Internet Failover with a Netgear LM1200
Look, I love my Virgin Media broadband when it works. It’s blazing fast and mostly reliable. But man, when it goes down, it REALLY goes down. We’re talking full-day outages where I’m left refreshing the service status page every 20 minutes like some kind of digital junkie looking for a fix.
After the third time, I’d had enough. Something had to change, and that something wasn’t going to be Virgin’s infrastructure anytime soon.
The Solution: Enter the Netgear LM1200
After a late-night rabbit hole of Reddit threads and tech forums (you know the kind - where it’s suddenly 1 AM and you’re 15 tabs deep), I settled on the Netgear LM1200 4G modem. Nothing fancy, but it promised to do exactly what I needed - kick in when my main connection decides to throw a tantrum. I didn’t want to spend a fortune, and I didn’t need a fancy router with all the bells and whistles. I just wanted something that would keep me online when my Virgin Media connection decided to take a vacation.
The little box isn’t winning any beauty contests, but it offers:
- Dead simple setup (I managed it after one coffee, which is saying something)
- Decent 4G speeds
- Plays nicely with my existing network gear
- Switches over automatically when disaster strikes
Setting This Thing Up
The Physical Bit
Setting up was surprisingly painless. The LM1200 sits between my Virgin Media hub and my router like a bouncer at a club - monitoring the situation and ready to step in when things get ugly.
The whole setup took me maybe 15 minutes, including the time spent untangling my existing cable mess (don’t judge - we all have that nest of cables somewhere).
Sorting Out the Data Plan
This is where I got lucky. I’ve been with Three Mobile since what feels like the Stone Age - back when 3G was exciting and smartphones were just getting smart. After years of monthly payments, I decided to throw myself at their mercy and see what they could do.
One phone call later (ok, and about 15 minutes of the usual “valued customer” hold music), they actually hooked me up with a free SIM card with unlimited data. No strings attached! Guess those years of customer loyalty finally paid off. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that it never hurts to ask - worst they can say is no.
Configuration
The setup process involved:
- Installing the SIM card in the LM1200
- Connecting the device between my Virgin Media modem and router
- Configuring the failover settings through the web interface
- Testing the system by temporarily disconnecting the primary internet
Results: Peace of Mind with Some Limitations
Monitoring and Notifications
One of the benefits of this setup is the notification system. I now receive alerts from both the failover router and my Ubiquiti network equipment whenever a failover event occurs. This keeps me informed about my connection status even when I’m not at home.
Performance Considerations
While the failover solution works well, there are some limitations worth noting:
Speed: The 4G connection, while functional, doesn’t match the speed of my primary Virgin Media connection. It’s sufficient for basic work and browsing but not ideal for high-bandwidth activities.
Signal Strength: The signal strength is good in my location, but the performance could be enhanced further with external antennas if needed.
Placement: The LM1200 needs to be positioned strategically. It requires:
- Open space for optimal signal reception
- Good airflow for cooling, as the device tends to run warm during operation
Conclusion
Despite these minor limitations, implementing this failover solution has provided peace of mind. I no longer worry about complete loss of connectivity during Virgin Media outages. The system seamlessly transitions to the 4G connection, allowing me to continue working without interruption.
If you frequently face internet outages and need a reliable backup solution, a 4G failover setup like this is well worth considering. The initial investment in hardware and potentially a dedicated data SIM pays off quickly the first time you avoid downtime during an ISP outage.