Can E4200 Setup as AP and using guest access feature at the same time [ Edited ]

[ksein]

I connect Linksys E 4200 to my coporate network(LAN) function as Router and using E4200 guest access feature.

I can access internet from wireless and wireless guest network. There is no issue.

Configure as Router  ==>

My Corporate LAN - 192.168.10.0 /24 has DHCP

Connect one of my LAN to LinkSys E4200  WAN 

Configure LinkSys LAN - 192.168.2.0/24 - configure DHCP - 50 IP

Configure Wireless with WPA/WPA2 mixed mode

Configure enable "Guest access" feature and set the Password for guest.

Problem : 

I try to configure E 4200 to my coporate network(LAN) function as AP(Access Point) and Guest access feature. I can access internet from wireless and but not from wireless guest network. I get IP address(192.168.33.X)  from wireless guest network.

Configure as AP  ==>

My Corporate LAN - 192.168.10.0 /24 has DHCP

Connect one of my LAN to LinkSys E4200  LAN

Configure LinkSys LAN - 192.168.10.10

Configure Wireless with WPA/WPA2 mixed mode

Configure enable "Guest access" feature and set the Password for guest.

My question is

"Can E4200 connect to my coporate network(LAN) function as AP and using guest access feature to access internet at the same time?"

Thank you for your help in advance.

[obh]

wow.. this is a very good question. hope someone will post the solution soon. teehee..

[gv]

You can't use the guest feature. The guest access feature allows clients connected to use the internet connection of the E4200 but not the LAN side. This means:

1. The guest access requires you to use the internet port of the E4200. It won't do anything in the AP setup when you only connect a LAN port of the E4200 to your LAN.

2. However, as traffic on the internet side is not separated you can't simply connect the internet port of the E4200 to your company network because then anyone could connect to anything in your corporate network.

3. In other words: you can only use the guest access feature if the E4200 is actually your internet router, i.e. the internet port side is the untrusted side.

4. If your corporate LAN router supports VLAN routing you may be able to set up a guest VLAN on your corporate router and then connect the E4200 and simple AP to that VLAN. Then you can use the E4200 as guest AP (i.e. simple AP only for guests, NOT using the guest access feature). Of course, if you want corporate WLAN and guest WLAN you would need two APs or a small business AP which supports VLANs.

[render]

I was wondering if a solution like the one I'm going to explain could be applicable to get both guest wireless and AP usage

of this router.

Let's say I connect my corporate lan to one of the lan ports of the router. Both 5ghz and 2.4ghz are bridged to

the gigabit ethernet switch (I suppose). So my 'corporate' wireless clients are connected to lan and internet via

this connection.

If I enable guest wireless, I think it is managed inside the router like an additional subnet, NATted to the

internet port of the router. At this point, if I assing to the internet port an additional static IP within my corporate

network and I connect a cable (ghgh) between internet port and one of the lan ports, guest subnet traffic stays within its own

subnet and goes natted within my corporate lan. In terms of security it couldn't be the best solution, but

theoretically 'non-corporate' wireless clients are closed inside their guest subnet.

I know that a wireless router supporting VLANs should be the best solution, but what about this? Could it work?

Thank you.

r

[gv]

If you connect the internet port of the router to your corporate network all guests can access your corporate LAN. Again: the internet port is where the internet is connected to. Anything connected to the router, regardless of LAN ports, wireless or guest wireless can always access anything in the internet. If it's your company network which is connected to the internet port then that's where the internet "starts" from the perspective of a client connected to the guest network.

There is absolutely no way to connect this router with its guest network to your corporate network. The only option is to connect the guest router to the modem and the corporate main router to the guest router.

Otherwise, you'll need a VLAN router as corporate router. Then you can split traffic but then you are better off with a access point supporting VLANs as well as you can then configure the guest and corporate wireless LANs in any way you like...

[jancuk]

Hi GV, How about if the company router is using static ip, can e4200 be also the access point? And do you have the tutorial for setting the router? Thanks.

[gv]

Static or non-static IP addresses don't matter. Guests can still access your company network.

[adabbas]

"small business AP which supports VLANs" Can you please name few of the current and no so current models. I am interested in buying 15 APs that supports 5GHz N band (but price is an issue).

Thanks in advanced.

[gv]

Check the Cisco Small Business community.