Multiple Wi-Fi Networks with different static IP's

[Kyle Doughty]

Hello, hope everyone is doing well.

I have Comcast xfinity business with 5 IP addresses. Currently the Comcast router is broadcasting a 2.4ghz and a 5ghz wi-fi network on my first static IP.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to create two additional wi-fi networks that are each bound to a different static IP.

Should I just buy two additional routers and somehow assign them these IPs? or is there a better way?

The purpose of this all is to keep my first network for credit card processing, the second network solely for employees and the third network is an open guest network for customers.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ylin0811]

Couple of things...

1. How big is your entire office?

2. Your business's credit card transactions should never be sent across wifi.

3. Adding more wireless routers/access points increase your capacity to handle more clients or eliminate dead spots (houses with many walls/unknown materials). However, most people don't realize that clients will bounce in between access points based on rssi. If you have number of access points in close proximity, you will actually do yourself a disfavor by causing clients to bounce around and lose connection state information.

The ultimate goal here is to have 20% cell roam in between access points.

I would recommend you to hire someone to do a wireless survey using spectrum analyzers to determine the ideal placement and power value for each access point.

4. To have a different public ip address for each business sector requires the use of vlans. None of the consumer grade access points support this with the exception of the open source firmware. Enterprise grade access points do support them, but will cost a lot.

In the end, just hire someone to do it. It will be easier for you.

 

[Kyle Doughty]

Couple of things...

1. How big is your entire office?

2. Your business's credit card transactions should never be sent across wifi.

3. Adding more wireless routers/access points increase your capacity to handle more clients or eliminate dead spots (houses with many walls/unknown materials). However, most people don't realize that clients will bounce in between access points based on rssi. If you have number of access points in close proximity, you will actually do yourself a disfavor by causing clients to bounce around and lose connection state information.

The ultimate goal here is to have 20% cell roam in between access points.

I would recommend you to hire someone to do a wireless survey using spectrum analyzers to determine the ideal placement and power value for each access point.

4. To have a different public ip address for each business sector requires the use of vlans. None of the consumer grade access points support this with the exception of the open source firmware. Enterprise grade access points do support them, but will cost a lot.

In the end, just hire someone to do it. It will be easier for you.

Thank you for your reply.

My store is about 6000 square feet.

I've been advised that it is PCI compliant to use Wi-Fi for credit cards (we use Square) and have mobile terminals (iPads).

I will look into hiring someone. I just thought perhaps I could plug in two additional routers and assign them each a new public IP.

 

[ylin0811]

Thank you for your reply.

My store is about 6000 square feet.

I've been advised that it is PCI compliant to use Wi-Fi for credit cards (we use Square) and have mobile terminals (iPads).

I will look into hiring someone. I just thought perhaps I could plug in two additional routers and assign them each a new public IP.

If it is like a warehouse style store (similar to Costco or Pavilions), you should be able to get away with 4 access points on different channels with power set to 2/3 of the maximum power level. Just make sure not to use 80mhz, and stick with 20/40mhz band for the wireless. That should give you a stable wifi for years to come.

 

[ylin0811]

Just remember one thing. Some solution providers will overcharge for something that you don't need. If the bill of materials don't look right, feel free to pm me and i will provide guidance to what is needed.

 

[Kyle Doughty]

If it is like a warehouse style store (similar to Costco or Pavilions), you should be able to get away with 4 access points on different channels with power set to 2/3 of the maximum power level. Just make sure not to use 80mhz, and stick with 20/40mhz band for the wireless. That should give you a stable wifi for years to come.

Nah it's not really all that serious.

The registers are all within a few feet of each other, the employee lounge is about 300sq ft. I was just looking to have one WiFi network in each area, not really cover all 6000 sq ft.

Comcast has advised me that if I turn the gateway to bridge mode, I can actually plug in multiple routers and bind them all to different public ip's. Any truth to that?

 

[ylin0811]

That will depend on how the IP is routed to you from the comcast side. If the IPs are directly connected on the provider's side, then turning the modem into a full bridged mode will work. If the IPs are NOT directly connected and manually routed to your main static ip address, then this would make things a little complicated.