I have an unused router (Asus RT-N12) and have 2 reasons for considering adding this 2nd router to the mix. We have AT&T U-verse with a 2-Wire 3801HGV router which occasionally reboots (we have fiber-to-the-curb in our area) and when it does I lose the camera signals (they are hardwired). Also, I have 4 cameras and when the bit rate is set at 8192 network usage is at 30% on my Blue Iris pc, showing 30-32Mbps. My thinking was that if I connected the cameras to the Asus behind the U-verse router I could avoid losing the cameras if the 2-Wire goes down and take some of the traffic off our LAN/home network. Does this sound reasonable? I may be missing some things so I wanted to ask you guys who are more knowledgeable in case I'm going astray.
Considering adding 2nd router for cameras
- Thread starter gwminor48
- Start date
That sounds reasonable. Just disable the DHCP server on the router you will use as an access point, assign it an unused ip address, and leave its WAN port disconnected. Then connect one of the LAN ports back to your main router/switch.
Thanks @bp2008. So in this setup the cameras still get their ip addresses from the primary, existing router while the network traffic is handled by the one used as an access point? Having my poe switch for the cameras plugged into the access point router won't matter will it?
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Correct on both points. There should only be one device on your local network with DHCP enabled. The access point's LAN ports (if it has more than one) will all act like switch ports too so you can daisy chain other network things off of it. Most access points only have one LAN port but if you are repurposing an old WiFi router then you should have 4 ports. Just remember you don't want to use the WAN port unless the router has the option of making the WAN port into a 5th LAN port. Most cheap routers do not have this.
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@bp2008 this is an old thread, a question you answered for me almost 2 years ago and it has been working well - thank you. I have another question about this now. I have tried to set up vpn on my BI pc but I find it very confusing. This Asus RT-N12D1 seems to have vpn capability but not in access point mode. Can this Asus be set up in router mode behind the AT&T router so I can use the Asus vpn capability? Maybe changing its IP to something like 192.168.2.1? I will keep searching online for guides but you seem to have a great ability to make the complex understandable.
Mr_D
Getting comfortable
Does the 2Wire piece of crap support DMZ? If you can make the WAN side of the Asus router the DMZ address in the 2Wire, then it should forward everything incoming to it. Make the Asus your router/firewall/WAP. The best bet is to find a way to ditch that awful 2Wire box, even if it means changing ISPs. Did I mention 2Wire is garbage?
catcamstar
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Hi gwminor48, just want to chime in (not to hijack bp2008's answer): there should be no reason at all why OpenVPN server would not work on the BI server. You install the packages, create the certificates and start all services. You open up port 1194 (UDP is OK) from your AT&T router towards the IP of your BI server. If that port forward is not working, then you're next best option (which you suggested yourself) to have OpenVPN server on the ASUS will not help either, because having the OpenVPN server on the ASUS also requires that port forward...
SouthernYankee
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I would recommend not using 1194 for the openVPN port. Read a number of other threads on the forum about the openVPN port. I have openVPN on my asus router. And the router is being hammered by bots trying to connect.
Thanks for the responses. Things have changed since I posted that almost 2 years ago. I now have fiber to the inside of the home. The ont is about the size of a pack of cigarettes mounted on the wall by my routers. The model is 5268AC FXN, made by Pace I believe. I will look and see if it supports DMZ. As to the openvpn on the BI pc, maybe I just haven't found a very good "how to" yet.
catcamstar
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It might help if you google "openVPN server windows", because 90% of the VPN tutorials are written for linux (and *nix routers).
catcamstar
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Since I moved my OpenVPN to an Edgerouter, these hammers were reduced 10:1. But I changed user/pass based login to HMAC, which requires an additional set of security keys to break through. I wish these hammerds good luck with that
So before even getting to the point of setting up vpn I should be able to change the Asus to something like 192.168.2.1, connect the Asus wan port to an AT&T router lan port, and change the ip's for the BI pc and cameras? There are other threads on the forum about Asus vpn that I can look at for that issue, I just want to get the basic setup working before moving to vpn.
catcamstar
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Well, that's one way of working, or, you can change (if you are allowed) the AT&T LAN interface on 192.168.2.x, and then let the ASUS pick a 192.168.2.x address on the WAN and keep the 192.168.1.x subnet for the IPC & BI server. Open port for VPN to your ASUS and you're set!
Another question. I read somewhere that if I put the Asus on something like 192.168.2.1 and plug from its wan to AT&T lan port (192.168.1.xxx) I will not be able to access my BI pc from other computers on my existing 192.168.1.xxx lan. Is this true? Maybe I read that wrong. If I change the lan on my AT&T to 192.168.2.xxx then I've got about a dozen devices on my existing lan I would have to change ip addresses on.
catcamstar
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See my previous post: if you CHANGE the AT&T LAN port to 192.168.2.xxx, let the ASUS grab a 192.168.2.2 (for example) address, but translate this to 192.168.1.x, then no pc/cam/BI needs to change addressees, as they remain on the 192.168.1.x subnet. But this requires a change in the AT&T router. If you can't do that, this is no viable solution.
Hope this helps!
CC
Are you talking about being able to change an individual lan port on the AT&T router? If so I haven't seen a way to do that yet. If you are talking about changing the dhcp allocation then I get into an issue with the dozen or so other devices currently working from the AT&T router's 192.168.1.xxx. Most of them are dynamic and could be rebooted, a few are static.
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catcamstar
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Indeed, I am referring to the DHCP server on the AT&T router. I have no experience with AT&T as ISP, but in Europe Mainland, 90% of the ISPs allow to change the LAN subnet ip range. Try connecting to http://IP of that router, that might work.
After hours of fighting this I have finally gotten the Openvpn to launch on my BI pc with giving an error. Now if I can get it working on my Android phone this may be the best way for me to get a vpn going. Once I'm able to get the client.ovpn to import on my phone without an error then I can iron out any other issues.
I can access my AT&T router with no trouble, I just don't like the idea of changing the dhcp allocation and having to change ip's on my existing devices working off the AT&T router.
catcamstar
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That's good news - if you provide that particular error message, we can help you.
I think my proposal was not that clear to you: IF you change the AT&T dhcp allocation to 192.168.2.x AND you add a 2nd router (which was your original question) AND set the DHCP allocation range on that SECOND router to 192.168.1.x, THEN nothing has to change ip addresses. If you are worried about wifi devices connecting to the old SSID of the AT&T, that can be solved easily by re-instating the same SSID & Security Keys into the new ASUS router. But then don't forget to change SSID (or even turn off wifi) on the AT&T router.
But having a working OpenVPN on your BI machine is the easiest way forward, so I suggest to debug that way.
Good luck!
CC
Yes, if I made the changes you mentioned I would not have to change any ip addresses on my cameras or BI pc. However, I have at least a dozen other devices (pc's, printers,etc.) presently working from the AT&T router in the 192.168.1.xxx range (some wired, some wireless) - those are the ones I was saying I would have to change. Anyway, @catcamstar thank you, I really appreciate your advice and patience.