Bell Home Hub 3000 (or similar fiber hub for TV / Phone / Internet) and AC Router problems.

[Candan]

Hi all.

I'm generally new, but would love some help.

I have the Bell Fibe home hub 3000, in the cold room, in the basement. I only want to use it for the fibe tv and phone services. (OK, to help, I'm sure it's not specific to Bell Canada - Just a Fiber Hub for TV / Phone / Internet - as the principal is the same)

For the rest of my home network, I want to use separate router/s. I have an Asus RT-AC55U and RT-AC68U. Both currently have Asus wrt-Merlin firmware on.

I have the Bell router wireless turned off, distributing just a LAN IP to the AC55U on CAT6 which is placed right next to the Bell hub. I'm then using the 55U as a DHCP. All 4 LAN ports from the 55U go elsewhere in the house with CAT 6. On the end of each of the CAT6 is an Asus 4 port switch.

One of these switches is in the centre of my home and where I wish to use my RT-AC68U as an access point for wifi, including where all my Smart items connect to. (Security cameras, Google Home, plugs, dimmers, fridge, thermostat, etc.).

Although wifi strength is great and everything can see the router, I have no internet. (Actually works for about one day, then loses internet but stays connected to the AC68U) All my hardwired connections for TVs home theatres, PCs all work fine.

What I want to achieve is a wireless network from my AC68U for wifi and smart equipment, and be able to apply my VPN to my AC55U for all my hard connections for Amazon TV, Netflix, etc

Please help! Thanks

 

[bill001g]

Not sure what your issue is. The design you have should work fine. It must be some problem with the 68u. A pc plugged into the 68u almost has to work since it is functioning as a switch. Try to use the lan ports on the 68u rather than the wan. It might be something with the "AP" function that has problems.

You likely DO NOT want to run netflix, amazon etc over a VPN. You will get warnings that they do not allow connections that come form almost all the more popular vpn providers. Netflix has gotten so bad that they even block a lot of hosting sites because people were running their own private vpn servers in the hosting centers.

 

[Candan]

Not sure what your issue is. The design you have should work fine. It must be some problem with the 68u. A pc plugged into the 68u almost has to work since it is functioning as a switch. Try to use the lan ports on the 68u rather than the wan. It might be something with the "AP" function that has problems.

You likely DO NOT want to run netflix, amazon etc over a VPN. You will get warnings that they do not allow connections that come form almost all the more popular vpn providers. Netflix has gotten so bad that they even block a lot of hosting sites because people were running their own private vpn servers in the hosting centers.

Hey! Thanks for response.

The issue seems to happen if I switch the 2 roles of the 2 routers.

Just to be clear though...

Bell Hub - Designates ONE internal IP to the 55U. Hub to 55U from LAN port 1 on the Bell Hub to WAN on the 55U

55U is my DHCP to 4 CAT6 lines on 4 LAN ports.

Each of those LAN ports has a 4 port switch.

One of this switches is connected to the 68U (and I should be sending this to a LAN port, not the WAN) and set up as an AP only.

Does this seem correct?

I get your point on the Netflix and such. The other part of the puzzle is 2 of my TVs use ROKU3's Amazon Prime TV channel which is not supported in Canada, on Roku only the US (Ugghhh!)

 

[bill001g]

I really can't see it not working. The lan ports on a router are just a switch so it is the same as you hooking up a dumb switch.

The good thing about the merlin firmware is it easily lets you define which traffic goes via vpn and which goes direct.

Amazon prime I know from personal experience does not work on many of the popular vpn.

 

[Candan]

maybe, I just want to get it working for the sake of fiddling!