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Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

fnxweb
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎20-06-2011

Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

TL;DR: my guest wifi addition breaks my normal wifi.  Why?

I replaced my becoming-flakey Netgear with the current PlusNet default TG582n for my fibre b/b, and I'm generally pleased with it.
However, the Netgear had an isolated guest wifi option which I liked, so I tried to replicate this on the TG582n.  This was done largely with something like (deduced from the ever-helpful telnet commands site often linked from here):
wireless mssid list
wireless mssid ifadd ssid=your-guest-ssid-name-here
wireless mssid ifconfig ssid_id=1 apisolation=enabled secmode=disable
wireless mssid ifattach ssid_id=1
eth bridge ifadd intf=wlan_1 dest=wl_ssid1_local0 logging=disabled
eth bridge ifconfig intf=wlan_1 logging=disabled
eth bridge ifattach intf=wlan_1 logging=disabled

Now, I thought this was working, but after a day or so it became apparent that it had made the normal wifi connection exceedingly flakey:  our wireless devices were working briefly, then dropping out momentarily, before reconnecting and working again.  As soon as I disabled the new guest I/F, it all became reliable again.
Can anyone explain why?  Is it something to do with the following output?
=>:wireless mssid iflist
ssid 0/0 : [real]                  [up] Security: WPA-PSK
ssid 0/1 : [guest]                [down] Security: None

I thought it suspicious that the IDs were 0/0 & 0/1 instead of maybe 0/0 & 1/0.  Not that I know what they mean.
16 REPLIES 16
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

The first number is the radio, there's only one radio so it's always "0".
The second number is the SSID number, the main station is "0" any additional virtual stations are 1, 2 or 3.
The numbers are correct but the lack of security is worrying.
Have you seen this:
http://npr.me.uk/mssid.html
Or if you wish the guest wireless network to be isolated from the main network:
http://npr.me.uk/advdmz.html
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Quote from: npr
Have you seen this:
http://npr.me.uk/mssid.html

Does this also apply to the TG582n as identified in the OP?  This page says "Multiple SSID's on a Thomson TG587n", it references this not being applicable to 585v7 but makes no claims for the 582n.  If it is applicable, is that valid for all 582n?  (W/wo USB interface).

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

RPMozley
Pro
Posts: 1,339
Thanks: 83
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Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Well it seems to work on the 582n, had to set up a WEP SSID for an old Nintendo DS as it doesn't support WPA.
That's RPM to you!!
fnxweb
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎20-06-2011

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

@npr - yes, thanks, that's the site to which I referred (but didn't have a link to hand).
I read a few of the pages, and used the multiple SSID page to achieve what I did (including the extra “bugfix” bridge setup which I found I needed).  The DMZ config. is way OTT for my needs (although I suppose I've effectively got that with my internal Linux firewall configs anyway).
While a great resource, the main issue I have with that site is that it's more about recipes than documentation, so while there are a few comments it doesn't really explain in enough detail what's being achieved (& I like to think I know a bit about networking and firewalls).
So yes, that's what I did, it just made my connection really flakey.  I may try it again with simple WEP on the guest connection (like @RPMozley, it's also to allow NDSs to connect while I keep WPA2 on the main connection), in case the wireless devices are being too eager to jump between available SSIDs and see the open guest as a good bet.
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
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Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Quote from: townman
This page says "Multiple SSID's on a Thomson TG587n", it references this not being applicable to 585v7 but makes no claims for the 582n. 

The 582n was not out when I wrote that web page. Thing's move on Wink
I haven't tested multiple SSID on the tg582n, but the commands are supported so I see no reason for it to not work.
@ fnxweb,
I assume the NDS doesn't support wireless "n". Some old wireless g devices can cause problem with the routers wireless, try disabling wireless n in the router. You'll find the command in the telnet page of that site.
fnxweb
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎20-06-2011

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Quote from: npr
I assume the NDS doesn't support wireless "n". Some old wireless g devices can cause problem with the routers wireless, try disabling wireless n in the router. You'll find the command in the telnet page of that site.

Heh, I haven't even tried the NDSs yet;  the connection problems were with a number of (n-capable) Android devices, and also possibly a couple of standalone wireless security cameras (which were playing up and now aren't, the subject of a future post).
fnxweb
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎20-06-2011

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

I added the guest back in, using WEP this time.  It seemed OK initially, but soon degraded to unusable (my phone kept dropping connection to the main SSID, and I lost access to both wireless webcams).
I removed it again and all was fixed.  Guess I'm just out of luck 😞
booms
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Hi there
I've followed this guide for my 582n, and it's worked great. My only problem is that the guest wifi network can still see files on my shared WD Live drive.
I used
apisolation = enabled
but that doesn't seem to have done the trick. Am I missing something?
npr
Pro
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Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

You need to use this method to isolate your main LAN.
http://npr.me.uk/advdmz.html
Alternatively you should be able to block access to the shared drive using the routers firewall.
Try a firewall rule allowing access to the share from whichever IP addresses you wish to allow.
Followed by a rule blocking access to the share from LAN.
You may need to experiment a bit but something along those lines should work.
booms
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Hi npr
Thanks for the reply and your excellent guide.
Just so I understand what I'm doing - the DMZ should sit separate from everything else in terms of access, so if my existing Wifi is 'SSID1', and my guest wifi is 'GuestWifi', then when I run 'eth bridge vlan iflist' I should see the ethport with my WD Live NAS in default, and the 'GuestWifi' in the DMZ?
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
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Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

It all depends on the options you chose from that guide.
If you just chose the wifi option (d) then nothing connected to a ethernet port or on the original wireless ssid can be accessed from the new (dmz) wifi.
ie "eth bridge vlan iflist" will then only show:-
2  dmz  OBC, Wdmz*
Good luck, please let us know how you get on.
booms
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Hi there
Still a bit stuck I'm afraid. I can't figure out how to link what I see in the list with
eth bridge vlan iflist
and my actual SSIDs
when I type 'eth bridge vlan iflist'
I see
Vid      Name            Bridge interfaces (* = untagged)
---      ----            --------------------------------
1        default        OBC*, ethport1*, ethport2*, ethport3*, ethport4*, WLAN*
, wlan_1*
2        dmz            virt*
I temporarily put wlan_1 into the DMZ but I'm pretty sure that was wrong so I put it back! Then I put 'virt' there, but my virtual SSID can still see my NAS.
Any tips, please?
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

Quote from: booms

Vid      Name            Bridge interfaces (* = untagged)
---      ----            --------------------------------
1        default         OBC*, ethport1*, ethport2*, ethport3*, ethport4*, WLAN*
, wlan_1*
2        dmz             virt*

Any tips, please?

No, virt is the usb content sharing.

you need:
Vid      Name            Bridge interfaces (* = untagged)
---      ----            --------------------------------
1        default        OBC*, ethport1*, ethport2*, ethport3*, ethport4*, WLAN*
2        dmz            OBC, Wdmz*
Note:
Wdmz was the eth interface name first used in the instructions  to create the dnz ssid. You can use a different name but it need to be consistent through out.
You may be best doing a factory reset and starting again.
booms
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2013

Re: Problem with guest wifi on Technicolor/Thomson TG582n

OK - I think I managed to figure out what I've done wrong - now I see the correct items in the list.
One thing that's gone wrong now is that I can only get 'Limited access' on my virtual SSID - nearly there!