Optimum Home Network Setup: Fibre, eircom & D-Link Routers, Switches, etc.

eddiem74

Below is my basic/simple diagram of my home network.



Some notes:

- Wireless symbol on diagram is just to show the number of devices that access the D-Link router wirelessly. There is no access point.
- Wireless transmission is turned off on the eircom router. Only change made from default settings.
- Both routers are in the same room upstairs, central to the whole house. Neither in bridge mode.
- All devices not shown as wireless are wired connections.
- Cat 5/6 used for all wired connections

So I had the eircom router installed yesterday and upgraded my broadband to fibre. Here are my stats:



I was expecting to see a noticeable change in wireless performance and wired performance. The stats indicate all is working well but I am wondering if there is some configuration I need to do or changes I need to make to my set-up to improve / maximise performance.

Goals/Objectives:

- Optimize home network to be as efficient as possible
- Maximise wireless range and speed

Expertise and guidance welcome. Thanks!

eddiem74

Ok so from looking at this recent thread "Visual map of my network - poor design?" it seems we have a similar set-up/need.

It would appear I should perhaps consider swapping out my D-Link DIR655 for the Mikrotik RouterBoard RB951Ui-2HnD.

Opinions?

smee again

eddiem74 wrote: »

Ok so from looking at this recent thread "Visual map of my network - poor design?" it seems we have a similar set-up/need.

It would appear I should perhaps consider swapping out my D-Link DIR655 for the Mikrotik RouterBoard RB951Ui-2HnD.

Opinions?

Go for it, but be prepared there is a massive learning curve with Mikrotik.

You'd really need to get the Zyxel in bridge mode and add the Eircom PPPoE details on the Mikrotik. This avoids double NAT issues. Other than that your network looks fine other than trying to get the TP Link gigabit switch plugged directly into the Mikrotik (if possible)

eddiem74

So by changing to the Mikrotik would I see a noticeable improvement in wireless coverage and speed? Also would one router be enough for home use/coverage or what would be best to extend coverage range of the Mikrotik ?

I was looking at purchasing from here http://www.irishwireless.net/rb951ui-2hnd , trying to keep it local or is there a better recommended retailer?

When you say "be prepared there is a massive learning curve with Mikrotik", does it work straight out of the box and the learning is in optimizing or you need to configure it in order to get it running? Is there a basic quick start guide or does the tips and tricks thread cover where I need to start?

Even with my current set-up I guess I should be running the Zyxel in bridge mode, right or?

Why do you suggest getting the TP Link gigabit switch plugged directly into the Mikrotik? I thought daisy chaining was ok? All switches are Gigabit.

smee again

eddiem74 wrote: »

So by changing to the Mikrotik would I see a noticeable improvement in wireless coverage and speed? Also would one router be enough for home use/coverage or what would be best to extend coverage range of the Mikrotik ?

Yes you'd see a massive improvement but every situation is different, you may have other obstacles, concrete floors, steel structure etc. Just get one and find out.

eddiem74 wrote: »

I was looking at purchasing from here http://www.irishwireless.net/rb951ui-2hnd , trying to keep it local or is there a better recommended retailer?

They're fine, nice price too if they have it in stock (they don't atm)

eddiem74 wrote: »

When you say "be prepared there is a massive learning curve with Mikrotik", does it work straight out of the box and the learning is in optimizing or you need to configure it in order to get it running? Is there a basic quick start guide or does the tips and tricks thread cover where I need to start?

Yes, it will work out of the box, but you'll have to add PPPoE details and may wish to open ports, most of this is covered in the tips and tricks thread, but you'll have to modify this to suit your own network.

eddiem74 wrote: »

Even with my current set-up I guess I should be running the Zyxel in bridge mode, right or?

Yes, at the moment you are Natting twice which causes problems. Also, games consoles like uPnP (plug and play), where they can open their own ports in the firewall, having a second device routing means the ports get opened in the first router but remain closed in the Zyxel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/networking/fixing_double_nat.htm

eddiem74 wrote: »

Why do you suggest getting the TP Link gigabit switch plugged directly into the Mikrotik? I thought daisy chaining was ok? All switches are Gigabit.

Daisy chaining is fine and what you have is fine and will work fine, but the second switches are as a whole limited by the Gigabit uplink of the first, Gigabit is the speed of each port. At the moment both TP Link switches share the Gigabit uplink of the Dlink switch, plug them both into the Mikrotik and they'll have Gigabit uplink each.

eddiem74

smee again wrote: »

Daisy chaining is fine and what you have is fine and will work fine, but the second switches are as a whole limited by the Gigabit uplink of the first, Gigabit is the speed of each port. At the moment both TP Link switches share the Gigabit uplink of the Dlink switch, plug them both into the Mikrotik and they'll have Gigabit uplink each.

What I done was ran a CAT6 cable from the router in the office to the attic into the D-Link switch. Then I ran single CAT6 cables from the D-Link switch to other rooms in the house where in some cases there are multiple devices so I added the TP Link switches in the individual rooms to expand my wired options, rather than running multiple cables from the attic down.

From what you have said I see I have now limited myself. Hmmm....

smee again

eddiem74 wrote: »

What I done was ran a CAT6 cable from the router in the office to the attic into the D-Link switch. Then I ran single CAT6 cables from the D-Link switch to other rooms in the house where in some cases there are multiple devices so I added the TP Link switches in the individual rooms to expand my wired options, rather than running multiple cables from the attic down.

From what you have said I see I have now limited myself. Hmmm....

Not at all, what you have is fine. It's all bells and whistles.

eddiem74

Thanks, can you just explain the impact of my switch setup? Do you mean each switch would be sharing the same 1 Gigabit therefore only getting 0.5 each or ? What would be the impact on internet speed, upload and download?

Sorry just trying to understand what I am losing.

smee again

No impact, your internal lan is many times faster than your speed to the internet, with gigiabit you have plenty of overheads. What are you going to be running that would go anywhere near putting gigabit under any sort of pressure? Your house is futureproof for yrs and yrs

eddiem74

So to put my router in bridge mode I need to change something in the Network Setting -> Broadband configuration.

Current entries are:



Page 52 of the manual discusses bridge mode but does not tell what to do with existing entries?

Do I just edit existing entries? Delete and replace? Add new in addition? And what types of entries are needed PTM, ATM and Ethernet?

smee again

eddiem74 wrote: »

So to put my router in bridge mode I need to change something in the Network Setting -> Broadband configuration.

Current entries are:



Page 52 of the manual discusses bridge mode but does not tell what to do with existing entries?

Do I just edit existing entries? Delete and replace? Add new in addition? And what types of entries are needed PTM, ATM and Ethernet?

I've no idea, have you done a search here on Boards, it's most likely been asked before.

eddiem74

smee again wrote: »

I've no idea, have you done a search here on Boards, it's most likely been asked before.

I had asked in the thread on my router but not reply so far, have bumped it again. Let's see...

eddiem74

Are the eircom PPPoE settings also the same for eFibre?

Basic modem settings:

Username: eircom@eircom.net
Password: broadband1
Encapsulation: PPPoE
Multiplexing: LLC Based
VPI: 8
VCI: 35
Primary DNS: 213.94.190.194
Secondary DNS: 213.94.190.236

My F1000 router seems to show different DNS servers.

- Primary DNS server: 159.134.0.1 (dns1.eircom.net)
- Secondary DNS server: 159.134.0.2 (dns2.eircom.net)

smee again

eddiem74 wrote: »

Are the eircom PPPoE settings also the same for eFibre?

Basic modem settings:

Username: eircom@eircom.net
Password: broadband1
Encapsulation: PPPoE
Multiplexing: LLC Based
VPI: 8
VCI: 35
Primary DNS: 213.94.190.194
Secondary DNS: 213.94.190.236

My F1000 router seems to show different DNS servers.

- Primary DNS server: 159.134.0.1 (dns1.eircom.net)
- Secondary DNS server: 159.134.0.2 (dns2.eircom.net)

Those are Eircoms new DNS servers, the old ones are still active for historical reasons. I've no idea if PPPoE is the same.

Bog Standard User

eddiem74 wrote: »

Are the eircom PPPoE settings also the same for eFibre?

Basic modem settings:

Username: eircom@eircom.net
Password: broadband1
Encapsulation: PPPoE
Multiplexing: LLC Based
VPI: 8
VCI: 35
Primary DNS: 213.94.190.194
Secondary DNS: 213.94.190.236

My F1000 router seems to show different DNS servers.

- Primary DNS server: 159.134.0.1 (dns1.eircom.net)
- Secondary DNS server: 159.134.0.2 (dns2.eircom.net)

you must use mtu size 1484 or the f1000 will boot loop

eddiem74

Bog Standard User wrote: »

you must use mtu size 1484 or the f1000 will boot loop

Thanks, so the eircom PPPoE settings are the same then for fibre?

eddiem74

So enabled bridge mode on the Eircom ZyXEL F1000:

- Go to Network settings -> Broadband -> VDSL -> Modify -> change the MTU to 1484 -> Apply
- Go to Network settings -> Broadband -> VDSL -> Modify -> change the Mode to Bridge (leave VLAN on 10) -> Apply
- Reboot your modem

Then set-up PPPoE on my D-Link DIR-655.

Username: eircom@eircom.net
Password: broadband1
Encapsulation: PPPoE
MTU 1484

And finally ordered the MIKROTIK RouterBOARD RB951G to improve things further.

eddie_

hi does anyone now if you can have a phone line connected through a network switch, to connect a fax machine to.thanks

Xantia

eddie_ wrote: »

hi does anyone now if you can have a phone line connected through a network switch, to connect a fax machine to.thanks

Answered in another thread,
You should create a new thread to ask questions that are not relevant to the ongoing thread