Thomson SpeedTouch and Linksys WRT54GL

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BigMal

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#28281 25-Nov-2008 06:56

Hi,

I just bought a Linksys WRT54GL wireless router for my parents who are on a xtra broadband connection using a Thomson Speedtouch ST536 v6.

I went around to their house to install it but for the life of me couldn't get it to work. I've installed many of these wireless routers for friends before without problem but I couldn't get this to work.

The setup was like this: (initially setup as a wired connection to make sure it works)

Phonejack -> Thomson
Ethernet from Thomson -> Linksys (internet/WAN port)
Ethernet from Linksys (LAN port) -> laptop

With this setup I can login and configure the router at 192.168.1.1 but I can't login to the thomson at 192.168.1.254 and can't get out to the internet.
The thomson appears to be DHCP'ing addresses starting at 192.168.1.64 (don't ask me why) as this is the IP address that is assigned to the linksys (the linksys is set to DHCP an address from the thomson).
The linksys also DHCP's addresses to various LAN devices (laptop) from 192.168.1.100.

Is it possible that because the thomson adsl modem and the linksys both operate in the same subnet that routing gets all screwed up?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

cyril7

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#180128 25-Nov-2008 07:45

I recommend that you dont run the WRT as a router but simply just as a wireless AP to double NAT is not a good idea, to do this first move the connection between the ADSL and WRT to one of the WRTs LAN ports, dont connect nothing to the WAN port. You must only have one DHCP server in a network which is probably what the issue is, so turn the WRTs DHCP off.

Probably best first to get your DSL modem working before connecting the WRT, then add that, but as I say only as a layer2 AP forget any details for the WAN config.

Cyril

BigMal

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#180138 25-Nov-2008 08:43

Thanks for your reply!

In the setup you describe, is the Thomson is capable of issuing IP addresses to other devices connected via LAN or Wireless to the WRT?

cyril7

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#180141 25-Nov-2008 09:01

Hi, most certainly, what I have described is a single layer2 network using one IP domain controlled by the Thompson across both all wired and wireless connections.

Cyril

eXDee

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#180252 25-Nov-2008 17:54

I'm no networking expert like cyril is, but the common way to do the WRT with another modem is to put the modem into half bridge and disable its NAT, then connect it to the WAN port. Works with the RTA1320 anyway. I've had success with this method with a netgear wireless router + rta1320 also.
Not sure if the speedtouch can do halfbridge though, most good ones can though.

cyril7

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#180258 25-Nov-2008 18:18

I dont believe the speedtouch can do half bridge. It does seem to be a reasonable performer and probably has similar of not better NAT performance over a WRT on off the shelf firmware, so as described is the only real option.

Cyril

coffeebaron

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#180302 25-Nov-2008 20:57

cyril7: I dont believe the speedtouch can do half bridge. It does seem to be a reasonable performer and probably has similar of not better NAT performance over a WRT on off the shelf firmware, so as described is the only real option.

Cyril

It kinda can. There is an option to assign the public IP address to single device, but I've had mixed success here. If I plugged a laptop in, it would get the public IP, DNS and the internet work fine. However, when I connected in this mode to a router (WRP400 in this case), it got the public IP, DNS, but no internet :( I've seen similar with other devices too.

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iainw

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#180408 26-Nov-2008 11:48

For what its worth, I would recommend Cyril's solution. This is the most simple, and in my experience, simple is generally better.

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BigMal

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#181467 1-Dec-2008 21:32

Sweet! All working as per your suggestions cyril. Thanks for your help guys.

rphenix

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#181671 2-Dec-2008 21:31

coffeebaron:
cyril7: I dont believe the speedtouch can do half bridge. It does seem to be a reasonable performer and probably has similar of not better NAT performance over a WRT on off the shelf firmware, so as described is the only real option.

Cyril

It kinda can. There is an option to assign the public IP address to single device, but I've had mixed success here. If I plugged a laptop in, it would get the public IP, DNS and the internet work fine. However, when I connected in this mode to a router (WRP400 in this case), it got the public IP, DNS, but no internet :( I've seen similar with other devices too.

I have a speedtouch 510, its working in PPTP mode (where you establish a windows like vpn, but from the Openwrt router, to the modem, which passes over the public ip to the openwrt (aka no double NAT) and you can use the lovely openwrt router in all its glory (if your WRT is an L or older model with good hardware)

The speedtouch can do a form of half bridge as well but I dont like that solution at all.