I am new to using HSMM-MESH.  Has anyone used a Rocket or any Ubiquiti radio to provide internet access?  I have been told I have to use VLANs to split off the WAN port but another told me to just plug in on the network supplying net and enable the gateway. I tried the VLAN config on my HP Procurve but never could get to the outside world.

Is there a good example of how to do this on a Ubiquiti radio since they are single port where the Linksys routers have a dedicated WAN port?

73

KC5GOI

I have used a rocket as the main node at my qth now for several months.  If you want to connect the internet to your rocket, you will need a managed switch.  If all you want to do is connect a computer or other device to the rocket then you can either plug it into the lan port on the poe injector or if you need more ports use a regular lan switch.

I am using a managed switch on mine.  I am using a Netgear GS108E.  It is working well for me.  

To use the internet pick the port you want to connect to the internet.  Put it in VLAN 1 and leave it untagged.  For the port that connects to your rocket Tag that port for VLAN 1.

Create another VLAN label such as VLAN 10 and add the ports ouu want on you lan to it.

Another option with the 1.1.1 release.  Plug the lan port of the Rocket POE into a lan port of a WRT54G.  Plug the internet iinto the Wan Port of the WRT54G.  

Clint Anderson

While I agree with everything Clint said wrt your post, this question just bothers me wrt to BBHN:
Has anyone used a Rocket or any Ubiquiti radio to provide internet access?

All I ask is that you just keep this im mind as you do learn and become involved in mesh activities (from the homepage):
Broadband-Hamnet™ is intended for amateur radio use and passing amateur radio traffic. It is NOT intended to replace your personal Internet connection. It is a “feature” that Broadband-Hamnet™ can be connected to the Internet. General Internet access is not its primary purpose. Use your personal Internet connection under Part-15 FCC rules, to serve that purpose.

With that said, Mesh on!

The intent is to provide access to things like Winlink for accessing via telnet, etc not general browsing activities.  The plan is to put a proxy server on the connection to only allow specific sites. I also found that it is easier to install packages if the radio has net access.  It is not intended to replace WIFI access for home use.  The Denton Co. group is looking at this for a fun project but also part of our EMCOMM plan.

73

Guy

Thank you for the help on the internet access step. I do agree with 100% that this is NOT meant to replace normal WIFI access.  The next step in my process is to setup Squid on a firewall device to act as a Proxy server.  The intent is to allow only very specific sites to be accessed, for example, NOAA, NWS, Winlink. 

For others later down the road here is what I did on a HP Procurve 2650.

On the Switch:

Created a second VLAN, 10.  VLAN 10 is called HAM-LAN

VLAN 1 is called WAN (internet access)

Changed the default LAN for management sake to VLAN 10.

Port 1 is the WAN connection.  It is untagged on WAN and set to NO for HAM-LAN.

Port 2 is for the Rocket.  It is tagged on WAN and NO on HAM-LAN.

On the Rocket:

WIFI I left to the defaults, no changes.

LAN: Left at 5 host direct.  Disabled DHCP server.  Badness happens with 2 DNS servers on at the same time.

WAN: Protocol set to static, manually assigned it an IP address on my network.  Gave it Google's ip addresses for DNS.  Checked mesh gateway box. 

I am now able to access the internet on my RocketM2 via my Airgrid M2.  Like I said, the proxy server and IRC are next.

73

KC5GOI

I believe you will still need the DHCP server activated.  The WAN port gets its IP from your Internet Connection.  The computers plugged into the LAN port will not be served from the Internet DHCP.  

The DHCP server provides the IP addresses to the computers plugged into the LAN port.  Otherwise you will need to set a static ip for every device on your LAN.

If it is working correctly for you then leave it alone. 

Clint, AE5CA

FWIW, Netgear refers to the GS108E as an "Unmanaged Plus" switch, but apparently, it does work.

You are correct.  Netgear calls the GS105e, GS108e and GS116e  Unmanaged Plus Switches.

To connect the internet to a UBNT device the thing you need to look for is 802.1q.  This will let you configure the switch to add a tag to the internet signal going into the BBHN device.

Clint, AE5CA