Home Network Divided by ISP device

Networking Networking Hardware
1

He all! I started about four months ago upgrading my home’s network and wifi over the Engenius devices and moving to a managed DHCP server. I’m currently at my end of the idea train and here’s everything so far.

Moving from
Basic TP-Link Switch
Google Wifi Router and Node, the units after the pucks

Devices upgraded to
Engeniu’s EWS2910-Fit 8 port PoE L2 Switch
Engeniu’s EWS377-FIT AP - 2x
Engeniu’s FitCon
Mini’s Form GK41 Dual NIC PC for server (Pi-Hole)

First, the mini PC is running Ubuntu 22.04 with only Pi Hole acting DNS and DHCP. Got this setup running in under an hour with all devices, from the upgraded list, connected together; without the internet. Switches and AP’s are all working 100% and was able to create a LAN to talk to each device and see it come in via Pi-Hole. Everything was going good, so I thought.

The problem AltaFiber’s ONT (Optical Network Terminal) or media converter. This device gives the most random IP addresses and Router IP addresses that aren’t even in the same class. To fix this I can pay $30 for a static IP on top of my plan(1Gbps) because this device “can not” be set up as a bridged device; okay.

I started thinking I could use the mini PC’s dual NIC to my advantage. My plan was to bridge the two connections. One NIC is used to receive the connection from the ISP and the other to connect to the switch. This would feed, filtered by Pi-Hole, access to the LAN at the house.

In one port and out the other; couldn’t make it happen with everything I tried.

I’m coming to the L1 Forms looking for advice/direction on my idea of the setup I’m trying to achieve.

If you have any idea about getting internet access to the LAN and computers within the constraints, let me know.

2

you need an actual router that can NAT from the internet to your network. you could build one like you tried to do with the PC and the 2 ports it has, but i would recommend just using the EnGenius FitXpress 4-Port Gig PoE+ Dual-Core 2.1GHz Gateway, as you seem to be moving to their solutions.

3

I would buy that, but I don’t think it’s out yet. Engenius does not have it listed on their website nor does any other distributor for them to purchase.

I saw a router in a forum post, a small black unit, possibly 4-5 ports, that was being recommended as a cheap middle router to get around this very issue. But I can’t find it mentioned anywhere.

4

there are a million ways to skin this cat.

an old PC with openwrt
a device like : OpenWRT GL.inet 300M + 30 days TorGuard VPN | eBay
an old linksys wrtg device
a garage sale network box
the clearance rack at walmart

1 Like
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@rlee0047 AltaFiber is my internet provider to, maybe I can help. How is your equipment connected to the internet? Are you useing your old Google Wifi Router to connect to your AltaFiber ONT? You need a router connected to AltaFiber’s ONT. As @Zedicus pointed out you could install OpenWRT on the Mini form GK 41 and connect that device onto AltaFiber’s ONT.