Basic non-WAN Network Unavailable in RT-AC66U Software?

[evolross]

I have a specific on-site software demo that I run using a wireless router, laptop, and no WAN uplink.

I want to run a setup where I use the RT-AC66U as a wireless router with NO WAN or uplink to the Internet running DHCP to wireless clients. I then run a webserver, application server, and BIND server on the laptop connected to one of the LAN ports on the router set to a reserved LAN IP (e.g. 192.168.0.100). I then point my router DNS to said LAN IP so it uses the BIND server running there.

I do this for a software demo where users connect wirelessly from their phones/laptops/devices, and can then just type "exampledomain.com/demo" on their browser and the router uses the BIND server to direct the traffic to the machine with the web/application server.

This setup allows the user to use a named domain (because of BIND) and not type in a numerical IP (this is important). I can then do a local demo of my software without needing a WAN uplink to the Internet, but using a named domain.

This setup works perfectly on a D-Link DIR-655. However on the RT-AC66U one of two things keeps happening:

1. If I disable the WAN in the software, all my clients get an ugly, demo-interrupting RT-AC66U error message saying the "WAN is turned off". Also, on iOS7 devices, iOS7 will pop up a message saying that the wireless network has no Internet (this didn't happen in iOS6).

2. If I enable WAN in the software, all my clients get an ugly, demo-interupting RT-AC66U error message saying "There is no WAN cable plugged in."

Does anyone know how to disable these messages? Is there a way to trick the router into thinking there's Internet? I can't believe there's no way to make this work in the software. It works fine on my old router - which cared nothing about the WAN being on and/or plugged in. I only upgraded my router because the DIR-655 couldn't handle a lot of wireless clients without crashing.

Two options I'm considering are:

1. Using DD-WRT. Anyone know if the above type setup can be done?

2. Using the RT-AC66U as an access point and running DHCP/routing on another machine. Though, when doing a mobile demo, my one laptop already running my web server, application server, and BIND server, shouldn't be bogged down with something that could be done on this high-powered router.

Any ideas? Anyone else having this issue?

 

[RMerlin]

Why not just connect the WAN interface to your existing LAN?

 

[evolross]

I don't connect any WAN to the router because I do these demos on-site at locations where there is no Internet (and I also don't need it for my demo). I just need a wireless router that supports a DHCP LAN that can connect multiple wireless clients to a local server machine/laptop.

Are you saying connect my web-server/application server/BIND laptop into the WAN interface instead of one of the LAN interfaces?

I will try that. If I do that, will I still be able to give it a static IP (e.g. 192.168.0.100 or other IP) that all the wireless clients will be able to access? My software revolves around this idea.

 

[RMerlin]

I don't connect any WAN to the router because I do these demos on-site at locations where there is no Internet (and I also don't need it for my demo). I just need a wireless router that supports a DHCP LAN that can connect multiple wireless clients to a local server machine/laptop.

Are you saying connect my web-server/application server/BIND laptop into the WAN interface instead of one of the LAN interfaces?

I will try that. If I do that, will I still be able to give it a static IP (e.g. 192.168.0.100 or other IP) that all the wireless clients will be able to access? My software revolves around this idea.

No, I just meant connecting a cable between the router's WAN interface and your customer's LAN. If they don't even have a LAN then that would be a problem. Not sure how doable it would be to make the router start all its routing services even if there is no working WAN.

 

[evolross]

Yeah I can't connect to any client's/location's WAN, nor would I want/need to (nor should I have to). I definitely do need the router's routing services though - just to access another machine on the LAN, not the WAN. That's the whole point of all the LAN services right? DHCP is supremely useful without a WAN connected. There's even an option to disable the WAN in the ASUS software, but then it throws a "WAN disabled" error message to my clients.

I'm wondering now though if there's someway to do this with my server laptop plugged into the WAN interface and just making the router think my server laptop is the Internet... Hmm. And then have all my wireless clients able to access it.

 

[RMerlin]

Yeah I can't connect to any client's/location's WAN, nor would I want/need to (nor should I have to). I definitely do need the router's routing services though - just to access another machine on the LAN, not the WAN. That's the whole point of all the LAN services right? DHCP is supremely useful without a WAN connected. There's even an option to disable the WAN in the ASUS software, but then it throws a "WAN disabled" error message to my clients.

I'm wondering now though if there's someway to do this with my server laptop plugged into the WAN interface and just making the router think my server laptop is the Internet... Hmm. And then have all my wireless clients able to access it.

Just an idea: run the router as an access point, and use a VM on your laptop to serve as DHCP.

 

[evolross]

Yeah, I thought about that, and that's an option. But, I bought the heavy duty ASUS RT-AC66U because of its dual-core processor and memory. I was wanting to utilize that. And also not further bog down the server laptop that's already running a webserver, application server (heavy load), and the BIND server.

Is there a way to make the router think my laptop (and running servers) is the Internet by plugging it into the WAN interface?

Gonna try DD-WRT too.

 

[Asusnet]

Set the WAN type to "Static" to avoid the pop up message in browsers. If needed, enter a fake IP information. This should stop the pop up.

 

[evolross]

So I set the WAN type to "Static" and entered bogus IP information. The setup is pretty much working as expected - the BIND server directs requests of "somedomain.com/demo" correctly to my web/application server at 192.168.0.100, which is good.

BUT, every time a wireless client connects to the router, it still sends them the same error message. Either "WAN turned off" or "WAN unplugged". It does this only once when they connect, but it still happens and is really annoying. It's problematic because when people see this, they'll think the demo isn't working and this is for larger crowds where I'm unable to run around and tell everyone to just ignore the message.

These messages seem like a "feature" of the ASUS-WRT firmware. They obviously make sense if you're a home-user, but there should definitely be a way to disable these. I'm going to try the DD-WRT firmware.

 

[evolross]

SOLVED - Bought a Netgear Nighthawk R7000.

I looked into DD-WRT but it looks like support for the RT-AC66U is still fairly experimental. I also don't like the fact that the firmware is 3rd party and may not take advantage of the dual-core hardware properly.

I ordered and received the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 R7000 router. Set it up in about 15 minutes. Everything works perfectly. I get one warning/error message when connecting the router to the server laptop about the WAN not being plugged in and that's it. No errors on any clients. iOS7 devices connect just fine, no errors about the Internet or errors coming from the router on the wireless clients.

I know I have a very specific case and usage, but it's a shame the ASUS firmware does this. The router worked great when I used it and my demos worked perfectly except for the error messages. Seems like a great router otherwise.

 

[Nerre]

The problem is a problem also for home users, becuase if your WAN goes down your LAN stops working... and that really sucks.

 

[evolross]

Actually the LAN works just fine without a WAN, I didn't mean to imply it doesn't. It just throws error/warning messages (in the form of browser pop-up tabs) to connecting wireless clients that the WAN is either down or disabled. And iOS7 even has it's own warnings it pops up because of something the router is telling it.

Everything will still work. Wireless LAN clients can still hit my laptop web server/application. I just don't want those dummy-proof error/warning messages upon connecting. They ruin the demo I'm trying to perform by completely confusing everyone in the room. They should have the ability to be disabled.

 

[Nerre]

For me DNS for the LAN stops working when then WAN goes down. But I have to admit I'm not running the latest firmware.

 

[Asusnet]

I'm sorry I didn't get to you in time but these commands should help disable the error message:

1) Use telnet or go to http://192.168.1.1/Main_AdmStatus_Content.asp
2) Key in these commands:
nvram set wanduck_down=1
nvram commit
reboot


*To enable the error message again (for whatever reason), enter these commands:
nvram set wanduck_down=0
nvram commit
reboot

 

[golod]

I have quite the same task as evolross. Users should interact with an art object wirelessly through their smartphones using a hostname , not an IP. I'm using Firmware:378.52_2 and Asus RT-N66U.

Wenn I disable/unplug WAN the DHCP stops working. LAN is still working, so it is possible to connect over IP address but not with a hostname.

I tried also the tip with the disabled error message. It is true, there is no message afterwards, but hostname forwarding is not working without WAN connection.

Am I in in a blind alley with my setup?