Network Configuration Problem Involving Router and Firewall IP Addresses?
June 26th, 2009 | by networkrouter |
Here is how our network is currently set up:
Internet>Netopia Modem>Sonicwall Firewall Box>3Com Board>Server & Workstations
I would like to add a wireless router somewhere in that map so that we can access our network and the internet wirelessly with company laptops.
I put the wireless router I bought both before and after the 3Com Board and the same problem always occurs… all PCs on the network lose internet access (but not network access). Also, it appears that whenever the wireless router is hooked up I am not able to access the Sonicwall Firewall Box via its IP address (it takes me to the wireless router’s page instead).
Does anyone know of a way to install this wireless router onto the network, remove the IP address conflict, and still have internet access?
Thanks!
@GTB:
A.1. No, our company paid a high priced consulting company to set it up.
A.2. I maintain it to the best of my ability to avoid having to pay additional support fees to said high priced consulting company.
A.3. Nope.
A.4. What device should I use?
A.5. The owners of the company asked me to do this because of A.2. above.
B.1. Can you explain this?
B.2. This too?
B.3. Same as B.2.
B.4. See A.5.
Thanks!
Clarification: The 3COM “Board” is a switchbox.
Additional Information: All ip addresses were manually assigned.
AARON
4 Responses to “Network Configuration Problem Involving Router and Firewall IP Addresses?”
By GTB on Jun 29, 2009 | Reply
I presume the 3Com board is a 3Com network switch.
I further presume you have a serious IP address conflict because you do not understand subnets. This further begs these questions:
1. Did you set up the network originally?
2. Are you responsible for the network?
3. Do you understand subnetting?
4. Why did you use a wireless router when it is the wrong device for the job?
5. Do your have permission from Management to provide wireless capability?
I strongly suspect the answer to all of the above is NO because a network as sophisticated as yours appears to be has to be run by someone more famialiar with the network.
Now to answer your questions
1. There is a subnet conflict and probably too many DHCP servers which creates chaos.
2. You must not use a wireless router - it is the wrong device; procure the proper wireless device compatible with your network
3. Make sure you have properly configured the wireless device.
4. Make sure you have management approval - or your head may roll.
By Tracy L on Jul 1, 2009 | Reply
Sounds to me like your Sonic Firewall and your router are attempting to use the same LAN IP.. not good and won’t work. If all you really need is wireless set the router up using an IP (not in the DHCP pool) and connect it to the network (not using the WAN input) using a LAN input thus making it an Access point only which will do what you want. Just turn off the DCHP in the router and your good to go.
You could just use a real Access Point which creates less problems.
By joe.attaboy on Jul 1, 2009 | Reply
This is difficult to answer:
1. What is the “3COM Board?” I worked in networking a long time, never heard of one of those.
2. How are the systems on the network getting IP addresses assigned to them.
The problem is probably that the router is interfering with the firewall. The firewall is likely doing NATing in the packets moving in and out of the network. The router is trying to do the same thing, in all likelihood.
What you should probably be doing is putting the router in front of the firewall, then setting up a direct route between the two devices so that all traffice passes through the FW before hitting the network.
That’s the best I can do based on the information you provided.
By Stephen Dugan on Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
What you need to do is…
First move the Wireless router and attach it to the 3Com switch. The “Internet Port” on the wireless router is the port that needs to be connected to the 3Com switch.
The sonicwall needs to have a static address allocated for the new router.
On the wireless router configure the wired port with the static address you allocated. Create a default route and point it to the sonicwall. You will also have to configure DNS based on you current settings.
The wireless router also needs to provide addresses for the wireless clients to use on the network. You need to create a DHCP pool for that on the wireless router. Make certain that the IP DHCP pool that the wireless router is using for the wireless clients is not the same as the IP network address for the wired. For example… If the wired clients are 192.168.1.0/24 use 192.168.2.0/24 on the wireless router.
Lastly you need to make the sonicwall aware of the new subnet. Create a static route on the sonicwall to the new subnet. For example if the DHCP pool you created on the wireless router is 192.168.2.0/24, you would need to route to that with a next hop of the statically allocated address of the wireless router.
Hope this helps,
Stephen Dugan, CCSI
PS. You are creating a HUGE security issue here IF you do not configure encryption (don’t use WEP its broken) on the wireless router. All of the wireless users are behind you firewall and will have access to your internal data. This is the equivalent of putting an Ethernet port in your parking lot. DON’T do any of this until after you have wireless security turned on.