ONT > Switch > Router setup

[jnewgent1]

Hi All,

Im hoping someone can help me out with an issue Ive recently been experiencing.

Initially my setup was the line coming into the basement from the ONT. This line was connected to the verizon FIOS router. From there, I had 4 ethernet cables plugged into it and those ran throughout the house to various outlets. I then had devices connected to those outlets. While this setup does work, it isnt ideal for my wireless coverage. Rather than buying a WiFi booster, I instead bought a 5port switch and installed it to where the router was in the basement, connecting the ethernet cables to it, and then moved the router upstairs to the main room connecting it to one of the ethernet wall outlets. And, believe it or not, for a while this setup worked great. My desktop that was connected to the physical ethernet outlets (directly from the switch) had internet access, and my WiFi coverage improved.

Well, one evening the power went out to the switch in the basement only. It did not occur to me to reset that outlet because being in a new home in a new development/community, the optics cable outside the house has been cut more than a few times due to new construction. Well the next day a Verizon tech comes out and sees that the power to the switch is out, and simply removes the switch and makes a direct connection to the router upstairs by use of a coupler-type jack. Basically, extending the line from the ONT all the way up to the ethernet outlet that the router is plugged into. This does bring the router back up, but because the switch is no longer in use, none of the ethernet outlets now have internet connectivity, and as such, my desktops no longer have internet connectivity. 

After the tech leaves, it then occurs to me that the outlet the switch was attached to has its own reset so I reset it and the switch comes back on. I then remove the coupler from the line connecting the ONT to the router, and plug the line from the ONT back into the switch so that the set up is once again as it was prior to the power outage. Except this time, only the Router is getting internet connectivity! My devices that are plugged into the various ethernet outlets are not receiving any connectivity as they once were.

To kind of recap- 

At one point, I had my set up like this: ONT to SWITCH, then from the switch I had everything else plugged in side by side, including my Router (into one port of the switch) as well as other devices (into the other ports on the switch) such as a desktop computer. Everything worked great, this was the ideal setup.

Then, because of a power outage, the setup went to this: ONT to Router. Switch was removed, along with all other physical connections.

Then, after power outage, the setup went back to: ONT to SWITCH, then from switch everything else side by side. Router in one port on the switch, and desktop etc into another port on the switch. Except this time, only the router gets internet access and no other ports on the switch get internet.

I have replaced the switch with a new one, and still no go. I do understand that the typical setup should be- ONT > Router > Switch > Devices, but at one point I did have it working  ONT > Switch > router AND devices from the switch (physical connections have never been from the router.

Am I able to get back to my original set up? Ive tried any number of set ups, moving the router around to different positions in the "chain" and back again, but to no avail. Did Verizon temporarily provide me with 2 DHCP Leases, one for my router and one for my desktop, and now no longer? I am at a loss. 

I hope this wasnt too long or too confusing. I look forward to any responses and do very much appreciate the help.

Thanks,

[lasagna · Accepted solution]

A little surprised the setup you worked for as long as it did ... this is a BAD setup.

If I understand correctly, your handoff from Verizon's ONT to the router is via Ethernet.  That means the "Internet" side of the connection (which is what comes from the ONT) is being fed to your router -- which you in turn put into a switch before feeding it into the router.   Then you connected several LAN side connections into the switch along with what must have also been a LAN side connection into the router (otherwise it never would have worked).   Because the router was likely already up and running and had it's IP address from the ONT -- all the devices in turn were able to get their IP address from the DHCP server on the router.

BUT ... what you had in reality was a bunch of unprotected devices sitting on the open internet side of the connection talking to one another before talking to the private side of the router to then go to the Internet on that same side of the connection.  With the power blip, whichever device talked first obtained the IP address from the ONT and is now sitting WIDE OPEN on the internet unprotected.   You need to shut that setup down immediately for your own device privacy/safety.

The right way to do what you want based on what wiring you describe as available is to use a second wifi access point or extender.  If you have other wiring available (a second ethernet cable run from the upstairs location where the router is to the basement or a coax cable plant or run between those locations or between the upstairs and the ONT, then some other possibilities exist.

So ... move the router back downstairs to where the ONT cable first arrives and connect that cable to WAN port on the router.  Connect your ethernet cables for inside the house to your switch and the switch to one of the four open LAN ports on your router (you can optionally also connect those cables to any LAN port on the router.   Get yourself a wireless range extender -or- a wireless router and follow the instructions on how to set it up in "access point" mode (not router -- this will involve leaving the WAN port on the wireless router disconnected, disabling the DHCP server, and manually insuring the router is on an unused LAN address).  Configure the wireless router to have the exact same WiFi network name, password, and security method as the Verizion router.  Please this router upstairs on one of the ethernet connections and move the device which was on that connection to one of the open LAN ports on this new router.

Another option is to get a pair of Powerline repeaters -- leave the router where it's at and leave the coupler setup in place as the technician connected it.   Connect one repeater to a LAN port on the router and plug it in.   Connect the other repeated downstairs near the location where you had the switch (making sure to follow the directions to insure the repeater is on the same circuit -- or at least on the same "side" of the phase from your electrical wiring so they can see one another).  Connect the downstairs repeater to your switch along with all the other Ethernet cables (but NOT the one that's coupled and running to the ONT).  If you go this router, be certain to get the new model PowerLine repeaters which are high speed and not the older generation ones which were quite slow and electrically "noisy"). 

[jnewgent1]

Hi Lasagna,

Thanks for the response. You are pretty much spot on with regard to how my set up was. And, after hearing your concerns about those devices from the switch being exposed, I will consider a new set up. I think going the route of ONT to Router upstairs, and then another ethernet cable down from the router to the switch in the basement. This certainly makes the most sense.

Thanks again and Ill consider this one resolved.

[LawrenceC]

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