Add wireless access point/mesh to Sky router with per device monitoring?

[NeilF]

Is anyone aware of an access point or better still a mesh that you can add to a Sky Router, ideally as an Access Point (people say you need to add it as an access point due to double nat issues?) which can allow you all the functionality of see whay wireless devices are attached, and to see their current usage etc etc?

I believe many/most/all Mesh systems running as an access point means you loose the per device (wireless) control/monitoring?

 

[WJA96]

Ubiquiti UniFi will let you do this. But you’ll need to run the controller constantly, so either a PC, raspberry pi or a Cloud Key would be required.

 

[NeilF]

Ubiquiti UniFi will let you do this. But you’ll need to run the controller constantly, so either a PC, raspberry pi or a Cloud Key would be required.

Would prefer it to be self contained. ie: Just control/set it from my phone (or a web app) if/when I need to.

 

[Avalon]

Would prefer it to be self contained. ie: Just control/set it from my phone (or a web app) if/when I need to.

If you want to check it, it takes two clicks, one to fire up the controller application, another to click the link on the controller window to take you to the overview, you are only going to be able to reduce that by one click, so it seems like a decent fit for your request. You can run the iOS app to adopt/configure AP's, but really you would be better using the web interface and running a controller conventionally as either docker/key/pi.

 

[WJA96]

Would prefer it to be self contained. ie: Just control/set it from my phone (or a web app) if/when I need to.

Then you need the UniFi Dream Machine! It’s got everything built in to one unit. Put your SuperHub into modem mode and let the UDM do everything else. If you need more WLAN coverage than the UDM gives you then you can wire-in or wirelessly mesh (an)other UniFi access point(s).

 

[NeilF]

Then you need the UniFi Dream Machine! It’s got everything built in to one unit. Put your SuperHub into modem mode and let the UDM do everything else. If you need more WLAN coverage than the UDM gives you then you can wire-in or wirelessly mesh (an)other UniFi access point(s).

There is no Modem Mode on Sky routers... If there was then any mesh system would fit the bill basically. But to be trouble free (double nat problems free) you'd need to run a mesh in AP mode from what I understand...?

 

[NeilF]

If you want to check it, it takes two clicks, one to fire up the controller application, another to click the link on the controller window to take you to the overview, you are only going to be able to reduce that by one click, so it seems like a decent fit for your request. You can run the iOS app to adopt/configure AP's, but really you would be better using the web interface and running a controller conventionally as either docker/key/pi.

Are we talking about the Ubiquiti UniFi? So that could take over my Wireless network and give me full control and stats of what's using via an Android App?

 

[NeilF]

Wonder if something like the TP-Link Deco P9 might be what I'm after. Simply a plug in new wifi network and it creates an AP mesh network via homeplug and wifi. The app seems to offer control of any/all devices using it, and usage control and figures?!

 

[WJA96]

There is no Modem Mode on Sky routers... If there was then any mesh system would fit the bill basically. But to be trouble free (double nat problems free) you'd need to run a mesh in AP mode from what I understand...?

sorry - I got my Sky and Virgin mixed up. What’s the problem with double-NATing the connection? The UniFi controller will still show you what you want to see.

 

[WJA96]

Wonder if something like the TP-Link Deco P9 might be what I'm after. Simply a plug in new wifi network and it creates an AP mesh network via homeplug and wifi. The app seems to offer control of any/all devices using it, and usage control and figures?!

Yes, but you need to run the controller 24/7 on something to collect the information. You can see it on the App, but the web interface (as advised by @Avalon above) will give you all the exposed options and data.

 

[NeilF]

sorry - I got my Sky and Virgin mixed up. What’s the problem with double-NATing the connection? The UniFi controller will still show you what you want to see.

Double NAT from my understanding is where basically two routers are fighting over IP allocation. Hence leaving the Sky router to handle IP address alocation, and an AP of some sort simply to handle wifi, and ideally monitor/store/show device usage and apply rules (eg: bedtime).

Yes, but you need to run the controller 24/7 on something to collect the information. You can see it on the App, but the web interface (as advised by @Avalon above) will give you all the exposed options and data.

I don't want to run a controller (eg: PC)? From my understanding the TP-Link Deco P9 will keep a history of usage etc and allow you to view it view a phone app.

Will the UniFi allow this, or as suggested do you need to run a capture server or like to achieve that?

 

[james.miller]

Double NAT from my understanding is where basically two routers are fighting over IP allocation. Hence leaving the Sky router to handle IP address alocation, and an AP of some sort simply to handle wifi, and ideally monitor/store/show device usage and apply rules (eg: bedtime).

Not exactly, it's when you have one router sat behind another, creating 2 private networks. That's not necessarily a problem and it doesnt mean they are both fighting over IP allocation either as they could be allocating different IP ranges. For example, i have a netgear router sat behind my sky router/modem. I cant turn ip allocation off on the sky router so i have the netgear using a static IP and sat in the sky router's DMZ and the netgear handles all the IP allocation for everything else. My Xbox one complains about double nat but still works fine, nothing else on my network even cares.

 

[bremen1874]

as they could be allocating different IP ranges

They have to be using different ranges or they won't work.

 

[james.miller]

Yep

 

[bremen1874]

You phrased your post in a way that made the use of different subnets on the two routers appear to be optional. I was just adding some clarification.

 

[james.miller]

OK

 

[WJA96]

Double NAT from my understanding is where basically two routers are fighting over IP allocation. Hence leaving the Sky router to handle IP address alocation, and an AP of some sort simply to handle wifi, and ideally monitor/store/show device usage and apply rules (eg: bedtime).

I don't want to run a controller (eg: PC)? From my understanding the TP-Link Deco P9 will keep a history of usage etc and allow you to view it view a phone app.

Will the UniFi allow this, or as suggested do you need to run a capture server or like to achieve that?

NAT is where the router takes incoming traffic from a public IP address (the one your ISP presents to the world) and turns it into a private IP address range eg. 192.168.1.x and when you want to send data out again sends translates it back to your plublic address range.

With double NAT you might go from your public IP address to 192.168.0.x to 192.168.1.x and it’s just an extra step in the process. It’s not really a problem for most things.

With UniFi the controller IS the capture server. If you don’t want to run a capture server then UniFi isn’t for you.

I’m not aware of the TP-link unit you’re mentioning but if it better meets your needs then that’s great.

I use two systems for folks who want to analyse their traffic - UniFi and Untangle UTM. Both are what you would term capture servers.

If the TP-link unit does what they do, it must run a capture server on the access point, you’re just not aware of it. It takes a fair bit of processing power to keep up with everything that’s going on on a network, so the TP-link unit must be fairly oomphey to do what you’re suggesting.

 

[WJA96]

A quick look at the TP-link Deco P9 user guide would suggest its a very simple system, that stores the top 5 websites visited etc. And gives simple parental controls, blacklists etc. If that’s all you need then most pro-consumer routers will do what you want.

The UniFi system (and certainly Untangle) give you extremely granular access to the data, almost down to which web pages were accessed by which users at what time etc. But you may not need that level of detail.

 

[NeilF]

Looking at the Deco P9, I've got a funny feeling in Access Point mode it loses most features of interest, including device usage figures (for some reason)

So looks like it could not be used in AP mode with any/all issues that means. ie: I have Plex and port forwarding rules to a game server PC etc...

 

[Avalon]

Your port forwarding would be done via the router as normal, nothing to do with the AP. Also you wouldn’t run a Plex server on wifi, that’s a horrible idea.