Afternoon everyone - definitely not a networking expert here… I’ve got a mobile internet setup on a boat - RUTx11, LTE connection, Wifi as Client as well as Access Point, Poynting antennas. We connect to the router only thru Wifi (no wired LAN) and the router connects to the internet thru Wifi when we’re at a marina and thru LTE when we’re on the water. The system exceeded all my expectations for range / speed - though there’s some setup that confuses me…
For Wifi - when I create a Wifi Client connection, I get 2 configuration boxes on the Summary page (see pic). What’s the difference between these?
I’ve searched the online manual, watched the YouTube’s - would be happy for any description or pointing me towards something that’ll be at my level…
BRIDGEVIEW is the access point (AP) instance, which provides internet for your devices FROM the RUTX11.
BRIDGEVIW MARINA.NEW is the station mode (STA) instance, which provides internet connectivity TO the RUTX11.
Status of these interfaces can also be checked in Network → Wireless menu.
Thank you - that was the distinction I was missing…
That would mean the AP instance of BRIDGEVIEW is comparable to the mob1s1a1 instance (except for LTE obviously) that I see on the Network → Interfaces page?
It’s the other way around, BRIDGEVIEW MARINA.NEW is the “LTE equivelant” interface, more commonly known as WAN. Term WAN is mostly used to refer to the internet.
Ok - I understand (… and I do really appreciate you answering these…)
Then the Network Interfaces page has me confused - I thought it was a list of WAN interfaces where you could move interfaces up/down on the list to prioritize the connection (and having LAN on that list also makes no sense to me …)
I’ll provide an example to hopefully explain the interface page a little better. Lets say your PC sends a packet to IP address 8.8.8.8. It will go to the router, and the router will check which interface can reach the address the closest. Usually the first interface is LAN, so it will check if the LAN zone contains address 8.8.8.8. Since it does not, it moves onto the next interface, which is by default wired WAN. If the wired WAN can reach the internet, it will contain a route to 0.0.0.0/0, or basically all available addresses. That is where the packet will be sent to.
So I’d recommend keeping the LAN interface on top.
Of course, this is a very simplified explanation, and it skips a lot of important steps, but it’s just used to explain why the LAN interface is in the same page as WAN.
Thanks again - that makes sense. I do have an IP camera connected to a wired port on the router which I’ve been able to access - so I now understand why LAN should be first.
How does the wan and wan6 interfaces fit in here? I understand the difference is IPv4 and v6 - but how are these Interfaces comparable to the wifi client or mob1s1a1?
I was going to ask how I can tell which Interface the router is using to reach the internet (wifi or LTE)? …but if I’m understanding correctly, there’s no single answer - for each IP, the router works it’s way down the list looking for an Interface that’s ‘UP’ and that can reach the IP… (am I close here? I do appreciate your examples - helps me research/read more…!)
