networking - non-standard setup

Community Playground General Discussions
#1

Just received my vera in the mail ( great timing, I have all weekend to play).
Looking for some advice on network topology within my home.
I’m running PPPoE, DSL modem(Motorola Netopia) is running in bridged mode to my Linksys-N router.
Better to connect the vera directly to the netopia, enabling security, or connect it on my side of the firewall via the Linksys router?

Thanks–chris

#2

If you already have a router, you’re better off not to use Vera’s router. All consumer access points and gateways have fairly low-power cpu’s, Vera included. When Vera is acting as the router, all data on the bus “passes through” the CPU to handle stuff like firewall/port forwarding, etc. This is why consumer access points/gateways usually max out when you pass more than say 50mbit through them; the CPU is pegged. For a normal home user this isn’t an issue.

Vera uses relatively little CPU; Zwave is very low bandwidth. But, when Vera is acting as the gateway and you’re doing heavy network traffic, 99% of the CPU can be used to handle the port forwarding/routing stuff. So, we found a solution because we were able to go in and put Vera into “switch” mode where all 5 ports are just bridged like a normal switch; nothing passes through the CPU. This is what it means with “No firewall” in the advanced, net & wi-fi tab. If you have another router, so Vera gets an internal IP (192., 172., etc.), Vera automatically goes into switch mode (No firewall), and then there’s never an issue that too much network bandwidth will hog Vera’s CPU. Makes sense?

#3

Next stage is improved open source hardware, huh?
Something similar to what got developed for this project http://www.rowetel.com/ucasterisk/

Pair Broadcom chipset with better CPU…

#4

internal IP address, that’s the nugget of information I was looking for. Thanks !

#5

So, if I’m reading this right, when you have an already working router with a number of ports forwarded for games, remote access and such, and you have a number of machines accessing the internet, it’s better to just add Vera as a device to the network, not as the primary router?

I think I would have to agree with that. While OpenWRT is very customizable, it does take some extra time and energy to do that.

#6
So, if I'm reading this right, when you have an already working router with a number of ports forwarded for games, remote access and such, and you have a number of machines accessing the internet, it's better to just add Vera as a device to the network, not as the primary router?

Correct. OpenWRT is really for advanced users. Our intention was to make Vera work out of the box for a non-technical user who doesn’t know what port forwarding is. So the OpenWRT configuration is buried under and ‘advanced’ link.

#7

Got it.

I’ve been using another router loaded with DD-WRT for years, and although this new Vera router has the same type of customization, I think I’ll put it behind my other router. Seems that with all the network traffic I do, and just how much the Vera device would have to do, it’s better to keep it from doing routing if it doesn’t need to do it.

Any thing I should be aware of if I move it behind my other router? Any ports needing opening? Any remote access problems?

#8

Can Vera be setup in WiFi client mode so it connects to router over wifi, with no cable?

#9

I was looking in the OpenWRT interface, and it does look like you can change the mode on the wireless virtual adapter to a client mode.

However, knowing my luck with changing that and getting it to stay, I’m not one to try it just yet.

#10

Okay. Just put Vera behind my primary router. Changed it’s ip to be one less than the router and so far, internet is working.

However, now I can’t access the system from findvera.com. It doesn’t error out, it just doesn’t pull up.

I’ll call support, but just currious if there is something I need open up on the network?

#11

Once again, I inadvertently reset my vera box while unplugging it.

Had to have the awesome staff at MiCasaVerde put the key back in. I was ready so only took a minute.

Can’t wait to test the new firmware that supposed to keep me from breaking this box again… :stuck_out_tongue:

#12

Networking functions of vera are working perfectly. My linksys-N router is doing the routing fine behind the netopia (the two are bridged) in PPoE. Vera has successfully navigated all the way through.

#13

Is Vera support 3G Broadband router? Anyone tried it?

#14

Vera has nothing specific for a 3G broadband router, but i assume it’s a normal IP router and should work fine.