Hi, I just purchased the VF2825 and VF2111 and encountering some setup problems in Video WLAN (Bridge) mode:

- Data WLAN works for VF2825 and VF2111: Tested with both laptop and IPTV box - everything works fine
Video WLAN not working for VF2111: IPTV box says DHCP failed. It is capable of setting for static IP also. I’ve tried a number of combinations for IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, and DNS settings on the IPTV box but none is working.

As mentioned, I can get the IPTV box working with the Data WLAN. But, ideally, I would like to use the Video WLAN since that was the original intention. How can I get the IPTV box to get IP via DHCP in Video WLAN Mode (i.e. Bridge Mode)? If that’s not possible, what Static IP settings should I input on the IPTV box?

I’ve already tried auto-provision but that didn’t work. So I’ve disabled auto-provision and manually set up the Video WLAN settings on both the VF2825 and VF2111. Right now I have the encryption disabled for the Video WLAN to ensure that’s not the problem. Please advise what I can do to set up the IPTV box through VF2111 in Bridge Mode, thanks.

As background info, I use cable broadband. Broadband modem connected to VF2825. Pretty much all default settings and straight forward standard setup. IPTV is also capable of PPPoE settings but I understand that’s for DSL not cable broadband.

As you found out yourself, when connecting the 2111 to the 2825’s Video WLAN, the 2825 acts as a Bridge, so the 2825 DHCP functionality is not enabled on the Video WLAN (while it is enabled on the routed Data WLAN). Some other device in your network needs to assign an IP address to the IPTV box. Typically this is done by your Internet Gateway, or even by the IPTV provider. The answer depends on from whom you are receiving the IPTV signal, so please discuss this question with your IPTV provider.

In general, it is strongly advised to use the Auto Provisioning method to transfer the configuration over to the 2111. This is the only way to guarantee the configuration on the 2111 matches the configuration on the 2825.

Ruckus Support

The IPTV box is also capable of settings for Static IP in lieu of DHCP. What IP address would go into that field? Is it the default IP address of the VF2111? I will also need to enter subnet mask, gateway and DNS1/DNS2. What would I enter in to those fields?

I tried Auto Provisioning already but it didn’t work. The IPTV box tells me that DHCP failed. That’s the reason I’m trying to set this manually.

I contacted my IPTV provider and they suggest that I:

• Use the default IP on the VF2111
• Set the subnet mask as 255.255.255.0
• Set gateway and DNS to the same as displayed through IPCONFIG on my PC

Does this sound right?

Just to further clarify, I have the same setup as the diagram on the Ruckus website: http://www.ruckuswireless.com/images/ds/router/...

I thought the whole point behind the VF2111 is connect it to the IPTV box to provide it with an Internet connection through the Video WLAN. I hope I’m not mistaken as that is the reason why I bought this in the first place.

So, let me start from the beginning to make sure I have done the correct steps:
(1) Factory reset VF2111
(2) Auto provision with VF2825 by following instructions on the manual
(3) Change PC’s IP to 192.168.0.10 and connect VF2111 to PC and login to double check settings
(4) Connect VF2111 to ethernet port of IPTV box
(5) Power on IPTV box
(6) At this point, the IPTV box boot and then will tell me that there is no DHCP. (Understood, since we are in Video WLAN/Bridge mode)
(7) IPTV box prompts me for static IP, subnet mask, gateway, DNS1 and DNS2
(8) What do I enter at this point?

Both VF2825 and VF2111 are on default settings, and as indicated above I have a straight forward set-up. Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

Hi hkgnyc,

First, what do you mean by IPTV box? Are you referring your Set-Top-Box (STB) as the IPTV box? What kind of STB do you have, make and model?

Who is your IPTV service provider? I am not aware of any cable vendor who provides IPTV service at the moment. By default, your 2825 should be getting IP address through DHCP. When you log in to your 2825, do you see IP address on the Status::Internet page?

If your 2825 is configured to acquire IP address through DHCP and its WAN port is connected to your cable modem, yet you don’t see IP address assigned to your 2825, then you need to factory reset your cable modem. Some of these cable modems do not assign IP address if the MAC address of the newly attached device is not the same as the original device.

If factory resetting your cable modem fixes the IP address assignment problem, you can leave your STB to acquire IP address through DHCP.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards,

Ruckus Support

Hi,

Correct, I’m referring to the STB when I said IPTV box. My IPTV provider is a US provider called GekTV. Their setup box is also branded as their own, i.e. GekTV. (I couldn’t find another brand on the box so I assume they manufactured it.) The model number is GEK1080HD-160G and looks like this:

http://www.gektv.com/en/installation_guide_en.html

My cable modem provider is Time Warner Cable New York City/RoadRunner (20Mbps). The cable modem is a Toshiba PCX2500. The VF2825 is connected directly to the cable modem and when I log in to the 2825, I can see my IP address, connection type is DHCP and connection status is ‘Up’.

As mentioned before, I CAN get the VF2825 and 2111 combination to work with the GekTV STB in the Data WLAN mode. However, I would like to run the STB via the VF2111 in Video WLAN (i.e. Bridge mode) because that was why I purchased this Ruckus product. The issue at hand is that DHCP (the default mode on the STB) does not work in Video WLAN mode since it cannot get an IP address from the 2111 in Video WLAN mode.

The STB defaults to obtaining an IP through DHCP and this fails. At that point, the STB also gives me the option of entering manually a static IP (together with a subnet mask, gateway, DNS1 and DNS2). Is this the way to go given that DHCP does not work in Video WLAN mode? If so, what do I need to enter for these 5 fields?

Thanks.

If your cable modem provided an IP address to your 2825 but not to your STB, it seems like for some reason your cable modem is configured to provide a single IP address. In that case, I am not sure whether configuring a static IP address to the STB will work or not. Video WLAN runs in bridge mode and transparently bridges packets. DHCP requests from your STB should have been transparently bridged to your cable modem and the cable modem should have assigned an IP address to your STB.

You can try to put a static IP address that is in the same network as the IP address assigned to your 2825 Internet connection. Use the same subnet mask, DNS setting and default gateway IP address. I do not believe you need to fill in both DNS addresses, so if there is only one DNS address assigned to your 2825, just type that one in.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards,

Ruckus Support

Hold on here, you do not want to go around guessing static IP addresses to assign to boxes. While that might work it will cause network issues and when they figure it out people will likely get angry with you.

The 2825/2111 combo is only useful in two situations.
1. You are allowed to have two external devices from your ISP, in this case you should be able to dhcp 2 addresses. The 2825 will get 1 and the device on the video WLAN will take the other 1 address available. In this case you could only have 1 device hooked up to the 2111 or you would need additional addresses from your ISP

2. You have an additional internet gateway between your ISP and your 2825 which is also doing a NAT. This would mean your normal internet goes something like this.
internet -> modem -> router/nat -> 2825
Of course no home user will do this unless they just use the 2825 as an access point (which it doesn’t work as).

Unless you have 2 IP addresses from your ISP the 2825/2111 video WLAN is worthless to you. Sadly there is no option to allow 2 wlans but have them both behind the 2825’s DHCP and NAT. Basically this feature is only good for IPTV providers who also provide the internet and are expecting 2 devices for each user.

Thanks mditty, Ruckus Support & BigDog. Appreciate it.

I’ve done the following things. I think I’m closer to resolving this:

• Confirmed with Cable Broadband ISP (Roadrunner) that they only provide one IP address (all dynamic, no static option) *I subsequently purchased an additional IP address from Roadrunner
• Resetted cable modem, VF2825 and VF2111. Then auto provisioned the 2 devices
• Logged into VF2825 and 2111 to check settings. All lights green on both devices.
• I called Roadrunner’s technical support and confirmed that above IP addresses were active
• IP address on VF2825 is 74.68.121.XXX and 74.68.154.YYY on VF2111 (At that time and still is as I’m typing this)
• VF2825 shows gateway as 74.68.121.ZZZ
• I typed 74.68.154.YYY into Internet Explorer and was able to log into VF2111 through my PC’s web browser (PC connected into VF2825 with ethernet cable)
• VF2111 Ruckus Wireless Admin page shows IP address as 74.68.154.YYY and gateway is 74.68.154.WWW (Everything looks good)
• Login to VF2825. Everything looks good. “Status :: Wireless” shows VF2111 as a Connected Device. “Ruckus Adapter Management” shows “n/a” for the VF2111 (not sure if that’s normal). Click on “MAC Address” for VF2111 to go to “Status :: Wireless :: Station Details” page. All looks good, except IP Address shows * (is that normal?)
• Power on STB and DHCP failed. Tried Static IP settings again on STB with 74.68.154.XXX (New 2nd IP address) and a combination of other IPs, subnet mask, gateway & DNS but nothing worked
• Again, everything works fine with direct ethernet cable from STB to 2825, and using wireless DATA WLAN (2825 and 2111)

What am I doing wrong? Having the “1 IP address restriction” with my ISP was clearly an issue, but now I have 2 IP addresses.

Any other ideas? Thanks in advance!

hkgnyc,

The VF2111 now has your second IP address but you really want the computer to have it. Change the IP address on the 2111 to non-DHCP and set it back to the default IP so you remember what it is set to.

Then DHCP on the STB should work, unless Roadrunner locks IP addresses to MAC addresses in which case you might have to ask them to reset it.