Unable to change DHCP pool addresses (Netgear Orbi RBR10)

[CorruptComputer]

Hi Community,

I recently purchased an Orbi system but I have been unable to figure out how to change the DHCP pool addresses.

Here is a screenshot of my settings: https://i.imgur.com/Vmnw8cY.png 

I am trying to change the 10.0.0.2 and 10.0.0.254 to 10.0.1.2 and 10.0.1.254, so that it leaves the 10.0.0.x addresses in the subnet open for static assignments. I was able to change the subnet mask with no issue, however it seems that this option to change the third octet in this menu is not available. Using firmware version V2.3.6.18.

Any ideas on what I could try?

Also side note my model number (RBR10) is not available to chose in the new post menu for some reason.

[CrimpOn]

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@CorruptComputer wrote:

I am trying to change the 10.0.0.2 and 10.0.0.254 to 10.0.1.2 and 10.0.1.254, so that it leaves the 10.0.0.x addresses in the subnet open for static assignments. I was able to change the subnet mask with no issue, however it seems that this option to change the third octet in this menu is not available. Using firmware version V2.3.6.18.

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It would probably be worth mentioning that there is a difference between "static" IP addresses and "assigning a specific IP address to a device" in the Orbi LAN setup.  Please describe what you have done and what happened.

"Static" IP addresses (set up manually on each device configuration) should work:

• The Orbi DHCP process will hand out IP addresses from 10.0.0.2 to 10.0.0.254, with a gateway address of 10.0.0.1 and DNS server of 10.0.0.1 and subnet mask 255.255.254.0
  Any device using this information will be able to communicate with any other device from 10.0.0.1 to 10.0.1.254 and will use 10.0.0.1 to go "anywhere else" (such as the internet).
• When you set up a device with a static IP, it should have an IP address between 10.0.1.1 and 10.0.1.254,  10.0.0.1 for the gateway, 255.255.254.0 for the subnet mask and (whatever DNS you want to set).
  It should be able to communicate with devices in the subnet and use the Orbi router for internet access.

There is a chance that assigning a device an IP in the 10.0.1.x range in the LAN setup page might work also.  The key is to see (a) if it takes the IP to begin with, and (b) what subnet mask is given out.

Most customers simply divide the primary IP space, giving DHCP a range of addresses to hand out and using the remainder of the 254 addresses for "fixed" or "static" addresses. For example, 10.0.0.1 - 10.0.0.100 for devices which are "assigned" or "static" and 10.0.0.101 - 10.0.0.254 for DHCP.  That's a LOT of devices.

[CorruptComputer]

> Please describe what you have done and what happened.

I changed my subnet mask to 255.255.254.0, which should have opened up that last bit to be used for the pool of addresses. I want to change DHCP to be 10.0.1.x addresses, and leave 10.0.0.x addresses open to be statically assigned to devices.

I am aware of the difference between reservations and static assignments. I am using both, for some devices I am reserving them in the Orbi interface, however for others I am using Puppet on my virtualization servers to send the configurations down to the VM's. Their MAC changes every time they are rebuilt, so they are instead using static assignments given to them by the configuration manager.

Using 10.0.0.x and splitting it at 100 would work, as I don't have that many devices to fill it up yet, however I think that having the distinct IP's of 10.0.0.x and 10.0.1.x lets me see more easily at a glance. I also like leaving it open for expansion for if I ever get more devices than I currently have. I would seperate them by VLAN, but it seems that Orbi doesn't support that.

The problem comes with the Orbi configuration interface not allowing me to change the DHCP pool's range from the origional 10.0.0.x to 10.0.1.x, with the third octet in the interface being grayed out and read only.

I could flip it and have 10.0.1.x being my static pool, however 10.0.0.x is faster for me to type so I would prefer it that way.

[FURRYe38]

For home class routers, there usually is only one IP pool and subnet to use, thus if the IP is 10.0.0.1 for the router, this is the main IP address string and network that can be used on home class routers. You can't use two different IP address networks or even static IP addressed devices using different IPs. Maybe possible with business class routers, however home class, most average home users only need 1 IP address and subnet this router mfrs don't put in support to more than 1 IP address and subnet. Most users don't have 254 devices either. 

A suggestion would be to set 10.0.0.1 and 255.255.255.0 on the RBR. Change the IP address pool size to .100 to .200. This pool size gives you 100 devices to set IP ADDRESS RESERVATIONS ON the router. Now from .2 to .99 and .201 to .254 you have these ranges for STATIC IP Addressed devices were IP addresses are set ON devices, not the router. No IP address reservations go here. 

[CorruptComputer]

I'm not asking for 2 seperate networks. I'm just trying to make a larger subnet, hence why I changed the subnet mask from 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.254.0. This should give my subnet an extra bit so that I can have addresses 10.0.0.1-10.0.1.254 available to use. Then I want to change the DHCP pool to 10.0.1.1-10.0.1.254 and use 10.0.0.2-10.0.0.255 as addresses that I manage either through reservations or static assignments.

I'm not trying to make VLANs or seperate subnets, since I know thats not an option. I'm simply trying to make one larger subnet that makes it easier to manage my devices.

I'm making 1 subnet with 10.0.0.0/23 as its CIDR notation. Below is a chart with a | separating the network prefix bits from the host address bits:

Subnet mask	11111111.11111111.1111111|0.00000000	255.255.254.0
Network	00001010.00000000.0000000|0.00000000	10.0.0.0
First Address	00001010.00000000.0000000|0.00000001	10.0.0.1
Last Address	00001010.00000000.0000000|1.11111111	10.0.1.255

As you can see it is just 1 network, which is all I am trying to do. Nothing fancy, just a larger address pool for the subnet.

[FURRYe38]

I just don't think thats supported on home class routers. 255.255.255.0 is mostly support for one 1 IP address range. 

You might contact NG support to ask about this. 

[CrimpOn]

I think this can be done, but not the way you want.

Orbi is going to use the subnet where the router is for DHCP.  That means that 10.0.0.x should be your DHCP pool.

10.0.1.x should be the "static" or "assigned" pool.

You are trying to do the opposite.

How difficult is it to give this a try?

[CorruptComputer]

Its not difficult, and that would work. But I was hoping to flip it around because 10.0.0.x is faster and easier to type. I don't really have any reason to type my DHCP addresses in, but typing my static addresses is something I do quite a lot.

I know it sounds nit-picky, but if I am making my own network I should be able to build it to my preference right?

Also you say:

> Orbi is going to use the subnet where the router is for DHCP.

But with that subnet mask 10.0.1.x is still in the SAME subnet.

[CrimpOn]

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@CorruptComputer wrote:

I know it sounds nit-picky, but if I am making my own network I should be able to build it to my preference right?

Also you say:

> Orbi is going to use the subnet where the router is for DHCP.

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Sorry my fingers got ahead of my brain. What I meant to write was the programmer decided to pick up the first three octets of the router address to set the DHCP pool and did not include logic to allow for an enormous DHCP pool or a pool in a different part of the subnet than the beginning.

Typing in IP addresses is tedious, but at least it has to be done only once for each device.

I fear you are Don Quixote and the windmill is going to win.

[CorruptComputer]

>I fear you are Don Quixote and the windmill is going to win.

Ha! That gave me a good chuckle.

I wish it was as simple as typing them once though, to connect to websites and SSH into these machines means I have to type them 20-30 times a day. Ah well, not much can be helped about that though since it seems they don't support what I was trying to do.

Thanks for your help though!

[CrimpOn]

I set my SSH targets up in PuTTY and just select the one I want from the list.  Each entry saves a log with the device name and date/time so I can go back and look at "what was I doing yesterday."