Spark Smart Modem + Smart Mesh as Wireless Access Points

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AndyT

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#280657 31-Dec-2020 23:44

For a number of reasons, I've put an ER-X in front of the Smart Modem with the modem and Smart Mesh unit configured to be WAPs only i.e. switched off DHCP, NAT, firewalls etc., LAN 1on the modem is connected to ER-X eth1 and the mesh unit is connected to LAN 2 on the modem by Cat 6 backhaul.

This all works generally pretty well, but several questions:

As the modem is not itself connected to the internet it shows a solid red, not green, light full time.... which I understand, but is there any way of switching this off? The mesh LED remains solid blue.
Guest wifis don't seem to work properly as they used to when the Smart Modem was in stand-alone mode, pre ER-X. Guest wifi networks for 2G and 5G are set up in the Smart Modem and I want to connect a number of Google Home Minis to the Guest Wifi rather than the main wifi in order to make them more secure. However the Google Home App can't connect at either 2G or 5G and the iPhone says "no internet connection" against both network SSIDs and gives a public IP address of 169.*.*.* and no router IP address. I can't figure this one out?
Speedtests have dropped from c. 920mbps to 650mbps ... still OK but I'm wondering what might be causing the 30% reduction? HWNAT and IPSEC offloading are enabled on the ER-X, so that's not the cause.

Any help on the above would be much appreciated.

Thanks & regards,

Rgds Andy T

toejam316

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#2628807 1-Jan-2021 01:59

3. is almost certainly your ER-X's config, it's pushing pretty hard to get gigabit through it over PPPoE, from memory. As per @michaelmurphy who has provided info on this previously in his router thread, the ERL3 seems to be the better pick for Gigabit PPPoE, the ERX just doesn't quite have the chops.

2. Sounds like the Smart Modem isn't providing DHCP to these devices, which it may need to do for its guest network.

1. No clue.

Question is why are you sitting the ER-X in the mix at all? It sounds like the Spark Smart Modem is doing everything you need, and if it isn't, neither is the ER-X.

Join Quic Broadband with my referral - no sign up fee and gives me account credit

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

AndyT

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#2629035 1-Jan-2021 20:33

Thank you for the reply toejam316.

Longwinded reason for the ER-X is that we lost internet connection a few days back and after two long discussions with Spark agents, they concluded the modem was bust and needed to be replaced. Hard to believe as it was only a week or so old. Anyway, I played the game and dropped around to Gowifi who are very local to us an got the ER-X and a couple of USW Flex Minis to enable me to set up some VLANS (to replicate the system I have elsewhere - but admittedly on Spark Rural Wireless Broadband which is not PPPoE and not UFB - but I'm familiar with it and Edge OS etc.) and had the Smart Modem replaced at the local Spark store. Got home, set it all up ..... and still no internet. After two more long discussions with Spark agents and accounts it transpired that Spark had unilaterally disconnected our internet service without any request from us or a double check that it was our intention. How they can do this from a QA perspective is beyond me, but after a few "frank and assertive" discussions they arranged for Enable to immediately reconnect us.

Had this not all happened I would have been running with the stock Smart Modem + Mesh units, although I was a bit worried that security on IoT and security cameras was perhaps below par and could not be segmented on specifically firewall VLANs

Anyways, on the three points:

Masking tape will do the job!
I've tried switching the Smart Modem DHCP back on but for some reason it kills the internet connection so I'll have to leave it off and put the Google Home Minis on the main wifi system which works fine but is obviously less secure
Take the point on the ER-X, although as I say above, I bought it as I'm familiar with it, but not realising the implications of it being fine in the less demanding environment of Rural Wireless Broadband vs. UFB PPPoE

Thanks & regards,

Rgds Andy T

AndyT

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#2629387 2-Jan-2021 16:59

If anyone else out there has had some luck in running Guest Networks on the Smart Modem + Mesh unit when in WAP mode (i.e. DHCP and NAT disabled on the Spark Modem) I'd be really interested to hear how to configure it.

As noted in the above thread to toejam316, when I switch on DHCP, the internet connection drops for some reason.

Thanks (in anticipation),

Rgds Andy T

sbiddle

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#2629389 2-Jan-2021 17:12

To have a true guest network it needs to be on its own its own VLAN with its own DHCP server. What you're trying to configure is really beyond the scope of what the hardware is intended for.

If it is own its own VLAN you would need to establish what that VLAN is, but whether or not it is passed tagged through a LAN port on the Spark router is a whole new issue.

In a nutshell if you want to do what you want to do, either use the Spark hardware or invest in proper WiFi hardware to do this.

AndyT

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#2629443 2-Jan-2021 18:11

OK, thanks for the advice and all understood. My Unifi APs do this elsewhere and I was hoping for the same.

I think I'll hang on to the Smart Modem and Mesh units as they're pretty good at wifi, just accept no Guest Network available, and run the Google Home Minis off the main wifi, albeit at nominal security risk.

Thanks & regards,

Rgds Andy T