Unable to ssh from any wireless IP to another wireless IP on home network

Question

I'm using an Actiontec M1424WR wireless router/modem combo that came with Verizon FIOS.

A point of clarification, I am using LAN to refer to devices connected via ethernet cable and WLAN to devices connected to the wireless access point. All devices are on a single subnet (192.168.1.0/24) and IPs are assigned via DHCP (some static). Laptops are assigned an IP per active connection.

SSH behaves differently depending on circumstances:

• LAN -> LAN: works
• WLAN -> LAN: works
• LAN -> WLAN: works
• WLAN -> WLAN: fails

This occurs across multiple devices so I think it's a router issue. All devices can ssh localhost just fine. I've gone through all the router settings, but I can't seem to find anything that might be applicable. I was wondering if anybody else had any suggestions?

Destination Laptop: LAN up, WLAN up

• LAN -> LAN, ping works
• LAN -> LAN, ssh works
• WLAN -> LAN, ping works
• WLAN -> LAN, ssh works
• LAN -> WLAN, ping works
• LAN -> WLAN, ssh works
• WLAN -> WLAN, ping works
• WLAN -> WLAN, ssh works

Destination Laptop: LAN down, WLAN up

• LAN -> LAN, ping fails: Destination Host Unreachable
• LAN -> LAN, ssh fails: No route to host

• WLAN -> LAN, ping fails: switches IPs

  64 bytes from 192.168.1.8: icmp_seq=392 ttl=64 time=1.51 ms
  64 bytes from 192.168.1.8: icmp_seq=393 ttl=64 time=1.45 ms
  From 192.168.1.13 icmp_seq=430 Destination Host Unreachable
  From 192.168.1.13 icmp_seq=431 Destination Host Unreachable
  

• WLAN -> LAN, ssh fails: No route to host

• LAN -> WLAN, ping works
• LAN -> WLAN, ssh works
• WLAN -> WLAN, ping hangs, no error message or quit.
• WLAN -> WLAN, ssh fails: Connection timed out

I've uploaded my router's settings in these two albums:

• album 1
• album 2

Answer 1

Posting this as an answer as there's been no reply to my last comment, and it may help the OP or others in future...

There is a firmware issue - I'm not sure how widespread - that can cause some functionality to fail on this model of router after a certain date, referenced in this forum post.

The method to fix it as described in the post is to:

• disconnect the WAN from the router (ensuring you have all the settings you require noted down first)
• perform a hard reset
• disable the automatic updating of the date and time, and leave it at default (in the case of the original post, this was in 2007)
• reconnect the WAN

Simply adjusting the time/date may work, but not having access to this piece of kit I have no idea.

Answer 2

It sounds like there is Wireless Isolation enabled on the router somewhere by default. This prevents wireless clients from communicating with one another and only allows them to communicate with the base station. I have seen some posts online regarding this being a feature in the interface that can be turned off. It is possible that you may need to update the device firmware with a newer version to enable this. It may also be located somewhere in the Advanced panel you showed in the screen shots (Configuration File, System Settings, Port Configuration all seem likely candidates, Network Objects and Routing seem next likely candidates).

Answer 3

Under your wireless security settings for WPA2, where you set the pre-shared key, there is a setting titled: "Encryption Algorithm". Is this set to TKIP or TKIP+AES ?, if so set it to AES, this will possibly resolve your issue. If this does not work, check if the issue persists after setting your wireless security to WEP with "Open System Authentication".

You will see more details regarding what I have described above in the manual for your wireless router, near the bottom of page 37 at the links shown below:

http://www22.verizon.com/cs/groups/public/documents/adacct/vz_bhr3_rev_g_user_manual.pdf

Answer 4

It's not wireless security settings fault, but NAT or your IP configuration.

1. Check whether subnet mask is everywhere (in computers with "ifconfig" and in router it will depend... if you're using DHCP - only router settings will matter, but don't forget that it will only take effect after your computer's IP will expire, so try resetting the router to fasten this process) set to 255.255.255.0 (or /24 in CIDR notation) for all devices, when they are connected to the router.
2. Ping doesn't go to another computer, but it obviously goes to the router. So, the problem is obviously in the router. If the above doesn't help, you have to disable wireless seperation and use something like a "bridge" mode. Another option is keep all settings as it is, but change WiFi addresses to another subnet like 192.168.5.0. But then you will have to use a subnet 255.255.0.0 for WiFi and for ethernet configurations in your router and in your computers (if you use static IP configuration).
3. Disable "Advanced filtering" rules.
4. Disable firewall (temporary).
5. Does the internet work with only WiFi enabled devices?

Don't forget to save and reboot your router every time you make a change.

Answer 5

I have the same router and I don't believe there is a wireless isolation mode.

Dumb question: are you sure that one of the laptops isn't connecting to the neighbor's wireless? Sorry, had to ask.service iptables

How is iptables setup on your machine? Do you have a default allow policy? iptables --list If they don't all say allow, try turning it off and see if that works. iptables -F It could be set as allow new connections to eth0 but not wlan0.

Are both laptops set to get the exact same static ip for wlan0? Sorry I had to ask. If so set them as DCHP. Do you have some sort of MAC cloning going on where both laptop's wlan0 MAC addresses are the same? That would screw it up or at least confuse dhcp, check with ifconfig.

Make sure you can get out to the internet on both when both are on wlan0!

Turn off unnecessary programs using the internet where possible. Open a terminal on both --- as root, tcpdump wlan0 -- too much garbage? add a | grep -v garbage for packetspam.

Try the pings see what you get. The ping could actually be recieved on the other end but not returned.

Do you have some kind of weird static route set? route should have your local network 192.168. going through wlan0.

To eliminate local machine configuration as a cause, boot an Ubuntu live cd on both. Make sure you can get to the internet on wlan. Check the ip addresses and ping each other.