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    Replacing VLAN switch in router on a stick configuration

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved L2/Switching/VLANs
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    • A
      airlab
      last edited by

      I am currently in the middle of implementing pfsense in my home network. As an MVP I set up an Intel NUC in a router on a stick configuration with a 5 port TP link managed vlan switch

      I set up the pfsense box with vlan 999 for my WAN and vlan 40 for LAN. I configured vlan 999 with DHCP and vlan 40 with a static IP and DHCP server.

      on the switch:
      Port 1 on the switch is the trunk connected to the NUC
      Port 2 is untagged vlan 999 for WAN -> connected to my cable modem
      Ports 3-5 are untagged vlan 40 for LAN -> connected to an AP and a desktop

      Everything is working great. I got everything set up to replace my ubiquiti equipment and it was running fine for the past week.

      I decided to change out the switch for a 16 port version of the same series and configured it the same except made ports 3-16 with vlan 40 untagged.

      The problem I'm running into is that I can't get the WAN port to get an IP with the new switch. I tried releasing the IP and renewing the lease multiple times. I swapped the original switch in and it works fine. I also tried moving the WAN port to a different physical port with no luck. When I connect to the modem directly with a PC it gets an IP fine from the ISP.

      I have not changed anything in my pfsense config yet since I am still learning the interface. I am thinking if I should try reinstalling pfsense and setting it up fresh with the new switch or is there a way to do this for the WAN interface without reinstalling? Is there some sort of dependancy that the first switch caused in my config? Maybe the MAC address of the first switch is a factor here?

      Any ideas on what I may be missing?

      JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • JKnottJ
        JKnott @airlab
        last edited by

        @airlab said in Replacing VLAN switch in router on a stick configuration:

        5 port TP link

        Bad choice. Some TP-Link gear doesn't handle VLANs properly.

        PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
        i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
        UniFi AC-Lite access point

        I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

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        • A
          airlab @JKnott
          last edited by

          @JKnott the 5 port TP link is the one that is working... and has been working for over a week now.

          JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • JKnottJ
            JKnott @airlab
            last edited by

            @airlab

            The problem is that it leaks multicasts between VLANs There is also an issue where VLAN1 appears on all ports. @johnpoz can tell you about that one.

            PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
            i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
            UniFi AC-Lite access point

            I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

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            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
              last edited by johnpoz

              What specific tplink switch do you have, and what firmware is on it?

              This is a long running issue where their cheap entry level smart switches (maybe even others made by them) do not allow you to remove vlan 1 from port. So yeah you would get leakage between your vlans you setup. Now they supposedly fixed it with firmware for the v3 of hardware. But they never released the firmware for v1 or 2..

              But I found out recently that you could install the v3 firmware on the v2 hardware. And it did allow you to remove vlan 1 from ports you wanted in a different vlan. This works - but I have yet to validate that it not leaking info... I just validated that the web gui does allow you to remove vlan 1.. There is a thread around here somewhere where I posted that you can indeed install the v3 firmware on v2 (the one I have)..

              At some point I will look to see if actually working correctly.. But personally I would just stay away from that brand for switches and or AP that are suppose to do vlans. Since I just don't think they get how vlans are suppose to actually work ;) it took them well over a year of people complaining for them to come out with a "fix" And then they never bothered to back port the firmware to their previous models. There are posts on their forums where they stated that it was normal and on purpose that you couldn't remove vlan1 ;)

              edit: Here is the thread where v3 firmware works on v2 hardware
              https://forum.netgate.com/topic/149308/can-t-reach-my-switch-s-management-interface-from-my-vlans

              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
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              • A
                airlab @johnpoz
                last edited by

                thanks for the info @johnpoz and @JKnott . I am going to look into a different switch solution. I had the 5 port laying around and after I proved the concept to work I bought the 16 port one so I'm going to be returning that asap.

                The 5 port model is the TL-SG105E v4 and the 16 port model is the TL-SG1016PE v1. My APs are unifi AP ac pros.

                So am I just "lucky" that my current set up is working with the 5 port switch? I am just using this as a stop gap until I get my T620 plus set up with a dual/quad NIC next week. Not sure if I will be sticking with the router on a stick config once I have more interfaces available.

                JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  Does your 105eV4 allow you to remove vlan 1 from the ports you have put in other vlans? You set the pvid on the ports?

                  So its still leaking vlan traffic across, be it multicast or broadcast?

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                  • A
                    airlab @johnpoz
                    last edited by

                    @johnpoz It allows me to remove ports from being a member on vlan 1. I also have the PVID set for each port.
                    How can I check if it is leaking?

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                    • JKnottJ
                      JKnott @airlab
                      last edited by

                      @airlab said in Replacing VLAN switch in router on a stick configuration:

                      The 5 port model is the TL-SG105E v4 and the 16 port model is the TL-SG1016PE v1

                      If that 16 port switch uses the same software as the V1 5 port, it has the problem. Hopefully they got it fixed with V4.

                      PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                      i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                      UniFi AC-Lite access point

                      I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

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                      • A
                        airlab @JKnott
                        last edited by

                        @JKnott Ah good to know. It's going back to the store today. any recommendations for a similar capacity switch that does VLAN properly? I need at least 9 ports and 4 of them POE. I also don't want a rack mount type switch due to space. How are the netgear managed switches?

                        JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • johnpozJ
                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                          last edited by

                          poe or poe+ how many watts?

                          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
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                          • JKnottJ
                            JKnott @airlab
                            last edited by JKnott

                            @airlab

                            A few months ago, I bought a Cisco SG200-08, but it's only 8 ports.

                            Essentially, you can buy whatever switch you want, as I've only heard of this problem with TP-Link.

                            PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                            i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                            UniFi AC-Lite access point

                            I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • johnpozJ
                              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                              last edited by johnpoz

                              Yeah I have only ever seen this problem on the tplink stuff.. I have some lowend netgear and dlinks - and they handle vlans correctly. So really anything should work - seems your requirement of poe would be the limiting factor in your choices.

                              There are a lot of different things involved with poe.. is it af or at, or the new bt.. Or are your devices using some odd passive setting with specific voltage requirements. And then what is the total wattage your poe devices are going to require... its possible that switch might have your needed 4 poe ports, but not be able to supply the total wattage across these ports that your devices want/need.

                              What are the specific device(s) your wanting to use poe for?

                              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
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                              • A
                                airlab @johnpoz
                                last edited by

                                @johnpoz @JKnott

                                Ah okay so its more that tp link stuff is bad not that in general cheaper switches are bad.
                                I have 2 unifi AP AC pros which draw 9W max each, a unifi cloud key, and one unifi AP AC lite which maxes out at 6.5W. they use poe af.

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                                • johnpozJ
                                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                  last edited by johnpoz

                                  @airlab said in Replacing VLAN switch in router on a stick configuration:

                                  AP AC lite

                                  How old is that model, have you validated it what poe it does, they use to sell those with only 24v passive poe support..

                                  Here is some info
                                  https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/76l762/8023af_support_for_uap_ac_lite/

                                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
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                                  • A
                                    airlab @johnpoz
                                    last edited by

                                    @johnpoz yep it’s the revision with both the weird UniFi Poe and poe af.

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                                    • johnpozJ
                                      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                      last edited by johnpoz

                                      Whats the budget for this switch... The 9 port requirement pretty much forces you to a 16 port model.. Which drives the cost up..

                                      All unifi gear for poe, have you looked at the unifi switches?

                                      Can 1 of the ports be via sfp, where you could add a copper sfp or sfp+ if you need copper connection. The UniFi Switch 8 (150W) would meet your needs if 1 of the ports can be sfp. You would have to buy the sfp for what you want the 9th port for - 200$

                                      Same sort of thing but dlink DGS-1100-10MP, but again the 9th port would be sfp. Same sort of 200$ price range.

                                      cheaper option the netgear JGS516PE, less total poe power but more ports. The GS108PE would be cheaper, but only 8 ports total... And only 53 watts, which should be enough but its 1 port short..

                                      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                                      • A
                                        airlab @johnpoz
                                        last edited by

                                        @johnpoz $200 is the max budget. I actually have a UniFi switch 8 150W that I was using in my USG setup but I want to get away from UniFi as much as possible. I have had increasingly bad experience in the last year with unstable firmware on the UniFi gateway and switches. I was running year old FW in them since they keep locking up with the newer versions.

                                        The APs have been solid.

                                        I’m going to look into the other ones you mentioned.

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                                        • johnpozJ
                                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                          last edited by

                                          Yeah I have heard some horror stories with their switches, shame too since their AP are so freaking solid ;) I had a usg while my sg4860 was on back order when I upped my isp speed and needed something with more umph.. Couldn't get it off my network fast enough... While it could push the packet for my speed, it was not even close to ease of use compared to pfsense..

                                          Now that usgp3 just sits on my self as an emergency spare, and a toy to play with run into some usg question I get interested with helping with ;)

                                          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                                          • A
                                            airlab @johnpoz
                                            last edited by

                                            @johnpoz yea the APs were how I got sucked into the ecosystem. I should have stopped at the APs. I will admit UniFi is great for managing my parents network from across the country so I’ll give them that.

                                            @JKnott & @johnpoz Thanks for the help and discussion!

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