What are the common types of network lines for US servers? This article will explain. While US server data centers may have similar configurations, their prices can vary significantly. The root cause is usually not hardware, but rather differences in network lines. These differences affect access latency, stability, and cross-regional access experience. If you're not familiar with network line types, you might encounter situations where the configuration looks good, but the actual access experience is unsatisfactory. This article provides a clear overview of common US server lines, offering valuable reference for website deployment, cross-border businesses, and overseas applications.

From a network structure perspective, US server lines primarily depend on the ISP connected to the data center and the international exit method. The most basic type is the standard international line. This type typically connects to the public internet through a local US ISP and then reaches other regions via a public international exit. Its advantages are low cost and wide coverage, making it suitable for businesses primarily targeting users in Europe and America. If users are concentrated in the US or surrounding countries, the latency and stability of a standard international line can meet most needs. However, for access from Asia, especially mainland China, requests often need to pass through multiple international nodes, resulting in higher latency and fluctuations during peak hours.

To improve cross-regional access experience, some US servers utilize optimized routes. These routes, based on standard international routes, optimize the path back to China or across continents, reducing detours through superior routing strategies. Compared to pure international routes, optimized routes offer lower latency, lower packet loss, and better overall stability when accessing from within Asia. For websites or applications serving users in both China and the US, these routes are typically a cost-effective choice.

Among optimized routes, CN2-related routes are most frequently mentioned. CN2 is a high-quality international backbone network launched by China Telecom, offering advantages in routing quality and bandwidth guarantees compared to the traditional 163 international gateway. Some US servers connect to CN2 GT or CN2 GIA, with CN2 GIA being a high-tier route offering relatively abundant bandwidth resources, stronger path stability, and more ideal latency control. While these routes are more expensive, they offer significant advantages in cross-border access experience, making them suitable for businesses with high network quality requirements, such as cross-border e-commerce, real-time services, and stability-sensitive systems.

Besides China Telecom lines, US servers may also connect to networks optimized for other operators, such as backhaul optimized routes for China Unicom or China Mobile. These types of lines improve the access experience for non-telecom users through specific international exits or partner networks. For sites with diverse user origins, choosing multi-line or converged lines can avoid the problem of poor experience from a single operator, allowing users in different regions and networks to obtain a relatively balanced access experience.

Another frequently mentioned type is the direct connection line. A direct connection is not a physical "point-to-point" connection, but rather refers to minimizing transit nodes in the routing process and prioritizing higher-quality international channels. Direct connections are typically used in conjunction with high-quality bandwidth resources, offering better performance in terms of latency and stability, but are also relatively more expensive. These types of US servers are more suitable for business environments with high requirements for network path control.

In some cloud services or high-end server products, BGP multi-line access may also be used. The advantage of BGP is that it can dynamically select the optimal path based on real-time network conditions. When an international line becomes congested or fails, traffic can automatically switch to other available lines, thereby improving overall availability. For businesses with widely distributed access sources and high stability requirements, this line structure is more reliable in actual use.

It is important to note that the quality of a US server line cannot be judged solely by its name. Even when labeled as optimized lines or CN2, different service providers invest differently in bandwidth quality, routing strategies, and congestion control. Therefore, when choosing a line, in addition to understanding the line type, you should pay attention to actual test data, such as latency, packet loss rate, and peak performance, rather than just relying on promotional claims.

From a business perspective, line selection should also serve actual needs. If the main users are located in the US or Europe, a standard international line is sufficient; excessively pursuing high-end lines can increase costs. If users are concentrated in Asia, especially for businesses sensitive to access experience, choosing a line with better backhaul quality is often more effective than simply upgrading hardware. For projects with complex access sources, multi-line or BGP architecture can reduce the impact of network problems in long-term operations.

In summary, the line type for US servers is essentially a balance between network quality and cost. Understanding the characteristics of different lines and choosing one based on your business's user distribution and stability requirements is crucial to truly maximizing the server's value. A correct line selection ensures full performance utilization; otherwise, even with high-end configurations, it's difficult to achieve an ideal access experience.