FAQ Gateway C120 AND C130
FAQs Common to the C120 and all C130 model Cellular Routers
Administration and Configuration
Q: How do I configure and administer my Sixnet device?
A: There are several methods through which you may configure and administer the product:
- Via Graphical_Administration_Utility (GAU)
- Via Secure Shell (SSH)
- Via Serial Console Port
- Via Telnet
Q: Do Sixnet devices support Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)?
A: Yes. Sixnet C120 and C13X series routers can support BGP either through their ability to run BGP natively onboard the device or they can support BGP from a device behind the Sixnet in pass-through mode.
Q: How do I enable BGP in the Graphical_Administration_Utility (GAU)?
A: BGP is enabled through the "Advanced" tab at the top of the GAU menu.However, in a Linux environment, BGP runs atop Zebra, so you should start Zebra before you start BGP. Navigate to the Advanced Tab in the menu, and in the drop-down window labeled "Select Sub-System to Configure" select "Zebra". When the configuration file is displayed click the "Start" button, and then repeat the procedure for the BGP Daemon.
Q: How does BGP work?
A: Explanation of how BGP works is a complex question that is outside the scope of this FAQ. Sixnet will be happy to assist you in resolving your BGP implementation issues on a consulting basis.
Q: Where can I get information on how the Sixnet implementation of BGP works?
A: The Sixnet implementation of BGP is based on Zebra. Additional documentation on how Zebra works may be found at: http://www.zebra.org/
Q: How do I enable BGP in the command line interface?
A: While logged into the device as root issue the following commands in the order shown (copy/paste):
- /sbin/chkconfig zebra on
- /sbin/service zebra start
- /sbin/chkconfig bgpd on
- /sbin/service bgpd start
Cellular Cards
Q: Where can I find a list of approved Cellular Data Cards that work with these devices?
A: A list of approved cards can be found here: Data Cards
Q: Can the Sixnet auto-detect and configure cellular cards?
A: In most cases, yes, but it depends on the card's manufacturer. Some card manufacturers use the same product identifiers for several different cards, making automatic detection difficult, and in some cases impossible. Fortunately, these are the exception and not the rule, so in most cases Sixnet can automatically detect the card and configure it in the system. For those carriers that require user id's and passwords, it is necessary to enter the userid and password into the system configuration before the card will be able to access the cellular network. For those carriers that don't require a user id and password the card will be automatically connected to the cellular network.
DHCP Server
Q: Does the Sixnet device have a DHCP Server?
A: Yes.
Q: Why can't I obtain an IP Address for the PC/Laptop connected to the Ethernet port when I plug it in?
A: Connecting a Sixnet device with a functioning DHCP server to a 'live' network that contains an already functioning DHCP server would adversely impact network operations. For this reason, the Sixnet DHCP server must be enabled during configuration.
DMZ Host
Domain Name Service Proxy
Ethernet Port(s)
- Configuring IP Addresses
- Default IP Addresses
- Hardware Port Configuration
- Secondary IP Addresses
- VLANs
- External Interfaces
- Internal Interfaces
- Port Allow Rules
- Port Forwarding
- Using Serial Console Port
- Using SSH/SFTP and Command Line
- Via Graphical_Administration_Utility
- Access Interval
- Enable/Disable GMU Client
- Error Interval
- GMU Server Port
- Specifying GMU Host Server
Q: Do Sixnet devices support Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)?
A: Yes. Sixnet C120 and C13X series routers can support GRE either through their ability to run GRE natively onboard the device or they can support GRE from a device behind the Sixnet in pass-through mode.
Q: What is Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)?
A: GRE is, essentially, putting a packet inside of a packet. Think of it like a VPN tunnel without the encryption. GRE allows one to effectively 'tunnel' traffic between two locations without the configuration complexity, decreases in performance, or increases in latency often associated with VPN implementations, particularly across cellular networks.
Q: If GRE is not secure, then why would I want to run it?
A: Great Question. GRE allows one to bypass the need for complex, difficult to maintain, port forwarding implementations. GRE is perfect for use in private cellular networking environments such as AT&T's private APN, Sprint's Datalink, or Verizon Wireless' "Wireless WAN".
Q: Does the Sixnet GRE implementation support Multicast?
A: Absolutely. In fact, it is required so that the two routers can see one another if you will be running multicast OSPF.
Q: Will the Sixnet GRE work with Cisco GRE or Multilink GRE?
A: Yes. The Sixnet GRE functionality works fine with both Cisco GRE implementations.
NOTE: GRE DOES NOT provide any encryption and therefore should not be considered secure.
IP Fail-Over
Q: What is IP Fail-over and how does it work?
A: IP Fail-over is a capability developed by Sixnet whereby the device can monitor the health and availability of connectivity out one port, and when it sees that connectivity fail, it will reconfigure the device to communicate via a secondary port. Additionally, while the device is operating on the secondary/backup port, it will continue to monitor the availability of the primary port. When it sees the primary port return to service it will reconfigure the device to return to using the primary port for connectivity.
An illustrative example would be when using cable or DSL as a primary connectivity method and wanting to use cellular connectivity as backup connectivity. In this type of a configuration, the Sixnet would detect a failure in the primary DSL connectivity and activate the cellular data card to establish backup connectivity in much the same way as dial backup. Once the connection to the cellular network has been established, the Sixnet device will continue to monitor the DSL connectivity. When the DSL circuit returns to service, the Sixnet device will detect that the DSL connectivity is functional, disconnect from the cellular network, and begin communicating across the DSL circuit.
IP Transparency
Q: What is IP Transparency?
A: IP Transparency is similar to a transparent mode bridge, yet slightly different. IP Transparency allows the Sixnet device to obtain an IP address from the cellular network and transparently pass it to the device behind it. This allows the device behind the Sixnet to use the IP address that the cellular card obtained from the cellular network as if it were directly connected to the cellular network. This feature provides an important capability when it is necessary to "cellular enable" non-cellular devices behind the Sixnet device.
Q: When is it appropriate to use IP Transparency?
A: IP Transparency is predominately used in situations where it is not desirable to have the Sixnet device NAT the traffic coming from the device behind it, such as Cisco's Dynamic Mode VPN (DMVPN), or legacy VPN implementations that do not support IPSEC NAT Traversal (NAT-T), such as older, legacy Netopia router implementations.
Q: How does IP Transparency work?
A: IP Transparency works by obtaining an IP address from the network on the specified external interface, this can be either an external ethernet port or a cellular data card. Once the Sixnet device has obtained an IP address, it will provide that IP address to the device behind it by way of a DHCP server. The ethernet interface of the device behind the Sixnet is configured as a DHCP client. When the device behind the Sixnet requests an IP address via DHCP, the Sixnet's DHCP server will issue the IP address it obtained from the external network to the device behind it.
Q: What makes IP Transparency different from a transparent mode bridge?
A: With a transparent mode bridge literally everything that comes in the bridging device's external interface is passed through to the device(s) behind it, and everything coming from the device(s) behind the bridging device is passed from the internal interface back out through the external interface. In cellular data networking environments this can be problematic because the security implementations within all cellular networks expect that all traffic coming from the cellular data device must come from the IP address that the cellular network assigned to the cellular device. If a traditional, completely transparent mode bridging implementation were to be used then the traffic from all devices behind the bridging device would be forwarded on to the cellular network. The cellular network would recognize that the traffic was not coming from the IP address it assigned to the cellular data device and would terminate the connection by disconnecting the cellular device. IP Transparency prevents this situation from occurring by blocking any and all traffic trying to leave the device that is not coming from the IP address that the cellular network assigned to the device. This mechanism prevents the cellular network connection from being terminated because illegally address network traffic cannot be passed to the cellular network.
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
Q: Do Sixnet devices support Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)?
A: Yes. Sixnet C120 and C13X series routers can support OSPF either through their ability to run OSPF natively onboard the device or they can support OSPF from a device behind the Sixnet in pass-through mode.
Q: How do I enable OSPF in the Graphical_Administration_Utility (GAU)?
A: OSPF is enabled through the "Advanced" tab at the top of the GAU menu. However, in a Linux environment, OSPF runs atop Zebra, so you should start Zebra before you start OSPF. Navigate to the Advanced Tab in the menu, and in the drop-down window labeled "Select Sub-System to Configure" select "Zebra". When the configuration file is displayed click the "Start" button, and then repeat the procedure for OSPF.
Q: How does OSPF work?
A: Explanation of how OSPF works is a complex question that is outside the scope of this FAQ. Sixnet will be happy to assist you in resolving your OSPF implementation issues on a consulting basis.
Q: Where can I get information on how the Sixnet implementation of OSPF works?
A: The Sixnet implementation of OSPF is based on Zebra. Additional documentation on how Zebra works may be found at: http://www.zebra.org/
Q: How do I enable OSPF in the command line interface?
A: While logged into the device as root issue the following commands in the order shown (copy/paste):
- /sbin/chkconfig zebra on
- /sbin/service zebra start
- /sbin/chkconfig ospfd on
- /sbin/service ospfd start
Q: What is "Out-of-Band Management"?
A: Out-of-Band Management allows you to use the cellular capabilities of your Sixnet device to manage other devices over the cellular network.
For example, let's say you have a Cisco router at a remote location. The circuit is down, and you need to troubleshoot it with the carrier, but it is late at night and you are 200 miles away from the location. With OOB you can connect to a TCP/IP socket on your Sixnet device over the cellular network and the Sixnet's onboard protocol converter will convert your TCP/IP telnet session to RS-232 serial. Now you can connect the serial port of your C120/C13X device directly to the console port of your Cisco router with the Cisco's console cable and adapter and manage troubleshoot the circuit problem without needing to be there. This capability can also be used to manage other types of devices, such as remote computer systems (linux serial consoles), phone/pbx systems, and a plethora of other types of devices.
Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
Q: Do Sixnet devices support Routing Information Protocol (RIP)?
A: Yes. Sixnet C120 and C13X series routers can support RIP either through their ability to run RIP natively onboard the device or they can support RIP from a device behind the Sixnet in pass-through mode.
Q: How do I enable RIP in the Graphical_Administration_Utility (GAU)?
A: OSPF is enabled through the "Advanced" tab at the top of the GAU menu. However, in a Linux environment, RIP runs atop Zebra, so you should start Zebra before you start RIP. Navigate to the Advanced Tab in the menu, and in the drop-down window labeled "Select Sub-System to Configure" select "Zebra". When the configuration file is displayed click the "Start" button, and then repeat the procedure for RIP.
Q: How does RIP work?
A: Explanation of how RIP works is a complex question that is outside the scope of this FAQ. Sixnet Electronics will be happy to assist you in resolving your RIP implementation issues on a consulting basis.
Q: Where can I get information on how the Sixnet implementation of RIP works?
A: The Sixnet implementation of RIP is based on Zebra. Additional documentation on how Zebra works may be found at: http://www.zebra.org/
Q: How do I enable RIP in the command line interface? A: While logged into the device as root issue the following commands in the order shown (copy/paste):
- /sbin/chkconfig zebra on
- /sbin/service zebra start
- /sbin/chkconfig ripd on
- /sbin/service ripd start
Secure Shell (SSH)
- Enabling Root Access
- Enabling Via Command Line
- Enabling via GAU
- Alternate SSH Port
- Disabling Reverse Lookup DNS
- Disabling via Command Line
- Disabling via GAU
- Secure File Copying
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
Static Routes
- Adding via Commandline
- Adding via GAU
- Redirecting to a Remote Host
Telnet
- Alternate Telnet Port
- Disabling
- Enabling
- Disabling
- Enabling
Q: How do I enable Zebra in the Graphical_Administration_Utility (GAU)?
A: Zebra is enabled through the "Advanced" tab at the top of the GAU menu. Navigate to the Advanced Tab in the menu, and in the drop-down window labeled "Select Sub-System to Configure" select "Zebra". When the configuration file is displayed click the "Start" button.
Q: How do I enable Zebra in the command line interface?
A: While logged into the device as root issue the following commands in the order shown (copy/paste):
/sbin/chkconfig zebra on/sbin/service zebra start
C130 FAQs
FAQs Specific to the C130 model Cellular Router (2 serial ports, 2 ethernet ports)
C131 FAQs
FAQs Specific to the C131 model Cellular Router (2 ethernet ports, dial tone emulation modem)
C132 FAQs
FAQs Specific to the C132 model Cellular Router (2 ethernet ports, synchronous serial port)
|
C134 FAQs
FAQs Specific to the C134 model Cellular Router (2 ethernet ports, async, analog dial out modem)