[NBLUG/talk] substituting DHCP/DNS in cheap routers

[Mark Street]

Agreed, many a horror story I have heard with the DSL modem crap foisted 
on unsuspecting sheep out there.

Since you are dealing with the consumer based hardware you might want to 
kick it up a notch and purchase your own device and install pfsense or 
tomato for the WRTG.  The consumer based hardware just does not cut it 
in a commercial environment.  Even the WRTG with Tomato is not strong 
enough IMHO.

I like to build up the Soekris net 5501-70 - 
http://soekris.com/products/net5501.html  - Very easy to install pfSense 
2 (FreeBSD based).  Very very secure and functional, nice firewall/VPN, 
DHCP box.  Solid as a rock.  These devices work well between your 
network and the crappy cable modems/ DSL modems, they work great as VPN 
endpoints and Dynamic DNS nodes.

The sledge to the DGN1000 sounds like sound advice.... or at least limit 
it to a DSL modem endpoint.


On 12/31/2011 9:34 PM, William Tracy wrote:
> This is involved Westell hardware from AT&T, but the same basic 
> principle applies:
>
> I got a DSL modem that let me plug a computer directly into it, and 
> the modem did DHCP and everything. That sort of worked. Then I got a 
> Linksys switch (disclaimer: I used to work for Linksys' parent 
> company) and stuck it between the computer and modem. All hell broke 
> loose, until I went into the settings on the modem and told it to not 
> do anything other than provide PPPoE. Then I configured my switch to 
> basically do the work that my modem was supposed to be doing (log in 
> to the ISP via PPP, provide connectivity, and provide DHCP for the 
> local network). Then everything was hunky dory.
>
> The lesson I took away was: Don't let the hardware from your ISP 
> actually do anything. Get the cheapest DSL or cable modem that you 
> can, and plug it into a real network device. Basically, I'm now 
> suspicious of any hardware that combines a modem in with a switch 
> and/or access point.
>
> Also, check the reviews of any network equipment before you buy it. I 
> found out the hard way that Linksys makes some *awesome* products and 
> some *horrible* products. (For starters, the WRV200 does *not* work as 
> advertised.) Forget brand loyalty and always look for reviews of the 
> specific model that you are considering purchasing.
>
> Finally, look into DD-WRT: It's a third-party FOSS Linux-based 
> firmware for a variety of networking equipment. (Think Cyanogen for 
> routers!) If it looks like you could use the exctra functionality it 
> provides (and can live without the manufacturer's warranty) plan on 
> buying a product that it supports. (You can save a buck by getting 
> some of the older and better-supported models of off Craigslist and/or 
> Ebay!)
>
> That was longer than I meant it to be. I hope that some of that is useful.
>
> William Tracy
> afishionado at gmail.com <mailto:afishionado at gmail.com>
> Cell phone: (805) 704-0917
> Internet phone: (707) 206-6441
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 2:59 PM, Troy Arnold <ta at tsu.biz 
> <mailto:ta at tsu.biz>> wrote:
>
>     Also, if you do decide to add a separate device into the mix, the
>     DGN1000
>     should have a setting for 'modem only'.  I'd try that.
>
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