Using access points with GigaCube

[Bare_Gills]

I have just switched to GigaCube from Virgin Fibre.

My existing network contained a couple of routers configured as access points, but I have encountered some issues and would appreciate advice/help.

While the access points seemed OK with devices connected via Ethernet (apart from my Sky box), the WiFi will not work. The WiFi signal is there, but I cannot connect anything to their WiFi service.

I have taken these access points out and replaced them with network switches to get everything but WiFi working (especially my Sky).

The WiFi from the GigaCube seems much stronger from the GigaCube than was the signal from my Virgin hub so for now I can get by, but I would like to know if there is a way to return to having access points if possible.

[CrimsonLiar]

So how exactly do you have the access points connected to the Gigacube router - since my understanding is that it only has a single LAN port?  I assume you have a switch plugged into the router LAN port and then are running cables from the switch to the WAN ports of the routers set as access points.

You could then use the same SSID and password for the WiFi on the router and the APs, but often it's better to set each AP on its own channel with its own SSID and password - then training each device you use to recognise the multiple SSIDs.

I guess I'd also be checking that everything is set up on the subnet, as this may have changed since your change of router.

Enough for now, come back with more details on how you have everything connected if needed!

[Bare_Gills]

Thanks for the reply.

My GigaCube actually has a Lan port plus a Wan/Lan port, but you are correct that I have used a network switch to connect the GigaCube to three distinct network branches (pardon my technology - I'm not a networking person!).

Previously each branch had a number of devices wired by cat 6 to a router configured as an access point.

Each access point broadcast a WiFi service using a unique name.

I assumed that I could just replace my Virgin hub with the GigaCube but that was incorrect.

The GigaCube has an IP address 194.168.8.1 - I have never come across this as every router I've ever seen has 194.168.0.1 as it's IP address - so I changed the Gigacube to that.

It also defaults to combine 2.4 and 5g into a single service which I hadn't seen before, so I changed it to output separate services.

I had two issues with my access points.

WiFi was being broadcast by the old routers and devices were able to connect to them, but no actual activity was taking place.

I tried internet access from various devices but nothing worked.

The second issue was with my Sky TV service which was connected by cat 6 cable which had similar symptoms.

Even though the Sky system recognised it was connected to the internet, it was unable to access anything and so refused to function. (I have the new Sky Glass which is a streaming only device). 

Connecting the device via a network switch cleared the problem.

So everything is working quite well and the network speed is around 100 Mb/s average - have seen over 200 Mb/s at one stage so I'm reasonably happy with that for now.

I would like to have the different WiFi services in the three different locations, but with a much better signal from the GigaCube I may be tempted to live with it if the service is reliable.

I hope that helps - sorry for my lack of knowledge.

[CrimsonLiar · Accepted solution]

I asked the questions hoping there was something simple and obvious.  With the extra WiFi routers, you have set up in Access Point mode as opposed to their default router mode they should be functioning pretty much the same as network switches (only with added WiFi).

All I can suggest is to fully reset the routers, put them back into AP mode and slowly reintroduce them, testing at every stage.  

*As for the GigaCube using the 192.168.8.0/24 subnet, it's pretty common, my own network uses 192.168.127.0/24, and that 8 (or in my case 127) could be replaced by anything from 0 to 255.

**The GigaCube uses CG-NAT which can be problematic, in some circumstances - but nothing I can see in what you've described.  CG-NAT combined with double (effectively triple) NAT from using the extra routers in router mode, could be very problematic, but that doesn't seem to be how you've set this up!

[Bare_Gills]

Thanks.

I really appreciate you taking the time to look at this.

I'll do as you suggest with the routers and see if that helps.

[johnwright54654]

I am having a very similar issue but none of these fixes seem to work.

I've got my 5G gigacube running at upwards of 280mb with a LAN cable to downstairs. When connected direct to my machine I get full speed. However i want to share this speed out around the home to my other AP's positioned in the kitchen, garden, office, kids room etc.

Scenario 1 :
I connect a LAN cable from the GC to a TP Link router downstairs that is set up in AP mode.
However when doing this, i get no internet signal via the AP (wifi or LAN cable) despite the router AP light showing blue suggesting there is a connection (and the status page on admin portal shows up/down stream data). 

Scenario 2:
I connect a LAN cable from the GC to a small switch, and from that switch a subsequent LAN cable to the router - again the router (in AP mode) shows blue. However this time I can get online......but it's heavily throttled with max 10mbps, but more likely kbps.

FYI - The LAN cable to the switch is around 15m long, and is a continuous run. DHCP is off. My machine is adjacent to the AP so wifi or LAN is a matter of inches on this final stretch.

My previous setup is a 50mb DSL connected in the same way to AP's via LAN cables, and virtually full speed holds up.

It feels like the GC is detecting the subsequent AP / Switch and throttling the stream right down, but as i'm not a network expert i have no idea how to troubleshoot / identify why i'm getting these issues.
Very frustrating given the GC costs x4 my DSL!

[CrimsonLiar]

Okay, so I'd try to get one thing working at a time.

Starting with the switch.  While every single SOHO smart switch that I've seen figures out its client topology pretty much flawlessly, I'd still set the link from the switch to the Gigacube as the uplink port - if that setting is available (may be in the VLAN settings).  *Make sure all VLAN & QOS settings on the switch are off!

With the APs - if these are routers, then make sure they are in AP mode not router mode.  The GigaCube (to my knowledge) uses CG-NAT which means it is effectively Double NATted before you start.  If you were to add "APs" in router mode they'll be triple NATted (can work but often not).  Each AP will probably work best with it's own WiFi SSID & Password.  This means you'll need to set up the multiple SSIDs and passwords on all connecting devices, along with the ability to scan and connect to the strongest signal.  If your APs can mesh, then having them mesh and connecting only one of them to the Gigacube could be advantageous!