Under the Hood

We are often asked what is going on “under the hood”, how does a Wipstream device actually work?

Let’s start with what a Wipstream device is: a Wipstream device is a “normal” WiFi router that has an additional cellular data channel. What makes Wipstream special is our proprietary software that manages the connection between your regular channel, the cellular data channel, and the Internet.

You may have heard of “channel bonding” or “channel aggregation”. These are well-established techniques for making multiple data communication channels appear to be a single, larger, data communication channel. They work well when all of your data communications channels have (approximately) the same timing characteristics (lag and jitter for the technically inclined). However, if the timing characteristics vary between the channels, by more than a small amount, then their performance typically suffers greatly.

Wipstream may seem a lot like channel bonding or channel aggregation but it really isn’t. Unlike those technology solutions, Wipstream can transparently deliver significantly higher performance than that available through either one of the data communications channels (considered separately), while dealing with the complexities of those different timing characteristics. But, Wipstream is not magic: wipstream does not create data communications capacity that doesn’t exist; Wipstream peak performance is limited to the sum of your regular communications channel and the cellular data channel.

How does the typical internet user measure data communications performance? Where else but https://speedtest.net or one of the many equivalent testing websites! Unfortunately, these testing websites have a bit of a problem with Wipstream. Their tests complete far too quickly for Wipstream to show its stuff and our data traffic management systems tend to confuse them. The result, an impressive performance result but one that does not really convey the incredible Wipstream user experience.

Instead, try simultaneously streaming a bunch of videos on the managed side of a Wipstream device. Then, add in a Zoom or Teams call – maybe even two or three. Wipstream just doesn’t seem to run out of capacity!

Wipstream is also very conscious of your cellular data usage and costs. In fact, Wipstream tries very hard to move as much of your data as possible through your regular network connection, only using the cellular data channel when necessary. The result: minimum cellular data usage and minimum operating costs!

And that is the Wipstream user experience.

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