To configure the Cisco RV340 with two ISP IP addresses for redundancy and load balancing, you must first establish separate physical connections to each modem or wall jack. The router’s dual WAN ports (WAN1 and WAN2) allow independent configuration of distinct public IP addresses, enabling automatic failover if one connection drops or manual load distribution based on traffic rules.
Physical Connection and Initial Setup
The foundation of a dual-ISP setup lies in the physical layer. Ensure that your primary ISP’s modem is connected to the
WAN1 port and the secondary ISP’s modem is connected to the
WAN2 port. If your ISPs provide static IPs, ensure these are correctly noted down before proceeding. For dynamic IPs (DHCP), simply connect the cables; the router will handle the negotiation upon boot. It is critical that both modems are in bridge mode if they are routing devices themselves, to prevent double NAT issues which can complicate troubleshooting and affect VoIP services. If you encounter connectivity errors during this phase, refer to our guide on
How to Resolve 'Invalid input detected at ^ marker' Error in Cisco Router for basic CLI diagnostics if you access the device via SSH.
Configuring WAN1 Interface
Access the Cisco RV340 web interface by navigating to its default IP address, typically
192.168.1.1, using a web browser. Log in with your administrator credentials. Navigate to
Setup >
Network >
WAN. Here, you will see the configuration for WAN1. Select the appropriate connection type provided by your primary ISP. Most residential and small business ISPs use
DHCP (Dynamic IP). If your ISP requires a static IP, select
Static IP and manually enter the IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, and DNS servers provided by the ISP. Ensure that the "Enable" checkbox is ticked. Apply the settings and verify that the WAN1 status shows "Connected."
Configuring WAN2 Interface
Repeat the process for the second ISP. In the same
WAN configuration page, locate the section for WAN2. This is often separated visually from WAN1. Select the connection type matching your second ISP’s requirements. Enter the specific static IP details if applicable, or leave it on DHCP if that is the provider’s standard. Crucially, do not assign the same subnet mask or gateway as WAN1 unless explicitly required by a complex routing scenario, which is rare for simple redundancy. Once configured, click
Apply. Check the status indicator next to WAN2 to confirm it has obtained an IP address or established a link.
Setting Up Load Balancing and Failover Policies
With both WAN interfaces active, the next step is determining how traffic flows between them. Navigate to
Setup >
Network >
Load Balance. The Cisco RV340 offers several policies:
- Failover Only: Uses WAN1 primarily. If WAN1 goes down, traffic switches to WAN2. This is the simplest and most common setup for redundancy.
- Weighted: Distributes traffic based on a weight value assigned to each WAN. For example, if WAN1 is 100 Mbps and WAN2 is 50 Mbps, you might assign weights of 2 and 1 respectively.
- Round Robin: Alternates every new session between WAN1 and WAN2 equally.
- Per Source IP: Keeps sessions from the same internal IP consistent on one WAN to avoid issues with applications that track IP addresses.
For most users seeking enhanced reliability without complex bandwidth aggregation,
Failover Only is recommended. It ensures that your network remains online even if one ISP experiences an outage. If you wish to utilize both connections simultaneously to increase total throughput, choose
Weighted or
Round Robin. Be aware that some websites may block or flag traffic coming from multiple different source IPs if you use Round Robin, so test this carefully with critical applications like video conferencing or banking portals.
Verifying Connectivity and Troubleshooting
After applying the load balance policy, verify the setup by pinging external hosts from the router’s diagnostic tools. Go to
Status >
System >
Device Status to view the current WAN states. You should see both WAN1 and WAN2 listed with their respective public IP addresses. To test failover, physically disconnect the cable from WAN1. The router should automatically switch traffic to WAN2 within seconds. Reconnect WAN1, and depending on your policy, it may resume primary traffic immediately or wait for a recovery timer.
If WAN2 fails to connect, check the physical cabling and ensure the second modem is powered on. Sometimes, ISPs bind MAC addresses to their service. If you replace a modem or change the connection point, you may need to clone the MAC address of the old device or contact the ISP to release the lease. For issues related to modem compatibility or topology conflicts, consult
Troubleshooting Wrong Dual Router Topology: ISP-Provided Modem Limiting Functionality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine the bandwidth of two ISPs?
Yes, but only if you use a Load Balance policy such as Weighted or Round Robin. However, this does not multiply the speed for a single download; it distributes different sessions across the links. A single file download will still be limited to the speed of one ISP connection.
What happens if both ISPs go down?
If both WAN interfaces lose connectivity, your internal network will remain functional for local resources (LAN-to-LAN communication), but no internet traffic will pass through the router until at least one WAN link is restored.
Do I need static IPs for both connections?
No, you can mix connection types. One WAN can use DHCP while the other uses Static IP. The router handles each interface independently based on the configuration set in the Network > WAN menu.
Will VoIP work with two ISPs?
VoIP can work, but it is sensitive to jitter and packet loss. Using Failover mode is generally safer for VoIP than Round Robin, as changing the source IP mid-call can cause disconnections. Ensure your SIP ALG is enabled in the Firewall settings to assist with NAT traversal.
How do I prioritize one ISP over the other?
In the Load Balance settings, you can assign higher weights to the preferred ISP. Alternatively, in Failover mode, the router always prioritizes WAN1. You can also create Access Control Rules to force specific devices or subnets to use a specific WAN interface.