Router Problems

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  • September 2, 2018 at 2:45 pm #25493
    Ed PEd P
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      @edps
      Forumite Points: 39

      I’m currently having huge problems with a really carppy BTHub/router. (unreliable at the best of times. but ‘free’) . However when it comes down my network also folds. I’m think of using a raspberry pi as a router as when it breaks replacement costs are peanuts. Would the following work, and what are the gotchas:-

      Home network switch <–>Pi Router and wifi DCHP disabled (maybe Pi-Hole too) 192.168.1.1 fixed <—->ISP Wan 192.168.1.254  DCHP enabled)<—->BT

      September 2, 2018 at 3:58 pm #25496
      blacklion1725blacklion1725
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        @blacklion1725
        Forumite Points: 2

        Just out of interest Ed – decent routers (and switches) are inexpensive – binned my BT one as soon as the engineer left – never looked back. Would it not be easier to get a decent, purpose built router (and switch if you need the ports)? No idea on the Pi question but would it not be a bit weedy for full-time use in this way?

        September 2, 2018 at 4:47 pm #25497
        Dave RiceDave Rice
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          @ricedg
          Forumite Points: 7

          So basically you’ll be using the BT hub to provide the ISP connection, internet facing firewall, DNS and DHCP duties?  That’s not really getting rid of it. Also can’t see any WiFi Access Point .

          I agree with BL, no point in dicking around. AFAIK all your clients would have to wireless (you have to route from one interface to another) and the Pi wireless is crap. Then you have double firewalls and double NAT.

          I’ve mentioned the TP-Link TD-W9970 before N300 @ £36, the Ac1200 is £70. But as you know I use Draytek Vigors a lot. They cost more but are properly supported and very configurable.

          My own network is:

          Vigor 2760 (no Wifi) DNS. Firewall.

          TPL Gigabit Smart Switch —- Synology NAS (DHCP, file store and backup target). PiHole.

          Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC LR 2.4Ghz 450 Mbps 5Ghz 867 Mbps

          Most devices are now connected via WiFi, some via an AP in client mode attached to a switch. Only “infrastructure” devices and the workshop PC are wired directly to the switch.

           

          September 2, 2018 at 5:25 pm #25498
          Ed PEd P
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            @edps
            Forumite Points: 39

            Thanks guys – I guess the best bet is to struggle with a replacement BT hub for a month or so while funds rebuild, then get a Vigor. (I had some heavy expenditures recently).  Btw with few exceptions, everything is wired.

            Out of interest I later discovered a ‘how-to‘. Maybe I’ll keep the replacement BT hub for the security cameras to add separation from the net.

            “LAN-to-WAN – Creates a second network inside of the main network, allowing you to place restrictions on any computers, smartphones, or other items that are connected to it. LAN-to-WAN networks cannot be used to share files.”

            September 2, 2018 at 5:46 pm #25500
            blacklion1725blacklion1725
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              @blacklion1725
              Forumite Points: 2

              Ed always a great idea to keep the ISP router for diagnostics (when you know it is the WAN link but they won’t have it).  I feel your pain as I have had a lot of (grown up offspring related) costs lately – ebay always worth a look as people who upgrade often outperfectly good kit for very little. I have done TP-Links for a few people and they are very good and very cheap (just to reinforce what Dave said).

              At a slight tangent If your hub connects to a BT “white box” modem (Huawei or ECI) you can also run a PC direct in to the modem and share internet from that till you decide on a permanent solution (assuming FTTC if ADSL then ignore)

              September 2, 2018 at 7:11 pm #25505
              Dave RiceDave Rice
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                @ricedg
                Forumite Points: 7

                You’ll have to set up port forwards on the second router, so each camera will have to use a different TCP port from each other to be able to access them from the first network. Should be doable, just takes some planning.

                Accessing them from the internet may be possible too. On the first router forward those TCP ports to the second router’s IP. However the old double NAT may screw it up. But I wouldn’t trust a BT hub to do anything correctly. I hate the GUI when doing things like this.

                Another way to do it is with a Smart switch or a Vigor and create Ethernet port based VLANs. Ethernet ports 1 to 3 would be in VLAN 1. Ports 3 and 4 would be in VLAN 2 (so port 3 is in both VLAN 1 & 2). Put the cameras on port 4, the PC on port 3 and everything else on ports 1 &2 (could be to another switch).

                I have a TP-LINK TL-SG108E 8-Port Smart Desktop Gigabit Switch £30 at Amazon (it can do tagged VLANs and link aggregation too) on the test LAN. My network backbone is the 16 port version.

                September 4, 2018 at 6:50 pm #25587
                RichardRichard
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                  @sawboman
                  Forumite Points: 16

                  Dave, I admire your drawings of your home networks set up. I installed a copy of a drawing package, (unlicensed and it shows). I had to use a couple of packages to edit and re-edit the output, not so satisfactory in the end. This does give a very rough idea of my layout and the way that I have used a couple of displaced routers to give both extra switch capacity and additional WiFi APs. The house is longways with several blockwork internal walls through which WiFi does not really travel. The only way to get the Amazon fire stick to get any signal was to provide it with its own AP, in this case served by a Powerline connection, the same goes for the kitchen, though the PVR has a wired connection. A WiFi AP almost directly above had a rubbish signal so the Powerline replacement was put in place. A while back I did play about with using the WAN port of a discarded router, the results were at best frustrating and very inconclusive. While a second logical network is certainly possible, ISP routers might provide a steep hill to climb. On the other hand, using them as a wired AP is relatively trivial, provided that you disable the unwanted functions and give each ‘AP’ a suitable reserved IP address. It does mean that the mobiles must be set up to understand all three APs and then hope they will select the best available option. They are not moved about much when in use – fortunately.

                  September 4, 2018 at 8:31 pm #25595
                  Dave RiceDave Rice
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                    @ricedg
                    Forumite Points: 7

                    OK, so the backbone of your network is basically the Powerline, which is what mine used to be. The problem is it’s easy to saturate them and the bandwidth is shared so the more nodes the less bandwidth. If it does what you need then that’s fine, don’t fix it if it ain’t broken. Using an old router as an AP is a great idea.

                    What I would do these days is use a “mesh” WiFi as the backbone. You only need the units near a mains power supply, after that positioning depends on the physical needs. They create the backbone using 5 Ghz AC 887 and broadcast that and a 2.4 Ghz N 300 locally. Each unit has a Gigabit Ethernet port which can be attached to a device or a switch.

                    This how we implemented a CCTV system at a farm. All the cameras were mounted on outbuildings with the NVR in one of them too. They were linked internally by a PoE switch or in the case of a single camera directly into the mesh unit. Geographically the farmhouse was the location for the “base” unit (and the monitoring PC) but it wouldn’t really have mattered. Rather than a star formation we could have had an “inline” one or any combination.

                    The farmhouse had an internal non mesh UAP AC Lite already, but they were all joined together to provide an all encompassing indoor and outdoor network with the cameras on their own secure SSID (VLAN). A guest network is baked into the system that only needs a tick box to turn a SSID into an internet only one.

                    The AC 887 backbone is running at an average of high 500 mbps, so tons to spare. The real world usage rarely goes over 10%.

                    September 5, 2018 at 7:55 am #25607
                    Ed PEd P
                    Participant
                      @edps
                      Forumite Points: 39

                      LibreOffice Draw or Dia are good free alternatives to Visio or Lucidchart.

                      September 5, 2018 at 8:27 am #25608
                      DrezhaDrezha
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                        @drezha
                        Forumite Points: 0
                        Ed P wrote:

                        LibreOffice Draw or Dia are good free alternatives to Visio or Lucidchart.

                        Or I used yed for my diagramming needs if I’m not on the iPad.

                        "Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

                        September 5, 2018 at 10:00 am #25611
                        Dave RiceDave Rice
                        Participant
                          @ricedg
                          Forumite Points: 7

                          The original was created in Google Drawings and amended using Paint.Net

                          I use Paint.Net for most things these days.

                          September 5, 2018 at 11:23 am #25616
                          RichardRichard
                          Participant
                            @sawboman
                            Forumite Points: 16

                            Thank you, I used a 14 day trial of EdDraw Max which came close but was (a) expensive for a none regular user and (b) did not appear to have all the symbols I needed. I will give those options a try as it would be very useful to have something available that I could use when needed.

                            In trying to draw a picture I have also realised that the number of legacy devices might also be pruned. For example one print server has as its main feature the fact that it still has a Centronics port plus two USB ports from days gone by, the A3 printer that it currently connects, could share a USB port on the other server serving a Canon printer for example. However, the mental and physical energy plus time band width to take on extra tasks is currently limited. The issue is coming to a head in the next few days following a planned ISP service upgrade (I hope!) when new router will arrive with its own slew of ‘interesting features’. One issue is the quantity of legacy devices I still hold. The Powerline route uses GB power line devices, though I have not checked their link speed, they currently ‘work’ and that is enough to keep baying hounds away.

                            At least I have a better idea of my setup for when I make progress with a drawing program.

                             

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