BOX 2: Effectiveness when not serving DHCP/Network?

ScatSpeak

Before the BOX 2 installation, I had a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Router connected to my cable modem with the R7000 in "Router" mode and providing all WiFi services.  I also have a Linksys WRT54G v1.1 running SP1 of dd-wrt firmware configured in client bridge mode to support 4 wired devices in another area of the property - each has a static IP and the WRT54G had a static IP for connection to the R7000 WiFi.... all was working fine and dandy for several years...

Enter the BOX 2... I installed the BOX 2 in between the cable modem and the R7000 and set the R7000 into "AP mode" which of course completely killed connectivity for the WRT54G and all the devices hard-wired to it (or anything else with a static IP).  I had nothing but problems trying to get the WRT54G setup with the BOX 2 and the R7000 in "AP mode" (kept it in client-bridge mode but changed it's static IP to one in the 172.24.1.x for compatibility with BOX 2 network being served up through R7000 "AP mode")... I also had constant failures of the network where even though R7000 showed WiFi signal, all Internet service through the BOX 2 disappeared and no new connections to the BOX 2 network could be established... a reboot of the R7000 resolved this each time but the network stability would only last for a few hours... long story in all of that...

 

So, now the nut of my query here: with the R7000 back in "Router" mode and it successfully providing a stable 10.0.0.x network but with it physically connected to the BOX 2 as a pass-through to the cable modem, what is the effectiveness of the BOX 2 in this configuration compared to when it is the device serving DHCP and the 172.24.1.x network through the R7000?... obviously, in Bitdefender Central the only device that appears for managing is the R7000 in this configuration.  I really question the value of the BOX 2 when no devices are connecting to it's network and available for individual management... and the fact that trying to setup these static IP connections doesn't seem to work either.  I just can't tolerate such an unstable network as it's exhibited AND the fact that trying to transition and maintain the static IP devices (this is necessary) is problematic.

SpinKix

I'm in the same boat, and phoned support about this.

I was told that they are working on an update to allow setting the IP address range manually.

They also said that all security features still work, but no device control as you mentioned.

I have my doubts about all the security features still working though.

Sure, traffic to blacklisted sites can be blocked, but unless the Box performs packet sniffing, how does it monitor specific devices?

So yeah, I would like a better explanation about this too.

Btw, one solution they mentioned was to change each device's static IP to auto DHCP and then set the IP addresses manually in the Box to the same static addresses they were before. (Be sure to write down the matching MAC address of each IP).

Haven't tried this myself.

Too risky with security cameras in remote spots that would have to be pulled down to reset if something goes wrong.

 

ScatSpeak

yeah... I didn't want to wait for the update and went with a different product that is more fully configurable, with better detailed logging and leveraged an older PC I had retired from general use... and the best part is, it's free for home use... including the installable PC virus protection...

I think BOX 2 is a great idea if you have simple home network needs and want a black box that doesn't require any attention and don't care to tinker or understand what's going on with your intrusion/firewall protection... but for a geek like me, it was unfulfilling and too limiting.