Meraki Access Point and Switches

Dinsey

Dinsey

Dinsey

Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
469
Location
London
Hi Fellow networkers,

I have virgin media super hub connected to two switch's, the switchs go to either TV's or Meraki Access Point


Virgin Super hub TO LG TV

TO

NETGEAR GS308-100UKS 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet TO Meraki MR18 Access Point
TO PS4
TO PC
TO NETGEAR GS308-100UKS 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet TO LG TV

I have the modem mode only for the Super Hub with the ip address for the Meraki reserved.


What should I have the meraki running under with a static ip address, should it be bridged or dchp. I suspect I am getting IP conflicts here.

).
 
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I'm not sure I understand the question but the Meraki should be set to bridge mode to make wireless clients part of the LAN.

Irrespective of what setting you have though there shouldn't be any IP address conflicts. With the Meraki set to bridge mode the IP addresses for the wireless clients are assigned by whatever device does it for the wired clients, I presume that's the Superhub.

If you have the Meraki set to NAT mode then the Meraki will assign IP addresses to the wireless clients and will NAT their connection to the LAN.
 
You have the superhub in modem only mode and have attached a bunch of switches behind it? There is your problem.

The hub is needed to pick up an IP dynamically and masquerade (NAT) from your LAN. By running your hub in modem only mode you are trying to force your single IP over your entire LAN (and failing by the sound of it), any devices on your LAN in DHCP client mode will be picking the same IP up and causing a HUGE duplicate WAN IP.

Flick the hub back to router mode, enable DHCP, reserve a chunk of IP's at the start of the range (start the range from .50 so you have .2-.49 free) and turn off it's wireless if you want to use the meraki kit.
 
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Ah, I missed the bit about the SuperHub being in modem mode.

What's doing the routing? The Meraki can do it for wireless clients if you have NAT mode enabled but it won't do it for the wired clients.
 
Thanks guys for this its making sense, the super hub has 4 ports in it, of the 4,

1 goes to TV in the same room, above the super hub
1 goes to sky box
1 goes into another room where the switch is

from this switch the cat 5 goes into the loft and provide net to the meraki access point

this same switch is running

ps4 and pc

then one cable goes from this switch to another same switch which powers tv

I am using in modem mode as don't need the wifi as already using this via meraki.
 
I see where the confusion has come from - you're *not* using modem mode on the SuperHub. Modem mode only leaves 1 ethernet port (the one next to the coax connector) active and disables all the others. You may have disabled the wifi on it but that isn't the same as modem mode.

Modem mode turns the SH into just a modem and you then need to connect your own router to the only active ethernet port.

So knowing that it'll be the SH that's doing DHCP. Set the Meraki to bridge mode (wireless, access control, select your SSID, scroll to client IP assignment and choose bridge mode) and you should be good to go.
 




What my meraki looks like, the ssid's


Each SSID can have NAT or Bridge, which should I be using, you can see from above pictures I have had a mixture. I have a NAS attached to the network (one of the switch's) so would like to share information Wirelessly on this drive by accessing the particular SSID, what should this be, NAT or Bridged? Picture below for options:




Last question promise :)

Is the level of security I have for each ssid okay, I like having a short word to enter for guests / friends coming over but also want to ensure that I am using the good security features of the meraki also.
 
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If you just want the Merkai to be your sole AP, stick the SuperHub back into router mode and disable the wireless.

The Meraki will get an IP from the DHCP server on the Superhub, and serve out wifi.

Simple.



Or crack the Meraki open, stick a serial console on it, flash OpenWRT and enjoy having a 3 radio AP cable of running an OpenVPN server and a whole host of other good stuff. :D
 
the-evaluator said:
I see where the confusion has come from - you're *not* using modem mode on the SuperHub. Modem mode only leaves 1 ethernet port (the one next to the coax connector) active and disables all the others. You may have disabled the wifi on it but that isn't the same as modem mode.

Modem mode turns the SH into just a modem and you then need to connect your own router to the only active ethernet port.

So knowing that it'll be the SH that's doing DHCP. Set the Meraki to bridge mode (wireless, access control, select your SSID, scroll to client IP assignment and choose bridge mode) and you should be good to go.
Click to expand...

Yes from memory that is correct, I need to make sure that the one going to the switch is the one next to the coax, shouldn't make a difference which one should it.

See the questions on the meraki set up also.

My setup I don't think is that complicated.
 
Ok, so the SH is doing DHCP then which means it definitely isn't in modem mode and the SH is also doing the routing.

Rather than use DHCP with an assignment for the Meraki, set the Meraki to have a static IP. You can do that either in the Meraki dashboard or by going go http://my.meraki.com when on a wireless client that's connected to the Meraki.

I don't think it'll make any difference though as this doesn't sound like an IP address conflict to me.
 
Dinsey said:
Each SSID can have NAT or Bridge, which should I be using, you can see from above pictures I have had a mixture. I have a NAS attached to the network (one of the switch's) so would like to share information Wirelessly on this drive by accessing the particular SSID, what should this be, NAT or Bridged? Picture below for options:
Click to expand...

To keep things simple either bridged or NAT would work though with NAT you'd need to specifically allow access to the LAN. Personally I'd set it to bridged.

Dinsey said:
Is the level of security I have for each ssid okay, I like having a short word to enter for guests / friends coming over but also want to ensure that I am using the good security features of the meraki also.
Click to expand...

You're only as secure as your weakest password but if you want shorter passwords for guest access then dedicate one SSID for guest access and set it to use NAT mode with access to the LAN disabled
 
Guys thanks for your recommendations here, I will check when I get home as to ensure that it is not in modem mode etc, if so I will turn it off and try it for a few days.

Thanks also for the guidance regarding the Meraki, good suggestion to disable the LAN in NAT mode
 
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