adsl router for school

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bluey

82 posts

Master Geek

#91093 6-Oct-2011 15:20

Hi
We are moving our school internet connection to adsl from wireless. I need to purchase a router and am not sure what to look for.

Currently we have our connection plugged directly into an aging windows server which shares the connection using NAT.

I am thinking that I may be able to use the router to perform the NAT as I want to retire the server.

We will have up to 100 simultaneous connections.

Any comments and/or suggestions for a suitable router?

Thanks
Bluey

theEd

341 posts

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#530159 6-Oct-2011 15:25

For a school, you really can't just get away with using a residential-grade ADSL router.

We have a lot of schools using the Vigor2820.

cyril7

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#530178 6-Oct-2011 15:43

Hi Bluey I would agree avoid domestic routers go for something a little more robust, the Vigors are good, alternatively put a modem in bridge a basic TP-Link8840 will be fine like that, and use a Mikrotik as the NAT router, or re deploy your retired server as a pfsense or similar nix router.

Also dont go for a lame school plan, go for a good business plan. I currently design school networks for snup, but most common thing we see is poor internet service, once we advise schools off 128/Fs school plans things get much better.

Cyril

theEd

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#530194 6-Oct-2011 15:52

And don't use Watchdog. Dear god it's terrible.

webwat

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#530209 6-Oct-2011 16:08

Yeah I agree the existing NAT router probably has plenty of power to run a pfSense router, which doesn't need too much memory, as long as its still reliable enough. I ran monowall (similar to pfSense) on a P100 box once, although CPU was a bit slow for QoS...

Don't use the ADSL modem as a NAT router, because you probably need to transition to UFB fibre oneday soon.

Time to find a new industry!

cyril7

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#530221 6-Oct-2011 16:13

If you are looking for an appliance type router rather than a PC running pfsense or similar then the following is well recommended

http://www.gowifi.co.nz/ethernet-adsl/mikrotik-routerboard-rb/450.html

For an extra few bucks you can get a case for it. Put a TP-Link TD8840 in half bridge in front of it and you will have a pretty robust solution either way, ie Mikrotik or pfsense

Cyril

Kilack

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#530223 6-Oct-2011 16:16

cyril7: Hi Bluey I would agree avoid domestic routers go for something a little more robust, the Vigors are good, alternatively put a modem in bridge a basic TP-Link8840 will be fine like that, and use a Mikrotik as the NAT router, or re deploy your retired server as a pfsense or similar nix router.

Also dont go for a lame school plan, go for a good business plan. I currently design school networks for snup, but most common thing we see is poor internet service, once we advise schools off 128/Fs school plans things get much better.

Cyril

Wouldn't a tplink 8840 in half bridge mode with a asus n16 be a cheaper alternative?
given that then n16 has 128 megs and a 500 mhz cpu, 100 connections would be a breeze for it.

With dd-wrt or tomato on it it would easily be up to the task.. Just depends if a school wants to muck around flashing 3rd party firmwares I guess :).
Residential routers like the n16 are probably driven fairly hard at homes with p2p etc...

cyril7

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#530228 6-Oct-2011 16:20

Hi, quite possibly, but I think RouterOS is a step more capable than dd-wrt, but ymmv.

Cyril

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bluey

82 posts

Master Geek

#530273 6-Oct-2011 17:08

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Some great info there. I just need to find time to read more about the solutions you all suggest.

Bluey

theEd

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#530377 6-Oct-2011 21:30

webwat: Don't use the ADSL modem as a NAT router, because you probably need to transition to UFB fibre oneday soon.

For the record, the Vigor2820 has an Ethernet WAN port in addition to it's DSL port, so can be switched over to UFB at a later stage.

Also, if looking at putting a pfSense or similar, consider the Vigor120 as it does full PPPoE/PPPoA bridging not half-bridge. (unless the TP-Link does that too, I haven't used it)

raytaylor

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#532581 12-Oct-2011 22:56

theEd:
webwat: Don't use the ADSL modem as a NAT router, because you probably need to transition to UFB fibre oneday soon.

For the record, the Vigor2820 has an Ethernet WAN port in addition to it's DSL port, so can be switched over to UFB at a later stage.

Also, if looking at putting a pfSense or similar, consider the Vigor120 as it does full PPPoE/PPPoA bridging not half-bridge. (unless the TP-Link does that too, I haven't used it)

Ray Taylor

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