Topic: Can a Wifi NIC be used for the WAN connection

[lloydh]

I want to know if it is possible to use a WiFi NIC, either PCI or USB, as the WAN interface on SME Server 9.x Server and Gateway instead of an Ethernet NIC.

[Daniel B.]

No. At least not out of the box. It'll be easier to add a small AP in client mode and connect it to your SME Server on a standard ethernet NIC

[lloydh]

Thanks Daniel, I thought that would probably be the case and I have already been looking at what you suggested as well as a WiFi to Ethernet bridge.

[calisun]

I have a router connected to my LAN card. Disabled DHCP server on the router, but left on all authentication/ security settings. Works great for me.

[lloydh]

I have a router connected to my LAN card. Disabled DHCP server on the router, but left on all authentication/ security settings. Works great for me.

What I was trying to achieve was to eliminate any physical connection between my modem/router and the rest of my network.     

The reason for doing this is because just over a month ago (in Aus) we had a storm and a direct lightning strike on the power pole at the front of the house.     Also between the power poles are the telephone lines and cable about 3 metres below the power lines.    There was no damage through the power itself, all the damage was via the telephone lines and cable, all neighbours lost their modems including my neighbour who had a cable modem, another neighbour had a PC connected to the modem via ethernet and they lost the PC.       I have a wired ethernet network and almost everything ethernet connected was destroyed, the SME server, 3 PC's, modem, KVM, monitors, switches etc as well as most of the home theatre.      The insurance assessor is dragging his feet, I have been paid out for small items but the total bill may be pushing close to $10,000 and I don't want a repeat of this as there are storms forecast again this afternoon.

I had a dig through my bits and pieces box and I found a Yamaha YWA-10 which is a WiFI to ethernet bridge I used on my AV Receiver before I had the house cabled for ethernet and I now have it at the start of my network connecting to the modem/router via WiFi and all is working, the only physical cable now plugged into the modem/router is the phone line.

[CharlieBrady]

... all is working, the only physical cable now plugged into the modem/router is the phone line.

Is your modem/router DC powered via the phone line?

[calisun]

Any good quality surge protector will save you a lot of headache. Don't get a $10.00 cheap POS, spend some money on a good quality one. I don't even look at anything lower than 1000 joule rating, if you can afford it, especially for mission critical situations go to 2000 or more joule rating. I use UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) I got a good quality one. Not only does it have a large battery, which will protect and power my SME server for a while, it also has plug-ins to protect from surges from (besides power) phone and coax. Connect coax before modem to keep modem from blowing up. Plus the UPS also gave me $100,000 guarantee against damage to any electrical items connected to the UPS.
If you don't want to spend extra money for UPS, good quality surge protector will also have ports for phone line and coax.

[lloydh]

Is your modem/router DC powered via the phone line?

Yes the modem/router (Billion 7800NXL) is powered by a standard plugpack PSU.

Any good quality surge protector will save you a lot of headache........ I use UPS

Since the incident I have purchased and installed one of these on the phone line.http://www.apc.com/shop/ee/en/products/APC-ProtectNet-standalone-surge-protector-for-analog-DSL-phone-lines-2-lines-4-wires/P-PTEL2

The server, modem, switch and wireless AP's were all on an Eaton UPS but, as I said, all the damage was via the phone line for myself and my neighbours which is why I have eliminated the physical link out of the modem/router.

[michelandre]

Hi lloydh,

A very cheap and secure solution wil be to install in a machine with WiFi.

Install a ADSL modem with wireless to the phone line.

Install VirtualBox.
Create a new virtual SME.
Backup the real server.
Restore in the virtual SME.
In VirtualBox associate one of the card to the Wifi of the station.
Reconfigure the SME NIC;
- External network (throug VBox) to the WiFi of the station to communicate to the wireless modem.
- Local network (throug VBox) to the real NIC of the station going to a wireless router. The router run as a gateway for the clients.

If something happen from the telephone line, only the wireless ADSL will blow.

I have a travelling classroom running that way. Works great.
Have a look at the setup on page 8 of http://www.micronator.org/PDF/Sans-fil/RF-232_SME-9.0_SalleDeClasseSansFil_3_Routeur_Local.pdf

Note: The station log to the wireless modem before starting the virtual SME.

Michel-André

[DanB35]

Another option would be to use a pair of fiber media converters like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-quality-10-100Mbps-Ethernet-to-Fiber-Optic-Media-Converter-40KM-SC-1Pair-/361380853196?hash=item5423fa35cc:g:SZ4AAOSwd0BV6Xec

No electrical connection from the modem to the computer, no chance of interference, and no chance of anyone tapping into the signal.

[michelandre]

Hi lloydh,

I forgot, you have to redirect ports in the wireless modem.

Also, if the wireless router doesn't support DHCP relay, you can use DD-WRT to modify it.

Michel-André

[Arnaud]

Install VirtualBox.
Create a new virtual SME.
Backup the real server.
Restore in the virtual SME.
In VirtualBox associate one of the card to the Wifi of the station.
Reconfigure the SME NIC;
- External network (throug VBox) to the WiFi of the station to communicate to the wireless modem.
- Local network (throug VBox) to the real NIC of the station going to a wireless router. The router run as a gateway for the clients.

Michel-André

If I can put my 2ct:
- I have read many times (it was for IPcop) that it is really not recommended to use a machine with bridge function as a VM for safety reasons because you can't totally make sure that the container machine will not proceed interactions between both interfaces in a way that isn't permitted by the VM.

- Btw: "Proxmox" is a very good distribution to install VM's

Bye
Arnaud 

[michelandre]

Hi Arnaud,

If the host and the VM are not on the sme networks and they don't share directory or anything else how can the malware communicate between the host and the VM?

The wireless card of the host doesn't have to be on the same network also. All cards of the host and both of the VM cards can all be on different networks.

Also, I think that there is another network card between the card of the VM and the card of the host. So the malware will have to pass through that card also?

I will futher investigate...

Michel-André

[CharlieBrady]

Another option would be to use a pair of fiber media converters ...

A great suggestion, Dan. That's what I'd be doing.