Definition of CN2 Line
The CN2 line refers to a high-quality network line launched by China Telecom, also known as China Telecom's Next Generation Carrier Network. This is the best network bandwidth currently offered by China Telecom. Compared to everyday bandwidth, it resembles a flat highway with no traffic signal obstacles, while ordinary China Telecom bandwidth is like old, mixed regular roads. Thus, the CN2 line provides a much better network experience.
Popularity and Application of CN2 Lines
Although the CN2 line is not widely adopted yet and many may not be familiar with it, today we mainly discuss CN2 lines connecting to overseas data center servers. This is especially suitable for those engaged in foreign trade who need to maintain their websites. When accessing overseas servers from within China, due to long distances and multiple nodes, the speed is typically very slow. The solution is to use overseas data centers with CN2 lines.
Typically, accessing overseas servers from mainland China goes through a line called ChinaNet, which is one of China Telecom's backbone networks, running in parallel with CN2 and having its own AS number. Despite the obvious advantages of CN2, not all overseas data centers are connected to this line due to its high cost. Currently, the more common overseas data centers with CN2 lines are mainly in Hong Kong and the United States.
Comparison of Pros and Cons of Hong Kong and US CN2 Lines
CN2 lines in Hong Kong and the United States share a common feature: when performing a routing test, you will see the node 59.43.x.x in the path. Therefore, if the server you rent does not go through these nodes, it may not be using the CN2 line.
香港CN2线路测试
美国CN2服务器线路测试
Be cautious when choosing a server and do not be misled by exaggerated advertisements from salespeople. In Hong Kong, the difference between using a CN2 line and not using it is minimal because of the close interconnection between Hong Kong and mainland China. However, the situation is quite different in the United States, where the impact of whether a CN2 line is used is significant.
Take the "PING value" test as an example; it is recommended to use a multi-location testing tool. If a Hong Kong server uses a CN2 line, the multi-location PING result is typically in the 50-60ms range. Taking the Hong Kong CN2 server of Jiyun Cloud as an example, the average latency is 56ms.
香港CN2服务器ping延迟
If a Hong Kong server does not use a CN2 line, the multi-location PING result will be around 120-130ms, with an average of 122ms.
香港普通线路ping延迟
From the data, it is not difficult to see the significant difference. In summary, US CN2 servers and Hong Kong CN2 servers each have their characteristics. Hong Kong CN2 servers are suitable for scenarios requiring fast website access speed, but their bandwidth is small, only 3-5M, making them unsuitable for high traffic. Meanwhile, US servers have advantages in scenarios with high traffic and large download demands, with bandwidth ranging from 100M to 1000M, far exceeding Hong Kong. However, their speed is slightly slower than Hong Kong servers. The choice should be made based on the specific application scenario.
