Internal LAN setup

Some users choose to keep their LinuxMCE "internal" LAN separate from their "external" home LAN.

In such a configuration, the "external" home LAN has a router which provides the connection to the Internet (through a DSL/Cable/satellite modem or T1 connection). This router will continue to provide DHCP functions, NAT firewall, and port forwarding for the external home LAN.

The LinuxMCE Core server connects to that router through one NIC card and appears as a single device on the "external" home LAN. The Core will have an IP address that is consistent with the home LAN. If the external home LAN uses the IP range 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.200, for example, the Core will have a single IP address in that range, such as 192.168.0.50.

In fact, to the "external" home LAN, the entire LinuxMCE LAN will appear to be a single device. The external LAN will only see the Core. The Core bridges all functions between the external LAN and the internal LinuxMCE LAN.

But the LinuxMCE "internal" LAN will have its own (different) IP range. If you have used the default setup options, for example, that IP range will be 192.168.80.1 to 192.168.80.xxx. The Core server will be 192.168.0.1. It connects to the internal LinuxMCE LAN through the second NIC card you installed.

That second NIC card should be connected to a second wireless router. The configuration of this second wireless router is very important.

• Connect wirelessly to this second wireless router, from a wireless laptop, for example. Choose the "View available wireless networks" option, for example, and connect to your new router. Open a browser and enter the web-based configuration page of your new router. Often this is http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.2.1, depending on your brand of router.

See your manufacturer's instructions for the default id and password for the router administration web page. Often the password is simply "admin" or "password". The userid is often either blank or "admin".

• There ought to be a "Basic setup" section. On it there should be an "Internet Connection type." This is the way the router itself will get an IP address from the Core server's integrated DHCP service. You can leave this as DHCP or you can specify a Static IP. If you choose a static IP, you must set all the subsequent values. The static IP must be in the range 192.168.80.xxx (or whatever the IP range for the LinuxMCE LAN is). The gateway must be the Core server (e.g. 192.168.80.1) as must be the DNS server.

Usually you can just leave this as DHCP and you will be ok.

• The next step is critical, however. You must disable the DHCP server settings in a section called "Network Address Server settings (DHCP)", or something very similar. This setting indicates whether the router itself will provide DHCP services. Since the Core server is providing the DHCP services, the router mustn't.

• Now you connect any LinuxMCE LAN devices to this router, either wired or wirelessly. (Note, however, that Media Directors should be only connected in a wired fashion if you intend to netboot. Netboot doesn't work wirelessly for most people.)

All devices connected to this router will be part of the "internal" LinuxMCE LAN, not the external home LAN.

• You should name this "internal" router uniquely, such as "LinuxMCE_AP" or something like that. That way, when you "View Available Wireless Networks" you can distinguish the wireless router used for the LinuxMCE LAN from the wireless router used for your external home LAN.

• Don't forget to establish a security (WEP/WPA,etc.) password for the "internal" wireless router. Otherwise, anyone could connect to your LinuxMCE LAN wirelessly and control your home for you.

• If you wish to use a device (such as a laptop) as part of the external LAN (and no longer part of the internal LinuxMCE LAN), simply change which wireless router the device (e.g. the laptop) connects to.

• Don't forget to allow any firewalls you may have to allow the new network IP ranges of both the LinuxMCE network and the new wireless router (e.g. 192.168.80.1 to 192.168.80.254 for the LinuxMCE LAN, as well as 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254 for the new router).