I am rebuilding my wireless network and wonder can I put a switch or cascading switches 'underneath the umbrella' of a EdgeRouterLite (ERL) to provide vlans for operating separate networks using Unifi AP's?
a) If I can work with a one port in, two ports out structure is there any reason not to use an ERL?
b) Are there other limitations that distinguish an ERL from a regular Edgerouter?
c) Can I put switches between the Unifi's and the ERL, and what model of vlan-aware switch do you recommend? d) Are there limits on how many switches I could cascade below the ERL?
I should perhaps explain what I am doing and that I am trying to keep the costs down as my property is for sale, but I need it to work.
i have a small 18 room driveup style motel and have been using a system based on Unifi AP's for about 4 years, since they came out, really. Before that I used to use Bullets and DD-WRT. I have three networks available on the AP's, a private network for staff/family, a network forr guests, and a network for freeloaders, speed-limited to 500Kbps by the Unifi system but works well to get your email or a reservation from your car in the lot. As well I have a wired network for things like VOIP and the credit card terminal. Incidentally the system ran for three of the four years without needing its controller because I lost the hard drive.
The three wireless networks run on vlans provided by an old ADTRAN 1224 router which has now died, prompting an upgrade to the system. An additional factor is that the recent popularity of Apple products in our customer base means that we have a steady stream of Apple-owning whiners who can't figure out how to connect or whose ipad or Macbook doesn't have the guts to reach our AP's. So I want to increase the number of AP's to 7 overall, and replace the dead ADTRAN.
So, the system is fed from a cable modem getting 10Mpbs through a SOHO router where the Wired and wireless streams are separated (was a Mikrotik...which died in a power surge with the Adtran.... will probably go to a Cisco/Linksys or an ERL-EdgeRouterLite). then feeds by wire to an ERL then by wire to various AP's (with switches as appropriate).
I appreciate your help.