Network planning help

jlo · 28 Oct 2020 at 10:12

Hi - I am renovating my home and want to run ethernet cables. I need to plan this properly, I don't want to find out afterwards that things aren't right.

I've decided on Asus AIMesh routers for my mesh wireless network. I will be using ethernet backhaul for this.

And I have some devices to connect via ethernet (TV's, PC's, Hubitat, etc). Also a POE NVR camera system.

I'm a bit confused about the setup. The main question I have is - can the ISP router connect to a switch, with the AIMesh Main router connected to that (A), or does the AIMesh need to connect directly to the ISP Router (B). See diagram

the-evaluator · 28 Oct 2020 at 10:29

The switch needs to be downstream of the router. So modem -> router -> PoE switch as you show in diagram B.

You could make it work as shown in diagram A if your switch was VLAN aware but for siplicity I'd go for diagram B.

jlo · 28 Oct 2020 at 11:33

the-evaluator said:
The switch needs to be downstream of the router. So modem -> router -> PoE switch as you show in diagram B.

You could make it work as shown in diagram A if your switch was VLAN aware but for siplicity I'd go for diagram B.

Thanks - "A" would certainly make router placement and wiring easier, but as you say "B" offers simplicity. I'll just need to be creative in the wiring and router placement!

Caged · 28 Oct 2020 at 11:54

If you're running cables then just run more than one cable to the router location in plan 'A' - so you wire the ISP modem into the router and then back out to the PoE switch. To use your key, the red line would carry on past the PoE switch without connecting to it, and then a blue line comes back from the Asus router to the switch.

pp111 · 28 Oct 2020 at 12:07

Honestly with the dangers of A, I would go B without question. If you are confident you can configure A then sure, but I would not be, lol. I personally run B in my house.

neodude · 28 Oct 2020 at 13:31

Setting up a VLAN to get setup A working is not really as complicated as it sounds tbh, certainly wouldn't describe it as dangerous. As mentioned, the switch would have to be VLAN aware, aka a "managed switch" and if you only want one connection between the switch and router, the router would need to be VLAN aware too, otherwise you'd need 2 connections between router and switch, 1 LAN & 1 WAN.

jlo · 28 Oct 2020 at 15:01

So if I did the VLAN setup and got A working, would the devices connected to the AIMesh be on a different VLAN to the other devices? ie, they wouldnt see each other. For example, my PC connected via LAN to the switch (one of the devices on the diagram) wouldn't see a wireless printer connected to the AIMesh.

bremen1874 · 28 Oct 2020 at 15:10

Unless running that one extra cable is completely impossible, your option A is more trouble than it's worth. Option B will work with unmanaged switches and almost zero configuration.

neodude · 28 Oct 2020 at 16:35

jlo said:
So if I did the VLAN setup and got A working, would the devices connected to the AIMesh be on a different VLAN to the other devices? ie, they wouldnt see each other. For example, my PC connected via LAN to the switch (one of the devices on the diagram) wouldn't see a wireless printer connected to the AIMesh.

No, once setup everything would just work as per B. All your devices would be on the default VLAN of 1.

Here's roughly how it would work....

ISP Router plugged into Switch port 1.

Mesh system WAN Plugged into Switch port 2

Mesh system LAN Plugged into Switch port 3

Then in the Switch management UI, remove Ports 1 & 2 from the default VLAN1 and add them both to VLAN2 untagged.

Jon done.

Although as already mentioned, because you'd have to run 2 cables, you'd be as well just running one cable from the ISP Router straight down to the Mesh WAN, and then another from the Mesh LAN back up to the switch. Using the VLAN setup is pretty pointless as all that's really happening is the WAN is going in to Port 1 and then straight back out of Port 2. What's the point?

To do it with one cable would either require your Mesh system to trunk both WAN and LAN onto the same port, or you'd need another managed switch.

neodude · 28 Oct 2020 at 16:50

So, why not just do this.....

jlo · 28 Oct 2020 at 17:04

neodude said:
So, why not just do this.....

Is that not the same as B?

BigT · 28 Oct 2020 at 17:10

jlo said:
Is that not the same as B?

Yes it is. And I'd go B every time - it's just less fuss. Yes it's not that complicated to get A working but diagnosing if anything goes wrong is just more hassle than the zero config method B. Worth it for the sake of running a cable IMO.

neodude · 28 Oct 2020 at 17:13

I was assuming that the OPs "B" was swapping the physical locations of the Mesh and Switch, so having the Mesh Upstairs and the Switch down. My Version has them the opposite way around, requiring the running of a second cable. But, yeah, connection wise, same as B.

jlo · 28 Oct 2020 at 17:23

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think B for simplicity sake is the way forward. Will plan to run cables to the preferred router and switch locations rather than bite off more than I can chew with option A. Plus, i just checked the prices of Managed POE switches with enough ports to cover the cameras and the ethernet ports i'm planning around the house - and wow!