Connection is important
Internet connectivity in Bali has been getting a lot better over the last couple of years. ISPs regularly experience fiber cuts between the islands in the archipelago or reduced speed, because of unexplained routing issues from upstream. To counter this, we have some pretty smart tech-heads and 6 load-balanced Internet connections for redundancy, so we can now proudly say that we have 100% uptime and considerable download and upload speeds.
Total current bandwidth: 425 Mbps
We use six different Internet Service Providers (ISP), all with different major Indonesian backbones to insure the fastest possible routing and reliability. Advanced load balancing and layer 7 packet inspection is setup on the routers, that will autodetect if a connection has latency issues or has failed, and automatically reroute traffic through stable connections. That way, we ensure your Skype calls will be uninterrupted and all your internet needs are met. Of course, there are always things outside of our control in a developing country, so we cannot give any guarantees.
Speed test: Since the connections are load-balanced, doing a speed test will never give you full bandwidth speed as it will depend on which connection the router sends you on i.e. Round Robin. Using download tools that use multiple connection, such as Dropbox or FTP will increase your upload and download speed dramatically, as it will utilise the full network. If you need help or an advice with this, talk to one of our hosts.
Bali & Indonesia routing
Bali has 7 main fiber links but only 3 of these are for public or commercial use, with the others used for government or military purposes. The 3 upstream connections route through to the island of Java then out to Singapore, Hong Kong & Australia. Please be aware that all traffic in Indonesia is monitored and goes through the “Great Indonesian Firewall”, so sites for gambling, pornography etc are blocked and illegal in Indonesia. This shouldn’t be an issue, but does add some latency and some sites will get blocked, so please be aware of this.
QOS (Quality of Service)
Cornerstome-Bali Bali uses QOS on our network to ensure fair usage and speeds for all our members. Our QOS is designed to give the highest priority to people using communications protocols such as Skype, VOIP, Google Hangouts etc. Torrents on our network are blocked to ensure that the network is fair for all users. If you have specific download or uploads needs, you can always just ask.
LAN & WiFi
Our local network uses insulated CAT6 cabling, giving us 1GBIT internal Ethernet speeds, with 2 x Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S Cloud Core routers, UniFi Switch US-24 QSG Unifi & Pro POE touch switches, and UniFi AP AC 802.11ac PRO Access Points which are up to 5x faster to support high-density Wi-Fi networks, supporting both 2.4ghz and 5ghz speeds and located in all major spaces and meeting rooms—there’s even one conveniently next to the pool!
All our routers are located in dedicated air-conditioned server rooms to keep them running at an optimum temperature, keeping them away from the Bali heat and humidity.
Hardwired LAN connections are only available in Skype booths. Mac users should make sure you have Ethernet to USB adaptors with you—we do have some in stock, but they often have a habit of disappearing!
Power
Power always comes first. If there is no power, the routers won’t work. Don’t worry though, we have that covered also. Cornerstone-Bali has 23,000 watt power supplied by the Indonesian Government, but this is quite unreliable, with rolling power outages a regular fixture on the calendar. To counter this, we have installed:
- UPS (Uninterrupted Power Suppliers)
We have UPS on all our network, hardware, devices and WiFi access points. This insures no interruption to our internet connection and local network, meaning when the power goes down we can continue to run for at least 7 hours without using generators. - Generator
We have a Honda 9KVA generator which is on standby for critical times to run appliances, charge the UPS, use lights, fans and charge your laptops in the event of power outages. - Power Stabilizers
Bali power is known for frying new Macbooks and mobile phones while plugged into the power. All power throughout the Cornerstone-Bali is clean and stabilized to ensure your devices are getting the correct voltage, and your new MacBook of Phones don’t get frazzled. Be careful in your guest houses or villa, and always check you’re using stabilized power. - Lighting
To save energy the Cornerstone-Bali uses all LED and energy efficient globes. - Power Outlets
Indonesia uses the power plug type of 2-pin, 220 volts / 50Hz, similar to Australia and European countries. So, depending where you are from, you may need a converter to a 2-pin head. We have some areas in Cornerstone-Bali set up with international power points to make things easier for you.
