jln008
join:2003-10-01
Arcadia, LA
| [DW7000] Another "Networking" Question?
From everyone's experience, what is the best way of networking the 7000 with a router? Is it just use the router as a switch like it says on part (1) in the FAQ, or actually use the WAN port on the router like on part (2)? Which one is more reliable and which one is snappier as far as browsing and downloading? Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated. Thanks. |
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ksinclair
@direcpc.com
| I just completed this such a setup.
Because I wanted to keep available all the switch ports I could for workstations and the like, I used the WAN port of the router.
DW 7000 box is 192.168.0.1 so I set the WAN port to 192.168.0.2 with the 192.168.0.1 as the default GW
The devices attached to the switch ports use a different subnet. For example, 192.168.1.0/24. This works fine and allows you to use the firewall features of the router.
Cons - no DHCP from the DW 7000 box for your workstations, but most routers have DHCP servers built in.
If you use the switch port to connect the DW7000 box, everything goes on the same sub-network. Firewall features of the router won't work since there is no boundary for the packets to cross on which to apply the firewall filters or rules.
As far as speed and reliability - I have seen no difference and would not expect any. The router is going to operate at wire speed, well in excess of the uplink and downlink speeds from the satellite. |
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Spinnaker
Ok, But What Is The Speed Of Dark?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Holden, ME
| reply to jln008
If you have a DW7000 unit with NAT enabled you can set the router up either way. If the router is set up correctly, you shouldn't notice any significant difference in browser "snappiness" or downloading with the router setup using either method.
Networking-wise it's a little cleaner configuration to set the router up as a switch to avoid having an extra layer of NAT, another DHCP service, and two different subnets on the DW7000 LAN.
Users may set their routers up as routers for various reasons such as to restrict/deny access to certain Web sites from their kid's PCs, or deny the kid's access to the entire internet at certain times of day. Another reason would be that certain routers such as the Belkin and Linksys routers will work right out of the box with the DW7000 cabled to the WAN port, because their factory default LAN IP addresses are on a subnet other than 192.168.0.0 .
"DW7000 with static IP" users need to set their routers up as routers.
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DW7000 Pro on G4R/1110, Gateway 66.82.25.57, Signal ~68, Wired/Wireless LAN, 3-WinXP Pro w/SP2, 2-Win98SE |
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blacksheep
Aka Satguy
join:2005-09-13
Georgetown, CA
| reply to jln008
said by jln008  :From everyone's experience, what is the best way of networking the 7000 with a router? Is it just use the router as a switch like it says on part (1) in the FAQ, or actually use the WAN port on the router like on part (2)? Which one is more reliable and which one is snappier as far as browsing and downloading? Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated. Thanks. It is a lot less trouble for the average user to use the router as a switch/wireless access point and utilize the DHCP in the DW7000. This makes for a rock solid set up that never goes down. |
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WilliamT
join:2006-01-01
Willis, MI
| reply to jln008
I plugged the DW7000 modem into the WAN port of the Linksys WRT54G because I needed all 4 of the wired LAN ports for other things. I used factory defaults for everything on the router including its DHCP. Nothing could have been simpler. Plug it in and go.
I have not been able to notice any performance difference between using the router this way, or hard wired to the modem.
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DW7000 Pro .74M roof Ver 5.0.1.29 Horizons 1 (Galaxy 13); 1410 MHz; H H 127 West XP Media Center SP2 1GB Pent D 2.8GHz Networked Signal Strength:85 |
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blacksheep
Aka Satguy
join:2005-09-13
Georgetown, CA
| said by WilliamT :I plugged the DW7000 modem into the WAN port of the Linksys WRT54G because I needed all 4 of the wired LAN ports for other things. I used factory defaults for everything on the router including its DHCP. Nothing could have been simpler. Plug it in and go. I have not been able to notice any performance difference between using the router this way, or hard wired to the modem.
If you have a dynamic IP, the minute a lease conflict occurs, it will lock up on you with your current configuration. |
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Bill00
Premium
join:2004-07-20
Capron, VA
| Guess I have just been lucky.
Been running a DW6000CE/WRT54G v.1 with the 6000 plugged into the WAN port and assorted wired and wireless LAN computers (currently 3 wired and 1 wireless) with no problem of that nature since installation in July 2004...
It was straight plug and play except updating the router firmware and setting up security on it (WEP).
Bill.
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DirecWay | DW6000 CE | G3C | 95W | 1360MHz | Hor | AMD Duron 1K | 512 RAM | XP Pro/SP2 | LAN: WRT54G 2 x XP Pro/SP2, 1 Win Me |
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blacksheep
Aka Satguy
join:2005-09-13
Georgetown, CA
1 edit | said by Bill00 :Guess I have just been lucky. Been running a DW6000CE/WRT54G v.1 with the 6000 plugged into the WAN port and assorted wired and wireless LAN computers (currently 3 wired and 1 wireless) with no problem of that nature since installation in July 2004... It was straight plug and play except updating the router firmware and setting up security on it (WEP). Bill. You are right, you have been lucky. I install about 10 to 15 WRT54Gs a week and if I left just one configured like that I would be back, within a week, on a service call.:D |
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jln008
join:2003-10-01
Arcadia, LA | reply to jln008
So your saying its better to use the router as a switch and just plug the modem into one of the LAN ports? |
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jln008
join:2003-10-01
Arcadia, LA | reply to jln008
If you use the router as a switch can you still assign static IP's to each computer or do you have to use DHCP?
I would rather assign static IP's if possible. |
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blacksheep
Aka Satguy
join:2005-09-13
Georgetown, CA
| said by jln008 :If you use the router as a switch can you still assign static IP's to each computer or do you have to use DHCP? I would rather assign static IP's if possible. What I am saying is that using the DHCP in the Direcway modem is the easiest way to set the system up, for the average user. But you have to do one or the other. Factory setting out of the box are not correct and will create problems. If you want to issue hard IP addresses you will have to configure to router correctly. |
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jln008
join:2003-10-01
Arcadia, LA | reply to jln008
Static IP's will not be a problem. Networking and IT work is what I do for a living. I was just trying to get a suggestion on the best way to network with DW7000. |
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blacksheep
Aka Satguy
join:2005-09-13
Georgetown, CA
| said by jln008 :Static IP's will not be a problem. Networking and IT work is what I do for a living. I was just trying to get a suggestion on the best way to network with DW7000. With your knowledge, I would use the router as a router, utilizing its capability, and set up your hard IP addresses.:D |
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Spinnaker
Ok, But What Is The Speed Of Dark?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Holden, ME
| reply to jln008
I have a DW7000 Pro without a static IP address (NAT and DHCP enabled) on a wired/wireless PC LAN. My DW7000, 4 wired PCs, and the LAN port on a D-Link DI-784 wireless router are cabled to a switch. I have assigned static IP addressing to all network devices on my LAN. My D-Link has an address of 192.168.0.254, my 4 wired PCs and 1 wireless laptop have addresses of 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.6 . The D-Link has it's DHCP service disabled, and it's used as an access point only with no other PCs cabled to the LAN ports, only the DW7000. It's been working fine that way with my former DW6000 and now my DW7000 unit for almost a year.
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DW7000 Pro on G4R/1110, Gateway 66.82.25.57, Signal ~68, Wired/Wireless LAN, 3-WinXP Pro w/SP2, 2-Win98SE |
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Spinnaker
Ok, But What Is The Speed Of Dark?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Holden, ME
| reply to jln008
said by jln008 :...I was just trying to get a suggestion on the best way to network with DW7000. jln008 -
There is no "best way". As you can tell from the posts, either way will work. I'm sure you have your own preference, and the choice is up to you. 
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DW7000 Pro on G4R/1110, Gateway 66.82.25.57, Signal ~68, Wired/Wireless LAN, 3-WinXP Pro w/SP2, 2-Win98SE |
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Spinnaker
Ok, But What Is The Speed Of Dark?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Holden, ME
| reply to blacksheep
said by blacksheep :said by Bill00 :Guess I have just been lucky. Been running a DW6000CE/WRT54G v.1 with the 6000 plugged into the WAN port and assorted wired and wireless LAN computers (currently 3 wired and 1 wireless) with no problem of that nature since installation in July 2004... It was straight plug and play except updating the router firmware and setting up security on it (WEP). Bill. You are right, you have been lucky. I install about 10 to 15 WRT54Gs a week and if I left just one configured like that I would be back, within a week, on a service call.:D I guess my neighbor is lucky as well. His DW6000 CE is attached to the WAN port on a WRT54G using the "right out of the box" configuration. It's been working fine with his wired/wireless PCs set up as DHCP clients for 3 years. When I asked him if he would like it set up as a switch with wireless access point, he said it was working so well that he didn't want me to mess with it.
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DW7000 Pro on G4R/1110, Gateway 66.82.25.57, Signal ~68, Wired/Wireless LAN, 3-WinXP Pro w/SP2, 2-Win98SE |
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jln008
join:2003-10-01
Arcadia, LA | reply to jln008
Thanks for all the info. I will both ways and see which one works best for me. Thanks! |
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blacksheep
Aka Satguy
join:2005-09-13
Georgetown, CA
1 edit | reply to Spinnaker
said by Spinnaker : I guess my neighbor is lucky as well. His DW6000 CE is attached to the WAN port on a WRT54G using the "right out of the box" configuration. It's been working fine with his wired/wireless PCs set up as DHCP clients for 3 years. When I asked him if he would like it set up as a switch with wireless access point, he said it was working so well that he didn't want me to mess with it. Yeah, he is. The minute a new device is added or the lease on a an IP address is released and renewed, the chances are, there will be an IP address conflict. Then something isn't going to work and things will have to be reset. Why not configure it correctly in the first place and avoid the potential problems. Why rely on luck.:D |
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Spinnaker
Ok, But What Is The Speed Of Dark?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Holden, ME
| said by blacksheep :The minute a new device is added or the lease on a an IP address is released and renewed, the chances are, there will be an IP address conflict. Then something isn't going to work and things will have to be reset. Why not configure it correctly in the first place and avoid the potential problems. Why rely on luck.:D That's not the way DHCP addressing works. Without getting into a lot of detail... When a DHCP client is offered an IP address from a DHCP service, the Client checks to see if the address is in use on the LAN. If it is, the Client declines the IP and requests another address from the server. Note that the check for IP conflicts is done by the Client PCs.
If you assign fixed IP addresses to PCs on the LAN, it's a good idea, where possible, to assign addresses that are below or above the scope of addresses handed out by the DHCP service. On a WRT54G the default scope is 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.149 .
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DW7000 Pro on G4R/1110, Gateway 66.82.25.57, Signal ~68, Wired/Wireless LAN, 3-WinXP Pro w/SP2, 2-Win98SE |
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anectine17
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-05
Mountain Home, ID
| reply to jln008
I've tried both and see no difference in browsing snappiness or ping times. I prefer to run mine as a router because, a) I like to use the full function of the router. I do as Spinnaker said and restrict some web sites (like myspace.com) from access by my kids, and b) it's one more layer of security that doesn't cost anything in terms of $$ or performance. Mis dos centavos.
Alden
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DW 7000 Pro | G4R/1110 | H Tx - V Rcv | Dynamic IP | .98 Meter Dish on 2 7/8 Pole | 1 Watt Tigris Transmitter | RSL 80 | Linksys WRT54G | Wired/Wireless Home Network | Dell Desktop | Dell Inspiron 1150 Laptop | Multi-Layered Security |
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