Router on a Stick setup for Ubiquiti Edgerouter 4 ER-4

[william13]

After reading several reviews on EdgeRouter 4 by ubiquiti I decided to purchase. My current home set up is Modem....Router (Luxul XBR 4400) and switch. The Luxul was so simple for me to set up but I had bottlenecking and my computers were not getting the speed I paid for. Unfortunately for me the ER-4 set up is much more complicated than the Luxul. I have watched several videos and read several articles. Wondering if this forum has a patient expert or 2 that could/would guide me as I undertake what I believe is a " Router with a Stick" set up?

Addendum: Maybe the router on a stick is not the right term for what I want to do. Simply use the router with a switch and have 1 network with all home computers both wired and wifi

 

[fsardone]

I did configure multiple router on a stick config but only with cisco.
I have some problems understanding what do you need to achieve and if the selected router is able to support it.

Why would you configure it as a router on a stick, since it has multiple ethernet and you would obtain an external IP address on one interface and create you own network of one of the others?

 

[william13]

Hi! I am delighted you reached back out to me! Very simple. I really just want to have 1-2 wired computers and 6 Unifi APs that connect to various laptops throughout house, air conditioner thermastates, be on one network and all the computers have access to internet. Unfortunately I saw a diagram "router on a stick" that looked like what I wanted but I realized latter I certainly do not need that. I need something much more simple ie extract one router and add the other. I have a separate switch in place.
Thank you

 

[Tech9]

Router on a stick is when single interface serves WAN/LAN using VLANs. It's not router configuration only, but managed switch configuration as well. I used to run pfSense on a single NIC PC and had to go this way. The drawback is reduced in half throughput. You don't need router on a stick with multi port router. Connect your WAN and LAN (switch) to the router, APs to the switch, wired connections to the switch. If you have PoE switch, you don't need PoE injectors. If you have managed switch, you can play with VLANs (isolate IoT, etc.).

 

[william13]

Thank you for your replies. I followed the initial setup wizard and essentially choose all the defaults and then connected modem to router to switch and all my Unifi's and Laptops and Air conditioner controls and printers are all acting normally like they were with my Luxul 4400 except for the fact that now my download speed with with ubiquiti er-4 is 900 mbs and with the luxul 500 mbs (1.2gb plan). So I appreciate your advise and everything is working. Thank you!!!!

 

[fsardone]

In order to troubleshoot this you should:
1. assess the real throughoutput of the router (datasheet bench mark etc) and assess if the speed is within reach;
2. check cpu and memory load of the router;
3. activate all the routing optimization feature and disabling thos that move routing from the silicon to the CPU.

Routing in the specialized chips is way faster than routing done by CPU this can be seen by an increased CPU load. Only enable the features you need. Usually policy routing, packet inspection, protocol inspection and payload inspection especially if don by fragment reassembly will slow down a high performance router. Routing in a router firewalling in a firewall …. if performance is an issue. Multifunction devices are ok but not optimized.

 

[william13]

Hi Fsardone! Thank you for your interests and suggestions. I take it you are probably referring to the Luxul XBR-4400 that I reported I had issues with in that it cut my internet speed from 1gb down to 400-500 mbs. I have replace that unit with the ubiquity and now I enjoy avg 940mbs with a 1.2 gb plan so I am happy. I could not find specs on the Luxul but it was supposed to be a gb router and I could not figure out how to "optimize it". But I'm good and thank you.

 

[Tech9]

and now I enjoy avg 940mbs with a 1.2 gb plan

940Mbps is the maximum throughput of Gigabit Ethernet. You're paying for a plan you can't actually use.

 

[william13]

Yup they got me!! I had called xfinity about slow speeds and they said they would help me and also offered to upgrade me to 1.2 GB plan (while they were troubleshooting) at no extra charge but I had to sign on for two more years. Not knowing about the limitations you mentioned above .....I signed. Needless to say they are a monopoly otherwise I would not have to put up with their tricks.

 

[L&LD]

Well, let's verify that first.

Get two capable wired devices and run a speed test on both, concurrently.

If the sum of those tests is close to what they sold you, call them to make it so.

 

[william13]

In response to: "Well, let's verify that first."

Yes! I have 2 computers, wired with speed tests in 900 mbs range.
They (my isp) said they only guarantee the speed I ordered if I used their gear. I am very satisfied with my Arris SB 8200 and my Ubiquity ER-4, so as far as performance goes. From what I understand from the other post is that my router Max's out at 940 mbs. I really don't need 1.2 GB even though I bought it. I do feel bad that I was not educated or sophisticated enought before I agreed to their terms. Changing subjects. Most of my devices are on Wifi such as printers, air conditioner rheostats, laptops, . My TVs and 1-2 other computers are wired. Does it make any sense creating 2 networks with my Ubiquity to keep wired and wireless separate (in terms of performance) and if so is it relatively easy to do?

 

[L&LD]

Wait, you got two computers running speed tests concurrently at 900Mbps each (1,8Gbps combined)?

 

[william13]

No ! I ran them sequentially as they were in separate rooms. I did not focus on your suggestions hard enough. I did not understand the importance of the experiment. Could you explain in further detail why I am doing this?

 

[L&LD]

Run the tests together, at exactly the same time. What you're testing here is if your ISP can provide more than 1Gbps speeds in aggregate.

Let the tests finish fully, then add the download numbers up and see what it indicates. Do the same for the upload numbers (separately).

 

[william13]

I have not done 2 hard wires simultaneously as you suggested due to technical issues I mentioned. Computers in separate rooms. But I did do one wifi and other hard wired and I see a dramatic speed change 69 mbs wifi and 140 hardwired. Does this help? Why the reduction?

 

[william13]

upload 30 wired 11 wifi

 

[L&LD]

Testing a Wi-Fi and wired connection isn't helpful (it does not give meaningful results). But a combined 209Mbps seems like dismal results for a potential 1.2Gbps connection (but let's discount it for now).

Set up both wired computers to the Ookla speed page (be sure to select the same servers for both computers to test from), then get someone to click 'Start' when you click at the same time on the other wired computer.

Are your up and down ISP paid for speeds symmetrical? Or is the download speed higher than the upload speed?

 

[Tech9]

From what I understand from the other post is that my router Max's out at 940 mbs.

This is correct. I'm assuming someone in my ignore list is wasting your time asking you to test aggregate throughput. No matter what, ER-4 WAN is up to Gigabit. If you're paying the same price as before, higher than Gigabit advertised speed is okay. If you're paying extra for it, it's a waste of money.

 

[Tech9]

Arris SB 8200

This modem supports LAG:

https://arris.secure.force.com/consumers/articles/General_FAQs/SB8200-Link-Aggregation-Setup

If you really want eventual >Gigabit aggregate throughput (see if it works for WAN, not sure):

EdgeRouter - Interface Bonding

Overview Readers will learn how to configure bonded interfaces on the EdgeRouter. NOTES & REQUIREMENTS: Applicable to the latest EdgeOS firmware on a...

help.ui.com

This is your only chance for >Gigabit, if you want to play with settings and speed tests. I personally wouldn't bother.

 

[william13]

That's interesting. I need to weigh current satisfaction against messing up againt just liking to tinker (personality trait).
What are my pluses and cons?