Advice/Opinions TL-ER6120 vs Untangle

[Compstuff]

I am in the business and interested in setting up a discrete component network for my house. I have read the positive reviews on the TL-ER6120 and I like it a lot but I am also considering the following with Untangle on it: http://www.mini-box.com/Intel-D2500CCE-Mini-ITX-Motherboard ...I would greatly appeciate your thoughts.

PS - I have noticed a number of sites now stating that the 6120 is discontinued???

 

[bendsley]

Just a side note....not so much on the hardware but on Untangle.

If you're going to use VLANs, don't use Untangle.

 

[coxhaus]

I run both. I run an ER6120 router and then Untangle in transparent bridge mode behind the router. I cannot imagine running without Untangle in my network. I still like using a router instead of a PC for my front end.

 

[Compstuff]

Just a side note....not so much on the hardware but on Untangle.

If you're going to use VLANs, don't use Untangle.

I am definitely planning my network with VLAN's so I appreciate the comment... are VLAN's a problem with Untangle?

I run both. I run an ER6120 router and then Untangle in transparent bridge mode behind the router. I cannot imagine running without Untangle in my network. I still like using a router instead of a PC for my front end.

I have only implemented Untangle a few times but I really like it and would consider using the same as you but is their a real benefit to using both instead on just the Untangle?

 

[coxhaus]

If you are going to use vlans up to your border than I would not use Untangle or a ER6120 router as Untangle does not support vlans and the ER6120 router does not support vlan tags.

 

[Compstuff]

My network is going to have Data, Video (Netflix etc, movies from a NAS) and Music (mostly from a NAS). I will also have inbound and outbound VPN's so I was going to use VLAN's to seperate traffic and also assist with tagging for QOS. I am currently on an Xfinity circuit with a garbage dlink router and a Cisco 2960G switch. I was also considering adding a few UNI-FI WAP's in the house to address the wirless. I am wide open for suggestions Thanks

If you are going to use vlans up to your border than I would not use Untangle or a ER6120 router as Untangle does not support vlans and the ER6120 router does not support vlan tags.

 

[stevech]

Opinion: save your money and just use a mid-range router that will prioritize packets by VoIP, Video, other.
WiFi: not all WiFi has VLAN support and truly, QoS on WiFi which is half-duplex to begin with, is marginal. VoIP and VIdeo streaming don't belong on WiFi anyway; should be wired one way or another: HomePlug or MoCA or Cat5.

Think simple.

 

[Compstuff]

I would never stream over WiFi when I have the choice of hardwire so all 4 TV areas are wired with Cat6, the wireless is used mostly for phones and pads, alos for the kids and for guests (lower priority and limited bandwidth)... occasionally my wife and I use the wireless but for general surfing and I will add a WAP for the backyard area so we can sit outside. I do not do VoIP at all.

I guess this brings up a more fundamental design question regarding whether I should bother with VLAN's or not.

I don't really know too many IT guys that think simple

Opinion: save your money and just use a mid-range router that will prioritize packets by VoIP, Video, other.
WiFi: not all WiFi has VLAN support and truly, QoS on WiFi which is half-duplex to begin with, is marginal. VoIP and VIdeo streaming don't belong on WiFi anyway; should be wired one way or another: HomePlug or MoCA or Cat5.

Think simple.

 

[stevech]

I think of VLANs in the enterprise systems as ways to compartmentalize traffic for security and management reasons. In a home or SOHO, a VLAN can be used to segregate guests, contractors, etc.

 

[Compstuff]

In enterprise environments I have used VLANs for both security and flawless QOS on MPLS backbones. I have never used them in my home yet but since I am designing this netowrk from the ground up I was considering using them.

[/B]

I think of VLANs in the enterprise systems as ways to compartmentalize traffic for security and management reasons. In a home or SOHO, a VLAN can be used to segregate guests, contractors, etc.

 

[coxhaus]

Vlans in a large network help with off loading traffic on the core switches. This keeps a large network fast. Vlans are also used for security reason to segment traffic away from the main traffic. The only reasons I can think of using vlans at home are for security reasons like a public or guess network. Most homes do not have big enough networks to bother to keep traffic off of core switches but maybe to keep traffic off of power plugs so as not to slow down the network. Once you have vlans then you have to deal with routing them.

 

[coxhaus]

I probably should have said for a reason to vlan would be power plugs or slow devices like wireless. I have been working on isolating my wireless from my core switch at home. I think it would make a difference on the core switch speed. I have just had a few problems which I hope to overcome.

 

[JoeJoe]

I use pfSense on a similar Jetway Atom based motherboard from the same people. Works great.

 

[Compstuff]

Thanks for all the advice... I will rethink my design and not implement VLAN's for now. I think I will try the Untangle UTM on the hardware I refered to previously. If it doesn't do what I want I can always add the 6120 and just do untangle in bridge mode behind it.