Deploying Sputnik-Powered
Networks
Complete Sputnik step-by-step documentation.
Deploying Sputnik-Powered Networks
1
Deploying Sputnik-Powered Networks
1.1
Setting up NMS nodes
4
1.2
Building and Managing Mesh Networks with Sputnik Agent NMS
9
1.3
Building and Managing Wireless-WDS Networks with Sputnik Agent NMS
14
1.4
Building and Managing Wired Networks with Sputnik Agent NMS
22
1.5
How to use Sputnik-powered devices with half-bridged modems
26
Deploying Sputnik-Powered
Networks
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Setting up NMS nodes
How to add managed range extenders to your wireless network.
Set up SputnikNet subscription
If you have an extra Standard subscription in your account, you can use it to provision your device to your account. Please see: Provisioning Sputnik-Powered Devices
with Sputnik Instant Setup: http://sput.me/J8Kdah for more information on how to do this.
If you don't, open a case with Sputnik at http://www.sputnik.com/support/request_support/ and include the MAC addresses of the routers you want to assign as NMS
nodes to your account. The reason this is necessary is that NMS nodes don't display captive portals, so you will bypass the Sputnik Instant Setup process. And it doesn't
require you to temporarily add a Standard subscription. (We're going to make this better, but these are the current constraints of our system.)
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Set up WAN
Disconnect your range extender from the internet. Connect to the device wirelessly or
wired. Browse to the local web management interface at http://192.168.180.1. (We'll
assume that you are using Sputnik defaults; if not modify the IPs accordingly.)
Browse to Setup > Basic Setup. Make the following changes:
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WAN Connection Type > Connection Type: Disabled
Network Setup > Local IP address: set to 192.168.180.X where X relates to the
number of your range extender. In this case, 192.168.180.2 would indicate the first
range extender. The second would be 192.168.180.3, and so on. Do not reuse the
gateway's IP.
Network Setup > Gateway: set to 192.168.180.1
Network Setup > Local DNS: set to 192.168.180.1
Click Save but do not Apply Settings yet (as you will lose your connection to the device).
Network Address Server Settings (DHCP)
From the same page, Basic Setup, make the following changes:
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Network Address Server Settings (DHCP) > DHCP Type: DHCP Forwarder.
Network Address Server Settings (DHCP) > DHCP Server: 192.168.180.1
Click Save but do not Apply Settings.
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Set wireless SSID
Browse to Wireless > Basic Settings and set the Wireless Network Name (SSID) to
whatever you want. If you want seamless roaming, then make sure the SSID of your
range extender is the same as the SSID of your gateway, and all other range extenders.
Click Save but do not Apply Settings.
Disable SPI Firewall.
Browse to Security > Firewall, and make the following change:
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Firewall Protection > SPI Firewall: Disable
Click Save but do not Apply Settings.
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Set up Routing
Browse to Setup > Advanced Routing, and make the following changes:
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Operating Mode: Router
Dynamic Routing > Interface: Disable
Click Save but do not Apply Settings.
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Set Router to NMS (Network Management System) Mode.
Browse to Services > Hotspot, and make the following changes:
Sputnik Agent: Enable
Sputnik Mode: NMS
Sputnik Server ID: Use Sputnik Instant Setup
Click Save and Apply.
Connect your range extender wired or wirelessly to your Sputnik-powered
gateway/main node.
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Building and Managing Mesh Networks with Sputnik Agent NMS
How to configure a wireless mesh network using Sputnik-powered DD-WRT firmware. This enables you to extend the radio footprint at your location by adding Wi-Fi range
extenders with a single SSID, allowing Wi-Fi clients to roam from one access point to another without any interruption in service. Captive portals, authentication and session
tracking are handled by the primary node or gateway. Mesh nodes running Sputnik Agent in NMS (Network Management System) mode can be managed in SputnikNet.
Note: this document assumes that you've already provisioned your access points with Sputnik Instant Setup. The primary Sputnik-powered device (base station) should be
assigned a standard or pro subscription; range extenders should be assigned an NMS subscription. Please see Provisioning Sputnik-Powered Devices with Sputnik Instant
Setup for more information.
Primary node: reset to defaults.
From the DD-WRT interface, choose Administration > Factory Defaults and restore
factory defaults on the Primary node.
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Setup primary node: basic wireless settings.
1. Re-associate with the router, and from the DD-WRT interface select Wireless > Basic
Settings.
2. Change the SSID to the one you want to use on your network (e.g. "myhotspot").
3. Change the wireless channel to the one you want to use (e.g. 11), or choose "Auto".
4. Leave all other settings unchanged and click "Save" and then "Apply Settings".
Note: The rest of this document assumes the primary node has the default LAN IP of
192.168.180.1.
Setup mesh node: reset to defaults.
From the DD-WRT interface, choose the Administration > Factory Defaults tab and
restore factory defaults on the mesh node.
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Setup mesh node: basic wireless settings.
Re-associate with the router, and from the DD-WRT interface select Wireless > Basic
Settings. Then:
1. Set "Wireless Mode" to "Repeater Bridge".
2. Set "Wireless Network Name (SSID)" to the same SSID as the base station (e.g.
"myhotspot").
3. Set "Wireless Channel" to the same channel as the base station (here, 11), or to "Auto".
The rest of the settings should remain the same:
4. Leave "Wireless Network Mode" at "Mixed".
5. Leave "Wireless SSID Broadcast" at "Enable".
6. Leave "Network Configuration" at "Bridged".
Click "Save" but do not apply settings yet.
Setup mesh node: virtual Interface.
1. From the same page (Wireless > Basic Settings) move down to the "Virtual Interfaces"
section and click "Add".
2. Set "Wireless Network Name (SSID)" to the same SSID as the base station (e.g.
"myhotspot") to create a passive roaming network. NOTE: if running firmware older than
version 3.7.7.7, you must set it to a different SSID (e.g. "myhotspot1", shown here).
The rest of the settings should remain the same:
3. Leave "Wireless SSID Broadcast" at "Enable".
4. Leave "AP Isolation" at "Disable".
5. Leave "Network Configuration" at "Bridged".
Click "Save" but do not apply settings yet.
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Setup mesh node: basic network settings.
Browse to Setup > Basic Setup", then:
1. Set "Local IP Address" to 192.168.180.2
2. Leave "Subnet Mask" at 255.255.255.0
3. Set "Gateway" to 192.168.180.1
4. Set "Local DNS" to 192.168.180.1
Click "Save" but do not apply settings yet.
Setup mesh node: run commands.
1. From "Administration/Commands" type the following into the input window. The
wan_ipaddr is any available IP on the network, outside the DHCP pool. The
wan_gateway and wan_dns need to be the IP of the Primary node.
nvram set wan_ipaddr=192.168.180.3
nvram set wan_gateway=192.168.180.1
nvram set wan_dns=192.168.180.1
nvram set wan_proto=disabled
nvram set dhcpfwd_ip=192.168.180.1
nvram set dhcpfwd_enable=1
nvram set filter=off
nvram commit
2. Click "Run Commands". All of your previously saved changes will be applied. The
node will reboot and you can then associate with the AP, but the Web UI will now be
192.168.180.2.
3. From "Services/Hotspot" set Sputnik to NMS mode for the mesh node if you have not
already done so.
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Setup mesh node: testing.
Reboot the Mesh node and connect with a Wi-Fi client. You may have to wait up to 5 minutes while the Mesh device provisions.
Make sure you can receive the captive portal from either AP. It might be easier to test with a Ethernet cable as the SSIDs may be the same for both devices, depending on
how you set it up.
Add more mesh nodes.
Follow the previous steps for each mesh node you want to connect to the primary node.
Each mesh node will take up two IPs.
For example, if you were setting up second mesh node, you would set its "Local IP
Address" to 192.168.180.4 and its wan_ipaddr to 192.168.180.5, but its gateway
addresses and DNS settings would still be 192.168.180.1 (the primary node).
You can mesh together nodes with other mesh nodes, but you need to set your
gateway and WAN IP addresses accordingly. Example: Mesh#2 connected to Mesh#1
would need to have Mesh#1's IP as the gateway and DNS.
You can also set separate subnets for each mesh node to increase your DHCP pool, but
you need to set your gateway and WAN IP addresses accordingly. Example: Mesh#1 can
have Local IP Address of 192.168.181.1 with gateway and DNS of 192.168.180.1. Mesh#2
can have Local IP Address of 192.168.182.1 with gateway and DNS of 192.168.180.1.
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Building and Managing Wireless-WDS Networks with Sputnik Agent NMS
How to establish WDS (Wireless Distribution System) links to extend the range of your Sputnik-powered device by connecting it wirelessly to another access point.
Note: mesh networks are more robust than WDS networks, and provide greater throughput. Wherever possible, we recommend that you deploy a mesh network topology as
described here.
Note also: this document assumes that you've already provisioned your access points with Sputnik Instant Setup. The primary Sputnik-powered device (base station) should
be assigned a standard or pro subscription; range extenders should be assigned an NMS subscription. Please see Provisioning Sputnik-Powered Devices with Sputnik
Instant Setup for more information.
WDS for wireless range extension
You can wirelessly extend the range of your Sputnik-powered device using WDS (wireless distribution system). WDS creates a point-to-point link between the main
Sputnik-powered device and the range extender (often another wireless access point). The main Sputnik-powered device handles user authentication and acts as a
DHCP server, which means it hands out IP addresses to clients and enables them to log onto the network. The range extender acts as a bridge, passing traffic to the
Sputnik-powered device for DHCP leases and authentication.
WDS is a useful and stable way to increase the range of your wireless network. We have found, however, that sometimes different manufacturers implement WDS
differently, and their devices are not compatible. It is therefore important to test heterogeneous hardware for WDS compatibility before deploying in the field. Note
however that use of the same version of Sputnik-powered firmware on each device can significantly improve the odds that WDS connections can be established. Finally,
while you can create multiple WDS links, because they are overhead (use bandwidth), we suggest that you limit them to no more than 2-4 per Sputnik-powered device.
In the following example, we'll show how to set up WDS between two Sputnik-powered devices running DD-WRT firmware. You can enable the Sputnik Agent in NMS
mode for free remote management of the range extender. However, it is important to first make sure that you have a stable WDS network and only then enable the
Sputnik Agent in NMS mode.
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Reset primary Sputnik-powered device to defaults
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From the DD-WRT interface, choose Administration > Factory Defaults and restore
factory defaults on the primary node.
Set up basic wireless settings on the primary device
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Plug Sputnik-powered device's WAN into internet uplink and power up
Associate with primary Sputnik-powered device
Open local web interface (by default, at http://192.168.180.1)
Browse to: Wireless > Basic Settings
Set SSID: "MYAP1" (pick one)
Set Channel: "6" (pick one)
Click Save, but don't Apply Settings
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Set up WDS on the primary device
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Browse to Wireless > WDS
In the first row, set the following:
Select "LAN"
Enter the radio MAC of AP2*
Enter a name: "Range Extender"
Click Save
Click Apply Settings
*Note: to get the radio MAC of each device it is not sufficient to look at the bottom of the
device, you must first log into each, or look in the SCC UI to determine the radio MAC of
each device.
Reset Sputnik-powered range extender to defaults
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From the DD-WRT interface, choose Administration > Factory Defaults and restore
factory defaults on the range extender.
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Set up wireless on range extender
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Power up the range extender with no cables plugged in
Associate with the range extender and browse to its local web admin interface (by
default, at http://192.168.180.1)
Browse to Wireless > Basic Settings
Set SSID: "MYAP2" (pick one, same or different)
Set channel (same as the primary device)
Click Save, but don't Apply Settings
Set up WDS on the range extender
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Browse to Wireless > WDS
In the first row, set the following:
Select "LAN"
Enter the radio MAC of AP 1*
Enter a name: "Main AP"
Click Save, but don't Apply Settings
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Set up network on range extender
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Browse to Setup > Basic Setup, and in the Network Setup subsection, set the
following:
Local IP Address: 192.168.180.2 (one up from AP1's LAN IP)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.180.1 (AP1)
Local DNS: 192.168.180.1 (AP1)
Click Save, but don't Apply Settings
Note: Give each additional WDS+NMS device a unique Local IP Address (LAN address).
Set up DHCP on range extender
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Browse to Setup > Basic Setup, scroll down to Network Address Server Settings
(DHCP), and set the following:
DHCP Type: "DHCP Forwarder"
DHCP Server: 192.168.180.1 (AP1)
Click Save, but don't Apply Settings
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Set up Routing
Browse to Setup > Advanced Routing, and make the following changes:
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Operating Mode: Router
Dynamic Routing > Interface: Disable
Click Save but do not Apply Settings.
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Set Router to NMS (Network Management System) Mode.
Browse to Services > Hotspot, and make the following changes:
Sputnik Agent: Enable
Sputnik Mode: NMS
Sputnik Server ID: Use Sputnik Instant Setup
Click Save and Apply.
Connect your range extender wired or wirelessly to your Sputnik-powered
gateway/main node.
Reboot range extender
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Browse to Administration > Management, scroll to bottom
Click "Reboot Router"
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Optional: check the status of your WDS links
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Associate with primary Sputnik-powered device
Open local web interface (by default, at http://192.168.180.1)
Browse to Status > Wireless
Review the signal and noise measurements of your connections
For more information about setting up WDS networks, please refer to DD-WRT's online
documentation at http://www.dd-wrt.com.
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Building and Managing Wired Networks with Sputnik Agent NMS
How to set up a wireless network with a wired backbone that enables seamless roaming across Wi-Fi APs. Using Sputnik Agent NMS, you can manage the "range extender"
nodes in SputnikNet, for free.
Note: this document assumes that you've already provisioned your access points with Sputnik Instant Setup. The primary Sputnik-powered device (base station) should be
assigned a standard or pro subscription; range extenders should be assigned an NMS subscription. Please see Provisioning Sputnik-Powered Devices with Sputnik Instant
Setup for more information.
Set up the master (base station) node - reset to defaults
From the DD-WRT interface, choose the "Administration/Factory Defaults" tab and
restore factory defaults. Then set it up to work on your network as you would any
Sputnik-powered Wi-Fi AP.
It is a good idea to repeat this step with all nodes on your network the first time you set
them up.
Set up the master (base station) node - basic wireless settings
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Re-associate with the router, and from the DD-WRT interface select "Wireless/Basic
Settings".
Change SSID to the one you want to use on your network (e.g. "myhotspot").
Leave all other settings unchanged and click "Save" and then "Apply Settings".
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Reset Sputnik-powered range extender to defaults
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From the DD-WRT interface, choose Administration > Factory Defaults and restore
factory defaults on the range extender.
Set up the range extender node - Setup/Basic Settings/WAN Setup
Associate with the range extender and then:
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From the DD-WRT interface, select "Setup/Basic Setup".
Under "WAN Connection Type", set "Connection Type" to "Disabled".
Set up the range extender node - Setup/Basic Settings/Router IP
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Under "Router IP" set the "Local IP Address" to an increment of the master node's local
IP address. For example, if the master node's LAN IP is Sputnik default 192.168.180.1,
set the value for the first range extender node to 192.168.180.2, and further range
extenders to 192.168.180.3, etc.
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Set up the range extender node - Setup/Basic Settings/WAN Port
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Under "WAN Port" check "Assign WAN Port to Switch".
Set up the range extender node - DHCP Forwarder
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Under "Network Address Server Settings (DHCP), set DHCP Type to "DCHP
Forwarder".
Enter the IP of the master node's IP as the DHCP server.
Click "Save" to save your settings, but don't commit them yet.
Disable SPI firewall on the range extender
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Browse to Security > Firewall
Click on SPI FIrewall: Disable
Click "Save" to save your settings, but don't commit them yet.
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Set up the range extender node - Wireless/Basic Settings
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From the DD-WRT interface select "Wireless/Basic Settings".
Make sure "Wireless Mode" is set to "AP" (the default).
Set the "Wireless Network Name (SSID)" to the same name as used above (e.g.
"myhotspot").
Note that you can use a different wireless channel than the master node to increase
coverage while minimizing interference. (But generally speaking, the wireless
channel setting doesn't matter.)
Leave all other settings unchanged and click "Save" and then "Apply Settings".
Cable a LAN port of the base station to the WAN port of the range extender.
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How to use Sputnik-powered devices with half-bridged modems
Some ISPs deploy half-bridged modems which can cause intermittent connectivity issues with Sputnik-powered devices. Here's how to fix it.
Disable the SPI firewall.
Normally the router's SPI firewall is enabled as a security precaution. However it must be
disabled if the Sputnik-powered device is connected to a half-bridged modem.
Browse to MANAGE > Routers > your router > Execute Command: Command Line and
enter:
nvram set filter=off
nvram commit
startstop lan
Confirm the new settings.
From Execute Command, enter:
nvram get filter
The result should be:
off
IMPORTANT: If you have multiple routers at a single location, power off all routers after
you have disabled SPI firewall, and turn them back on again. If even a single router is
left powered on with SPI enabled, it will disrupt the connection for the other routers
onsite in a way that is not fixable by rebooting those other routers individually.
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