basic questions about manual ip assignment

[pacoinconn1]

I have a couple of questions about manual IP assignments. I assign manual IP addresses for all of our devices (extenders, laptops, phones, wi-fi thermostats, etc.). Almost all use the "regular" networks (2.4 and 5). The wi-fi thermostats and vacuum cleaner use only the Guest networks (2.5 and 5).

I have a few questions:

1. Even though I've. listed the IP Pool Sarting and Ending Addresses from 192.YYY.X.1 to 192.YYY.1.XXX, devices that use the guest network (the vacuum and various visitors'. devices) are assigned 192.YYY.101.YYY or 192.YYY.ZZ. Aren't these addresses outside the iP Pool?

2. This bevhavior doesn't apply to 2 of the 3 wi-fi thermostats. All three use the guest network, all three are manually assigned IPs within the IP Pool and yet one wi-fi thermostat consistently shows up on an IP address outside the range, despite being assigned an IP address like the other two.

3. In the Network Map list, what does is the difference between a "Manual" and "Static" Client IP address?

Appreciate the help for this amateur consumer trying to learn and manage my home network.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I assign manual IP addresses for all of our devices (extenders, laptops, phones, wi-fi thermostats, etc.).

Why?

FYI:

When you define the router DHCP server IP Pool, i) the range should include all IP addresses you want assigned by the router DHCP server, both dynamically-assigned and manually-assigned; and ii) the range should not include static IP addresses you assign on each client's network interface(s).

An ASUSWRT router DHCP server typically re-assigns the same IP address to the same client each time it connects, so this tends to be very much like a static IP address that does not change over time... you just have to ID it once to know what it is.

1. Even though I've. listed the IP Pool Sarting and Ending Addresses from 192.YYY.X.1 to 192.YYY.1.XXX, devices that use the guest network (the vacuum and various visitors'. devices) are assigned 192.YYY.101.YYY or 192.YYY.ZZ. Aren't these addresses outside the iP Pool?

A simple answer is that Guest network IP addresses are managed by the router to keep the guest network/clients isolated from the main network.

2. This bevhavior doesn't apply to 2 of the 3 wi-fi thermostats. All three use the guest network, all three are manually assigned IPs within the IP Pool and yet one wi-fi thermostat consistently shows up on an IP address outside the range, despite being assigned an IP address like the other two.

Perhaps you have a manual assignment error somewhere... guest clients should connect and have the IP address assigned by the router (dynamic and manually-assigned) or by you (static assignment on client).

Perhaps a cheap/simple IoT device has marginal firmware that gets confused by too many reconfigurations and must be setup from scratch again after a significant/related network change. (Get the network properly configured first; then reconfigure any such troublesome clients.)

I suggest you could avoid a lot of router/network admin overhead by letting the router DHCP server automatically assign all IP addresses (dynamic and manually-assigned), and you only assign a static IP address on a select client that actually needs this extra admin effort for some reason.

3. In the Network Map list, what does is the difference between a "Manual" and "Static" Client IP address?

See above. Router DHCP/dynamic and manually-assigned are by router; static is by you on the client.

The Network Map/Client Lists may not always list correct information, so trust but understand when it is not 100% accurate in the moment you view it.

Incidentally, when you configure ASUSWRT firmware, begin by installing the firmware and then Hard Reset that firmware to its default settings before configuring the firmware from scratch.

FW Reset FAQ

Reset button/webUI Restore/node removal clears settings in NVRAM; reboot restores fw defaults from CFE

Hard Reset via WPS button/webUI Restore+Initialize also clears data logged in /jffs partition

OE