Static Route VLAN 802.1Q Support in Router Mode

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Last updated: Jul 06, 2023 by Quyen Bui (Deactivated)
3 min read

Design

General

A significant percentage of ISPs deliver IPTV using the same VLAN as the data services (internet). Such service delivery design is typical for ISPs that require basic IGMP Proxy design. 

In certain cases, ISPs use a separate VLAN uplink for the IPTV traffic although IPTV and all other end-user device traffic flows coexist on the same LAN. 

VLAN separation simplifies network topology, and gives the ISPs more control over the IPTV client authorization and bandwidth usage.

There are two ways of delivering the IPTV service to the end-user devices (set-top boxes):

  • Merged with other data services

  • Separated using a dedicated VLAN

Merged IPTV and Data Traffic

In this scenario, IPTV traffic is terminated on the gateway node. This option requires the following:

  • The default gateway node delivers data services in router mode (IPoE/PPPoE).

  • IPTV service is terminated on the gateway node.

  • IPTV and data services are merged in the LAN network.

  • IGMP Proxy is used for multicast traversing from LAN to IPTV service and vice-versa.

  • NAT and static routes are used for unicast communication from the LAN network to the IPTV network.

  • No extra VAP/SSID is configured. 

  • WPS support. Here, home and IPTV are using the same VAPs. If WPS is supported on home network, it should also be supported for IPTV.

Separated IPTV traffic

In this scenario, the IPTV traffic flows through a dedicated separate VLAN. This option requires the following:

  • The default gateway node delivers data services in router mode (IPoE/PPPoE).

  • IPTV service is passed through from the IPTV uplink to the set-top box.

  • Data and IPTV services are separated.

  • No IGMP Proxy is used. Only IGMP snooping is used for delivering the multicast flows.

  • No NAT or static routes are used for unicast communication from the LAN network to the IPTV network.

  • Extra VAP/SSID is configured. This VAP/SSID belongs to the IPTV VLAN.

  • WPS must be supported.

OpenSync 3.2 only supported WiFi backhaul (untagged clients). If more than one gateway node was detected, the controller disabled IPTV traffic separation. With OpenSync 3.4, this restriction has been removed. Ethernet backhaul is also supported.

Prerequisites

Merged IPTV service delivery is available with OpenSync 2.4 or later.

Separated IPTV service delivery is available with OpenSync 3.2 or later.

Requirements

IPTV Interface Creation

IPTV interface must be allowed to be created on the same uplink as the internet. At the same time, the IPTV interface is bound to the 802.1Q VLAN, as specified by the controller.

Interface creation requirements for merged IPTV and data traffic are:

  • IPTV interface is a routed node port. The node must receive its DHCP address from a server on the same VLAN.

  • NAT must be available to be used by the IPTV interface.

Interface creation requirements for separated IPTV and data traffic:

  • If using Ethernet backhaul for IPTV service delivery (OpenSync 3.2 or later) a VLAN interface must be created for each Ethernet link between the nodes.

Routing

Routing requirements for merged IPTV and data traffic:

  • Static routes can be applied over DHCP option 121, or statically pushed. 

  • Support for IGMP Proxy interface selection. This enables forwarding of IGMP join requests. In this case, the join requests would be sent out of the tagged IPTV interface, and not to the interface bound to the native VLAN.

  • No additional SSIDs.

  • Home VAP interfaces are used for both types of traffic: IPTV and other services.

Routing requirements for separated IPTV traffic: 

  • It is assumed that all internet traffic is bound for the data VLAN. In this case, the default route is the one received on the data VLAN. This route is used for both:

    • Node management traffic to the controller 

    • End-user device traffic via NAT

  • The controller must configure a dedicated SSID for the separated IPTV network. The available WPS API connects the client set-top box.

  • VOD (unicast UDP) traffic through NAT to the set-top box must be enabled.

Tech Support

To ensure tech support for merged IPTV and data traffic, enable:

  • Support for per-WAN uplink selectable IGMP Proxy. This enables controller-based device configuration per partnerID, and overrides at locations.

To ensure tech support for IPTV traffic separation, enable:

  • Support for IPoE/PPPoE. This enables end-user device configuration from the controller and locally.

  • Support for controller-managed uplink tagging. This enables controller-based device configuration per partnerID, and overrides at locations.