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Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

MisterPlusBoy
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Registered: ‎17-01-2023

Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

I'm trialling StarLink and the modem/router only provides a single ethernet port. My home network runs through my hub2 currently with all 3 ethernet ports having things plugged in that don't use wi-fi.
Is there a way I can "turn off internet" on the hub2 and connect to to the StarLink modem? I thought that was the idea of the WAN port but I can't find any settings on the router except "bridge mode" which I'm pretty sure is not right as that disables the router part (right?)
Is hub2 able to be used as basically a switch like this? It's only for testing but I want to be able to jump between Plusnet and StarLink easily

Thanks
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Mustrum
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

In a word no.

Have a look a Draytek or similar for dual Wan capability, and do more research.

MisterPlusBoy
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

Why would I want dual WAN? I don't want to connect to both ISPs at the same time.

Thanks for the answer on the hub2 capabilities. I have another router I bought before I switched to PlusNet and I'm pretty sure it can act in Repeater mode (which research tells me is the function I require)
Mustrum
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

So Starlink is 1 Wan. Pn is the other.

Any/most routers can act as a repeater - so more details required if you want help.

 

MisterPlusBoy
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

What I'm asking is if I can unplug my hub2 from the PlusNet connection and use it as repeater, plugging StarLink into the WAN. So I can swap the ISP over by just changing one cable into the hub2... Not run them simultaneously.

My PlusNet is FTTC not FTTP so the WAN port is currently not used, it didn't seem to work when I tested but IF it's supported I wondered if there's a setting I need to change.
bobpullen
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?


@MisterPlusBoy wrote:
Why would I want dual WAN? I don't want to connect to both ISPs at the same time.

I misinterpreted the ask too, based on this...

 

... but I want to be able to jump between Plusnet and StarLink easily

You can probably disable DHCP on the Hub Two, change the Hub Two IP to something in the same subnet as the Starlink kit and then hook the two up LAN <> LAN. I say that with zero knowledge of the kit Starlink supply though. Also not sure it's going to help your case, given that you'd lose a LAN port on the Hub Two. It's also not going to like it if you have the Hub Two connected to the DSL line at the time (a good example of where dual WAN would be a benefit).

Perhaps simpler to just source/purchase a cheap unmanaged switch, hook your local devices up to that, and then switch the uplink cable between the Plusnet/Starlink equipment as required?

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

MisterPlusBoy
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

Starlink just provides a standard Ethernet port you can plug in your switch or mesh or whatever. I don't really know what WAN is but it sounds it's not for this.
I found you can toggle the WAN port as a 4th ethernet port but it sounds like a switch would be the easy option. I can plug everything into the switch first, then change whether the switch connects to the hub2 Vs StarLink in about 2s to swap the cable.

Thanks guys and sorry for confusion. By toggle I meant quickly swap a cable, not a software switch.
bobpullen
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

The Hub Two's WAN port expects a PPPoE connection to an external modem/ONT (on the BT Openreach/Wholesale network). It wont work in any other configuration. It also cannot be toggled to a LAN port as the functionality doesn't exist in the firmware.

Apologies if I'm misinterpreting anything too as I've no personal experience with Starlink. I'd be curious to hear how you find it in comparison to your Plusnet connection though.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

MisterPlusBoy
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Re: Use my hub2 just as a router... WAN?

Thanks, if it won't then it won't. I can't find the post now about googling wan as lan4, maybe it was a hub1 thing but it's not a big deal.

So far StarLink is working quite well. It reports spend around 150/20mbit which is far above the fibre v1 we get FTTC (38/8 max). We're in a village right on the outskirts so several hundred metres from the cab AND with a private overhead cable the last 100m so even 30+ is doing well, but it can be fragile and as I WFH freelance, even a couple hours outage is a problem.