Mesh APs and FirstSpot

[trv4gr]

We plan to set up a mesh ap system for use in a hotel, and connect it to a FirstSpot server. Below i briefly explain the system, and the question is if it will work.

The mesh APs function this way:

One of them is the gateway, which has a wan port, and will be connected to the private interface of FS.
The other mesh APs talk with this gateway ap using olsr etc, though an extra 902.11a interface each one has, in addition to the bridged wlan & lan ifs.

In operation without the FS, each mesh AP has its own dhcpd server that handles the clients ips in its bridged interface, so they talk to the ap, and using NAT, and olsr, thay finally arrive at the gateway mesh AP, and connect to the internet through it.

Unfortunately, the devices do not support DHCP Relay (as far as i have searched the interface), so I am afraid another way has to be found.
Fortunately, in the DHCP settings everything can be programmed.

From what I have read here, I should disable the NAT in the mesh APs for FS to work. ( I do not know if by disabling NAT the APs stop forwarding client traffic to each other - has to be tested). Lets suppose that NAT is disabled.

What IPs should each DHCPd server to clients? And what Gateways and DNS servers? Normally it handles its bridged ifs IP address as gateway and dns server, and everything runs smoothly.


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Sorry for the awfully long post!

John

[alan]

First, you need to setup the Multiple Network Segments and enable IP-based Session Handling (refer to Chapter 4 - Scenario 3 for details). Using the example there, the client IP should look like (assuming you add the first entry in Multiple Network Segments setting):

IP : 192.168.1.x
subnet : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway : 192.168.1.1 (your router's IP)
DNS : 192.168.0.1 (FirstSpot Private Network Interface IP)
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[trv4gr]

I cannot get it to work.
This is my test setup:

internet router LAN (192.168.1.254)
FirstSpot server connected to internet router LAN: Public if 192.168.1.85
FirstSpot server private if: 192.168.5.1

The mesh AP is connected through switch with the FS private if
Details for Mesh AP:
WAN if: 192.168.5.10
Bridge if (LAN/WLAN1): 172.16.65.1

In FS the following settings is set-up:
Rourer IP: 172.16.65.1
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.5.1
Redirect PHP: NO


The test client gets these settings from mesh AP dhcp server:
IP: 172.16.65.0
mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 172.16.65.1
DNS: 172.16.65.1 [the ap has dns client, resolves names using FS]

So this is the situation:

If NAT is disabled (as it should be), there is no ping or anything else, from a client to the FS. I can ping 192.168.5.10 (the if in AP facing FS server)
but I cannot ping 192.168.5.1, it times out.

If NAT is enabled in the AP, everything works, except the fact that the whole segment gets logged in FS using the ip of the AP not the client, which of cource is not acceptable..

I think the issue here is routing.. I cannot understand how to make this work.. Any ideas would be helpfull.. I really need to get tis system working and deploy it for customers.

Thank you,
John

[trv4gr]

Well, never mind :)

The above configuration is correct except the Gateway setting in Muliple Segments Configuration, that of course should be 192.168.5.10 and not 192.168.5.1

[ So that the gw for packets with 172.xxxx ips go to the AP ]

It seems it to be working now..... :)

I will keep you updated of the tests and the result, that 99% is to purchase your product!

[jumpin]

I have the same problem regarding the network branch being entire logged in with a single user. How didi you solve the problem: it is not clear! I have type the gateway correctly.

FS Private NIC: 10.20.7.1

AP IP: 10.20.7.73
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 10.20.7.1
DNS 1: 10.20.7.1

AP LAN/WLAN: 192.168.0.1

I use a LINKSYS WRT54GL for AP.

I have set up FS with the following
ROUTER IP: 192.168.0.1
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
GATEWAY: 10.20.7.73

When I logging with a user, firstspot indicate the IP of the AP (ie 10.20.7.73) and the entire AP branch is open for other computers.

What am I doing wrong? any tip please.

[alan]

You need to :

1) turn off NAT function within your AP
2) make sure FirstSpot is using IP-based Session Handling
_________________
~ Patronsoft Limited ~