TWO DSLs to one WL500G

[mctiew]

Hi,

I would like to find out if I could use the 5-port ethernet which comes with the hardware to connect to ***TWO*** service providers and thereby leaving 3 ethernet for internal LAN connections ?

Leaving the issus of loadsharing and split access as subsequent software issues, my question now is whether if each of the 5 port ethernet can be assigned into individual VLAN ( and therefore will have separate interface names ) ?

Cheers.

[Styno]

No, the 4 port switch is connected to a single ethernet interface on the broadcom cpu. You won't be able to use just a single ethernet port of the switch for another WAN connection.

You are able to create 2 connections with a extra USB ADSL modem.

[mctiew]

No, the 4 port switch is connected to a single ethernet interface on the broadcom cpu. You won't be able to use just a single ethernet port of the switch for another WAN connection.

This is the part I don't understand. If the system has 2 ethernets, one for the WAN and the other is for the LAN and is connected to a switch, then I can understand this restriction.

But I vaguely remember the hardware review mentioned somewhere that there is only one ethernet for the entire system and the WAN port and the LAN ports are connected to the same switch.

Maybe this is wrong ?

[Oleg]

Leaving the issus of loadsharing and split access as subsequent software issues, my question now is whether if each of the 5 port ethernet can be assigned into individual VLAN ( and therefore will have separate interface names ) ?

With wl500g the answer is no, with wl500g deluxe the answer is yes. With Linksys wrt54g, wrt54gs the answer is yes.

[kevinling]

some IP sharing device can using the switch ports to be a backup line. But only support pppoe connection. So you can have a static IP or pppoe connection on WAN Port and another backup/loadbalance PPPoE on Switch Port.

[mctiew]

With wl500g the answer is no, with wl500g deluxe the answer is yes. With Linksys wrt54g, wrt54gs the answer is yes.

Could you please enlighten us why would it be yes for wl500g deluxe and no for wl500g ?

Does it also mean that for wl500g deluxe, one would effectively have logically 5 ethernet ? Any hardware and software restrictions as compared to "normal" 5 ethernet ?

Cheers

[mctiew]

some IP sharing device can using the switch ports to be a backup line. But only support pppoe connection. So you can have a static IP or pppoe connection on WAN Port and another backup/loadbalance PPPoE on Switch Port.

This is interesting information but somehow I feel that I still haven't fully understood the whole thing. Perhaps I shall rephrase the questions :-

1. Is there a difference between the WAN/switch port between the wl500g and wl500gx ? If yes, what's the difference ?

2. Is the WAN port and the switched ports connected to the same ethernet ? If yes, wouldn't people able to sniff the LAN packets from the WAN ?

3. Seems you are saying that the switch ports are non-separable, and running pppoe on it to connect to another ISP, won't it mean people able to sniff the LAN packets from the "backup" lines ?

Sorry for being so sticky on it. It seems I only half understood all the explanations given. I hope you can be patient with me. Thanks in advance.

Cheers

[Oleg]

Could you please enlighten us why would it be yes for wl500g deluxe and no for wl500g ?

Does it also mean that for wl500g deluxe, one would effectively have logically 5 ethernet ? Any hardware and software restrictions as compared to "normal" 5 ethernet ?

Cheers

Hardware is different.

Think of wl500g as device, having two ethernet controllers, one is connected to the WAN port and other to unmanaged 5 port switch (4 LAN ports and one internal).
wl500gx (deluxe) has one ethernet controller, which is connected to the 6 port managed switch, which allows configuration of the 5 external ports in the way you like. (internally wl500g cpu contains this switch on the same die). By default firmware preconfigures switch, so one port sits in separate vlan.

The limitation is that wl500gx theoretically could not handle 100 MBps routing in full duplex (due to one ethernet controller), while wl500g does. But both devices are routing 2.5x times slower anyway.

[mctiew]

Hardware is different.

Think of wl500g as device, having two ethernet controllers, one is connected to the WAN port and other to unmanaged 5 port switch (4 LAN ports and one internal).
wl500gx (deluxe) has one ethernet controller, which is connected to the 6 port managed switch, which allows configuration of the 5 external ports in the way you like. (internally wl500g cpu contains this switch on the same die). By default firmware preconfigures switch, so one port sits in separate vlan.

The limitation is that wl500gx theoretically could not handle 100 MBps routing in full duplex (due to one ethernet controller), while wl500g does. But both devices are routing 2.5x times slower anyway.

Thank you so much for you explanation. I fully understand what you mean.

Cheers

[phedny]

One solution is to connect an external switch or hub on the WAN port and connect both modems the that device.