Feature Request: Persistent Fall-Back IP Address

Products C5
#1

The C5 (and G2 WAN) should have options for DHCP with a persistent Static IP. Then, when the C5 picks up a DHCP address, the old static remains and can still be used to communicate with the C5.

This is what I picture as an example:

  • A5 blocks all 192.168.1.0/24 traffic (preventing access to other C5 radios in the fallback range on the network)
  • C5 has 192.168.1.20 always (including after receiving a DHCP address)
  • G2 has 192.168.1.2 always (including after receiving a DHCP address)

Then, I show up at an installation, plug in a prepared G2 and a C5 (both expecting DHCP addresses). I can connect via WiFi to the G2, navigate to 192.168.1.20, and it will ALWAYS get me to the C5 radio. Then, I log in and aim accordingly. During the process, both devices pickup DHCP addresses, but the aiming process continues because the static is persistent and not just a fall back.

A secondary suggestion: Have a second static on the C5 (i.e., 192.168.1.21) that goes straight to an aiming page with a display, graph, and beeping feature, and does not require any login… just shows the signal strength and maybe a couple other parameters. This would be very efficient.

Example with another vendor: Cambium uses 169.254.1.1 for a persistent IP on the ePMP series. Plug a laptop straight into it, and it will fail to get an IP and fall back to a 169.254.x.x address. You can always get to the ePMP radio just using 169.254.1.1 and a laptop will effectively auto-configure to talk to that address. By default, however, you might not always connect to the closest radio since they all respond.

The easier an installation is, the less it costs.

3 Likes
#2

This would be very nice to have.

1 Like
#3

I’m working through an installation process for my wireless techs with our first 2 A5c’s and C5’s and I’m a bit stymied by how anyone is deploying the C5 “easily”. The fact that it changes it’s IP as soon and it associates is a pain in the ass.

How is anyone else coping with this “Feature” ? Configure it as static, do the install, setup the client router etc and then Switch it back to DHCP with Static fail over, hope it picks up an IP for management, and then call the office to verify ?

I had read somewhere that the C5 installations were “one click”. Hmmm… not so much.

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#4

We are at our fifth or sixth iteration of “how to install easily” our first intent was to have an install SSID have the device show up in the cloud and then have a programmer program it.

We are still having issues doing an install procedure, the best we have come up with so far is we picked an entire large range and we set everyone of the static before they go into the field.

There is a new install client, but again we have to share too much information with our contract installers to do it this way. The C5/G2 are provisioned before they go into the field.

This feature would definitely help fix it.

1 Like
#5

Great feedback everyone. I am discussing your suggestions with our Engineering team to see how we can make installations easier with and w/out the Install App.

1 Like
#6

It appears there is already a persistent IP address. Through some testing, I’ve found the C5 keeps the address
207.89.26.237 and the G2 keeps the address 207.89.26.238.

Behind a G2, you can always access the local C5 at address 207.89.26.237. This is a quick way to get into the C5 without having to find the address.

#7

Ugh, really? This is a “public” and routable IP address. It comes from the block 207.89.24.0/21 which is owned by Mimosa (AS 62786). Since this is routable, its a legal address and has the potential to create some interesting routing loops. Plus, since its “legal” its possible for an ISP to do some interesting damage with it if the address is accidentally injected into someone’s BGP space (will eventually happen if it already hasn’t).

How come these devices don’t come up with a default SSID connection, get a bootp packet to download a config that has the rest of the information from a tftp server, etc… The overall problem however with this is “authenticating” the packet (since its an open wireless) and vice versa for the system installing the C5. There are several ways to do this with factory set keys based on a private key system, but that would require an authorization server somewhere as well.

Anyway, using a public IP rather than a link-local for what it was intended for is … weird

Marcos

#8

Marcos, although unconventional, I don’t see this as a problem, since they are dedicating a small block to its use. If you try to get to the address from outside the installation tools, it attempts to route out to be public Internet where the address does not appear to be in use.

Perhaps, they could put it in use! Return some information about being connected directly to the Internet and use it as feedback to their app for the event where the device connecting gets mistakenly connected to the wrong network. In that case, this could even look like a feature.

Regardless, they did end up officially adding a persistent IP address:
169.254.200.20

Although, you can’t seem to get to it from behind a typical G2. I realize that address is technically not routable, but with some careful configuration, you can route to it in specific circumstances which can be useful during installation and troubleshooting. I use a small MikroTik mAP for my installer and route to specific 169.254. addresses on the WAN port successfully.

#9

Is this IP still accessible in DHCP+ Static Failover mode even after receiving a DHCP IP via an associated A5C?

You have a little Mikrotik Wireless Router that is setup to do DHCP for laptop connectivity and you route to this static IP on the C5 via one of the Ethernet ports on the Mikrotik?

I’m trying to make installing easy. I don’t want to give contracted installers the keys.

#10

Yes, the IP is still accessible in DHCP+Static mode. I do exactly what you suggested; I use a MikroTik mAP and configure it to access the Mimosa radio using the “public” static IP above. I also configure it to access other radio defaults like the standard Mimosa fallback, Cambium defaults, and UBNT defaults.

If you run NAT on the MikroTik and have the “public” static network assigned, you can even use the app to auto-provision the radios without needing a G2. This is especially useful since the G2 is a little challenging to get working without AC.

1 Like