advice re home network setup

[danielj]

Hi!

i'm looking for some advice re the best way to setup my home network. I just replaced my 2 wireless access points with the orbis setup. I am currently trying to work out the best way to put everything together. I have a netgear cable modem (cable home network gateway -CG3100D) and the orbi. I can see two primary options.

OPTION A (how i have things setup now)

I have 4 ethernet ports on the CG3100D. One of these is connected to the orbis. the other 3 go to various netgear switches that in turn connect to various devices. 

OPTION B

The only thing plugged into the CG3100D is the orbi router. I move the switches currently plugged into the CG3100D to the orbis. 

Q1. 

So, i'm hoping to first get advice on whether A or B is better, or it makes no difference.

Q2. 

The second issue is that with Option A, the modem hands out IPs to wired devices in the range 192.168.0.1-254. However the Orbi is handing out IPs to the wireless devices in the range 192.168.1.1-254. This seems to be causing problems (e.g., i use my phone to control my sonos music system. But the phone (on wireless) can't seem to see the sonos setup anymore (on wired)). I had thought to solve this by changing the settings in the LAN Setup of the orbi (to be LAN TCP/IP - IP ADDRESS = 192.168.0.201, and the ROUTER DHCP SERVER settings with starting IP Address 192.168.0.202, end IP Address 192.168.0.252). However, when i try this i get the error "IP address is conflicted with the WAN IP subnet, please enter again". I can't work out what the problem here is? 

Q3. 

If the solution is to switch to option B, i'd like to run everything on 192.168.0.x as i have a few devices setup to expect this. Also if i switch to option B, i assume i have to remove the reserved IP entries from the CG3100D to the orbi.

Thanks for any and all advice and help 🙂

[netwrks]

You can configure the Orbi as an AP. Give it a static (unused) IP(s) in the range of the CG3100D, or let DHCP serve it an IP addresses. Shouldn't matter where you put it. Off the CG3100D, or, one of your switches. Whatever makes the best sense, coverage wise..

[danielj]

thanks for this netwrks. Seems like a good possible solution. I was thinking about it and realised the orbi (based on price and relative newness) is probably a way better router than the modem (which i've had for years). Is that an argument for moving to option B? Basically CG3100D to orbi and then everything else runs from the Orbi? If i attempt this should it be possible to switch the orbi to 192.168.0.x rather than 192.168.1.x?

Thanks

[netwrks]

If you can bridge your  ISP's modem, then you can run the Orbi in router mode, and set the IP subnet to what is best works for you. If you can't then, it's best to run the Orbi in AP mode, so that you don't run into double NAT, which impedes performance, and adds other oddities..