Business Connection Pro

Hi cbtsuhako.

Thanks for your question about Connection Pro. Connection Pro is great for keeping a basic business running. Here's a list of what Connection Pro does not support:

• Statics
• Business Voice Edge (Business Voice products may have own battery back up)
• Smart Office
• WiFi Pro

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Hi Phil,

We had this installed this week, and I'm not sure if anyone understands how it's supposed to be hooked up. I know that I'm pretty fuzzy on it right now.

(Note: While we do have a static IP address, we are aware that Connection Pro won't support that, and if the main line fails the static IP will be down. We're fine with this. I can live with our remote worker not being able to VPN in during an outage. I am also aware that this device is meant to operate only during a failure and not concurrently with our cable modem service. I just need to make sure that if we have an issue with the modem, purchasing will still be able to purchase and accounting will be able to pay bills.)

The installer left things in this state: One ethernet connection from the modem plugged into the WAN port into the Cradlepoint LTE box. One ethernet connection from the modem left dangling (which I connected to the Sophos firewall that we own).

It's my understanding that the Cradlepoint pings the modem through its WAN port and when the modem doesn't answer the LTE radios turn on. But the installer didn't plug anything into the LAN ports on the Cradlepoint, so it's not entirely clear how my office will get internet from the box.

What I think i need to do is run a CAT-5 from the LAN port on the Cradlepoint into the Sophos and set that as its backup connection. Then if the primary goes down it should then switch to the backup. When I called tech support I was told not to do this. But I am unclear how any of my office computers will run if the modem is down unless I have some LAN connection to the backup device.

Are there some topology drawings to help us plan how to implement this in our offices? I really would like to make sure I have everything hooked up properly and be able to test it outside of business hours before there's an outage and everyone is standing over my shoulder asking "can I get back online yet?"

Hi logitek and welcome to the business forums.

Thanks for your question on the Connection Pro services. You are indeed able to hook up your firewall to the cradlepoint. However, you would not be able to have a static on this at all unless the firewall itself is capable of having two separate WAN settings and the ability to alternate between these settings if there were to be an area issue. If your router is incapable of this, then this would cause your static address to not route properly whether there was an area issue or not. 

I also recommend not having more than 1 or 2 devices behind your firewall if it's going to be on your cradlepoint. Only the devices essential for business needs should be on the backup services. Everything else should go through the gateway as normal since this is designed for essential needs such as processing payments and not running an entire network.
 

Please do let me know if you need anything.