Capabilities of PN Hub - New FTTP Customer

[#1]

Now Christmas is done and the family have cleared off, I can get back to this. (Quite pleased I am too!)

I am attempting to mindmap the various use cases and factors for the transfer to fibre. Probably due to my "obsession" with this - and the fact that we have ended up with a complex home network - my long-suffering wife has set up the Plusnet account herself and organised the engineer. I think it prudent I don't get involved!

More web searches have turned up naff all on the functionality of the PN Hub 2 but I assume that I can change the IP address pool / range of its DHCP server and the IP address of the router itself. 

The LTE modem on the roof is currently the DHCP server and I have set up a specific pool for that. However, some of the MikroTik functionality allows me to allocate a static IP address for any of the device allocated an address from the pool. Very handy for Home Assistant and the like. My experience with the usual domestic routers leads me to believe that I will not be able to do this for the Hub 2 so I need to sort out addresses which are not part of the DHCP pool.

As the fairly noddy MikroTik hardware is only capable of 100M ethernet, I need to remove that kit from the high-speed pathways. (The more I think about this, the more I believe that January 5th will be an interesting installation day for the engineer as well as me!)

My initial thoughts were to still allow one of the MikroTik devices (the actual wireless router in the lounge) to do the DHCP serving as that will keep all my "pseudo-static" addresses. As that would be on a 100 Mbps link, I could not use that as a part of the high-speed network requirements - which I am going to try to do with hardwire if I can. (I seem to recall that I tried that with the TV via the ethernet connection for the Deco P9 mesh but it turned out that the wireless i/f was faster!)

I once tried to hide a Cat5e along the wall in the lounge directly from the MK router to the TV but my wife spotted it immediately. Never even got to test the Netflix speed!

Thinking even more about this, I reckon the engineer has picked up a rather complex job here. I assume, though, that his responsibilty ends with just allowing one of our devices to speak via the fibre.

The only high-speed links so far are:

1. TV - for Netflix etc (but even BBC iPlayer must be getting more bandwidth thirsty these days);
2. Jellyfin on the Ubuntu laptop;
3. The newly established pseudo NAS, also on the laptop.

At least the Ubuntu laptop can handle Gigabit ethernet.

I apologise for the verbosity but any advice would be gratefully received as ever!
(I seem to have got confused with the Youtube videos. Does the most recent installations not require a box on the outside of the property?)

Thank you - and Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Happy New Year).

Gerald.

[#2]

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@germarsh wrote:

I assume that I can change the IP address pool / range of its DHCP server and the IP address of the router itself. 

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Example

Depending on how much you know about subnetting may give an answer regarding devices with static IP addresses in the above network (there are some devices with static addresses).

What I have found is that when it comes to DHCP the Hub2 assigns IP addresses to a device and it is an extremely sticky IP address in the local network within the DHCP pool. The only method I've found to "unstick" that stickyness is to redo the subnetting.

[#3]

Thank you, Grumble. Was there supposed to be some diagram with "Example"? I just get a pale yellow triangle symbol.

[#4]

@germarsh 

The Hub Two DHCP server is not the best, you can not manually assign an IP Address to a specific device MAC address, you have to attempt to change the IP Address allocated to the devices MAC address.

But as previously noted, once a device gets an IP Address it is sticky (unlikely to change).

Do not expect much from the Openreach engineer or their valued partner on the 5th Jan, all they will be interested in is the install of the ONT at hopefully a location of your choice and see it working on a router. 

You should now be able to view the image.

[#5]

That functionality I can work with. I think that the subnet mask would only allow 32 addresses be allocated by DHCP.

Actually, the format of the pages looks very similar to my old PN hubs.

Here are the leases this morning. The devices with "D" in the second column are dynamic whereas the others are static. The manually configured devices, including some Shelly sensors, aren't listed as they are not in the DHCP range.

[#6]

@germarsh 

By default the Hub two network is 192.168.1.0/24 (class C).The default DHCP pool address is 192.168.1.64 to 192.168.1.253

with the Hub Two IP address being 192.168.1.254. You can use your preferred network ranges, but avoid 10.x.x.x ranges.

For me I use a TP-Link router as it's more configurable with a remote powerline fed WAP

EDIT: images have to approved before being public.

[#7]

@germarsh 

My initial thoughts were to still allow one of the MikroTik devices (the actual wireless router in the lounge) to do the DHCP serving as that will keep all my "pseudo-static" addresses. As that would be on a 100 Mbps link, I could not use that as a part of the high-speed network requirements 

That will work providing the Mikrotik can support DHCP option 3 (Default gateway) . Since you will not be using the Microtik as the primary router, when handing out DHCP leases it will need to supply the IP of the primary router (the Hub 2?) as the gateway. That's done by specifying the gateway IP using DHCP option 3.

If you're still thinking about a replacement for the Mikrotik, this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cudy-WR3000S-Ethernet-Antennas-Wireguard/dp/B0CYT3Q54S/ref=asc_df_B0CYT3Q54... is currently a bit of a bargain. It can easily be reflashed to official Openwrt using a Cudy intermediate image and then applying the genuine Openwrt firmware. Openwrt will give you all the facilities you are used to with the Microtik and with your tech knowledge shouldnt be too difficult to pick up quickly.

With H/W Offloading enabled the WR3000S should be able to easily cope with a 900Mb FF connection, although you wont be able to use QoS

[#8]

After another interesting discussion with my other half, I am under instruction to simplify the lot! I think it is that I am getting on a bit and she does not fancy diagnosing any hassle herself. As a result, we will just replace the MikroTik router with the PN one (just arrived, by the way) and disconnect a few hardwired links - including to the Swann cameras (as she now prefers the more modern IP ones). I have just logged on to the existing PN routers and I note one announces itself as Plusnet Hub One whilst the other is much simpler. The strange thing is that, even though I must have changed the router's IP address in the past, I can't find that option for the life of me! The Board Version of the Hub One is "Plusnet Hub One" whilst the other is "F@ST2704N". 

I had better check the ethernet speeds of the older router as I was expecting to use that to link to the office kit. It is in an IP65 enclosure some distance up under decking - and it is rather fresh out there today!

Looking at the "static" ip addresses, perhaps I have over complicated matters...

Address	Device	Comments
3	MikroTik Modem and Router
4	EE Router	Hub in Office
5	MicroTik Router
6	Scan PC	WiFi
8	HP Printer	In office
9	Plusnet Router	North Shed
10	Plusnet Router	Enclosure under decking
13	TalkTalk Router	Not used
17	Scan PC	Ethernet
22	VMS Virtual Machine	(Domain: vms1.pc; Hostname: vms1)
45	Swann Cameras	Gate
61	LG TV	Lounge
64	Samsung TV	Basement
65	Ubuntu Laptop	Home Assistant etc
70	Edimax camera
76	HP Printer	In office
101	Shelly EM1	Grid and Total House Consumption
103	Shelly ht1	First freezer
105	Shelly ht2	Second freezer
106	Shelly EM2	Basement and Main House Consumption
107	Shelly PM Mini	Mains monitor
111	Technicolor Router	Spare
112	TP-Link Router	Office
113	BT Homehub 3	Office
114	Sky Hub	Near gate
120	GSHP Rpi
121	Deco Master	Now part of 192.168.0 network
122	IeGeek Camera	North Shed (Inside)
126	Grandstream	VoIP Controller
132	Yeskamo Goat Cam	Battery operated – intermittent
137	Tp-Link Smart Plug	Computer etc.
144	Tp-Link Smart Bulb	Porch
146	Tp-Link Smart Bulb	Porch
153	Raspberry Pi	Webscanner in office
158	Yeskamo Chicken Cam	(Not seen for 374 days!)
196	GUOAN S300 Camera	Track (Outside North Shed)
221	MikroTik hAP Lite (WDS)	Spare (Was in lounge)
223	Canon ip8750 Printer	Office
250	BME680 Rpi	Bedroom

[#9]

whilst the other is "F@ST2704N". 

That's a Hub Zero, it only has 10/100 Ethernet ports

[#10]

Thank you, MisterW - I found out some info on them from the forums. Old Sagecom I think. How the hell did I manage to change its IP addresses though has confused me.

I will need to replace that one with the Hub One in the sheep shed as that definitely has Gigabit ethernet. The sheep and pigs don't need a fast link for their web browsing!