I am in need of serious guidance here with a project I am helping a friend with. We are trying to get WiFi connectivity across his entire home property, both indoors and outdoors, and keep having severe trouble with the internet being accessible on the private network. I apologize ahead of time that this is long winded, but I want to make sure you have all the info needed to properly diagnose the issue.
Here is the layout. He has 1 acre where he has his ranch home and about 120 feet away, a nice 40x60 garage wrapped in sheet metal on the sides and roof. The client has CenturyLink DSL internet service as that is the only available option where he lives. For some years, that internet has been working fine with absolutely no issues. The modem is a Zyxel PK5001 modem/router/Wifi combo unit. We are utilizing the built-in router to assign IPs. The service is rated for 8 down/.5 up and seems to do that when a speed test is performed. Ping ranges from 30ms to 120ms.
However, when we tried adding three Wireless Access Points to the property, things get weird. I have installed one Ubiquiti Unifi Long Range AP (2.4ghz) in the attic of the house. The Wifi radio that is built into the CenturyLink modem/router combo is disabled. That AP provides wifi coverage for the house and immediate outdoor perimeter.
Then, I have used a Zyxel Network Extender that extends my ethernet from the modem/router to the NID on the outside of the house via the home electrical system. From the NID, there is a piece of CAT5e running underground from the NID on the house all the way out to the detached garage approximately 100 feet away. I used the Zyxel extenders because the distance from the modem to the NID on the side of the house would require about 70 feet of Ethernet cable and I figured that the signal loss would be to great if I ran one solid run all the way to the garage.
Out in the garage there is a 8 port TP Link network switch. Attached to that switch is an EnGenius WAP (ENS202EXT) which is mounted on the outside of the garage. It's purpose is to provide WiFi coverage to the back yard of the property. It is powered via the included PoE adapter.
Inside the garage there is a TP-LINK TL-WA801ND Wireless N300 2T2R Access Point. It, too, is powered via the included PoE adapter. I have this inside the garage as the entire garage sides, doors, and roof are all metal and block much of the outdoor wifi signal.
Here is the programming setup. On the router, I set the DHCP to begin at 192.168.0.11 and goes to .199. Number .1 is, of course, reserved for the router. Numbers 2., .3, and .4, are reserved for the WAPs. I have assigned the SSIDs and wifi passwords for each of the WAPS all the same and have also tried giving them each a unique identifier. I have left each of the WAPs channel selections set to Auto as well as tried assigning them unique channels.
There is also a Dahua security camera NVR hooked directly into the Router.
What happens is we hard reset the modem router and start with a clean setup. Initially, with nothing hooked to the modem/router and with the WiFi turned on, the network works great. All wireless devices to include iPads, PCs, Cell phones (both android and iOS) can connect with ease and maintain the connection. They all have working internet connectivity and full speed.
When I connect everything else up for the three WAPs and the security camera system (IP style), everything will work fine while I am there and for anywhere from a few hours thereafter to a few days thereafter. But then the friend contacts me and says the internet isn't working again. When I come out I find that I can communicate fine with all the devices on his private network via wifi or hard connection and that the router is assigning IPs with no problem. However, none of the devices are able to see the internet and several of the give a message of something like "DNS service connection lost." Even if I plug my PC directly into the router there is still not internet connectivity, only private network access.
We have worked with CenturyLink on this and have changed out the modem three times with a new one. After doing this everything works fine for a short while, but then crashes again. I am at my whit's end and have tried everything I know or can find on the internet about the issue.
Clearly, my setup has something not right. However, I have no idea what is wrong. One item to note, I noticed yesterday when trying to fix it while at there home, when I connected to the wifi with my Macbook Air (Yosemite 10.10) I noticed in the network settings on the mac that the IP address looked valid and was not double occupied on the network, and the subnet was fine, but it said the router was 192.168.0.3. I checked what my iPhone 6+ said and it showed the router correctly as 192.168.0.1. Again, all devices could communicate with other devices on the Private network, but had not access to the internet. The internet light on the modem was blinking away like there was packet flow, too. When I call CenturyLink about the issue, they say they are able to see the modem and access the GUI, so I am guessing that means the modem sees the internet.
What am I missing here, guys and gals? your help on this is greatly appreciated!
Here is the layout. He has 1 acre where he has his ranch home and about 120 feet away, a nice 40x60 garage wrapped in sheet metal on the sides and roof. The client has CenturyLink DSL internet service as that is the only available option where he lives. For some years, that internet has been working fine with absolutely no issues. The modem is a Zyxel PK5001 modem/router/Wifi combo unit. We are utilizing the built-in router to assign IPs. The service is rated for 8 down/.5 up and seems to do that when a speed test is performed. Ping ranges from 30ms to 120ms.
However, when we tried adding three Wireless Access Points to the property, things get weird. I have installed one Ubiquiti Unifi Long Range AP (2.4ghz) in the attic of the house. The Wifi radio that is built into the CenturyLink modem/router combo is disabled. That AP provides wifi coverage for the house and immediate outdoor perimeter.
Then, I have used a Zyxel Network Extender that extends my ethernet from the modem/router to the NID on the outside of the house via the home electrical system. From the NID, there is a piece of CAT5e running underground from the NID on the house all the way out to the detached garage approximately 100 feet away. I used the Zyxel extenders because the distance from the modem to the NID on the side of the house would require about 70 feet of Ethernet cable and I figured that the signal loss would be to great if I ran one solid run all the way to the garage.
Out in the garage there is a 8 port TP Link network switch. Attached to that switch is an EnGenius WAP (ENS202EXT) which is mounted on the outside of the garage. It's purpose is to provide WiFi coverage to the back yard of the property. It is powered via the included PoE adapter.
Inside the garage there is a TP-LINK TL-WA801ND Wireless N300 2T2R Access Point. It, too, is powered via the included PoE adapter. I have this inside the garage as the entire garage sides, doors, and roof are all metal and block much of the outdoor wifi signal.
Here is the programming setup. On the router, I set the DHCP to begin at 192.168.0.11 and goes to .199. Number .1 is, of course, reserved for the router. Numbers 2., .3, and .4, are reserved for the WAPs. I have assigned the SSIDs and wifi passwords for each of the WAPS all the same and have also tried giving them each a unique identifier. I have left each of the WAPs channel selections set to Auto as well as tried assigning them unique channels.
There is also a Dahua security camera NVR hooked directly into the Router.
What happens is we hard reset the modem router and start with a clean setup. Initially, with nothing hooked to the modem/router and with the WiFi turned on, the network works great. All wireless devices to include iPads, PCs, Cell phones (both android and iOS) can connect with ease and maintain the connection. They all have working internet connectivity and full speed.
When I connect everything else up for the three WAPs and the security camera system (IP style), everything will work fine while I am there and for anywhere from a few hours thereafter to a few days thereafter. But then the friend contacts me and says the internet isn't working again. When I come out I find that I can communicate fine with all the devices on his private network via wifi or hard connection and that the router is assigning IPs with no problem. However, none of the devices are able to see the internet and several of the give a message of something like "DNS service connection lost." Even if I plug my PC directly into the router there is still not internet connectivity, only private network access.
We have worked with CenturyLink on this and have changed out the modem three times with a new one. After doing this everything works fine for a short while, but then crashes again. I am at my whit's end and have tried everything I know or can find on the internet about the issue.
Clearly, my setup has something not right. However, I have no idea what is wrong. One item to note, I noticed yesterday when trying to fix it while at there home, when I connected to the wifi with my Macbook Air (Yosemite 10.10) I noticed in the network settings on the mac that the IP address looked valid and was not double occupied on the network, and the subnet was fine, but it said the router was 192.168.0.3. I checked what my iPhone 6+ said and it showed the router correctly as 192.168.0.1. Again, all devices could communicate with other devices on the Private network, but had not access to the internet. The internet light on the modem was blinking away like there was packet flow, too. When I call CenturyLink about the issue, they say they are able to see the modem and access the GUI, so I am guessing that means the modem sees the internet.
What am I missing here, guys and gals? your help on this is greatly appreciated!
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