T3200M Bridge mode and Google Mesh WIFI Setup

[Arne]

Hi,

The wireless signal from my T3200 does not provide sufficient coverage in my home as well the wifi doesn't play nice with certain devices on my network.  ie - I have a server and printer (both wired) that cannot be found by devices that are connected to the t3200 wifi.  I have an old Netgear wifi point attached to the network and can successfully access the server and the printer from that point.  For some reason the t3200M is messing with network discoverability - in any event the signal coverage is too weak at the other end of my place and upstairs. 

I have a google nest mesh wifi that I'm going to set up and am looking for some best practice advice before I start - two of my TV boxes are wireless so I understand that I need to keep the WIFI radio turned on.

I've read a lot of posts here and it seems that there are two approaches:

1. Place the T3200M into bridge mode and connect port one to the WAN port on the Nest router and then keep the Optic box plugged into on of the ports 2-4.

2. Connect a gigabit switch to the ONT and then connect the T3200M (not bridged) to one of the ports on the switch and then Nest router to one of the other ports on that same switch.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments here.

[NFtoBC]

Just set up the Google Mesh without bridging Port 1. You should have a network that works as you want with access to your printer, etc., from both wired and wireless devices.

Many have experienced the lack of transfer between the T3200M Wifi-connected devices and the rest of the network. Either Google Mash, or Telus' Boost Wi-Fi address this issue.

[Arne]

So - to be clear ... which option are you recommending?

[NFtoBC]

Option 3. Connect the Google mesh without any changes to the T3200M.

[Arne]

Thanks - I'll try that.

[Arne]

I wish it was that simple.  I followed what you suggested and now the Sonos system is completely undiscoverable.

So - option one or two?

[jaykay]

I'm following this as well because I'm trying to do exactly the same thing.  

If you simply plug in the Google/Nest WiFi into another port and create a whole new wireless network, that new network will have it's own Subnet. So your main router will be something like 192.168.1.* and your Google WiFi will be something like 192.168.68.* (that's what mine was assigned by DHCP from the T3200m).

Yes, anything that connects to your new WiFi network will be able to access the internet (and speeds/latency won't be impacted) they won't be able to access the rest of your LAN on the 192.168.1.* subnet.  

My plan is to do this:

port 1 of T3200M -> goog wifi -> your_new_network [including wired devices connected to the LAN port on goog wifi via a switch AND wireless devices on your new ssid]

port 2 of T3200M -> optik box 1

port 3 of T3200M -> optik box 2

Disable WiFi on the T3200M, rename goog wifi to the old ssid (reuse the same password) and you should have your new devices pick it all up.

I'll be testing this on Sunday- limited access to my modem as it's in our basement suite during COVID-19 🙂

[NFtoBC]

The T3200M shouldn’t be assigning IP addresses outside the 192.168.1.x range. If the Google device is in the 192.168.68.x, then it must be setting its own IP range.

If it is setting its own subnet, then an option is:

T3200M > primary Google mesh > switch for all Ethernet connected devices + Google mesh Wi-Fi for all but Optik. Which is similar to the  @jaykay suggests.

[Arne · Accepted solution]

I bridged port 1

Port 1 > Wan connection of the Google device

Lan connection on the google device > Switch for all wired devices in the house

All other devices in house now connecting to the new wifi I set up

Wireless Radio on T3200M remains on

Port 2 of the T3200M > PVR Optix Box

Other TV's successfully connecting wirelessly to system

only problem - I had to reconnect all of my Sonos devices to the new network manually.

[BobtheBuilder]

I had similar idea, but linksys velop instead of google nest. I had similar success with 

Nokia Fiber Modem > T3200 in bridge mode + wifi turned off (I found some smart devices were still getting confused and dropping WiFi connections)

T3200 > Velop Parent Node

Velop > Switch > Wired LAN connections

Velop > Child Nodes > Wireless LAN connections

All Cat 6+ cabling

I'm on the fibre 150 plan

The issue I still have Is both LAN and WLAN speed tests both won't exceed 100 Mbps (~95 is the max I get)? Anyone have any idea on what is limiting it? I've tried testing at both peak and non-peak (ie. middle of the night) and it's always between 75-95 mbps (using fast.com site for testing).

[Arne]

I'm on 150 as well and am getting 170+ on both wired and wireless.  Without sounding glib, have you tried rebooting everything? Or a wired connection straight to the fibre modem to test the raw speed?

[mailwbc]

Hi,

I was just looking to put in place a setup exactly like you did with disabling the Telus WiFi radio and using a Linksys Velop Mesh unit for serving up the wifi instead, and I noticed the problems you mentioned about the LAN and WLAN speed limitations.

I was wondering if there were any answers found as to resolving that issue. If yes, were there certain settings that had to be changed on either or both of the Telus T3200 and/or Linksys Velop units?

Anyways, any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance for any thoughts or solutions.

cheers

Bill

[jaykay]

Can you still see the T3200M from your new wifi network?  Curious if you can still log in to it, or if it's safe to turn off the wifi radio.

[Arne]

I cannot as their networks are separate - I suppose that I could if I logged onto the t3200's wifi spot or plugged an ethernet cable into one of the other ports- but I have two tv boxes that are wireless and they need that service active.

[jaykay]

Just thought I'd chime in to say everything worked well when I plugged it all in based on my above methodology.  Two separate networks, WiFi ssid's different to keep them straight- Optik boxes on one network, the rest of my LAN on the Google WiFi network.

[andyczerwonka]

I've got this setup and I am seeing dropped Internet connectivity. Wifi signal is strong, 3200 is in bridge-mode. The Google Nest Wifi diagnostic suggests that the 3200 is not reporting the IP consistently.

[Razzy]

Same here. Any luck solving?

3200 in bridge mode, strong wifi, have manually set the IP address on the Google Wifi Router. But now and again the internet connection is dropping.

Strange thing is I never had a single issue in my last apartment but have been having problems since moving. Both my previous apartment and current town house have fibre optic connections.

[andyczerwonka]

No, not in bridged mode. You'll have to physically connect to the 3200 to manage it.

[Arne]

Not a great solution - port scans on this configuration shows only the local lan on the nest router - nothing on the rest of the network.  

Will try Nest >T3200M

Nest > house switch 

[andyczerwonka]

You can't get managed updates that way from the Google... it has to be a passthru to work afaik.