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Connecting Hub one as second router

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ozzyjah
Hooked
Posts: 6
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Registered: ‎05-08-2017

Connecting Hub one as second router

Hi, new here. I am trying to connect my hub one as a second router via Lan to Wan. I have set my main router (Tp-link vr900) as router one. Set the address to 192.168.1.1and DHCP 192.168.2-192.168.1.255. 

I have set second router (hub one) to 192.168.2.64 - 192.168.2.255 and hub address to 192.168.2.254. I can access the hub one via wifi, but I can't access the internet via the hub one.

Can anyone help with this? I have followed the wicki here http://www.wikihow.com/Connect-Two-Routers just changed the end numbers to max 254 otherwise it's the same. 

My goal is to have the Hub one as a separate network to run all my IOT stuff from, and keep it away from normal everyday internet access. 

I know I can connect lan to lan, but I want it separate with two different access points. There fore lan to wan.

Any ideas anyone?

12 REPLIES 12
MisterW
Superuser
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

You will either need to

1) set the WAN on the Hub one to get an IP address via DHCP

or

2) set a static IP on the WAN on the hub one ( in the primary router subnet ) and set it's default gateway to 192.168.1.1 If you go this way , I suggest 192.168.1.254 and change the DHCP pool of the primary to end at 192.168.1.253

However I'm not sure you can configure the WAN to do either on the Hub one...

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.

npr
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Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

From that wiki, section 6 it says:

"If you are making a LAN-to-WAN network, change the secondary router's WAN IP address to 192.168.1.51."

Note the "1" not "2" double check that bit.

 

Would it not be better to create a guest network on your primary router?

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1138753/Tp-Link-Archer-Vr900.html?page=60

ozzyjah
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Registered: ‎05-08-2017

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

Hi, There is nowhere to put that setting in. Also in comments either further down or elsewhere someone says that it doesn't matter as DHCP in router one will assign as need. Then th DHCP in router two will do it's job.

notmyname
Rising Star
Posts: 133
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Registered: ‎20-03-2016

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

The issue you're going to have here is that if you set the hub one to 192.168.2.XXX, your machines are going to be pulling an IP of 192.168.1.XXX due to the dhcp server.

Messing with the subnets might be a better idea, as will keep on the same IP range but should isolate traffic between the two networks.

Another option is possibly looking into DD-WRT and setting up a few rules in IPtables

The guide here might be of some use if you go that route...

https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Guest_Network
bill888
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Registered: ‎18-10-2008

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

Fix

A quick look through the Archer VR900 User guide seems to suggest it supports multiple VLANs ?  TP-link refer to it as 'Interface Grouping' in their user manual (see page 77)

http://static.tp-link.com/res/down/doc/Archer_VR900(EU)_V1_UG.pdf

So unless I am mistaken, set up a new VLAN for your IoT stuff and assign it to one of the VR900 LAN ports.  Then configure the Hub One as a wireless access point (ie. switch off DHCP server), and wire one of the hub's LAN ports to the VR900 LAN port designated for your IoT devices.  Your IoT devices then connect to Hub One.

 

IoT devices won't be visible to other devices attached to your VR900 and vice versa.  All will have internet access.

 

(Red WAN port on Hub One cannot be configured for DHCP client with Plusnet firmware.  ie. you cannot use it).

 

 

ex-Plusnet (ADSL, FTTC) 2008-2023. now BT (FTTP) 2023-
ozzyjah
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Registered: ‎05-08-2017

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

Hi, Thanks for your input. DHCP is on in both routers, I can't access WAN on the Hub One, from what I can see in the settings. Maybe there is a setting on the VR900 to tell it to send to Wan port or something similar. When I first turned on the hub I told it to connect via Wan but it never does. It defaults to DSL connection and I can't seem to do anything to change it. Maybe it isn't possible. At the moment I have connected it via the Guest option on the VR900. So this seems to work, but I wanted to use the Hub one as an extra hub not only for the extra connection option to keep it secure, but to give the extra Ethernet ports for my sons room. I wonder if I try to add it as an access point I can choose either the main router or the guest. If I can choose Guest option then problem solved. I will have a go later. I spent from lunch time yesterday till just after midnight. Then another couple of hours this morning. My head is frazzled, time for some fresh air and some food I think.

bill888
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Registered: ‎18-10-2008

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

I haven't read the VR900 manual thoroughly, but I think Guest mode only works for wifi devices on VR900.

Please re-read my earlier reply about using VLANs (Interface Groupings) to hopefully resolve your problem.  You will then also be able to connect any IoT devices to the LAN ports of the Hub One Wireless Access Point too.

(Red WAN port on Hub One with stock Plusnet firmware will ONLY work when connected to a VDSL modem such as the Openreach fibre modems.  You cannot reconfigure it to use for anything else.)

How to set up Hub One as an access point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcAZ7zI0iNI&t=130s

When you change the IP address on the Hub, make sure it is in same IP subnet (eg. 192.168.2.x)  as the new VLAN (Internet grouping) you have defined on VR900 for your IoT devices to use.   eg.  192.168.2.240

ex-Plusnet (ADSL, FTTC) 2008-2023. now BT (FTTP) 2023-
ozzyjah
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Registered: ‎05-08-2017

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

Hi, I just had a look at what you pointed too. I also had a look at the next section (Create Static Routes), which also looks promising. To be perfectly honest I find a lot of this is very confusing. When I read the Wiki I thought to myself, that looks easy I'll give it a go. I feel worn out, (painkillers etc, for a long term illness don't help, and my wife is disabled, she has had 3 strokes) but I certainly want to try these things. I'm always up for learning something new. I will read a little more about this new router (vr900) and maybe give your suggestion a try, and also the static routes also. Thanks for yours and anyone else's input and time. 

I have had enough for today, we are out tomorrow, so I will try again on Monday.

wisty
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

I don't think that you can do what you want with a Hub 1. From my experience with the BT Hub 5A, the WAN port on the hub 1 will not talk Ethernet as configured. It expects to set up a PPoE link on the WAN by talking to a  Modem. It won't communicate with another router using the WAN port.

If you connect one of the (yellow) LAN ports to your primary router you will be able to get them to communicate. But to do what you want you would need to add a static route (if that is possible) to route traffic from the second subnet to the first. having tried this with a Business Hub, I couldn't get it to accept the necessary rule - but I am not an expert so there may be a way to do it.

I think you need a rule that routes 0.0.0.0 to 192.168.1.1 to get all traffic except 192.168.2.xxx to the primary router. But when I tried the my Hub said that 0.0.0.0. was an invalid address.

I suspect the only way you can do it is to install DD-WRT  on the Hub one. 

 

 

Alex
Community Veteran
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Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

I'm no expert either, but I believe you have to mess with default gateway changes.
So any traffic which isn't on local network gets sent to that - most often it is your Router when you request an external site.

ozzyjah
Hooked
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Registered: ‎05-08-2017

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

Right here we go. Today I set up my Camera's, Door bell camera's, TP-Link sockets and Harmony Hub to use the Guest account. I then used the Interface Grouping facility as suggested, to separate the LAN's into 3 groups.

So far all is working.

I have blocked the Guest group from access to main network and the USB sharing.

Also enabled Group Isolation to stop each LAN from contacting the other.

Lan One is for the Plusnet Hub one, wifi turned off, and DHCP disabled. Ino this I have plugged in my SmartThings hub and MIHome hub into lan one and two.

Lan Two and three goes upstairs to my sons room for his TV (Netflix and Prime 4k) and Xbox.

Lan Three is going into an 8 port gigabit switch which suplies my SqueezeBox touch, TV (Netflix and Prime 4k) Xbox One S, SkyHD, Blueray, Denon Avr.

The Router DHCP sets the IP ranges automatically to the following 

GroupIP AddressSubnet MaskDHCP PoolEnableModify

Default

192.168.1.1

255.255.255.0

192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.50

IoT

192.168.2.1

255.255.255.0

192.168.2.100 - 192.168.2.199

Son

192.168.3.1

255.255.255.0

192.168.3.100 - 192.168.3.199

Main House

192.168.4.1

255.255.255.0

192.168.4.100 - 192.168.4.199

Enabled Group Isolation so they can't cross into each other.

When I next have some time I'm going to find out more about the IPTV option and the Static Route options.

I hope this makes sense. I am slowly starting to understand it.

Thanks to everyone for their help and advice.

ozzyjah
Hooked
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Registered: ‎05-08-2017

Re: Connecting Hub one as second router

Hi notmyname, I have flashed/rooted my phone on a few occasions, and many other things. As this is only a couple of weeks old, I don't really want to flash non-standard firmware. I still can't get over Bricking a Galaxy tablet a few years ago. Maybe try it in the future. All seems well at the moment. Thanks anyway.