Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?

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Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?
Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?
2020-03-24 02:09:57
Model: Archer C7  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 3.15.3 Build 180114 Rel.39265n

Hi,

 

I have configured 2 wifi networks, one for Guests, the other for my personal use. I do not want the Guest network to have access to my personal network, with exception of a DNS server I have. Is this possible?

 

If not, can I specify alternate DNS server settings for DHCP when someone connects to the Guest network? As far as I can tell, DHCP scopes and settings are for all networks and my DNS config in DHCP prevents name lookups to guests since they can't access the personal network.

 

Checking the box to allow Guests access to my main network would defeat the purpose of the Guest network so I don't see that as an option unless I can limit it to just 1 host destination.

 

In summary, can I have separate DHCP settings for the Guest network then from Personal, or can I allow Guests access to my DNS server on the personal network, but nothing more?

 

Thanks,

MC

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Re:Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?
2020-03-25 22:19:30

@mc83 

 

I dont not believe that would work as being on the guest network would block any internal communication. Unless you can point the WAN to a public DNS that would work as a alternative. Maybe also possibly setting guests to see each other, and having a second DNS server on the guest network?

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Re:Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?
2020-03-26 07:23:11

@Tony Is there any way to continue using DHCP and to utilize my personal DNS for my personal AND Public networks, or utilize my personal DNS for just my Personal network while not handing out an inaccessible personal DNS address to the Public DHCP clients?

 

Another option I tried was to combine the 2 networks into 1 and subnet my network. So instead of having my Archer C7 be 192.168.0.1/24 (mask 255.255.255.0) I made it 192.168.0.1/26 (255.255.255.192)

 

This gives me 4 subnets for my internal network and I'm able to keep 1 subnet for static IPs, then another subnet will be assigned for my personal devices based upon MAC address, and finally all other DHCP clients will be placed into a third subnet.

 

This solution mostly worked. The subnets were unable to talk to each other, but could communicate within their own subnet range, however there was no way to configure a gateway IP to leave eaech subnet. Only devices on the first subnet which the Archer C7's LAN address was in could use the internet and communicate with the Archer C7. With no way to configure gateways on the other subnets, those devices were too isolated to be useful for my purposes.

 

I feel like these are just a programming/logic shortcomings on the Archer C7 firmware. Are there any other suggestions that don't involve adding new hardware? Even if I were to plug in another device to act as a Public network DNS server, I don't see any way to designate that physical port as a member of the Public vlan/network. Also, if in theory I connected a wifi DNS server to the Public network, I'd still have the problem of the DHCP server handing out the same intenral DNS address to Public network clients.

 

Any chance my problem can be solved with the Archer C7, or perhaps it's time for me to upgrade to a more commercial device? Cheers.

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Re:Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?
2020-03-26 14:49:05

@mc83 

 

As I was reading your last response I was thinking commerical as well, but let me see what I could find for you to see if there is a alternative with your current hardware or not.

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Re:Archer C7 Allow Guest Network access to Personal DNS server (or configure 2nd DHCP for Guests?
2020-03-27 13:48:41

@mc83 

 

Unfortunately, I got back the same information as far as needing to enable local network access from the guest network.

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