Configuring home network - couple of questions and sanity checks!

[RoyMi6]

Ok, here's the setup:



So, being suitably unimpressed with the Sky Hub I'm trying overcome a couple of issues.

1) 10/100Mbps Ethernet connections
2) Only 2.4Ghz WiFi
3) Understand the port forwarding rules I'll need to create
4) Working around its built in DHCP I can't turn off

Ok, last thing first - As far as I'm aware the Sky Hub can't have it's DHCP server turned off.

To avoid that 10/100Mbps connection between my ASUS router and the Sky hub being used for local network stuff I assume what I'm best doing is letting the ASUS router create a local network in a different IP range?

So have the Sky Hub setup to issue IP's in the range 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.255 then have the ASUS router assign IP's in the range 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.255.

Should I plug the Sky Hub into the WAN port on the ASUS router? This would make sense to me...

When it comes to port forwarding on the Sky hub what do I do to get this working? Do I need to forward everything to the ASUS router IP so it can forward again to the correct IP, or will the Sky Hub work if I forward to a different subnet range?

Am I being pedantic about not using the Sky Hub DHCP? Should I disable my router DHCP? Will I notice my drop in network performance if DHCP connections have to use that 10/100 connection to the Sky Hub?

 

[RoyMi6]

Leave DHCP on the Sky Hub (not doing so will cause double natting and all sorts of potential issues).

Assign a static IP address in the same subnet to the ASUS so you can manage it if you wish, but in essence you are turning it into a switch and AP only.

Plug the Sky hub into a LAN port on the ASUS.

Connect everything else to the switch or a different lan port on the router.

Everything locally will only ever go as far as the ASUS unit for communication unless it has to get to the internet.

Ok, doing this I assume you mean to turn the DHCP on the ASUS router off?

Additionally, if DHCP isn't the bottleneck I assumed, how is traffic routed with a switch like that?

If two PC's are connected to that switch WILL traffic go back to the ASUS router down that single gigabit Ethernet or will they talk to one another directly through the switch?

Would I benefit from two 12 port switches connected to two of the gigabit ports of the ASUS router?

 

[RoyMi6]

...how is traffic routed with a switch like that?...

Would I benefit from two 12 port switches connected to two of the gigabit ports of the ASUS router?

I think I've managed to answer my own question - no, I won't benefit from two 12 port switches, traffic will go through the switch if it's the shortest route.

In the past I assume the difference between an "unmanaged" and "managed" switch was that one did cleaver routing and the other was "dumb".

Turns out "hubs" are dumb, and you should never use them, but switches do clever routing when possible. A managed switch just lets you take over fine grain control of the, already existing, built in routing.

So yeah, will give that a shot this weekend and see how I get on!

 

[RoyMi6]

You shouldn't need to do any port forwarding, unless you need remote desktop access or similar. Which would be safer over VPN anyway.

Well yes, but I need port forwarding for those reasons. Surely even setting up a VPN would also require port forwarding. Well, maybe unless you use built in router VPN... actually no, surely that would still require port forwarding to send VPN traffic from Sky Hub to the router?

Why not replace the Sky hub and N66U with a single device, like an ASUS DSL-N55U.

Because this is all hardware I have right now - so no cost. I moved from a Virgin cabled area where I was able to use the Virgin Super Hub in modem mode, so the ASUS N66U was a perfect fit to improve network configuration and increase WiFi performance. It will be the same case here.

Additionally using an alternative modem to the Sky provided one is allegedly against their terms of service so doesn't make sense if I can configure everything correctly at no added cost.

 

[RoyMi6]

Problem is I'd have to spend £140 on the TP-LINK Archer VR900 AC 1900 to get comparable WiFi performance to my N66U.

Performance and range are key for my WiFi now as the new house is an old Victorian job with thick walls - can't sacrifice on WiFi throughput but don't want to spend £140 on hardware that isn't required.

What I'm trying to do shouldn't be a problem, but if I can't get it working I'll consider it

 

[RoyMi6]

Just occurred to me - I could totally simplify this!

If I end up being happy with the port forwarding capabilities of the Sky Hub I can just plug the switch directly in to that then turn off DHCP on the ASUS router as before - so I end up with below.

I think this will likely do short term. While I'm stuck on 5Mbps ADSL there's not much I'll be doing WAN side, just want to make sure my local network is up to scratch.

 

[RoyMi6]

Spot on guys - the ASUS in AP mode is the way forward here.

You've totally got me eyeing up an all in one replacement modem/ap/router but I think I'll wait for the next generation before taking the plunge!