On 08/18/18 13:55, Jonathan Ryshpan wrote:
I have just replaced my old home router, which had stopped working,
with a Trendnet
AC1900 Dual Band Wireless Router, model TEW-818DRU. I need to replace the Trendnet
router because I am totally unhappy with it. However, since the Trendnet router was
recommended by some sites which I usually trust, like Cnet, I'm reaching out to
people who may know something about networking. (I know very little.) Can anyone
recommend a router that actually works?
Let's start with the problems with the Trendnet router. Here is the table of
connected devices.
*Wired Connected Devices*
# IP Address MAC Address Host Name
1 192.168.10.102 C8:1F:66:0B:98:B4 Oaklandweather
2 192.168.10.101 14:DD:A9:7E:4C:52 amito
3 192.168.10.103 88:36:5F:F7:0C:95 android-a81a750feb8c4486
The reason you are seeing the above is that when a device makes a DHCP request it
includes as part of the request its "hostname". Your router, like most
routers,
records this information in its list of "DHCP Clients". That information is
not
magically inserted into any DNS server.
I downloaded the User Manual for the router and there is no indication that it
actually runs a "DNS Server". Like many routers, it simply acts as a
"resolver" and
"cache" for DNS entries. It actually passes the DNS queries to another server
that
you've configured. Typically, that would be the DNS server of your ISP.
1. What is the device android-a81a750feb8c4486? There are only two
devices
connected to the router by wires. Very odd.
As already pointed out, that would be either an Android Phone or Android Tablet.
1. The router has a DNS server in it. The server doesn't know
anything about any
of these devices, so I will have to set up /etc/hosts in all of the computers
in the local net manually. Trendnet customer support has informed me that this
is not a bug but a feature.
I use a Synology RT2600ac router which has an add-on DNS Server package. It will
allow you to make local DNS entries.
I actually don't use that package since I run a DNS server on my Fedora system. I
then use the feature in my router, which yours has as well, to lock a MAC Address to
a DHCP supplied IP address. And I make the appropriate entries in the DNS server.
Then, depending on what I'm doing, the devices on my network will either query the
router's DNS or my Fedora DNS. (A bit complex since I use proxy DNS services from
my VPN provider to easily access non-local video content)
1. There are issues with the way the router's DHCP sets up the
attached computers
so that searches aren't referred to higher level servers in my local net. More
devices have to be entered into /etc/hosts by hand.
As I said, I don't think your router runs a real DNS server. See my comments above.
Does anyone know what's going on here? Can anyone recommend a router that handles
networking properly and that puts out a strong signal for my wireless hot spot?
I like my Synology Router.
--
Conjecture is just a conclusion based on incomplete information. It isn't a fact.