When internet goes down network goes down

[passeri]

Thank you for clarifying that, foxint.

What is the 2-port card you bought please, name and model? Interesting that you could not get one port to work but I can make nothing of that as yet.

Some basic tests I should have requested earlier:

• Disconnect the router (Opnsense) from the internet (i.e. the WAN side, cable to the NBN box) while leaving everything on.
• As if to do a file transfer, can you see the target machine?
• If so, start a file transfer. It does not need to be a long one, any modest file will do.
• If it starts, see whether it completes.

On the information to date, it ought not pass step 2. In that case, please

• Go to the Opnsense GUI (can you reach it then?) and check Interfaces on the Dashboard. If you do not have that up then /Interfaces/Assignments. LAN should be green, WAN red because you disconnected it.
• That being so, check the ARP table (/Interfaces/Diagnostics/ARP table) as you have done before. Check that everything expected is present, or not.

[cookiemonster]

Interesting that you could not get one port to work but I can make nothing of that as yet.

I reckon foxint expects the box with OPN on it to behave as a consumer router, where ports are bridged by default. I think since there are switches available we leave that for now to keep it simpler. For now.

My interpretation of the landscape is attached. @foxint can you confirm or correct it. Make it easy for us, corrections make them graphic for now.
You cannot view this attachment.

[passeri]

As side comment, the NBN box in question has a single ethernet port to the client and an RJ12 connector to a telephone wall socket with copper to a kerbside node where the fibre terminates. Some homeowners in the past would DIY additional splitters for other phone or fax services, passing the technically advised junction count. If these are still in place they may cause unreliability apart from the fact of copper lines. There may be a current plan to convert all connections to FTTP as was originally intended, depending on who wins elections. Mentioned as a possible driver of connection faults which one-off tests by NBN Co may not detect. End of aside.

[foxint]

Hi Guys,

Thank you. I have been a little busy today, my apologies.

Basic test. I pulled the plug from the OPN-Box and the NBN Box and moved some files from various PC's and this was no problem.

It passed the test, so I am assuming I do not follow instructions in paragraph 2. I have reconnected the ONP-box and NBN-Box.

Cookiemosters diagram looks correct.

As for my house it is a 100 plus year old stone cottage in Broken Hill. So that means it is in need of total renovation. I have the original electrical wiring and all the joys that comes with an old house.

Internet arrives at the house via a copper wire. I have removed ALL additional cabling that the previous people had attached. So there is 1 wire into the house.

I have plans to re-wire this house and after that get FTTP. But it has taken me 1 ½ years to get 4 power points and I am not holding my breath for the remainder of the re-wiring to happen anytime soon. The NBN man wants me to run conduit into the roof and down into the house where I want the modem. The electrician has agreed to do this sometime.

This is the joy of living in the back end of nowhere.


Thanks

Dan

[cookiemonster]

We never got to verify the settings, so don't be surprised if the issues re-occur. Problems that just vanish are just likely to come back.
Thanks for confirming though. At least now you can more easily visualise/describe the layout.
I'm moving on now.

[passeri]

Good to hear that Dan. Keep an eye on your bits of equipment. We probably have not solved the problem, merely confirmed that Opnsense/WAN is highly unlikely to be involved.

What I appreciated was that you sought to answer our many questions or said plainly what you did not yet know. You now have a clear basis for future analysis, some improvements to your firewall config, and a bit of experience finding information in the Opnsense GUI. Something for your effort.

[foxint]

Guys

you have been brilliant. Knowledgeable and patience.

I hope it is fixed. Crossing fingers.

Thank you.

Dan

[foxint]

Still have the issue.

Sorry.

Dan

[passeri]

As mentioned, that was pretty much expected. I believe though that you need to look at your other hardware or software, not Opnsense. We know that copy works without internet as was always most likely unless you were using some cloud service or intermediary, which you are not. Therefore it is a stretch to suggest that loss of internet interferes with a local file transfer -- what would be the mechanism, and why not when it is disconnected deliberately? The data on a local network does not even pass through the router.

Further investigation should relate to non-Opnsense network or PC trouble-shooting, so I think is not really appropriate for this board unless tests eliminate alternatives and some mechanism can be hypothesised. You know the shape of your network, so can look for critical points. I am happy to discuss plausibility of Opnsense related network issues that you think you may have found.

In my view it is time for you to move your testing focus until you can eliminate other possibilities.

Adding: Have you considered that an internal network or PC failure may stop access between systems and to the internet rather than vice versa? For example, if you are doing large file transfers then bits are going to warm up, and cool after they stop.