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What procedure to use to switch between wifi and ethernet on home broadband

Started by steve b, 2010.08.09, 22:34:00

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steve b

I'm using eCS 2.0 GA on a TP43p. During install, i used the ethernet connection to the router/modem (actiontec m/q1000). If you read my other post, I finally was able to get wifi (wpa, not wpa2) going. I was able to save doing a lot of reboots by keeping my ethernet connected and accessing the router through it. I enabled lan0 interface, manually, using IP address 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0. At the same time I have lan1 enabled using automatic dhcp. I do not have Internet access through the ethernet.

I only have vague notions about what is going on when networking. I have read what I thought necessary on networking, started to read the 140 pages on mpts and realized most of the information did not apply to me, even if I did understand it. You guys have been really helpful, and I don't want to abuse your time, I'm not asking for a primer on networking, although if there were one on tcpip, I would like to get it. My networking needs are confined to Internet access. I don't need or use a network printer or connect with another computer at home.

So,1) Is there a way to switch between ethernet and wifi access without going to the tcpip configuration notebook and rebooting?
2) Accessing the router while testing wifi settings was handy. Did I do this properly? (IP address 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0) It appears the IP address for my router is a generic one. If I used another IP address and/or subnet would I be able to get Internet access?
3) I don't understand when dhcp kicks in. Can I avoid using dhcp on the ethernet connection by using a manual address? and what would that address be? Does wifi (xwlan) use dhcp, just not through the dhcp monitor?
4) What is ddns relationship to dhcp? Or, more importantly, do I ever need to do anything with the configuration settings (of DDNS) given my above described operating environment? If I don't need to configure DDNS, I don't need to know its relationship w dhcp)

As always, thanks for your help. Steve


RobertM

Hi Steve,

I will answer some of these now, and try to get back to answer the rest later...

Quote from: steve b on 2010.08.09, 22:34:00
I'm using eCS 2.0 GA on a TP43p. During install, i used the ethernet connection to the router/modem (actiontec m/q1000). If you read my other post, I finally was able to get wifi (wpa, not wpa2) going. I was able to save doing a lot of reboots by keeping my ethernet connected and accessing the router through it. I enabled lan0 interface, manually, using IP address 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0. At the same time I have lan1 enabled using automatic dhcp. I do not have Internet access through the ethernet.

I only have vague notions about what is going on when networking. I have read what I thought necessary on networking, started to read the 140 pages on mpts and realized most of the information did not apply to me, even if I did understand it. You guys have been really helpful, and I don't want to abuse your time, I'm not asking for a primer on networking, although if there were one on tcpip, I would like to get it. My networking needs are confined to Internet access. I don't need or use a network printer or connect with another computer at home.

So,1) Is there a way to switch between ethernet and wifi access without going to the tcpip configuration notebook and rebooting?
2) Accessing the router while testing wifi settings was handy. Did I do this properly? (IP address 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0) It appears the IP address for my router is a generic one. If I used another IP address and/or subnet would I be able to get Internet access?

No (or Yes: See Answers to your static IP questions as well as this section):
Your DSL Modem is a NAT device. What that means is, it is assigned one real IP address, and then creates a non-forwardable (non-portable) LAN side IP based pool of "fake" IP addresses. You can notice that by the 192.168 numbers in the beginning of the IP address. Those numbers are reserved for internal networks. What NAT stands for is Network Address Translation. The NAT device (your DSL router) translates each request from each internal IP (the 192.168... numbers) to an outgoing request on it's real IP, then retranslates and re-routes incoming requests back to the correct internal IP address. This allows one to have (usually up to) 253 devices on the internal network, all sharing the one real IP address. The number 253 is determined as follows (using your internal IP pool as an example):

- 192.168.0.0 Start of Block (not usable by a client machine)

- 192.168.0.1 Router's LAN (not WAN) port (not usable by a client machine, could be any number between 1 and 253, in your case it's 1)

- 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.254 Available IP Pool (usable by a client machine - BUT the pool size is determined by the router and it's settings)

- 192.168.0.255 Usually reserved as the broadcast address for the IP block, not usable by the end user directly, or as the machine's IP. Instead, it is only used by certain software (on each client or the router) that knows how to use it.

There are other IP ranges used for internal networks routed by a NAT device as well. To read up more on it, you can check out this Wikipedia link:
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation

Quote from: steve b on 2010.08.09, 22:34:00
3) I don't understand when dhcp kicks in. Can I avoid using dhcp on the ethernet connection by using a manual address? and what would that address be? Does wifi (xwlan) use dhcp, just not through the dhcp monitor?

Yes, you can skip using DHCP by assigning a static IP address, BUT the configuration (on the router end) *MAY* have to be changed. The IP address you pick (in your current setup) would be between 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.254

In the router, there *may* be a setting for DHCP IP Pool (or something similar). Generally, you would set a static IP address outside that range. So, if that pool was .2 to .100, then you would set your static IP addresses at .101 and up. In some routers, you must "configure" what IPs are used for static addresses for clients (ie: computers, printers, etc). Basically, you would be adding that IP to the static IP address in the router. On some other routers, there are setting for it's total IP pool in combination with or separate from the dynamic pool. Inotherwords, a router may be set to "Dynamic Pool: .2 to .100" and "Static Pool: .101 to .200" meaning it will not pay any attention to IPs in the .201 to .254 range. That's kinda rare, but I have seen it.

Inotherwords, you may need to check your DSL Router manual to properly configure this stuff on it's end (and to properly select an IP). Failing your desire to do so, you may choose to assign the client computer an higher static IP address (such as 192.168.0.201) and see what happens. I have found that generally works in conjunction with most routers (most I have run into use .2-.100 or .100-.200 for the DHCP pool).

Quote from: steve b on 2010.08.09, 22:34:00
4) What is ddns relationship to dhcp? Or, more importantly, do I ever need to do anything with the configuration settings (of DDNS) given my above described operating environment? If I don't need to configure DDNS, I don't need to know its relationship w dhcp)

You can read up on DDNS here:
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_DNS


Quote from: steve b on 2010.08.09, 22:34:00
As always, thanks for your help. Steve

Hopefully I wasnt too confusing...

Best,
Robert


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Andi

Quote from: steve b on 2010.08.09, 22:34:00
I'm using eCS 2.0 GA on a TP43p. During install, i used the ethernet connection to the router/modem (actiontec m/q1000). If you read my other post, I finally was able to get wifi (wpa, not wpa2) going. I was able to save doing a lot of reboots by keeping my ethernet connected and accessing the router through it. I enabled lan0 interface, manually, using IP address 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0. At the same time I have lan1 enabled using automatic dhcp. I do not have Internet access through the ethernet.
One important thing to know is that you can not use two lan interfaces at the same time in the same subnet. Means if lan0 have 192.168.0.x your wireless can not have 192.168.0.y at the same time. If your router does have build in wireless it most like uses the same subnet for both interfaces (wired and wireless). Hence XWLAN switches between that two by disabling one and enabling the other. You can do that by hand with 'ifconfig lan0 delete' and 'ifconfig lan0 192.168.0.201'

Quote
I only have vague notions about what is going on when networking. I have read what I thought necessary on networking, started to read the 140 pages on mpts and realized most of the information did not apply to me, even if I did understand it. You guys have been really helpful, and I don't want to abuse your time, I'm not asking for a primer on networking, although if there were one on tcpip, I would like to get it. My networking needs are confined to Internet access. I don't need or use a network printer or connect with another computer at home.

So,1) Is there a way to switch between ethernet and wifi access without going to the tcpip configuration notebook and rebooting?
XWLAN
or from the command line (basically ifconfig and setting up the routes) but XWLAN maybe easier cause it hides the command line syntax and does the different steps in correct order.

Quote2) Accessing the router while testing wifi settings was handy. Did I do this properly? (IP address 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0) It appears the IP address for my router is a generic one. If I used another IP address and/or subnet would I be able to get Internet access?
Which one does your router use? You can always test your connection with ping <router ip>. If you let it run in another shell you see if it works even when switching between the lan interfaces with XWLAN.

Quote3) I don't understand when dhcp kicks in. Can I avoid using dhcp on the ethernet connection by using a manual address? and what would that address be? Does wifi (xwlan) use dhcp, just not through the dhcp monitor?
I would suggest fixed IP addresses which is easier to setup and probably more robust in your case as it seems you do not want to have more than those 2 devices in your network.

Additional to Roberts post I would add as long as you have only 2 devices (router and T43p) the only thing you have to take care is these 2 have different addresses. So you can left aside this DHCP setup at first.

steve b

Okay, you both were very helpful. I found the router setup menu item that allows assignment of the range of addresses that dhcp uses. Right now it allows 192.168.0.2 to .254. I will experiment with this and other features you discussed when I have more time.

But for now, in eCS rc4, after boot, a window would come up asking you to choose/disable a profile. From what you say, Andi, XWLAN should do that for me now, but it isn't, never has w/ 2.0GA. Can you point me in the direction to get XWLAN (or other) to allow choice of ethernet or wifi on boot?

Rob, you wrote enough to keep me busy digesting for some time, no need for you to post additional response, thanks so much for your time. You too, Andi. Steve

Andi

Quote from: steve b on 2010.08.13, 16:50:23
...
From what you say, Andi, XWLAN should do that for me now, but it isn't, never has w/ 2.0GA. Can you point me in the direction to get XWLAN (or other) to allow choice of ethernet or wifi on boot?
..
Sorry I was not clear about that. If you've set up a working WiFi profile in XWLAN and deactivate wireless then the wired connection is configured. I think this is an option you've to choose in xwlan. I've currently no Thinkpad running to check in which page and how it is called exactly.

I've set up 'double click 'on the xwlan symbol to activate/deactivate wireless. I think there's an entry which configures action which should be taken on double click. So I can switch between wired/wireless with a double click.