Extending Huawei 4g "router" throughout the office

Morf3h · 19-02-2019 10:27am #1

I just signed up for the Vodafone Mobile 4G Broadband which comes with a Huawei Router. What's the best way to extend this over a wired connection? I've got it in the open plan office area. All desks and offices are wired back to a cabinet which is on the other side of the office. Looking to connect about 5 users to the Router.

Will a standard gigabit switch work? Should all cabling be Cat6/5e cabling or patch cabling?

Many thanks!

ED E · 19-02-2019 3:34pm

A business on midband? Really? Whats your FUP?

a Huawei Router.

Assuming at least one LAN port then yes, a switch. Really any switch. You won't need gigabit as speeds won't warrant that so even 10/100 will do.

Morf3h · 19-02-2019 6:28pm

ED E wrote: »

A business on midband? Really? Whats your FUP?

Our office isn't Fiber-compatible yet and I can't wait that long. Eir had only been able to provide 25MB "broadband" whereas I'm closer to 50-75MB with VF. FUP is 150GB per month. Can't see us getting close to that and I can monitor on an app on my smartphone.

ED E wrote: »

Assuming at least one LAN port then yes, a switch. Really any switch. You won't need gigabit as speeds won't warrant that so even 10/100 will do.

Does each cable (i.e. router to port on wall, from patch panel in cabinet to switch, switch back to patch panel, port under desk to PC) all have to be identical?

ED E · 19-02-2019 8:06pm

Hope you're right. With Eir or any other fixed line you'd not be behind Carrier NAT and jitter would be way lower so comparing speed for speed is a bit apples and oranges. Most offices benefit much more from consistency than high ds speeds.

Your question is unclear. What you want is:
1 cable from VF Router to 6+ port (so practically an 8 port) switch.
*5 cables from switch to patch ports

+ 5 device side from wall to device. You can mix and match if thats what you're asking, in most cases it wont matter. If it does it wont work so you'll know.

*Typically people use short ones for those 5 to keep the cable management down.

In your case you may want to put the router where signal is best which may not be at your patch panel. To do so you'd put the switch at the patch and feed it through a preexisting run to a window or similar.

smuggler.ie · 19-02-2019 8:07pm

Morf3h wrote: »

Does each cable (i.e. router to port on wall, from patch panel in cabinet to switch, switch back to patch panel, port under desk to PC) all have to be identical?

"router to port on wall" - whats that for, unless it runs to your patch panel>switch

Router>Switch>patch panel>ports to each device(Server, PC(s), printer(s), NAS, TV, etc. )

As long you use CAT5e or above you should be grand.

rolion · 19-02-2019 10:23pm

I setup few of them.Not bad at all...
Main issue is you cannot run private servers or ports behind it too well.

What i do is get external antenas and mount the router as high close to roof/window with a open space possbile.
To get best 4G signal.

Then,I wire up to a main switch.Disable internal WiFi radio.
Leaving the poor router doing just LAN to WAN NAT_ting and modem_ing the 4G.

I separately buy few Unifi Wireless Access Points or TPlink Access Points and "spread" them across the area i want coverage.
Setup bridge mode, in 5G, with best coverage and capacity.

Have fun.

Morf3h · 20-02-2019 2:14pm

Thanks for the replies and feedback. My patch panel and switch are in the cabinet at the back of the office.

I have the router at the front where the cellular signal is most likely greatest. I've run a cable into a port on the wall beside the router, then from that corresponding port on the panel into the switch.

Then all other devices around the office into their nearest port on the wall, and from those ports on the patch panel into the switch....

Morf3h · 20-02-2019 8:00pm

smuggler.ie wrote: »

"router to port on wall" - whats that for, unless it runs to your patch panel>switch

Router>Switch>patch panel>ports to each device(Server, PC(s), printer(s), NAS, TV, etc. )

As long you use CAT5e or above you should be grand.

Strangely when I connect the PC through the switch to the router it doesn't seem to "see" the router. However when I connect it directly there's no problem.

In the second scenario there's a cat5e cable from the router to the wall and form the pc to the wall. Then another cable connecting the two ports on the patch panel directly.

How come putting the switch in there breaks it?

ED E · 20-02-2019 8:02pm

The switch probably isnt MDIX capable so it cant swap its pins to match.

You need crossover cables in this instance.

brianwalshcork · 20-02-2019 8:06pm

What brand and model is the switch? Is it possible that there are clans configured on the switch, this would potentially break it, if the ports you used happened to be on different vlans.

Morf3h · 20-02-2019 8:13pm

I believe it's this one?
https://www.netgear.com/support/product/GS116v1.aspx

rolion · 20-02-2019 8:24pm

Morf3h wrote: »

Strangely when I connect the PC through the switch to the router it doesn't seem to "see" the router. However when I connect it directly there's no problem.

In the second scenario there's a cat5e cable from the router to the wall and form the pc to the wall. Then another cable connecting the two ports on the patch panel directly.

How come putting the switch in there breaks it?

Do you have a diagram of the wall modules /points / patch panel !?
Do you have posibility for few pictures ?!
Do you know for sure the numbers on the wall modules matches the numbers on the patch panel ?

Can you connect a laptop to the patch panel link that comes from the LAN side of the 4G router ?!

Too many unknowns...sorry.
You Dublin City based,i can help you FoC with a network tester...

Morf3h · 21-02-2019 9:41am

"Network Diagram" attached

smuggler.ie · 21-02-2019 11:14am

Morf3h wrote: »

I believe it's this one?
https://www.netgear.com/support/product/GS116v1.aspx

Switch from ~2007 - i thought MDIX would be on by default, "while Auto UplinkTM technology automatically adjusts for straight-through or crossover cables" as per datasheet

Either port(s) on switch dead or improperly mapped ports on patch panel / damaged wiring in walls/wallplates
Simple network tester to re-map/test wiring.

Morf3h · 21-02-2019 11:26am

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Switch from ~2007 - i thought MDIX would be on by default, "while Auto UplinkTM technology automatically adjusts for straight-through or crossover cables" as per datasheet

Either port(s) on switch dead or improperly mapped ports on patch panel / damaged wiring in walls/wallplates
Simple network tester to re-map/test wiring.

Ok I've got one in the shed somewhere will have to dig it out and go testing...

smuggler.ie · 21-02-2019 11:36am

LED's on the switch should also indicate connectivity

Morf3h · 21-02-2019 11:39am

Yeah i've had to try different ports on the switch to get the lights working. When I've connected the router and PC to "working" ports it still doesn't seem to work

rolion · 21-02-2019 11:41am

Peculliar and too many unknowns..

Could be anything at this stage,more than likely wiring.
If you are in Dublin City i can give you a hand FoC.

smuggler.ie · 21-02-2019 11:53am

Can you confirm switch is in working order?
Try router>cable>switch>cable>PC to eliminate walls/patch panel, test all ports to confirm working.

Morf3h · 21-02-2019 12:14pm

Good idea will try this evening

Morf3h · 26-02-2019 9:41am

Latest saga. I've set up the dual wifi networks (2.4/5GHz) but the printer (2.4GHz) can't be "seen" by the other devices?

Set-up on the router configuration is to have both networks active but I couldn't call them the same SSID? I have to use XXX_5G to ID the second SSID.

smuggler.ie · 26-02-2019 9:50am

Strongly recommend connect printer over cable whenever possible.

Set printer with static IP .

smuggler.ie · 26-02-2019 10:17am

And if you wonder, makes no different on what band devices connect, as long they on same network, they should "talk".

rolion · 26-02-2019 10:26am

smuggler.ie wrote: »

And if you wonder, makes no different on what band devices connect, as long they on same network, they should "talk".

Same network yes but some "smart" wireless access points and/or routers have Wireless isolation functionality enabled by default.
What that creates,a virtual VLAN for every wireless client.
Therefore,communication between devices may not be possible.

smuggler.ie · 26-02-2019 10:34am

rolion wrote: »

Same network yes but some "smart" wireless access points and/or routers have Wireless isolation functionality enabled by default.
What that creates,a virtual VLAN for every wireless client.
Therefore,communication between devices may not be possible.

o yeh, worth checking.

Morf3h · 26-02-2019 1:23pm

I restarted the router and it magically all worked....

Extending Huawei 4g "router" throughout the office

Comments