Hoping for some help regarding home network set up

[totallynoobtotallylost]

Hi all,

I am hoping someone could help me out here as I am totally befuddled by networking. Hopefully, I am able to express myself clearly.

My goal is to achieve the following:

1. Modem to be connected to Edgerouter Er-X.
2. Edgerouter to act as the sole router in my network for (a) wired TV A, (b) an Asus AC88U acting as AP, (c) another TV B.

While the above sounds simple enough, I am encountering some issue that I cannot resolve. Basically, the Asus AP keeps reverting to an IP address that clashes with the Edgerouter.

My current settings are as follows:

1. Edgerouter

• Updated firmware to the latest available via Edge OS
• Basic wizard setup set to Wan +2Lan2
• Internet port (eth0) - DHCP, enable default firewall
• One LAN option ticked
• LAN ports (eth1, 2, 3 and 4): set address to 192.168.1.1, enabled the DHCP server

1. Asus RC88U

• Updated firmware to the latest available on the Asus configuration page.
• eth1 LAN port from Edgerouter plugged to LAN port of the Asus RC88U
• AP Mode
• Set to obtain IP automatically
• Set to automatic DNS

After setting up the above, I will have no issues with the internet connectivity for the TVs and the Asus AP. However, after a couple of hours, the Asus AP will lose internet connectivity. According to the Asus Device Utility, the Asus AP is conflicted as it thinks its IP address is 192.168.1.1 (which is what the Edgerouter is set to as default).

The TVs will continue to work as normal.

Things I have tried:

1. On the dashboard of the Edge OS, I tried to go to "Actions -> Configure -> Manually define IP" and then set 192.168.1.2/24. The Asus AP fails to connect.
2. On the dashboard of the Edge OS, I tried to go to "Actions -> Configure -> Use DHCP". The Asus AP gets internet connection but fails after a few hours.
3. On the Edgerouter, set up two separate LANs, 192.168.1.1 gateway and 192.16.2.1 for TV A and TV B. This worked for a while, and then somehow after a few hours, TV B lost connectivity.
4. Tried multiple factory resets for both the Asus AP and the Edgerouter.
   
5. Tried to plug ethernet cable into the WAN port of the Asus AP instead of the LAN port - this led to zero internet connectivity or very very limited internet connectivity (~0.2 mbps).

Pretty much at my wits' end. Anyone able to advice? I am wondering at this point if I should flash a different firmware for the Asus AP as it seems as though the Asus AP is the problem.

Many thanks in advance to all.

 

[netwrks]

I can't speak for the (IP?) TV configuration. Did you ISP give you a router / modem combo, or just a modem? If router / modem combo, have you set it to bridge mode? That is the only real way where the Edgerouter will be the primary router in your network, unless there is some sort of DMZ mode..

If you ran the Basic wizard setup set to Wan +2Lan2, then you would have 2 LAN's, not one.
- LAN ports (eth1, 2, 3 and 4): set address to 192.168.1.1, enabled the DHCP server - is this statement accurate?

- Configure the Asus in AP mode.
- Give the Asus a static IP address in the correct subnet.
- Use the WAN port on the Asus, terminate on correct Edgerouter LAN port. (WAN port on Asus will be considered a LAN port when Asus is configured in AP mode. It will also allow the router to get NTP queries).

Once you have sorted out how many LAN's you have configured, go to the respective DHCP Server that you have created on the router (easiest is through router's GUI) and create a Static Map for the Asus (click on the Action Tab > Configure Static Map. You should be good to go..

 

[totallynoobtotallylost]

I can't speak for the (IP?) TV configuration. Did you ISP give you a router / modem combo, or just a modem? If router / modem combo, have you set it to bridge mode? That is the only real way where the Edgerouter will be the primary router in your network, unless there is some sort of DMZ mode..

If you ran the Basic wizard setup set to Wan +2Lan2, then you would have 2 LAN's, not one.
- LAN ports (eth1, 2, 3 and 4): set address to 192.168.1.1, enabled the DHCP server - is this statement accurate?

- Configure the Asus in AP mode.
- Give the Asus a static IP address in the correct subnet.
- Use the WAN port on the Asus, terminate on correct Edgerouter LAN port. (WAN port on Asus will be considered a LAN port when Asus is configured in AP mode. It will also allow the router to get NTP queries).

Once you have sorted out how many LAN's you have configured, go to the respective DHCP Server that you have created on the router (easiest is through router's GUI) and create a Static Map for the Asus (click on the Action Tab > Configure Static Map. You should be good to go..

Thanks for your advice. I tried the configure static map approach and managed to set a static IP on the 88U.

It has been working for over 10 hours thus far... hopefully the issue is resolved.

FYI, in relation to your post: "- LAN ports (eth1, 2, 3 and 4): set address to 192.168.1.1, enabled the DHCP server - is this statement accurate?"

• Yes, this is accurate. The Wan+2Lan2 wizard gives me the option to have only one LAN.
• Not sure why this is so, but it is just the way it is.. I am not sure why either..
• See this picture under "One LAN":

https://www.guruadvisor.net/images/numero5/ubiquiti/03_wizard.png (Picture not my own, googled online)​

Grateful for the help. Thanks!

 

[netwrks]

Good to hear. It should stay working.. I use an ERX as a switch, so, I didn't do the 2LAN2 config. I have an ERX SFP as a router, the 2LAN2 wizard let's you set up 2 LAN's. If anything else pops up, update this thread..

 

[totallynoobtotallylost]

To update, I had no problems for over a week. Then due to renovations, I unplugged the 88U from power source for some time.

After plugging the 88u back in, internet connectivity was lost for devices connecting through it. Over the past three days, the 88U has not been working despite resetting everything.

I have also tried to set up afresh by using the factory reset buttons on the ERX and 88U.. nothing seems to work.

One question I have is whether I should turn on the "Use DHCP" option in the ERX dashboard. The default is no address set.

 

[degrub]

did it loose the static IPs that were set ?
DHCP just hands out IPs to devices that request. No need if all are set individually and on the same IP subnet.

 

[totallynoobtotallylost]

it kept the static IP but I had no internet access.

 

[degrub]

do you have a static IP address on your machine on the same subnet ? If not, and you don't want one, it sounds like you need a DHCP server somewhere in the lan.

 

[totallynoobtotallylost]

After factory resetting the 88u, I indicated on the configuration page that it should not get IP automatically.

Instead, I set the static IP address as 192.168.1.17, subnet as 255.255.255.0, gateway as 192.168.1.1.

My ERX is 192.168.1.1. (default settings). I just noticed that even if devices try to connect to the 88U AP, the IP address is 169.254.*.*.

How to I ensure that there is a DHCP server for the 88U?

By the way, whilst all this is ongoing, my two televisions wired directly to the ERX continue to enjoy internet access.