WAN vs LAN

Ok, I'm not that smart about networking but I know a tiny tiny amount. I know basic stuff like what LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) and what the basic differences are.

Here's my question. I have been trying to get this to work for a while now and today, I did something I KNEW shouldn't work and I was wrong.

Here's my setup.

I have a direct wireless connection to the net. I get 4 megs up and 7 to 8 down all within 10 ms ping.

I have a Netgear ProSafe VPN Firewall FVS318 (does not have QoS much to my dismay)

I have a 24 port DELL switch.

I also have a Nitsuko 28i Phone system (equivalent to an NEC of the same model)

On the netwrok I have a windows 2003 server and half a dozen or so other coms (a mix of XP and win 7) tied to an active directory within the WS2003.

Then I have this seemingly b__tard Gremlinvoip (GrandStream)

I tried everything I could find and could not make a phone call. Kept getting busy signal, incoming or outgoing. I tried placing it before the router, after the router, in the bathroom, out in the rain, no difference. I cannot see it on the router.

Modem/GM(WAN/LAN)/Router/Switch
Modem/Router/GM(LAN)/Switch
Modem/Router/Switch/GM(LAN)

Rebooted all devices in every order I could think of and no result. I did notice that having this thing plugged in behind my router was causing me all kinds of assigned IP problems on my network. Could not define it and the only way to get everything back online was to remove the GM completely.

Then today, I plugged the cable into the GM(WAN) port, then into the switch and the damned thing started working. The router sees it, I can even assign a specific IP. I still cannot log into the unit though.

Can someone please explain?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skyforum

Ok, I'm not that smart about networking but I know a tiny tiny amount. I know basic stuff like what LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) and what the basic differences are.

Here's my question. I have been trying to get this to work for a while now and today, I did something I KNEW shouldn't work and I was wrong.

Here's my setup.

I have a direct wireless connection to the net. I get 4 megs up and 7 to 8 down all within 10 ms ping.

I have a Netgear ProSafe VPN Firewall FVS318 (does not have QoS much to my dismay)

I have a 24 port DELL switch.

I also have a Nitsuko 28i Phone system (equivalent to an NEC of the same model)

On the netwrok I have a windows 2003 server and half a dozen or so other coms (a mix of XP and win 7) tied to an active directory within the WS2003.

Then I have this seemingly b__tard Gremlinvoip (GrandStream)

I tried everything I could find and could not make a phone call. Kept getting busy signal, incoming or outgoing. I tried placing it before the router, after the router, in the bathroom, out in the rain, no difference. I cannot see it on the router.

Modem/GM(WAN/LAN)/Router/Switch
Modem/Router/GM(LAN)/Switch
Modem/Router/Switch/GM(LAN)

Rebooted all devices in every order I could think of and no result. I did notice that having this thing plugged in behind my router was causing me all kinds of assigned IP problems on my network. Could not define it and the only way to get everything back online was to remove the GM completely.

Then today, I plugged the cable into the GM(WAN) port, then into the switch and the damned thing started working. The router sees it, I can even assign a specific IP. I still cannot log into the unit though.

Can someone please explain?

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It needs to be plugged into the Internet, some way somehow, not the WAN port. You can see it because its now a networked device.... Reason you cant get dial tone, or calls in or out is a NAT issue. When behind a firewall NAT needs to be off, you cannot do this with the device. You would have to use a softphone or install like many of my customers do (I own a telecom brokerage), which is run a Asterisk Phone System with VoIP phones.

Unless you can give rid of all NAT then you wont get it to work.

I can give you more detail, but its a bit much for a forum post.

Im assuming you are talking about a Grandstream HT502 for VoIPo adapter trying to get to work.

Yes, it's the HT502.

The funny thing is, it's working fine now plugged in behind the router to the WAN port. Maybe I just found a new way to circumvent the NAT problem? (lol)

Hi skyforum i can tell you a couple months ago i had the same problem with my voipo adapter i tried many diferent ways to make it work and sometimes worked for one or two days.
But i found out that wasn't the adapter It was my modem causing the problem , i have a dsl century link modem and i was able to CHANGE IT TO BRIDGE MODE instead of routing mode and the problem was fix; I have the modem back in routing mode last week, just to test if that was really the problem, and guest what i was not able to make o receive calls again.
So my advice is try to put you modem in BRIDGE MODE if you can this will turn off the firewall on the modem and let you router manage firewall.the way i have it connected is MODEM >>VOIPO DAPTER>>ROUTER>>THEM MY COMPUTERS.

^ in your configuration your HT502 should also be changed to "bridged" mode as opposed to the default of being a NAT router (maybe it is). Just something to keep in the back of your mind if you start having troubles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skyforum

I tried everything I could find and could not make a phone call. Kept getting busy signal, incoming or outgoing. I tried placing it before the router, after the router, in the bathroom, out in the rain, no difference. I cannot see it on the router.

Modem/GM(WAN/LAN)/Router/Switch
Modem/Router/GM(LAN)/Switch
Modem/Router/Switch/GM(LAN)

Rebooted all devices in every order I could think of and no result. I did notice that having this thing plugged in behind my router was causing me all kinds of assigned IP problems on my network. Could not define it and the only way to get everything back online was to remove the GM completely.

Then today, I plugged the cable into the GM(WAN) port, then into the switch and the damned thing started working. The router sees it, I can even assign a specific IP. I still cannot log into the unit though.

Can someone please explain?

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Skyforum, it's never going to work by connecting your modem, router or switch to the LAN port of the HT502. You must connect the WAN port of the HT502 to the Internet in some way for it to work. The LAN port on the HT502 is typically used for router function only. There should have been some sort of instruction sheet included in the box you received. If there wasn't, then Voipo slipped up.

Modem/GM(WAN/LAN)/Router/Switch
This setup would have only worked if you connected like this: Modem-> HT502 (WAN) -> HT502 (LAN) -> Router -> Switch
If your modem is already in bridged mode, you would likely need to release your public IP in your router before attempting to connect it this way otherwise it may not work at first. The HT502 needs to pull a public IP if the modem is bridged. You incur double NAT in this scenario, so there's a possibility some devices behind your router might have Internet connectivity problems. No port forwarding needed since the ATA is ahead of your router.


Modem/Router/GM(LAN)/Switch
This setup won't work at all. You must connect it like this: Modem-> Router -> HT502 (WAN) -> HT502 (LAN) -> Switch
In this scenario, I would bridge the HT502 so that all devices connected to your switch don't incur another NAT. Port forwarding maybe needed depending on your router's firewall.

Modem/Router/Switch/GM(LAN)
This setup won't work at all. You must connect it like this: Modem-> Router -> Switch -> HT502 (WAN)
No double NAT going on, so that's good. Port forwarding maybe needed depending on your router's firewall.

In all cases, it's a good idea to make sure your modem is in bridged mode to aviod double/triple NAT in your network. Cable modems by default are already bridged, but DSL modems are normally not.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skyforum

I still cannot log into the unit though.

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You normally log into the ATA via the LAN port. So, you will have to connect a laptop or PC to this port and log in using the default IP address of the ATA. If you want to log in to the ATA via the WAN port, then this feature will have to be turned on in the ATA's web configuration first, then you can access it via the IP address that your router assigned to the ATA.

Excellent mid-level overview of network device setup. Slightly reformatted, and with the author's permission, this would make a great sticky.

I have the HT-502 behind my router and connected to the WAN port of the ATA only. I do not have a problem logging into the device with the statically assigned IP (if inside my firewall), or outside using the WAN assigned IP and port. Your outside WAN access is almost certainly enabled if your VOIPo managed (otherwise they couldn't access your ATA).