TalkTalk Superfast Fibre Routers

Where are the two DHCP servers? Reading this it looks like the Netgear device acting as the router no doubt with the DHCP server and the TT device acting as a modem presenting most likely PPPoE to the Netgear router.

i certainly wouldn't recommend different subnet so on your home LAN if you are using consumer equipment, even if you could, as there would be complexity to ensure discovery and other broadcast type traffic required for consumer audio, consumer discovery etc  were 'helped' in their routing across subnets. Also if you routed in a chain between subnets you will be adding undue delay and latency and need to add at least static routes unless using a routing protocol........

Simon

My new router should turn up in a few days. It sounds like my options are:

- Try it as a direct replacement for my exist Netgear.

- If there are problems with discovering using Spotify Connect, after checking with TT support;

- Try using the new Router as a modem and the old router as a router with the modem switched off, or;

- Go to Maplins and buy a decent (Netgear?) Superfast router.

Keith

Keith, I would recommend using your ISP's router, or at least modem. It will be optimised with the right DSP chipset to work with your ISP exchange or FTTC headend.

Chipset / DSP mis matches can be a cause of unreliable connections and poor speed performance.

Simon

 I tried Fing a while back & had issues with it & it was not doing what I was looking for. 

Un-installing was a real PITA,  it un-installs OK according to the MS Features & Programs facility,  but it leaves detritus around in a number of places.  Its not too difficult to find & delete the left overs, just search the OS for both Fing & Overlook & delete from search,  but it is not a well designed program.

Just be aware that you may have issues with some (Internet) applications as you are passing your external traffic through two layers of NAT (Network Address Translation - the method by which multiple internal devices share one real" IP address).

If you can, it is best to set the TT router to "modem mode" - though sadly / annoyingly not many ISP supplied modems have this functionality.

Actually NAT is address translation. A single internet address being shared by several hosts across a routing interface (broadband router) uses PAT. (This is often mis named in consumer equipment) PAT is where the local socket (IP address and port for an application on a device) maps to a usually random port within a range and your fixed IP address on the external interface.

NAT/PAT is never ideal unless your applcations are designed for it. Most are for routing between home LAN abd internet via broadband router - but not within a single broadcast domain on a home LAN. Therefore if you have an internal NAT/PAT inside on the inside of your LAN you may well find may applications cease to function- they will become completely confused.

I agree if you want to use a modem connect it as PPPoE (PPP pver Ethernet) to your router assuming your router has external PPPoE WAN interface. Your Router will talk PPP (Point to Point Protocol)  to the host broadband system across your broadband link - by doing this its letting the modem convert the PPP at the network terminating interface on the router's behalf between Ethernet and DSL encapsulation.

With BT I use a DrayTek modem (available from BT) and it works well. DrayTek use the appropriate chipsets for BT MSANs

Simon

Simon you have described my set up exactly. I was careful to make sure the TT supplied modem/router was in router mode only (thankfully this option is available in the menu structure) and that it was connected to my old Netgear DGN 3700 v 2 via its WAN socket. I then set the Netgear to PPP0E.

I am running my PC, NDX, Sky Box, Multisat Receiver and Smart TV on wired connections and various devices wirelessly (the wifi signal being transmitted from the Netgear as it was in the days of ADSL).

It all performs perfectly and I have had no network glitches whatsoever.

Fortunately my experience setting up networks in schools before retirement has paid dividends!  

Keith... Simon's advice to use the supplied TT router is good, the modem section of it works perfectly well. I chose not to use its wifi capability as I didn't want the hassle of reconfiguring my wifi network and all the devices that use it. I wouldn't rush out to buy a different router.. there really is no need.. unless you absolutely have to!

Let us know how you get on.

Thanks Michael,

That sounds like good advice. I was just worried about not being able to discover using Spotify Connect. The big day is Thursday

Keith

Well, the superfast broadband went live today and the internet speed has gone through the roof.

The good news is that there are no problems with Spotify Connect or Bonjour. The bad news is I'm struggling with the Readynas Duo.

On the old network it had a fixed IP address because the Unitiserve kept loosing the dynamic one. Sadly, the new router doesn't see the fixed one (192.168.0.201) and I can't change it because router can't see it To enable me to access it. The Netgear software (Raidar) does see so it's still there, but a may have to reset the NAS if I can't change the network settings and that is a scary thought as I don't want loose my data. I do have a USB drive with all the data, but would rather not risk it. 

Has anyone else experienced this issue?

Keith

Keith

i don't know about your NAS and I also know nothing about TT's router, but thinking about your problem, if it were me I would log into the router and change the IP range it allocates to one including your NAS (eg the IP range your old router had).  Then reboot everything. You would need to log in to the router to reserve the fixed IP you have allocated to your NAS anyway, but if I were you, once you can get into the NAS, I would set it back to a dynamic IP address set by the router's DHCP and see how you get on with that.

if the TT router doesn't tell you the IP address and UN/PW for your new router's web access, I expect you can use google to find that information.  Good luck and I hope this helps.

best.

David

Thanks David,

Yes, I wondered about changing/ increasing reserved IP addresses in the router and may look at it this morning. I could change it back once I have regained control of the NAS, as you say. Oddly, Googling the problem didn't find this solution, which put me off a bit.

The solution I have found is booting the NAS whole holding the reset button with an unbent pin until the disc LEDs light up and then releasing the reset. Any longer (if the LEDs light up twice) the bl**dy thing will wipe the discs!

Sorry, I don't really understand your second paragraph.

I do have a USB drive backup, by the way, so not a total disaster, but hoped never to use it.

Keith

Keith

my second paragraph:

In order to change your router settings, normally you connect a PC to your network and type the IP address of a little web server which is inside your router.  You will probably need a username and password, but these are set by default to the same thing, for example admin or leave blank. If the instructions that came with your router or the label on the back which gives you the wifi code doesn't also tell you the web server address and username/password, I bet that googling "Talk talk router access address" or something like that would do.

when you get into the router via it's web server, you will find tabs or buttons or whatever to allow you to make all manner of changes, most of which you would be well advised to leave alone! But there shouldn't be any difficulty in changing the default IP address range.

best

David

You type the IP address of the router into a browser of course, like Internet Explorer or Firefox or Chrome or whatever.

Ah, got. Thanks David.

Yes I do know the IP address and password of the router. I will investigate this morning.

Cheers

+1 Garyi

I'm not a network engineer, but as far as I can see there aren't too many reason why you would need to opt for a fixed IP address. You *shouldn't* need one - and generally if you do, the real problem is something else. I would reset the whole thing and not mess around with the innards unless you absolutely have to. 

I don't to get into an argument about this, especially as I completely agree that DHCP should be left to assign addresses as it wishes. That is what it's intended to do, after all.

But I think "madness" is a rather strong word for my other suggestion. Different router manufacturers favour different default ranges for no particular reason and setting the new router's range to what his last router used would mean that everything else would work with the new router just as before.

i think Ken has managed to reset his NAS now, so as I said in one of my earlier posts, my advice would be to leave it all to DHCP because the change of router may well have fixed the issue of his US not seeing his NAS reliably.

best

David

Solid Air, you are right - from a best practice point of view only infrastructure should use hardwired fixed static addressing - and should have an alternate method of access such as a USB or serial console so IP addresses can be assigned if required.

Client devices should use DHCP or equivalent where such a service exists - which is pretty much the norm - certainly in consumer land. Static addresses can still be used, but should ideally be assigned by DHCP or equivalent where the IP address can be preassigned to the mac / layer 2 address or client name etc

Hardwiring an IP address is simply asking for trouble because if you change the subnet network address such as might happen when you get a new router etc - your hardwired IP address will not work - it will be residing in the wrong subnet!!

Simon

PS a workaround if you know your old address - is that you can make a back to back network link your lap top etc. Plug your Laptop and Nas into a standalone switch.  Make your laptop have a temporary IP address in the old subnet

So if your NAS was 192.168.1.15 with subnet 255.255.255.0 then create a temporary address of your laptop as 192.168.1.1 with subnet 255.255.255.0

You should then be able to connect to your NAS via your laptop web browser - set the NAS to DHCP and save.

Return the Laptop to DHCP and plug back the components as to how they should be - and you should be fine again without requiring a reset or reinstall

All sorted here. The reinstall worked a treat. Thanks all for advice.

Hi Gary, I set it to a fixed IP because the Unitiserve tended to loose track of the dynamic one assigned by the router. I'm hoping that won't be a problem with the new router/updatedUS firmware/my slightly better than clueless knowledge of networking gleaned over the last few years.

If it still happens I should be able to rescan or get the router to fix it. As I recall, I set a high number in order to avoid conflicts with the dynamic ones, but perhaps the world has moved on in the last three or four years and it will just work?

Keith

Thanks Simon,

Yes, I considered the laptop route, but felt out of my depth so went for the reinstall method, which turned out to be easy, although nerve-racking.

I think the new router allows static addresses to be assigned by DHCP, but I'm in no hurry to bugger around with this stuff after my near disaster with the NAS!

Keith

Glad it has all worked out well for you Keith and the change to TT Fibre has been beneficial to you as it has been here.

Thanks Michael, 

Ive gone from a would 4mbps with frequent dropouts to 30mbps +, it's quite disconcerting

Keith