RTP300 plus Wireless Router, recommended topology?

Posts: 14

Just subscribed to Vonage and they tell me the RTP300 is on the way. Presently using a small network using a Microsoft MN700 wireless router, 3 hardwired PCs plus a laptop occasionally connected via wireless (considering updating the MN700 to a Linksys WRT54GC router).

Wondering from other users what the preferred topology would be for optimal performance:

1: [Cable Modem] -> [RTP300] ->[Router] with all computers connected to the router?
2: [Cable Modem] -> [RTP300] ->[Router] with the hardwired computers connected to the RTP300's ethernet ports and using the router only as a wireless access point?
3: [Cable Modem] -> [Router] -> [RTP300] with all computers connected to the router?

Posts: 12 · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 3:22 pm Post subject:

I did the 3rd option with 1 computer plugged into the modem, the other a wireless and one phone to the RTP300. (Using a WRT54GS wireless modem)

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 19, 2005 Posts: 9

I'm also using option three and I haven't had any problems. Cable modem----router(Netgear WGR614 Wireless)---RTP300 with the two computers, xbox and occasionally wireless laptop plugged into the Netgear.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 16, 2005 Posts: 7

Option 2 works fine for me.

Posts: 182 · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:26 am Post subject:

I do option 3. It works fine. I can plug machines directly into my WiFi router or into the Vonage router, and both work. Going through the Vonage router results in double NATting but it doesn't seem to affect functionality. I can even access the SMB and NFS shares on my server from behind the Vonage firewall.

I left it this way because I wanted to be able to have my network stay intact if I removed the Vonage box. I might do this if I go on vacation; I can take the Vonage box with me.

Similarly I've left NAT enabled and left the Vonage box to be configured by DHCP so that it will theoretically work anywhere I go.

Probably not the ideal solution in terms of latency, but I don't notice any annoying latency problems unless I call overseas. In terms of functionality, it is excellent.

Jim

Posts: 18 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 12, 2005 Posts: 18

Another option you can do is this

[cable modem] --> [RTP300] --> [router]

don't usr the uplink port on the router, just set the RTP300 to port 1 of the router. You still have the wireless running, and the hardlines act more like a switch.

Posts: 14 · Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:01 am Post subject:

Texx wrote:

Another option you can do is this

[cable modem] --> [RTP300] --> [router]

don't use the uplink port on the router, just set the RTP300 to port 1 of the router. You still have the wireless running, and the hardlines act more like a switch.

That's what I've ended up doing. The router is a Linksys WRT54GC. I disabled its DHCP service and reassigned its IP to an address within the RTP300's subnet space, cabling from one of the RTP300's ethernet ports to one of the router's ethernet ports. Hardwired PCs can be connected to the remaining open ports on either the RTP300 or the WRT54GC, wireless computers talk to the WRT, and all the computers can talk to each other for file sharing etc. I find I can also address each routers setup pages from any computer in the network now, regardless of which router that computer is directly connected to. When I let the RTP's DHCP service set the IP for the WRT instead of setting a static IP directly, I could only address the respective setup screens from a computer directly connected to each router in question, even when using the correct assigned IP from the DHCP client list tables.