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Forum Discussion
Ethernet Data Offloading ... how do you get it to work?
Configuration:
- brand spanky new hotspot with latest and greatest firmware downloaded on it
- using my iMac to connect to and manage the wifi hotspot via 192.168.1.1
- netgear R6400 home router, plugged into cable modem
My steps:
(1) I plugged the wifi hotspot into my home router. then enabled data offloading via ethernet. my wifi connection between iMac and Hotspot dies. I mean DEAD. So I go look and see a big red screen on hotspot ... dup IP addr. Ok ... my R6400 uses the same admin IP addr. Figured out this problem but it seems to me it would have been possible to catch and complain without killing the wifi connection between hotspot and admin genie app running on the iMac. Um ... error recovery? Unplug - reboot - reconnect - login. If I were in Netgear test, I'd add this scenario to the test bucket. Crazy.
(2) So, I plugged the ethernet cable directly from cable modem into my hotspot. A glance at the manual says that I must have only the 2G wifi profile enabled. It also says I should manually reboot the hotspot but the hotspot seems to be doing this all by itself. Hmm. Ok ... so I am plugged directly into cable modem with only the 2G network up. I then connect with my iMac over the 2G network and the hotspot genie app says that (1) data offloading is working and (2) ethernet is not connected. This sounds like a definite maybe to me but nope it doesn't seem to be doing data offloading.
So, I've not been able to get this feature working whatsoever and I'd really like to use it. Can anyone see something I missed?
12 Replies
Hi bik3rd00d,
I'm not sure why you would want to use this feature in your home. The way Ethernet offload should work would be that the hotspot would continue to act as a router (in the same way that your home router does). That is to say the hotspot would strattle and provide firewalling and routing between two separate networks.
For Ethernet offloading, be sure IP Passthrough is disabled. The Ethernet port should lease an IP address from the DHCP server on your home or hotel LAN for example. So there should be no IP conflict here. Normally in a hotel, the hotel network would not be 192.168.1.x. The Hotspot will continue to braodcast its own Wifi network (on both bands) with DHCP servervices for the hotspot's local network (192.168.1.x by default) and will route the traffic from the hotspot network (think LAN) to the offload network (think WAN).
The manual could be better with its description of "Wifi tethering" and USB tethering. (http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/MR1100/MR1100_UM_EN.pdf) It seems you can only use 2.4GHz Wifi when using Wifi tethering (aka the hotspot wifi acts as a client on the offload wifi network).
But back to my original question. Why would you want to use this at home when you already have a cable modem and router (presumably with Wifi)?
-Jonathan
Gosh, whatever did I say that would lead you off? Nevermind. I do NOT wish to use data offloading in my home. However, I did give as much configuration information as I thought would help someone answer my question ... how do I get this feature working. From the manual, I though that it should simply work. It doesn't.
So now ... why in my home? I bought the wifi hotspot for personal use and it arrived at my house. And so this is where I am testing it before I actually need it out on the road and have difficulties and less information available. In my home, I know all the equipment and passwords that lurk behind the ethernet port. At least, I own the cable modem and router. It seems like a reasonable venue for testing.
I'll look at IP forwarding but when plugged into the cable modem the hotspot is both access pt and router. So, not sure why i'd disable IP forwarding. Yup, I am going to try it. Just doesn't sound right.
Hi bik3rd00d,
Sorry, no offense intended. Your statement:
"netgear R6400 home router, plugged into cable modem
(1) I plugged the wifi hotspot into my home router."Is what threw me off. Yes, testing at home does of course make sense. But can potentially cause issues too such as the IP conflict.
I was confusing two different settings. Do not change Port Forwarding, but due be sure that IP- Passthrough is NOT enabled (see pages 53 and 54 of manual).
It's still probably a good idea to change the base IP of the hotspot to something different than your home network. But keep in mind this will likely chaneg the IP address of the admin web page as well.
-Jonathan