Multiple APs, multiple ssids, segregated private ip ranges: Possible???

[elsaddiq]

Greetings:

I'd like to know if it's possible to run two routers on a single network, one running as DHCP server, the other an access point? I'd like them both to have different ssids and different ip ranges (192.168.1.x and 10.0.0.x). Is this possible running one DHCP server? If both must run DHCP to achieve this, how is it possible without conflicts?

[I can only have one public ip and I'm limited to my primary router being the Comcast gateway due to voice services.]

Thanks.

 

[L&LD]

You can't have a single DHCP server with two IP ranges.

The solution though is simple; use the main router on the preferred IP range, plug one of it's LAN cables to the WAN of the second router (make sure to use it in 'Router' mode too) and setup the second router in the IP range you desire.

 

[elsaddiq]

Wouldn't I have to give the second router a static ip outside of the range of the assigned ips (but within the overall ip range say 192.1.1.x)? If so, how does this router then give out ips in the range of 10.0.0.x?

What would the settings look like for this?

 

[L&LD]

You can set it static, if you want.

The second router then can be set to any IP range you want (same way you set the first).

 

[phrehdd]

This puzzle/topic is interesting. How is NAT handles and, any advantage to the reserved IP or static IP for second router being port forwarded on the 1st router? Also, (not related exactly to the OP) can both also handle VLAN in this arrangement of the 2nd router taking a line from the 1st router as a WAN?

 

[sfx2000]

You can't have a single DHCP server with two IP ranges.

The solution though is simple; use the main router on the preferred IP range, plug one of it's LAN cables to the WAN of the second router (make sure to use it in 'Router' mode too) and setup the second router in the IP range you desire.

DNSMasq does support multiple DHCP scopes... but this is largely outside of the realm of Consumer Router/AP's...

Going back to OP's ask - keep things simple... one as a Router/AP, and the other as an AP... which is the advice above from @L&LD, and I agree - don't introduce complexity where it doesn't need to be...

 

[sfx2000]

Just want to add something....

My router can manage multiple WAN and VLAN's on the internal side - pfSense on SG-2440

My switch can also manage this nicely - creating even more VLAN's if needed... GS-108T from Netgear (it's a really good switch, FWIW)

My AP's support VLAN for primary and secondary networks - e.g. Guest Networks (Apple's Airport's for this are actually ideal, and under appreciated, 129USD for an AP that can bind SSID to VLAN is a fantastic deal)

I've got a mid-high end NAS, and I've got a nice little hotel server that supports an internal Wiki and other intranet functions...

I could make my LAN really complicated with lots of VLAN's, OpenVPN/other VPN endpoints, etc...

But I don't - I keep the local LAN simple and flat - no need to introduce complexity when the best answer is... NO

What I'm getting at - just because one can, don't mean one should - look at the needs first, and then look at them again - some of those needs are "wants", and needs are hard requirements, and wants are soft...

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

You can't have a single DHCP server with two IP ranges.
.

Well..technically...you can have a single DHCP server with multiple IP ranges. Gets outside the scope of this thread, and the OPs equipment...but, for quite a few past versions, Windows Server allows a single server with a single DHCP service....to run multiple IP ranges. Key is....multiple NICs...and you can snag a managed switch and then get creative with VLANs..and get APs that allow multiple SSIDs..and bind an SSID to a VLAN..and voila!

 

[L&LD]

sfx2000 and YeOldeStonecat, thank you both for the clarification.

But as both of you also noted, it is outside the scope of the equipment we're talking about here, but still something to consider for the OP.

 

[elsaddiq]

You can't have a single DHCP server with two IP ranges.

The solution though is simple; use the main router on the preferred IP range, plug one of it's LAN cables to the WAN of the second router (make sure to use it in 'Router' mode too) and setup the second router in the IP range you desire.

Thanks for the responses. I probably need to go back and pull out some networking books.

I tried this but the second router would only allow me to setup ips in the range of the first router. Also, LAN to WAN caused immediate conflicts. It only worked when I switched to LAN to LAN, however, still not with a seperate ip range. [The second router is a Linksys WRT54GS flashed with DD-WRT firmware (micro).]

 

[CaptainSTX]

Thanks for the responses. I probably need to go back and pull out some networking books.

I tried this but the second router would only allow me to setup ips in the range of the first router. Also, LAN to WAN caused immediate conflicts. It only worked when I switched to LAN to LAN, however, still not with a seperate ip range. [The second router is a Linksys WRT54GS flashed with DD-WRT firmware (micro).]

It will work. Search for how to double NAT a second router behind the first primary router. People do it all the time. Some people recommend against it but it has never been a problem for me for basic network functions.

 

[L&LD]

Thanks for the responses. I probably need to go back and pull out some networking books.

I tried this but the second router would only allow me to setup ips in the range of the first router. Also, LAN to WAN caused immediate conflicts. It only worked when I switched to LAN to LAN, however, still not with a seperate ip range. [The second router is a Linksys WRT54GS flashed with DD-WRT firmware (micro).]

Yes, it will work.

Try resetting the second router to factory defaults first, with only a WAN connection from router 1 (from one of it's LAN ports) and a LAN connection to the computer you'll use to configure it with.

Are both routers the same? If not, try switching them around (make sure you reset them both fully first followed by a minimal and manual configuration of each (don't use a saved backup config file).