Upgraded my router AEBS (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

I've got something of a hardcore question. But I'm totally stumped and it bums me out, since Guest Network was a major motivation for buying this hardware.


How do I setup a Guest Network on an Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS) that's the secondary router on a home LAN?

I've got Verizon FIOS into the home. The verizon modem / router is in the basement (its wifi is off). It's output goes to an 8-port switch / router which feeds the house's LAN. The AEBS is connected to one of the ethernet outputs of the LAN, and provides home wifi. Normally, I have its Network->Router Mode set to Off (Bridge Mode).

I turned on Guest Mode (for some guests), and it doesn't work. No one can connect.

Apple says to set Router Mode to DHCP and NAT. But doing that creates errors that my router is in Double NAT mode. The Guest Networks seems to work erratically.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3477?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

I'm lost. Can I setup Guest Network on my AEBS, if it's not the fundamental router in the house?
(cross posted to http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=20038295#post20038295)

 

[schan1269]

No idea why this won't work. But...last time I had guests I didn't want poking around the NAS...I simply set up a 2nd wifi off the internet(which you already have) by running my Wild Blue into a FS605 into the WNDR4500 and my old router. That way anything connected to the 4500 they couldn't mess with.

 

[DaveF]

I sold off my older AEBS, so I don't have a spare router to try that with.

I'm frustrated, as a reason to buy a new router was the "Guest" network feature. I assume it would be the same problem regardless of maker.

I'll have to play around and see how much of a problem the "double NAT" is. Perhaps it's endurable for value of having a guest network on occasion.

 

[schan1269]

There should ne no problem turning on the FIOS wifi while using the AEBS.It isn't like using the wifi kills its ethernet...Keeping in mind...I've done this...Fired up all the phones/tablets that have hotspot use(total of 6) with the WNDR4500(made 7). Put different devices on each thing...no issues.

 

[DaveF]

Due to the specifics of my house, it's not a good solution. Fios is in a metal box (the homerun for the house) in the back of the basement. I keep it closed to keep curious cats out. And even open, it won't reach bedrooms upstairs.I don't mean to be a negative nancy to good ideas I'll give it some thought and see if there's a solution here by rethinking my configuration.The problem I think is that my AEBS isn't the center of the home. The real center is the 8 port switch hanging off the Fios modem in the basement that feeds everything, including the AEBS.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Dave,I'm away from home for a while this morning but I'll look into it when I get home. I don't use the guest network feature so I can't answer intelligently at the moment.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Thinking about the issue, it does seem the problem is the AEBS not being the primary router. It has to be first in line and handing out addresses using NAT and DHCP. If your FIOS modem is set to bridged mode and connected directly to the AEBS, then the switch/router branches off of that, I could see it working. One of the reasons I don't (can't) use the guest network feature is that my internet is provided via a terrestrial line of sight antenna that contains its own internal router which is using DHCP and NAT and is blocked off (by the ISP) from me disabling that feature and using it as a bridged gateway. So my setup is antenna -> routed gateway -> AEBS (bridged).

 

[DaveF]

Yeah, that's what everyone's telling me. And I can't put the AEBS first in line.

Fios enters through the basement. The fios modem is there. It's WAN output is connected to an 8-port switch. It feeds the home LAN there at the basement 'home run'. The AEBS is in the living room; it takes the living room ethernet port and provides wifi to the house and serves as a local hub for the tivo, xbox, and blu-ray. For bonus points, this is about the middle of the house, giving me acceptable wifi everywhere (and I upgraded to the AEBS to boost strength in the outer guest bedroom. My second-gen 2007 AEBS barely reached there.)

Putting the AEBS in the basement would make would plummet my lving-room wifi and kill it to the bedrooms. Which would mean no Guest Network in the guest bedrooms.

And I'm assuming this is how "Guest Network" works on all wifi routers. It's not just a weird Apple limitation.

I need to play around, but I think the best practically solution is to temporarily enable Guest Network with Double NAT when needed; and then remember to revert back to normal when guests are gone. It's not the childs-play solution I'd expected when I bought the AEBS. But it may be tolerable.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I picked up this recently when I re-did my Wi-Fi on the recommendation of a custom installer friend. Please note its not a router but a WAP and its also available in a one pack for smaller applications:

Comes with PoE injector(s) and it was simple to set up a guest network. Our house is pretty spread out so I had some holes with our old WAP. Using three of these has taken care of that problem.

http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-LR-3-UniFi-Enterprise-System/dp/B005SHQ644/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1413042657&sr=8-4&keywords=unifi

 

[Clinton McClure]

The only two solutions I can see are:1. Moving the AEBS to the basement, setting up the guest network and buying several Airport Expresses to place throughout the home as wireless network extenders.2. Run Cat 5e or Cat 6 cable from the FIOS box to the living room and make the AEBS become the DHCP router, then use your current in-wall ethernet cable as a return line to the basement switch for full home distribution. Both solutions have the disadvantage of being costly.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Or give Adam's suggestion a try.

 

[DaveF]

The only two solutions I can see are:1. Moving the AEBS to the basement, setting up the guest network and buying several Airport Expresses to place throughout the home as wireless network extenders.2. Run Cat 5e or Cat 6 cable from the FIOS box to the living room and make the AEBS become the DHCP router, then use your current in-wall ethernet cable as a return line to the basement switch for full home distribution.Both solutions have the disadvantage of being costly.

The second option might be possible, but it might add more complexity than I'll tolerate (more complexity than futzing with Double NAT when need for Guest Network is needed)

 

[DaveF]

I picked up this recently when I re-did my Wi-Fi on the recommendation of a custom installer friend. Please note its not a router but a WAP and its also available in a one pack for smaller applications:

wifi.jpg

Comes with PoE injector(s) and it was simple to set up a guest network. Our house is pretty spread out so I had some holes with our old WAP. Using three of these has taken care of that problem.

http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-LR-3-UniFi-Enterprise-System/dp/B005SHQ644/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1413042657&sr=8-4&keywords=unifi

This is going to require some reading, as I have no idea what it is

I originally planned on keeping my -n (draft) router to serve as a wifi extender. That proved to be not trivial. Subsequent research revealed that extending a network actually reduces performance and is not recommended unless it's necessary. With my new router in the living room, I've got house-wide wifi and I sold the spare AEBS.

I'm guessing this system is of that idea: extending wifi with subsequent minor penalties to performance.