupted network connectivity by failing over to an LTE-enabled cellular carrier if it loses connection to your ISP.

The appliance will automatically fail over to the cellular network if it detects no connectivity over its WAN port. The carrier to which it fails over varies by region. See our D200: hardware and specifications article for more information about service provider regions and availability.

All devices dependent on an Internet connection will continue to function as usual, or as designated by your failover plan. You may notice a marginal decrease in connection speed due to cellular bandwidth limitations.

When the D200 detects restored connectivity on its WAN port, it will exit cellular failover and resume regular operation. You will not need to reset the connection manually.

Acceptable use

LTE Failover is reserved for emergency business continuity situations involving an outage with the primary ISP. Failover exceeding ten days or 50 GB of usage in a 30-day period or more than a total of 30 days in a 365-day period is considered outside current usage guidelines and is subject to limited LTE service.

  • LTE Failover can only be used during temporary periods of primary internet service failure. LTE is not a long-term substitute for primary internet service.
  • LTE Failover may not be used in a manner that results in excessive data use over the LTE network.
  • Certain device features may work in an altered or degraded state while the appliance is in LTE Failover.
  • Some applications, such as those which rely on streaming video, may not be accessible during LTE Failover.

For full details about Datto's LTE usage policies, refer to the Datto Networking Product Terms of Use (requires Datto Partner Portal login).

Functionality changes during LTE failover

During LTE failover, the following functionality changes occur:

  • The unit does not receive a WAN IP address.
  • Port forwarding is non-functional.
  • IPsec is non-functional.
  • VPN is non-functional.
  • ClientVPN users will be unable to connect.

Failover Modes

Device administrators can select one of two failover plans at the time of their D200's purchase. The type of plan linked to your device will determine the level of functionality it retains during failover.

If you have BCDR appliances on your network, make sure the D200's configuration meets the SIRIS, ALTO, and DNAS Bandwidth & Networking Requirements to ensure uninterrupted functionality.
  • Standard failover: This mode allows all traffic routed through the D200 to pass to and from the Internet. Your network will continue to function normally, apart from the functionality changes described above.
  • Management-only failover: This mode lets you continue to manage your D200, RMM, Datto Access Points, switches, and BCDR appliances while the router is in failover. No other traffic will pass between your network and the Internet.

Monitoring LTE bandwidth usage

You can view bandwidth usage when the D200 router is operating in LTE Failover mode.

  1. In Network Manager, select Routers, then click Status from the expanded menu.
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  2. View LTE mode bandwidth usage in the Router Utilization graph.
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Troubleshooting failover issues

There are three common causes for failover not working:

  • The modem cannot receive a strong enough signal to establish an LTE connection.
  • The antennas are disconnected from the motherboard.
  • The service associated with LTE failover is malfunctioning or not running.

If you can rule out signal strength as the issue, reboot the appliance to restart the service associated with LTE failover. If issues persist, contact Datto Networking Support.