Wireless Access Points with DHCP contained within the wireless network.
We've been using the D-Link DAP-2360 access points for years.
It seems like it's time to move on from this model and, the last time I tried, I found that this model has features not duplicated on others.
Also, since we've moved the network to a domain, there may be things we could do moving forward.
Some unique things / facts:
1) The access points are on site subnets. Each one is separate. Not too important but just so that's understood.There is one access point per site.
2) All wired devices, including these access points, have manually-entered, static IP addresses. There is no DHCP service on the wired network.
3) The access points provide DHCP for the wireless devices.
4) We don't want the access point to light up and start providing DHCP service to the wired network!
5) We do want to assign IP addresses to MAC addresses on the wireless network from the access points.
So, this DHCP capability seems somewhat unique and we've been relying on it to maintain our network structure.
It should be clear that commodity routers won't do the job.
Any suggested devices that would let us continue this arrangement?
It's not something that's easy to find out - so experience may be the best bet.
It seems like it's time to move on from this model and, the last time I tried, I found that this model has features not duplicated on others.
Also, since we've moved the network to a domain, there may be things we could do moving forward.
Some unique things / facts:
1) The access points are on site subnets. Each one is separate. Not too important but just so that's understood.There is one access point per site.
2) All wired devices, including these access points, have manually-entered, static IP addresses. There is no DHCP service on the wired network.
3) The access points provide DHCP for the wireless devices.
4) We don't want the access point to light up and start providing DHCP service to the wired network!
5) We do want to assign IP addresses to MAC addresses on the wireless network from the access points.
So, this DHCP capability seems somewhat unique and we've been relying on it to maintain our network structure.
It should be clear that commodity routers won't do the job.
Any suggested devices that would let us continue this arrangement?
It's not something that's easy to find out - so experience may be the best bet.
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access points don't provide DHCP the unifi controller does.
ASKER
OK. So I have an AP and the software Controller running together now.
It appears I must also have a UniFi Security Gateway in order to have DHCP.
Or, maybe, other than the Ubiquiti proprietary controller interface, all this means is that the AP + Controller is still a DHCP passthrough device from the main LAN; AND the Security Gateway is a DHCP server with NAT added in so one might control the DHCP aspects for the AP by itself, eh?
Might that be?
Before I go that far, I wonder:
The Security Gateway looks pretty much like a NAT router.
In this case, I don't want NAT. Rather, I need to enter a fixed IP address on the WAN side and have DHCP on the LAN side ON THE SAME SUBNET as the WAN.
Can that be done? I can imagine that it might not......
It appears I must also have a UniFi Security Gateway in order to have DHCP.
Or, maybe, other than the Ubiquiti proprietary controller interface, all this means is that the AP + Controller is still a DHCP passthrough device from the main LAN; AND the Security Gateway is a DHCP server with NAT added in so one might control the DHCP aspects for the AP by itself, eh?
Might that be?
Before I go that far, I wonder:
The Security Gateway looks pretty much like a NAT router.
In this case, I don't want NAT. Rather, I need to enter a fixed IP address on the WAN side and have DHCP on the LAN side ON THE SAME SUBNET as the WAN.
Can that be done? I can imagine that it might not......
ASKER
One might also use another router than the UniFi Security Gateway and the EdgeRouterX would be an example. Just no monitoring software for everything then.
So, a generic solution would be to add a NAT router as gateway for the Access Point with DHCP turned on.
Then add routes in the upstream gateway to add the new wireless subnet to the broader network.
Not very elegant. Affects File and Print Sharing firewall address settings, etc.
So, a generic solution would be to add a NAT router as gateway for the Access Point with DHCP turned on.
Then add routes in the upstream gateway to add the new wireless subnet to the broader network.
Not very elegant. Affects File and Print Sharing firewall address settings, etc.
ASKER
At least I've made a little progress. Thanks David for the clarifications!
ASKER
The manual says it can hook up with DHCP or static IP to the wired network. OK. That's fine. I'd be making it static.
I don't see any Unifi device DHCP settings at all. It appears that it's not a DHCP server.