DD-WRT Can't set it up?

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theoilslickjim

43 posts

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#153506 29-Sep-2014 13:02

OK - hoping some of you out there can explain this to me in basic terms. I have searched and tried different options but still cannot seem to get any internet access on a new TL-WDR3600 (TP-Link).

So the story goes like this: I wanted to use DD-WRT to bypass Netflix DNS lookup due to reading Unotelly support saying that Chromecast is no longer supported without DD-WRT. Unfortunately I did no realise until getting it delivered today that the TL-WDR3600 is a router only and has no modem.

This means that I am trying to work out how to have it as my main wi-fi running DD-WRT through a TP-LINK TD-W8960N (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=66&topicid=136748) I tried running through what this user had done, but in laymens terms it didn't work out.

I have set the TP-LINK TD-W8960N to bridge but still the new router offers me no connectivity.

I am with Slingshot.

Can anyone out there offer me a simple 'how to' or know where I can get hold of one that will explain how to create a way to run the TP-LINK TD-W8960N as just a link to the Internet and the 3600 as a wireless router for my home?

Any tips would be much appreciated.

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#1143522 29-Sep-2014 13:11

Would help to mention if PPPoA or PPPoE connection.

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theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1143550 29-Sep-2014 13:51

Hi -thanks for the reply.

I spoke with Slingshot and they gave me some basic settings, which of course I cannot see anywhere in DD_WRT to place them. However, Slingshot recommends ppp0a but DD_RT doesn't have that option. It has ppp0e or ppp0e dual band - I did select ppp0e and entered my user details, but still I have had no luck. My modem/router the TD-W8960N allows ppp0a on standard firmware.

Cheers.

chevrolux

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#1143609 29-Sep-2014 16:00

As far as I know the TP-Link's don't do PPPoE-PPPoA translation so you won't be able to have a PPP interface on your WRT router.

You need to set up your modem to do "half bridging" or "IP Extension".

Then on your WRT router just set the WAN to obtain an address by DHCP. The way to test if half-bridging is working is by simply plugging your PC directly in to it - it should obtain a public IP.

Ragnor

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#1143645 29-Sep-2014 16:45

You need to use an option called IP Extension to "bridge" a PPPoA DSL connection from the TD-W8960N to another router

Refer to:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=66&topicid=98029&page_no=1#585798

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=66&topicid=70593&page_no=3#498180

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=66&topicid=101656&page_no=1#620188

Make sure you change the network range of once of the devices before you connect them so they are not both using 192.168.1.x (eg: change the dd-wrt to lan ip address to 192.168.2.1 and dhcp range to something like 192.168.2.100 to 192.168.2.200)

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1143650 29-Sep-2014 17:00

Cheers for that.

After many resets and mucking around with bridge modes and settings in the DD_WRT it happened to just work by connecting the WDR3600 via ethernet part to ethernet port of the W8960N. Seems to have Internet access and I entered the Unotelly Chromecast info into the DD_WRT and I have Netflix working as normal.

Not ideal, and I hope there is still additional settings or a better way to utilise the setup. I read the link and will have a go at some stage.

Any extra ideas are still greatly appreciated. I am running two wireless now and don't really want that - would prefer one doing the wifi and the other just delivering the net.

Next time I'll also make sure I buy a router/modem not just a freaking router.

Thanks.

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1143948 30-Sep-2014 08:26

Update:

Set 8960N to IP Extension and it failed - locked itself down and I couldn't get back into its interface so had to do a hard reset. Lost a ton of settings I had configured previously. Not sure why it did that, but it happened twice. The second time I was able to get back in and turn it off.

First time I switched it on the 3600 was connected to it, the second time it was not. Both times failed and gave a DNS error.

chevrolux

4962 posts

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#1144009 30-Sep-2014 09:44

theoilslickjim: Update:

Set 8960N to IP Extension and it failed - locked itself down and I couldn't get back into its interface so had to do a hard reset. Lost a ton of settings I had configured previously. Not sure why it did that, but it happened twice. The second time I was able to get back in and turn it off.

First time I switched it on the 3600 was connected to it, the second time it was not. Both times failed and gave a DNS error.

That's probably because you weren't given an address by DHCP in the right IP range. This is what IP Extension does. If you plugged it in to your WRT router and set the WAN of that to DHCP it would have picked up the public address.

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1144093 30-Sep-2014 11:15

chevrolux:
theoilslickjim: Update:

Set 8960N to IP Extension and it failed - locked itself down and I couldn't get back into its interface so had to do a hard reset. Lost a ton of settings I had configured previously. Not sure why it did that, but it happened twice. The second time I was able to get back in and turn it off.

First time I switched it on the 3600 was connected to it, the second time it was not. Both times failed and gave a DNS error.

That's probably because you weren't given an address by DHCP in the right IP range. This is what IP Extension does. If you plugged it in to your WRT router and set the WAN of that to DHCP it would have picked up the public address.

Yeah - it won't work at all. I have read elsewhere of people having the same problem with 8960N doing a 'half bridge'.

I ended up using this from which is about the 8960 - http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2040764/setting-wireless-router-work-modem-modem-wireless-router-combo.html

the only other way I know that might work is to disconnect both of them from each other
(in this method the tp would handle the DCHP sever end (assigning ip address))

1. make sure they are not hooked to each other

2. log into tp and make sure DCHP is enabled
2. go into assignalble ip address and limited them from 192.168.1.2 to 100 (1st part to make sure that night hawk doesn't use the same ip as any other device)
2. save settings
2. find out what the subnet mask is (most likely 254.254.254.0) write it down

3. log into nighthawk
3. set the ip of nighthawk router to 192.168.1.(any number between 101 to 254 this is the 2nd step to make sure this ip isn't assigned to any other device) make sure you note number
3. set the subnet mask to the same as above if it isnt
3. you now might have to reconnect to setting page using above ip address as the ip address should have changed
3. set as Access point and disable dchp (don't worry it will still use all its speed just wont assign ip address and such)

4. plug the two together though normal lan ports not the wan. and verify that it all works. if all goes to plan the tp will act as the dchp server assigning ip address out while you get the faster speeds of the wifi of the nighthawk

5. worst case reset the nighthawk according to its procedures to bring it back to defaults and you can go back and undo the settings on the tp

Currently I have both routers operating but would really like to stop the wifi signal from 8960 broadcasting - my wife is paranoid about 'radiation' of all things but also I don't see why I need 2 wireless signals running.

Does anyone know how to turn the wi-fi off but have the router still acting as the DHCP server for the 3600?? I have done a ton of reading bu cannot see how to just shut that signal off.

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1144114 30-Sep-2014 11:34

OK - Ignore the previous. I was too easy and I obviously was looking for some advanced setting.

Done.

Final breakdown of this set up: I basically followed the how to in the previous entry but here it is in my words.

Set up is done on both routers separately (not connected)

1. Changed ip address on 8960 to avoid conflicts. Limited the range as to avoid conflicts also.
2. Changed the start range on dd-wrt 3600 to begin outside the ip range of the 8960.
3. Disable DHCP server on dd-wrt 3600. This forces the router to take its info from the 8960
4. I entered some addition settings for Unotelly found here for dd-wrt http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/136538-
5. Used some settings (not actually sure if they make a difference) from http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=891646#891646
6. Connect the two routers via LAN. I just did port 1 to 1.
7. Should work now.
8. I disabled the wireless output of the 8960 as I dont want or need it currently. Go to wireless - basic - enable/disable wireless. This will mean that any extra changes to the router/modem need to be done via ethernet cable.

I have retested on Netflix via the Chromecast and it's all going as it should. To run this I am using the most recent Netflix app side loaded onto my Android, haven't tried from the computer or on PS3 yet but assume it'll work fine.

As far as I know that's the simplest way I got it going after many hours of trying different things. This may avoid any unnecessary hard resets.

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1144187 30-Sep-2014 13:45

Last entry for the moment. Regarding the 8960N and having disabled the wireless I assumed it wouldnt be accessible via wi-fi, but it is. Not sure if that is because it can 'talk' through the 3600 or whether it is still broadcasting a signal.

As some guy kept saying recently - at the end of the day...it seems to be working.

Cheers for the tipsters that helped out.

chevrolux

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#1144402 30-Sep-2014 17:06

Hmm sounds far too complicated. You lost me trying to explain your DHCP ranges. Not sure why you want them both in the same range unless now your WRT router is just a layer 2 device (but I don't think it is they wat you explain)

For $20 you could get a Dynalink RTA1320 off trademe and half-bridge that. Or you could get a DV130 and do a full PPPoA-PPPoE conversion which would be the best option and avoid any NAT issues what so ever.

theoilslickjim

43 posts

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#1144456 30-Sep-2014 18:36

Hi - well it was simpler than I thought once I got it going. As for the DHCP - I was actually referring to the start and end ip addresses. In hindsight though it probably wasn't necessary - since I ended up disabling DHCP on the WRT based router anyway. That whole half-bridge thing just didn't work on the TP-Link 8960N, each time it lost all internet and I had to connect via the ethernet to get that setting off.

I thought about buying a cheapy off Trade Me but I have these 2 so will use them in the meantime. I looked and couldn't be bothered with reading all the listings that came up without photos. Plus I don't need to spend any money since this is working as it is.

As I said, its working and I probably didn't have to change the start and end ips. I did have to change the router ip only on the 8960, and make sure the subnet was the same on both.

It could be my imagination but the 3600 seems a bit snappier to load webpages and is running on dual band (2.4/5) auto mode. I have a signal check on my phone and it seems to swap itself between the signals as needed.

Seriously - for anyone with the 8960N TP-Link, in the same situation. Hopefully these posts will pop up in a search term one day and help someone out. I'll drop in another couple of keywords too. Netflix is now working fine through Unotelly and Chromecast. The original problem relates to the Chromecast being hardwired to always check for Google DNS, and the latest Netflix has some trickery in it to do this look up. Static routing work for months and months, but once it got updated there was no way around it. Unotelly now says they do not support the Chromecast unless running a DD_WRT router with the correct settings installed.

So, I achieved what I intended with a few road blocks along the way. My main advice though to anyone looking at DD-WRT is if you can just get a modem/router that is compatible with DD-WRT. I could have saved a few hours if I'd had read more about the router 3600 and could have flicked the 8960 off on Trade Me.

Oh well, them's the breaks.

Spyware

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#1144465 30-Sep-2014 19:04

theoilslickjim:
4. I entered some addition settings for Unotelly found here for dd-wrt http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/136538-

I'm just baffled as to how this could possibly do anything as no routing is being performed by the TL-WDR3600. What happens if you remove these iptable rules??

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1144621 1-Oct-2014 08:07

Spyware:
theoilslickjim:
4. I entered some addition settings for Unotelly found here for dd-wrt http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/136538-

I'm just baffled as to how this could possibly do anything as no routing is being performed by the TL-WDR3600. What happens if you remove these iptable rules??

Well I guess I am no expert as you can probably tell, but in my visual mind I imagine it is due to the fact that as the signal is sent out by the 3600 then anything travelling through it to the Internet are dependent on the firewall settings I used from that Unotelly link. All devices are now running on the 3600. The 8960 is not broadcasting a signal and is just the link to the phone line for Internet.

The 8960 also has its DNS settings pointed at the Unotelly servers, but as I explained in the last few months Netflix updated and both the PS3 and Chromecast would not run Netflix - kept giving coded errors which basically referred to location based problems. Using static routes and the Unotelly servers is no longer enough to block the Netflix from halting on PS3 and Chromecast. So the DD-WRT settings are definitely doing the job.

I am not going to take the settings out to test it, it works so I'll leave it as it is.

Cheers.

theoilslickjim

43 posts

Geek

#1144819 1-Oct-2014 13:34

Final update to my OP:

Working from home today so had the time to test on PS3 Netflix. While being a little slow to load up, everything is working fine.

I did read that DD-WRT may need a DMZ rule for the PS3, at first the connection test failed on Internet. I located my PS3 IP address then added it to the DMZ rules on DD-WRT. Re-tested shortly after doing the setting and everything passed.

Also decided to bite the bullet and purchase a year with Unotelly - the Geekzone promo still worked so saved a few dollars. I had been running Unotelly on the social media promotion http://blog.unotelly.com/promo/ but their service is great and I was worried that the Geekzone code would expire (it says ends October - so didn't know if that meant at the end of the month or start). http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=151&topicid=143924

Cheers.

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