Edge Router X

[hawkeye62]

I purchased a Ubiquiti Edge Router X for my home network. I am having a difficult time understanding exactly how to configure this thing. I have connected eth0 to my desktop computer and I can log in to the router. I have experimented by connecting a wireless AP to eth2 and it works as expected. BUT, I don't quite understand what to do with the other ports. Yeah, I know eth0 or eth1 will be the wan port. But do the other ports act as switches, or is each port a separate lan?

My current configuration with my D-Link router is with my cable modem connected to the wan port and one lan port connected to a switch and the other three lan ports connected to crucial devices. I am not sure how the ER-X would accomplish the setup I now have with the D-Link router. It appears that I will need another switch? From what I read, it appears that the other ER-X ports are for setting up other lans? I don't see any need for more than one lan in my network.

Any insight will be very much appreciated.

Regards, Jim

 

[System Error Message]

Bridge the ports you want to use as LAN. on some routers you get multiple CPU connected ports unlike with consumer routers where LAN ports are connected to a switch chip. In this sort of router any port can be WAN or LAN or both (except for ubiquiti edgerouters).

 

[sfx2000]

One thing is conceptual - those ethernet ports on ER's, just like some other devices, are not switched ports by default, they're interfaces...

Quite a few folks have been surprised that things work a bit different compared to consumer Router/AP all-in-one devices where one has a WAN port, and 4-8 switched LAN ports...

 

[sfx2000]

Bridge the ports you want to use as LAN

I don't recommend going there - bridged ports do function - but it's better to pick up a managed switch to handle that side, and there are "smart" switches with 8 ports for a very reasonable price...

 

[hawkeye62]

I don't recommend going there - bridged ports do function - but it's better to pick up a managed switch to handle that side, and there are "smart" switches with 8 ports for a very reasonable price...

So, one ER-X port would go to a switch. Internet wan would go to either eth0 or eth1, and the other ports are not used?

Regards, Jim

 

[System Error Message]

I don't recommend going there - bridged ports do function - but it's better to pick up a managed switch to handle that side, and there are "smart" switches with 8 ports for a very reasonable price...

When you're using hardware acceleration it does make a difference. But if you arent, bridging is actually very helpful on flexible routers like from mikrotik. It means that traffic can be routed around in the CPU the way you want before going back out. This allows me to route multiple networks and VPNs internally with firewall and QoS without requiring multiple cables. For example bridging on mikrotik routerOS allows the use of layer 2 firewall and NAT (lets you implement extra security too) and was particularly helpful when i was with my previous ISP that was restrictive.

If you are using ubiquiti and dont want to use a switch and want layer 2 than bridging is your only option however it can get complicated due to the inflexibility of the OS.

you plug LAN interface into switch and WAN interface into modem, other ports not used, just configure them as a backup interface to access the router incase you lock yourself out.

 

[garyd9]

I don't recommend going there - bridged ports do function - but it's better to pick up a managed switch to handle that side, and there are "smart" switches with 8 ports for a very reasonable price...

Why? I frequently see people saying that bridging is a bad thing, but I've never seen anyone explain WHY it's a Bad Thing...

 

[hawkeye62]

When you're using hardware acceleration it does make a difference. But if you arent, bridging is actually very helpful on flexible routers like from mikrotik. It means that traffic can be routed around in the CPU the way you want before going back out. This allows me to route multiple networks and VPNs internally with firewall and QoS without requiring multiple cables. For example bridging on mikrotik routerOS allows the use of layer 2 firewall and NAT (lets you implement extra security too) and was particularly helpful when i was with my previous ISP that was restrictive.

If you are using ubiquiti and dont want to use a switch and want layer 2 than bridging is your only option however it can get complicated due to the inflexibility of the OS.

you plug LAN interface into switch and WAN interface into modem, other ports not used, just configure them as a backup interface to access the router incase you lock yourself out.

Will a simple unmanaged switch work, or will I need a managed switch?

Regards, Jim

 

[hawkeye62]

Why? I frequently see people saying that bridging is a bad thing, but I've never seen anyone explain WHY it's a Bad Thing...

I have heard that bridging is done in software which decreases performance from hardware switching.

Regards, Jim

 

[netwrks]

Your ports should look like this - assigned to switch0. Notice they are all in the same subnet: (I'm using an ERX-SFP). SO, from port 2-4 you can use as switch ports. Either connecting directly to switch ports 2-4, or you can hang a switch of off them.. You can use a managed or unmanaged switch.

switch switch0 {
address 192.168.2.1/24
description Local
mtu 1500
switch-port {
interface eth1 {
}
interface eth2 {
}
interface eth3 {
}
interface eth4 {
}
interface eth5 {
}

 

[System Error Message]

Will a simple unmanaged switch work, or will I need a managed switch?

Regards, Jim

unmanaged will work.

Bridging is done in software but on a fast CPU its basically comparing a fast CPU to a controller. So in complicated setups a software solution will be faster. Another thing is that a lot of routers even consumer ones will bridge at wirespeed without any issues (essentially wifi is also bridged as well to wire). Its not a bad thing, it is dependent on the setup.

 

[sfx2000]

When you're using hardware acceleration it does make a difference

Not really...

HW Accel is a patch - a proper router doesn't need it...

 

[Nullity]

Why? I frequently see people saying that bridging is a bad thing, but I've never seen anyone explain WHY it's a Bad Thing...

Unless you have a good reason, leave routing to the routers and leave switching/bridging to the switches.

With pfSense, for example, to do MAC-based filtering ipfw needs to pass the traffic through the network stack twice (IIRC), once for L2 and again for L3. Obviously not optimal and all that processing is happening in software, unlike a good switch.

 

[garyd9]

Unless you have a good reason, leave routing to the routers and leave switching/bridging to the switches.

With pfSense, for example, to do MAC-based filtering ipfw needs to pass the traffic through the network stack twice (IIRC), once for L2 and again for L3. Obviously not optimal and all that processing is happening in software, unlike a good switch.

aye, but if you're mixing filtering and bridging, then you have "a good reason" to bridge on the router (as few switches can do filtering.) If you aren't doing filtering on the router bridge, then it's only passing the stack once (which it would have done anyway at L3.) I've never done it (yet) with freeBSD, but on linux the kernel bridging is EXTREMELY efficient...

 

[System Error Message]

You guys have been forgetting that 99% of wifi APs/routers bridge wifi and ethernet which goes through CPU.

Theres nothing wrong with bridging. When it comes to managing L2 bridging is still superior when it comes to configurability compared to switching. Switching cannot be done with non ethernet/RGMII interfaces.

For simple L2 switches would be better.

 

[kvic]

BUT, I don't quite understand what to do with the other ports. Yeah, I know eth0 or eth1 will be the wan port. But do the other ports act as switches, or is each port a separate lan?

[snipped]
It appears that I will need another switch? From what I read, it appears that the other ER-X ports are for setting up other lans? I don't see any need for more than one lan in my network.

Out of box default should be good for you (like your D-Link). eth0=WAN. eth1-eth4=LAN and switched. Contrary to some comments above, the switch is hardware at wire speed.

In fact the MediaTek SoC inside ER-X is very flexible. Any port can be configured as WAN. The rest can be one or more LANs (but only one LAN will be HW switched). As you said, you probably don't need such scenarios for your home but it's possible.

For background on the switch fabric in ER-X, here is a bit more info: http://kazoo.ga/the-switch-in-edgerouter-x/

 

[hawkeye62]

Out of box default should be good for you (like your D-Link). eth0=WAN. eth1-eth4=LAN and switched. Contrary to some comments above, the switch is hardware at wire speed.

In fact the MediaTek SoC inside ER-X is very flexible. Any port can be configured as WAN. The rest can be one or more LANs (but only one LAN will be HW switched). As you said, you probably don't need such scenarios for your home but it's possible.

For background on the switch fabric in ER-X, here is a bit more info: http://kazoo.ga/the-switch-in-edgerouter-x/

Just one question, eth0 is used for access to the ER-X per quick start guide. If I plug my modem into eth0, how do I access the router for further configuration?

Regards, Jim

 

[Trip]

Assuming you're setting the unit up by proceeding through the "WAN+2LAN" or "WAN+2LAN2" wizard, after completing the wizard and rebooting, eth0 will become the WAN port, and the LAN ports will be grouped into "switch0", either eth1-3 for the "2LAN" or eth1-4 for the "2LAN2". You will then be able to access the ER-X on any switch0 port at the IP address you assigned under the LAN section of the wizard. Make sense?

 

[hawkeye62]

Assuming you're setting the unit up by proceeding through the "WAN+2LAN" or "WAN+2LAN2" wizard, after completing the wizard and rebooting, eth0 will become the WAN port, and the LAN ports will be grouped into "switch0", either eth1-3 for the "2LAN" or eth1-4 for the "2LAN2". You will then be able to access the ER-X on any switch0 port at the IP address you assigned under the LAN section of the wizard. Make sense?

Yes, I think I am ready to proceed. Thanks very much for your help.

Best regards, Jim

 

[Trip]

You're welcome, Jim. If you need any further help, feel free to ask.