[SOLVED] Ubiquity EdgeRouter Setting "Bridge LAN interfaces into a single network"

[Bisquik]

Topic: "Bridge LAN interfaces into a single network" setting on Ubiquity EdgeRouters (I have the Lite version)

I see mixed guidance online. Most video posts on setting up the router suggest to use it. On forum posts I have read, it seems you shouldn't.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of bridging the two LAN ports? In my case, I will be using a switch, so I only technically need one port connected. Is there a performance boost in network speed if I use both LAN ports connected to the switch? Or will the opposite happen? Or does this setting just open up another port to put a wire into, like a switch with no other benefit?

I mainly stream movies, listen to music over my network system, transfer files over the network, play games, etc. It is for a home network.

The setting is being checked off in this video below at the 9:15 minute mark (video should be cued).

 

[SamirD]

If you need only one port, let the router route and the switch switch.

 

[bill001g]

If you were to bridge the 2 ports together you have created a small switch. If you were then to plug both those ports into another switch you get a broadcast loop.

Ie switch 1 gets a broadcast packet send it out on port 1 and port 2. Switch 2 receives these packets and send the packets it got on port 1 out on port 2 and the packets it got on port 2 out on port 1. Round and round until the network eventually crashes.

Ubiquiti edge is pretty smart I think and support spanning tree by default. This means in effect it detect there could be a loop and it more or less unplugs one of the 2 cables. It is the same as if you never plugged in the second cable pretty much.

I am also pretty sure the ubiquiti supports port bonding.. ie 802.3ad link aggregation. If we ignore the limitations and pretend you can get 2gbit it still does you no good for your common home user. Your internet connection is still 250mbps or even 1gbit so it does not make anything faster. Link aggregation your switch would also have to support and you would have to configure this in addition to just plugging both cables in.

When you run the ports in "router" mode. Each port can act as a separate router. It is though you had 2 different consumer routers in the same box hooked to a single internet connection. This too is of very limited value to most people. You would need a very special installation to be able to use this.

Pretty much as above. Use only 1 port and let the ubiquiti do the router function and your switch provide connection to your end devices.

 

[Pinhedd]

Topic: "Bridge LAN interfaces into a single network" setting on Ubiquity EdgeRouters (I have the Lite version)

I see mixed guidance online. Most video posts on setting up the router suggest to use it. On forum posts I have read, it seems you shouldn't.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of bridging the two LAN ports? In my case, I will be using a switch, so I only technically need one port connected. Is there a performance boost in network speed if I use both LAN ports connected to the switch? Or will the opposite happen? Or does this setting just open up another port to put a wire into, like a switch with no other benefit?

I mainly stream movies, listen to music over my network system, transfer files over the network, play games, etc. It is for a home network.

The setting is being checked off in this video below at the 9:15 minute mark (video should be cued).

Residential and consumer routers typically have one hard-configured WAN port and a switch with four or more ports coupled by a rudimentary microprocessor. The microprocessor routes traffic between the WAN network and the LAN network, applying firewall and QoS rules as appropriate. In this configuration, each of the LAN ports is part of a single network.

Business and enterprise routers handle things a bit differently, each port is independently configurable.

Want two WAN ports for redundancy? Go ahead.

Want two WAN ports, one LAN port for wireless access points, one LAN port for servers with network-specific firewall rules, and another LAN port that's heavily locked down for workstations? Sure thing.

Bridging ports on enterprise/business routers creates a virtual switch behind them. Computers attached to those ports will belong to the same network segment and will be able to talk to one another without invoking any routing algorithms. Broadcasts from one computer will be seen by the other computer and vice versa.

Consider the following example:

A consumer router has an 8 port switch on its backend. The router has a simple DHCP server and all computers on the network belong to the network 192.168.0.0/24, the router's own IP address is accessible on LAN at 192.168.0.1 and the gateway for this network is also 192.168.0.1. This configuration is incredibly common

A business router has 6 independent ports on its backend.

One port is configured as primary WAN via DHCP, one port is configured as failover WAN using PPPoE.

One port is configured as a LAN port with a wireless AP connected to it. A DHCP server assigns addresses in the range 192.168.1.0/24, the gateway on this network is 192.168.1.1

One port is configured as a LAN port with no DHCP server, all computers on this network are assigned static IPs that are publicly accessible. Static routes are configured within the router software to send traffic destined to these computers to the right port. Firewall rules are established to allow only appropriate traffic.

Two ports are configured as a bridge with a DHCP server assigning addresses in the range 192.168.2.0/24 with a gateway of 192.168.2.1; each port is connected to an individual 24 port switch. This forms a 48 port network for workstations in the building.

 

[Bisquik]

Great information. Thanks for the easy answer SamirD and thank you also Bill001g and Pinhedd for all of your information and help. I kept scratching my head about this option, unsure of which choice is better. Other sources would use one or the other never explaining why. I'll be using one port. All of those different configurations and possibilities. Sometimes it seems like networking is simple, until you learn more about it. And I'm sure the info you posted is just the very tiny tip of the iceberg from other aspects I am aware of. I appreciate your time! Thanks again!

 

[SamirD]

You're welcome! That's mighty powerful little box so keep reading and learning about it. I'm sure there's some advanced features you might want to take advantage of down the road.