Ethernet v Wi-Fi

[Dafydd51]

Hi All,

            Not a problem but a question. Recently we have some changes and moved the router near to the B2. Decided to plug the b2 direct to the router via a cable.

Found the mac address and gave the B2 a static address, NO. keep changing every time it was switched on. Tried giving all the devices in the house static address but no change. The only thing I didn't was a high number. Have gone back to Wi-Fi and no problems. Any one else had this problem.

Dave

[RaymondO]

Hi Dave - I switched 3 days ago to cable rather than WiFi - my usual IP address for the WiGi dongle jumped from 39 to 42 on ethernet, but it has stayed there (I use Virgin's own Arris Superhub 3 router with no special settings. The fact I can call up the b2 instantly is superb (as the EiFi goes to sleep and the only way I can get it back up is to either go to it or remotely cycle the power socket to make it come online. If I knew how good and fast the cable connection would be, I'd have done it years ago!

[Keith Conrad]

Dave,

My router had one wifi address and one address for the cable.  I tried wifi connection for awhile, but there seemed to be an issue with CDDB taking f o r e v e r  for a lookup.  I have been wired for a couple of years

and there is never an issue with lookups, or hesitation with the B2.  Even when the B2 was wireless, it was less than 2 feet from the router, but still had issues with the CDDB.

If it is at all possible, I think wired is the way to go.

Keith Conrad

USA

[Will Roberts]

Every piece of network hardware as a unique MAC address ("media access control address") which is assigned when the individual device is manufactured. The built-in hard-wired ethernet port will have its own MAC address and the WiFi dongle will have a different one of its own. If you buy a new WiFi dongle, it will have a different MAC address than the dongle your replace.

MAC addresses are expressed as six hexadecimal numbers. For example, 00-14-22-A1-23-FF or 00:14:22:A1:23:FF. 

Your router assigns an IP address on your local area network to each MAC address which it finds. It can assign this IP address from a pool of available addresses ("dynamic IP") or you can force it to assign a specific IP address to a specific device's MAC address.  See your router's instruction manual.

Because you will want whatever device you're using to control the web interface on your Brennan to be able to find your Brennan, you will want to make sure that your Brennan is assigned a static address so that it's always where you expect it to be on your local network.

You should be able to set a static address for your Brennan in your router. The B2 software will work automatically with an Ethernet connection and you do not need­ a Wi­Fi password. (And, when you are using a hard-wired ethernet connection, you probably should remove the WiFi dongle which will free up a USB port for other use and avoid your Brennan having redundant network connections.)

[Daniel Taylor]

Well said, Will.  In all my years of working with computers, I've never understood all that as well as I do now.  Thanks!

[Dafydd51]

Thanks Will, I spent many years working in IT so know how to set a static address on the ethernet port of the B2. My question was the B2 keep moving the address when it powered up. Have gone back to Wi-Fi and the address stays the same, just wondering if any one else had experienced this.

Dave

[Daniel Taylor]

I read in another thread that when you have the B2 connected to the router with a cable, then you need to have the WiFi adapter not plugged in.

[RaymondO]

I only found this by accident - with the Wi-Fi dongle inserted this always took priority and I could not access the b2 easily using the LAN IP address. Removing the dongle and restarting allowed the switch. I’ve now stuck the dongle on the side of the b2 with insulating tape as I know I’ll lose it easily if I don’t!

[lesliebr...@gmail.com]

Know the feeling Raymond. I have many items stored in safe places I can't find, but they're safe somewhere. Good to know about having to remove the WiFi dongle.