using the netvanta7100 as the router instead of an external router

[hiattech]

I am working with a small business to try to resolve some issues they are having.  Something I noted is that they run their computers through an ASUS router to the cable modem. At first I thought that's how it needed to function but as I got to learn more about the NetVanta system, I discovered that the router is a bit redundant. The only thing the router seems to be used for is for DHCP and wireless (which they really don't use much and the router can be setup as a WAP instead if need be). That said, I have been looking over the documentation to swap this to be entirely run through the NetVanta 7100, but I had a couple questions first. First off, is there any advantage to running everything strictly through the 7100?  Is there an advantage to running the DHCP through the router?

All of the devices can be run through the NetVanta with ports to spare, so that's not an issue. We also have a NAS that is connected through the router and I wondered it putting that on the second gigabit port would help improve the speed on that end as well. So, is this something I should look into? If so, what things do I need to double check for before doing so?  The 7100 claims to have DHCP setup on it already but when I tried to plug the modem in, it assigned the computer the external internet address so I know i have to do some re-configuring there. It also has a default VLAN setup so would I just reconfigure that for the cable modem?

Thanks

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hello hiattech:

I'm not sure about all of the potential differences in this case, but my experiences with ASUS networking equipment tell me that the existing unit may be somewhat consumer-grade.  You may be smart to leverage the capabilities of the 7100 in that regard.

You'll need to setup one switchport on the 7100 to be in a separate VLAN, say VLAN 100.  VLAN 100 will be your public connection and the modified switchport will connect to the ISP equipment/modem.  VLAN 100 will need an IP interface where you'll assign public IP(s) or configure to receive DHCP from the ISP (for the public connection, not for inside devices).  The firewall must be configured so that VLAN 100 is in the Public (or similar "outside") security zone and the firewall must be configured as usual.  Here's a guide about configuring VLANs and VLAN IP interfaces, with examples:  The difference between VLANs and VLAN interfaces.  Here's a great starting point for firewall configuration:  Configuring Stateful Firewall in AOS, and an important explanation about how the firewall menu behaves in the web GUI:  Understanding the Firewall Menu in the AOS Web Interface.

Regarding the NAS, I think patching it to a gigabit switchport is a good move.  You're still limited to 100Mbps for any one user, but it will help when multiple users are communicating with the NAS and mitigate bottleneck in that regard.  If you have any file servers or other needs for high-throughput applications, uplinking from the 7100 gigabit port to a gigabit switch where the NAS and servers connect is a good idea.  The NetVanta 1531 is a superb value for small offices!

Best,

Chris