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Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

FIXED
davel8r
Grafter
Posts: 39
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Registered: ‎26-05-2020

Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

I'm running an unlocked HG612 connected to an ASUS AC86U router via a 15M ethernet cable. Everything works beautifully and I'm well chuffed with the WiFi performance of the ASUS router.

I can access the modem stats by connecting my laptop to LAN2 but it's not ideal due to the location of the modem so would like to get to the stats via the router. Running a second cable to the router is not an option due limitations in the house......

I read this article https://support.aa.net.uk/Router_-_EchoLife_HG612 and it seemed like a good option. I'm ok with the modem work but don't understand enough about what I'm doing to do the router bit - specifically:- 

"In your router, configure the WAN interface with a private (RFC1918) address in a different subnet to your main LAN. e.g. if your main LAN is 192.168.1.0/24 then configure the WAN interface with the address 192.168.2.1/24"

Is there anyone who could give me a pointer please?

Other than that, I was going to look at a pair of ethernet splitters. The modem's ports are only 100 so theoretically they should work ok ??###?Huh

thanks for any help

 

 

8 REPLIES 8
Baldrick1
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Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

@davel8r 

I don't think that a splitter will work as from my reading they don't allow simultaneous data transmission. However a proper switch will hardly break the bank  https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-SF1005D-5-Port-Desktop-Ethernet/dp/B0766D8HZ3/ref=sr_1_7?adgrpid...

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davel8r
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Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

thanks @Baldrick1 

Quite like the idea of using a switch and as you say, they're as cheap as chips. Only problem may be getting power for them but I can work around that.

Guess I'd need 2? One at the modem end to feed the LAN1/LAN2 ports into and then connect the modem/router connection. Would I need 1 at the outer end as well to feed into a LAN port and the WAN port of the router or would any traffic destined for the HG612 interface get routed through the WAN port automatically?

ta

Baldrick1
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Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

@davel8r 

Ah I'd forgotton that it was WAN data on LAN 1 of the modem and LAN data on LAN 2. so I'm not sure how or if this would work

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RealAleMadrid
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Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

@davel8r  I have done this when I had a single ethernet cable to a router quite distant from the modem.  The 100Mbps ethernet links only require 2 pairs each so can be done with one cable. You can get ethernet cable splitters such as this 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078PHXTRT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is a bit confusing, it seems you get 2 splitters and 2 patch cables when you actually need 4 patch cables.🤔 However they will do the job and I expect there are many other similar items available.

I did the cheapo approach and as I had an ethernet crimp tool I just split the correct sets of 2 pairs out of the cable and put 2 RJ45 plugs on each end, no extra hardware required. I have seen possible ways of connecting via one port but have never attempted it as my cable modification did the job.😀

Don't even think about using switches, I can't see how it would work.😮

 

 

davel8r
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Registered: ‎26-05-2020

Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

Thanks @RealAleMadrid 

It's good to hear that this solution works for someone. I'd read lots of reviews on the splitters and people who gave them bad feedback were trying to use them as switches. The fact that the speed is capped at 100 due to only using one pair of wires is ok because the modem port is only 100 as well. I'll get a couple of these but will plug away(excuse the pun) at trying to get the solution working with configuration in the router and modem.

Have you noticed any drop in speed as that's something that other reviewers have noted but without any detail on their setup it's difficult to figure out why the speed might drop.

thanks

RealAleMadrid
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Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

@davel8r  I would ignore a lot of the reviews, they don't know what the splitters can do and are trying to achieve impossible things. They can provide two 100Mbps connections using one 4 pair cable and that's about it. There will be no reduction in speed at all. 

davel8r
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Registered: ‎26-05-2020

Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

I'll post back when they arrive - just to close the thread off if anyone else is following.

Cheers

davel8r
Grafter
Posts: 39
Thanks: 13
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Registered: ‎26-05-2020

Re: Access LAN1 + LAN2 on HG612 using one cable

Fix

Whilst waiting for the splitters to arrive I had another look at the instructions posted in the AA forum that I linked to in the OP.

Success !

The bit that I couldn't work round was how to put in a WAN address on the ASUS router. Having stared at the WAN config page for a while I noticed that the "Set the WAN IP Automatically" option was set to yes. I changed it to no and at that point was able to enter the ip address in a different subnet to my LAN. Just follow the rest of the instructions then and it works wonderfully.

I can now access the modem from my laptop through the LAN and can still access the router on its LAN address

A couple of things to watch

Once you change the ip address of the HG612, you'll need to reconnect to it on the new IP (obvious really !) However, I'd added a static ip address to my ethernet port to allow access to the modem and I had to change this to be in the same subnet as the modem is now.