Use SynLink to Bridge Networks (Ethernet Passthrough)

Use SynLink to Bridge Networks (Ethernet Passthrough)

In this guide, we will briefly discuss what Network Bridging is and how to set it up on your SynLink PDU.

     

    Applications/use-cases:

    1. Locations with limited number of Network Ports
    2.  Network Redundancy

    Pre-requisites:

    1. SynLink PDU
    2. SynLink USB-to-Ethernet Accessory (Contact Synaccess for details)

     

    What is Network Bridging?

    Network Bridging allows you to share your PDU's internet connection to a networked device. This is useful in situations where you have limited Ethernet Ports and you have no room for another switch/router. It can also be used for network redundancy where you need to re-direct data packets through another network path.

    On a typical setup, the PDU's primary network interface is connected to a larger network (i.e. the internet). Meanwhile, a networked device (i.e. a desktop computer) is connected to the PDU's secondary network interface. After setting up bridged mode, the PDU will forward network packets from one interface to the other, effectively sharing PDUs internet connection.

    This feature is sometimes referred to as Ethernet Passthrough because the PDU can be seen as passing through the Ethernet connection to another device.

     

    How to Enable Bridged Mode on SynLink?

    1. Plug in the USB-to-Ethernet accessory to USB port on the front panel.
      SynLink USB Port
        2. Access SynLink's Web Interface and navigate to Network->IP
        3. Under the Secondary Network Interface section, click the drop-down box and choose Bridge Mode. Click Save. The PDU should now be in bridged mode.
        SynLink Web Bridge Mode
        4. To test, plug in a network-capable device (i.e. Desktop Computer) to the USB-to-Ethernet adapter. That device should now have access to the PDU's network.

         

        Enable/Disable Bridge Mode on Event Triggers

        When used with SynLink's Automation features, you can automatically enable and disable bridge mode based on a variety of Event Triggers such Network-Loss, Power-Loss, Circuit Breaker trip, etc.

        The example below shows how you can enable Bridged mode when it detects network loss. Network loss is detected using AutoPing.

        1. Create "Turn On Bridge" Action

        • Go to Automation -> Create New Action.
        • Give the action a name (i.e. "Turn On Bridge"). Choose Switch Secondary Network Interface for action type and set the Mode to Set to Bridge.

         SynLink Create Action

        2. Create Autoping Event

        • Go to Automation -> Create New Event. Give the event a meaningful name. Choose AutoPing Timeout for event type. 
        • Under AutoPing Timeout Parameters, enter the IP address and the number of fails before action. Add the Action created in the previous step and click Save.

         

         

        In this setup, the PDU will continually ping an IP address. After a certain number of failed pings (in this example, 10 times), the PDU will turn on a bridge mode.

        For other Automation options, check out our other guide on AutoPing and Network Monitor.

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