Changed to router from Mesh WiFi router and can't access HA

Installation Home Assistant OS
1

Hello Community,

Newcomer here. Apologies if this has already addressed.

HA Details:

  • Running on a VM in a Windows 10 machine
  • Initially assigned static IP from router - 192.168.1.49
  • Marked IPV4 in HA Settings → System → Networks → IPV4 → Static
  • Enabled externa; internet access
  • Both local and internet worked great
  • Topology: Internet → Modem → WiFi Mesh Router → Windows 10 Pro → VM Machine

Changed my Network to below topology:

  • Added a Unifi Cloud Gateway Max - 192.168.0.1, range: 192.168.0.6 - 254
  • Topology: Internet - Modem - WiFi Mesh Router → UCG Max → Unifi Switch 16 Pro → Windows → VM (WiFi router → UCG Max instead of Modem → UCG Max - Unfortunately, my 2nd port on modem isn’t working. Also, UCG Max needed to be setup through App and need to be in same network. That’s why this topology)

I changed the network config from Static to Auto in HA Settings.

  • Restarted HA
  • HA shows new IP 192.168.0.40
  • HA is not accessible

Tried:

  • Connecting back to WiFi Router port

  • Works (and same IP is assigned - 192.168.1.49)

  • Shutdown the VM

  • Changed wiring back to UCG Max → Switch → Windows → VM

  • Started HA, new IP 192.168.0.40 shows up and assigned again

  • Can’t access HA

  • Switched back to old router and disabled external/internet access from HA via UI

  • Tried to access HA remotely from internet and I was able to access HA even though the setting was disabled.

  • Changed wiring - tried to access… didn’t work

I think I’m missing a config somewhere to remove the previous reference. Can someone please help? I would like to access through the new setup that I did with new devices. But, no luck yet. Please help. Thanks again!

2

This is confusing - do you have two different routers (wifi mesh router and UCG Max)? You only want one router.

3

Yes, I’ve 2 routers for 2 different purposes. 1 is dedicated to me and my wife’s office work - that’s through the Mesh WiFI connected to a Netgear Modem.

The new UCG Max which is connected to one of the ports from the Mesh WiFi has all the Home wired devices including Cams, outdoor AP, etc, including HA.

4

That’s not ideal. The topology you want is modem → UCG → switch → everything else (clients, APs).

My guess is that your issue is that HA is on one subnet and the device you are connecting with on another. Any particular reason you need a seperate wifi router for work? With Unifi you can create a separated and isolated vlan for your office stuff if you need it.

5

My guess is that your issue is that HA is on one subnet and the device you are connecting with on another.

I’m trying to access the URL from the same PC where the VM is installed. Still can’t access HA - even though HA has a new IP assigned.

Any particular reason you need a seperate wifi router for work?

No specific reason. I had spent a lot on Mesh WiFI few years back - They’re Orbi and they work great. Just wanted to keep using them. The other reason is that - I only have an outdoor AP from Unifi and don’t have any other APs so far. Thought this would just work.

6

Consolidate everything in to one network and your problems will likely be fixed. Ditch one of the routers, you don’t want two DHCP servers on your network. You can also get issues with double NAT using two routers if you are exposing services to internet.

7

The topology you want is modem → UCG → switch → everything else (clients, APs)

I think, you’re right. I can change to this topology as well…

modem → UCG → switch → Windows → VM
modem → UCG → switch → Mesh Wifi (WiFi would just work as is…)

With this, I should still be able to connect to my WiFi and access Unifi console without any issues.

Do you think, this would work?

8

No, it will not work unless your mesh router has the ability to act as an access point.

I’ll try to explain why:

modem → UCG → switch → Windows → VM - Here devices will get ips from the UCG, for example 192.168.0.0/24

modem → UCG → switch → Mesh Wifi (WiFi would just work as is…) Here firstly your mesh router will get an ip in the 192.168.0.0/24 network and all devices connected to its wifi will get ips from the mesh router, for example 192.168.1.0/24

devices on 192.168.0.0/24 will not be able to talk to devices in 192.168.1.0/24 in your scenario.

However if your mesh router can act as an access point it will not give out IPs and all wifi devices will get an ip from the UCG (all devices in the same network).

If your mesh router cannot act as an AP my suggestion is to ditch it and buy one or two Unifi APs. You already have a router and a switch from the same series, gives you easy management as well.

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9

devices on 192.168.0.0/24 will not be able to talk to devices in 192.168.1.0/24 in your scenario.

Correct. However, I should still be able to talk to 192.168.0.0/24 from 192.168.0.40.

For example:

  • Windows PC: 192.168.0.30
  • VM: 192.168.0.40

This way - I should still be able to access HA from Windows PC (This is where the VM is installed). However, I wasn’t able to access HA from the PC in the first instance.

10

As long as you have devices connected to the same network that is correct. You would not be able to access HA from any wifi-device though (assuming HA is cabled to the switch). Can you ping between Windows and HA?

11

Thanks for the confirmation. I agree that, having 2 networks will create issues for sure. Everything was working fine before UCG.

Coming back, if I change router, how do I make it work with new devices?

I just turned off the wifi and have only 1 network:

modem → UCG → switch → Windows → VM

With this - HA is again assigned 192.168.0.40 - I can’t access HA. I’ve rebooted the VM and still the same.

Could you please help what would be the next step here?

Yes - the ping was successful.

12

The easiest might be to disconnect the wifi router and change the Unifi network to the same subnet as the wifi router had. Just to make sure, the ping you are doing is from the host Windows machine to the virtual HA instance running on the same hardware?

13

the ping you are doing is from the host Windows machine to the virtual HA instance running on the same hardware?

I just pinged and after I did a HA restart and router restart - I can’t ping the IP anymore. :frowning: It’s timing out. Can’t access Observer as well

Yes - they’re on the same hardware - inside the same Windows machine. Typing from the same Windows…

14

Please confirm the IP you are pinging from and the IP you are trying to reach. in windows you can open a command prompt and type ipconfig /all.

15

I didn’t know that my Windows was connected to WiFi while the VM was connected to Ethernet. Never thought that’s possible.

Seems the Ethernet is not getting internet if connected to UCG - though Unifi app shows it has internet. But, doesn’t show an IP.

After checking in the cmd, the Ethernet shows 192.168.1.37 (even though it’s connected to UCG which starts from 192.168.0.6)

I’ve removed my WiFi dongles - so, it doesn’t have any WiFi.

16

All right!!

SOLVED!!

Issue:

  • Even though my VM was installed on Windows PC and Windows was connected to LAN, it had a Wifi dongle.
  • Windows was connected to WiFi (Belonged to 192.168.1.1) and VM was connected to 192.168.0.0
  • That’s where the Windows machine wasn’t able to talk to VM’s URL (because of different network)

Solve:

  • I have removed the dongle, restarted both Machine and VM
  • Both now belong to same network.
  • I can access HA from local and from external (Wifi devices connected to 192.168.1.1) through external URL.

Thanks a lot, @fleskefjes for all your support and prompt responses!

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