use the N66U as a Plain Old Switch?

[izak]

I have been attempting to use my N66U as a bridge to my AC88U, but no success. Someone in another thread indicated that the bridge mode has been broken for over a year.
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/attempting-bridging-n66u-to-ac88u.33811/
I not really eager, but am contemplating running hard wire Cat6 perhaps up through an inside wall across an attic, down through an inside wall into the basement and across the basement to where I intend to position the N66U. I want the clients attached to the Gb ports on the N66U to work well with each other.

Here are the questions: Will I have any trouble using the N66U as a Plain Old Switch? Will it allow the AC88U to pass addresses and IP's through to the clients? Will the clients all show up in the AC88U's client list? Are there any pitfalls to know up front?

 

[CaptainSTX]

I have been attempting to use my N66U as a bridge to my AC88U, but no success. Someone in another thread indicated that the bridge mode has been broken for over a year.
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/attempting-bridging-n66u-to-ac88u.33811/
I not really eager, but am contemplating running hard wire Cat6 perhaps up through an inside wall across an attic, down through an inside wall into the basement and across the basement to where I intend to position the N66U. I want the clients attached to the Gb ports on the N66U to work well with each other.

Here are the questions: Will I have any trouble using the N66U as a Plain Old Switch? Will it allow the AC88U to pass addresses and IP's through to the clients? Will the clients all show up in the AC88U's client list? Are there any pitfalls to know up front?

It will work fine. Just turn off the DHCP function on the N66. If you don't plan on using the WiFi radios on the N66 as a AP then disable the radios.

The clients connected to the N66 will show up in the AC88 client's list, but if you leave the N66s WiFi on and the client connects to the N66 using WiFi it may show up as a wired client on the AC88 as a wired client.

 

[ColinTaylor]

FYI - You still need to configure the N66U's LAN so that is on the same subnet as the AC88U and give it a unique IP address.

But you might be better off just buying a small gigabit switch. They're pretty cheap.

 

[L&LD]

You will have no problem (if the hardware is working well). But why?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N99BBC/?tag=snbforums-20

With some patience, you might find the same switch closer to $10 'on sale'.

Save the RT-N66U router for something better. A switch for less than $20 is a better solution, imo.

 

[izak]

You will have no problem (if the hardware is working well). But why?

Only because I already own it.

 

[izak]

Well after fiddling with numerous settings, I've finally got the N66U appearing in my AC88U's client list. But, I have no internet from the laptop connected to the N66U. I also do not have a ping to the www from the N66U. I am stuck like chuck!

 

[izak]

To be sure, I am going from a LAN port on the AC88U to the WAN port on the N66U; correct? If so, what WAN option should I choose? I know that I don't want POE, but what about PPTP or L2TP? Should I assign a hard IP to the WAN on the N66U?

 

[L&LD]

Only because I already own it.

Okay, but it is a little like towing a Ferrari behind a truck for 'the increased storage capacity'.

What firmware are you running on the RT-N66U? I would recommend you flash the latest RMerlin (or a fork of) version available. Then, reset it to factory defaults and put it in AP mode (not 'Router' mode).

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/no...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac66u-slow-wan-to-lan.12973/page-3#post-269410

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/faq-nvram-and-factory-default-reset.22822/

 

[ColinTaylor]

To be sure, I am going from a LAN port on the AC88U to the WAN port on the N66U; correct?

No, you need to go to one of the N66U's LAN ports. The WAN port is unused if you are using it as a dumb switch.

 

[Nullity]

No, you need to go to one of the N66U's LAN ports. The WAN port is unused if you are using it as a dumb switch.

I think that statement is inaccurate.
In AP-mode, the RT-N66U uses all ports as LAN ports.


AP-mode is practically a "plain old switch", right? Disable the radios and it is literally that.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I think that statement is inaccurate.
In AP-mode, the RT-N66U uses all ports as LAN ports.

Ah, sorry, you're probably right.

I didn't see him say it was in AP mode. When he was asking about the WAN setup page I assumed he had left it in Router mode. I would have thought that the WAN page would be inaccessible in AP mode, because none of those settings are relevant?

I might be worth him connecting to another LAN port anyway, just to be 100% sure.

 

[Nullity]

Ah, sorry, you're probably right.

I didn't see him say it was in AP mode. When he was asking about the WAN setup page I assumed he had left it in Router mode. I would have thought that the WAN page would be inaccessible in AP mode, because none of those settings are relevant?

I might be worth him connecting to another LAN port anyway, just to be 100% sure.

Yeah, I avoid the WAN port myself, but technically the port can be used. I use AP-mode and I was able to set the device's IP through the GUI during the initial setup.
AP-mode is the mode most similar to the functionality he wants, so I assumed he would be using it or switching to it.


If he really wants a truly dumb switch, you can SSH in and run the "halt" (maybe "halt -p"?) command and the OS will halt while switch functionality will continue.

 

[izak]

Well, here is where I ended up:

When I went to put the router in AP mode, it complained about my key. It gave me the requirements, but I have the correct number of characters; not too many; not too few. So, after fretting over that, I restored back to the last known good. While in 'Wireless Router Mode', default, I once again began fumbling for answers. After some hints from different web sites: I disabled DHCP. I shut off the radios. I set the AC88U IP range to end at 192.168.1.200 and had the N66U start at 192.168.1.201. After that I disabled WAN and it began talking. I was able to access web pages from the laptop. It is still on 'Wireless Router Mode', but seems to work fine, but just 4 ports. So, where I am using this, I will only have 1 spare port. Ok for now. While it has never given me trouble, I've also set up an auto reboot for some wee hour of the morning, every morning, in order to prevent surprises.

So, as I have it, from changes I've made, these are OFF: WPS, Radios, Manual assignment=No, WAN, NAT, UpnP, Firewall,
And from changes that I've made, these are ON: upstream DNS, Telnet

In regard to firmware, about a week ago I updated to the latest Asus; it was over a web interface so I can't tell you the number. After that I downloaded and flashed Merlin 380.59.0 So, that is where that is at.

If I had to do it over again, I would buy a switch, and get 8 ports. In fact, if anyone is interested in this router, I will buy one of these Amazon D-Link 8 port steel Gigabit switch or Amazon NETGEAR 8 port steel Gigabit switch and you can reimburse me my cost of an 8 port and the N66U is yours. If no one is interested, I will just use what I have.

In the coming weeks I will be running shielded 600mHz Cat6a up through the wall, across the attic, down and inside wall and across the basement. Oh Lord, I bought $350 worth of supplies last night, but not till after the N66U went live.

Thanks guys for all your help. Even if it is a little unorthodox, it is working.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Glad you got it working eventually.

As an aside, personally I wouldn't touch D-Link kit anymore. Too many bad experiences with them. But that's just my personal prejudice . Mind you, Netgear's consumer products aren't that great , their prosumer stuff doesn't seem too bad though.

 

[Johnsonrc5]

Does anyone know if the USB ports will still work if you turn the ASUS router into a switch? I’d like to leave the printer and hard drive connected.

 

[heysoundude]

I've just converted mine (after figuring out how to factory reset it and flashing the latest Asus stock firmware to it) into an unmanaged switch for some equipment on my network that only has 10/100 ethernet.
turn off dhcp and then wireless in the GUI and it's all good. I didn't go stealth mode so I can verify things are connected to it visually...but those blue LEDs are BRIGHT!!