WAN Load Balancing & Backup The Vigor 2832 features three methods of WAN connectivity – ADSL, Ethernet (Gigabit) and two USB ports for connection of a 3G/4G modem. The Ethernet port can connect to a second ADSL or VDSL modem (e.g. Vigor 120 or Vigor 130), a cable modem or any other Ethernet-based Internet feed. The multiple WAN interfaces can be used either for WAN-Backup or load balancing. Load-balancing or failover supports IPv4 only currently. WAN-Backup provides contingency (redundancy) in case of your primary ADSL line or ISP suffering temporary outage). Internet Traffic will be temporarily routed via the secondary Internet access. When normal services is restored to your primary ADSL line, all traffic is switched back to that. If you don’t have ADSL, the Ethernet WAN port can instead be used as your primary/only Internet connection (using NAT) so the same router can be used regardless of whether you have xDSL or Ethernet Internet connections currently. The USB ports provide Internet connectivity (main, backup or load balanced) by connecting to a compatible USB modem (or cellphone) for access to the high speed 3G / 4G cellular networks from UK providers such as Vodafone, O2, 3 and EE / BT. If you don’t have ADSL at all, the USB 3G / 4G access method can be used as your primary/only Internet connection, ideal for temporary locations, mobile applications or where broadband access is not available. VPN – Linking remote offices, HQ, teleworkers and mobile staff A feature central to DrayTek routers is the VPN (Virtual Private Networking) features. A VPN enables you to link two remote offices, branch offices back to HQ or home-based/mobile teleworkers back to your office. Once connected, they have access to your office/remote resources through a secure encrypted tunnel allowing remote desktop, file sharing and seamless access to other resources and devices. The Vigor 2832 allows you to set up up to 32 simultaneous VPN tunnels to remote offices or teleworkers using PPTP, IPsec or L2TP protocols. Teleworkers can authenticate directly with your LDAP server if preferred. The Vigor 2832 also allows remote workers to dial-in with SSL VPNs with up to 10 simultaneous SSL VPN tunnels. Web Content Filtering The content control features of the Vigor 2832 allows you to set restrictions on web site access, blocking download of certain file or data types, blocking specific web sites with whitelists or blacklists, blocking IM/P2P applications or other potentially harmful or wasteful content. Restrictions can be per user, per PC or universal. Using DrayTek’s Cyren service, you can block whole categories of web sites (e.g. gambling, adult sites etc.), subject to an annual subscription to the Globalview service, which is continuously updated with new or changed site categorisations or sites which have become compromised (such as infected with Malware). A free 30-day trial to Cyren content filtering is included with your new router. Rack Mounting Kit The RM1 Rackmount Bracket enables you to fit any Vigor2832 series router into a standard 19″ rack or cabinet. The bracket takes up one rack slot (1U) and includes a cable retainer at the back to keep the power cord captive. The front mounted sockets of the router remain fully accessible. For wireless models, we then recommend extension aerials (or aerial extensions). 3G/4G/LTE Cellular Data Features On the Vigor 2832 series, the USB port can host a compatible 3G/4G USB modem for access to the cellular network for full Internet Access. The 3G/4G connection can be used as your primary/only Internet access, or as backup to your main ADSL line connection. This facility is ideal for homes or offices which don’t want to pay fixed line + broadband rental and also for temporary locations, or those to where fixed lines aren’t available but for businesses, having 3G/4G as a failover to your main connectivity means that your business stays online when your broadband doesn’t!. IPv6 – Next Generation Internet Routing The Vigor 2832 supports IPv6 – the successor to the current IPv4 addressing system that has been used since the Internet was first created. IPv4 address space is full up and IPv6 allows for much more efficient routing and a larger address space. IPv6 is supported both from your own ISP, but if your ISP does not (yet) support IPv6, the Vigor 2832 also supports IPv6 broker/tunnel services to provide IPv6 access using either TSPC or AICCU via 3rd party IPv6 providers. USB Features Network Attached Storage (NAS) The Vigor 2832’s USB port can also be used to add storage memory to the unit in the form of a USB memory key (as shown right) or for higher capacity a USB hard drive (normally requires its own power). The Vigor 2832 then provides FTP access file uploading/downloading which can be from the local LAN or from anywhere on the Internet – ideal for a simple to deploy file depository. Access can be ‘public’ or using usernames and passwords, each of which can have their own directories and/or file access rights. As well as FTP, file sharing is available as a Windows ‘network drive’. You can also use Windows Explorer to view and access the contents of the USB drive. If you do have a USB memory key connected, you can also have the router save it’s system logs (syslog) to that memory instead of to a connecting computer; useful for technical personnel (SysAdmins). The NAS facility uses any FAT32 formatted device (includes USB memory sticks, USB hard drives etc.) and supports a transfer rate of 12Mb/s so ideal for occasional or remote storage. For larger hard drives, you may need a separate power supply or powered USB hub. USB Thermometer With the installation of the optional USB thermometer, the Vigor 2832 can take continuous temperature readings from the vicinity of the router. This USB thermometer connects to the router’s USB port either directly or placed nearby using the supplied 1 Metre USB extension cable. You can log into the router at any time and see the current temperature and the previous 24-hour’s high/low as well as graphs. You can set thresholds so that if it gets too hot or too cold at the sensor, you’ll receive an email or SMS (text message). Typical applications will be to report the temperature in your comms/IT cabinet or room, but also the general office temperature, depending on the placement of the temperature ‘dongle’. USB typically allows a maximum cable length of up to 3M.