Asus XT8 Configuration help to use carrier's modem in bridge mode

[thegios]

I have a fiber modem from my carrier and a dual nose XT8 mesh system. Node 1 WAN port is connected to one of the modem LAN port. Node 2 is connected to node 1 through dedicated wireless backbone. I want the mesh to be my only network, cables and wireless: I have a few wireless devices (phones, camera, thermostat, notebook...) and three cabled devices (amplifier, Google tv box, satellite box). All cabled devices are connected to Node 1.

The modem has no dedicated bridge mode, so in order to have it act as such, I configured as follows:

Modem: wifi off, firewall off, DNS off, DHCP limited to just one IP (192.168.1.2) that is bit NATted and in DMZ associated to Node 1 (with IP 192.108.50.1)
Node 1: wifi on, firewall on, DNS on (Google), DHCP range from 192.168.50.2 to .xxx

Is this the correct way?
So far works but probably I can do things better?

Thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is this the correct way?

Yes.

So far works but probably I can do things better?

Not that I can see.

Just to be clear, Node 1 is configured in "Router mode (default)" (Administration - Operation Mode) and Node 2 is configured as an "AiMesh Node".

 

[thegios]

Yes.

Not that I can see.

Just to be clear, Node 1 is configured in "Router mode (default)" (Administration - Operation Mode) and Node 2 is configured as an "AiMesh Node".

Yes and thanks

Question: in this setup, do I have double NAT?

I am asking because I am subscribed to Qobuz (music streaming), my amplifier is a MARANTZ and supports Qobuz Connect. This means that Qobuz app can discover the MARANTZ on the network and instruct the MARANTZ to download music directly from Qobuz server, so Qobuz app on phone only acts as a controller. Now, when I tell Qobuz app to stream to the MARANTZ, even is the MARANTZ is discovered in a second on the output devices of Qobuz app, it takes 10 full seconds for the MARANTZ to turn on, a little too long. Both MARANTZ and Qobuz supports say it might be a "double NAT" problem.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Question: in this setup, do I have double NAT?

Yes.

I am asking because I am subscribed to Qobuz (music streaming), my amplifier is a MARANTZ and supports Qobuz Connect. This means that Qobuz app can discover the MARANTZ on the network and instruct the MARANTZ to download music directly from Qobuz server, so Qobuz app on phone only acts as a controller. Now, when I tell Qobuz app to stream to the MARANTZ, even is the MARANTZ is discovered in a second on the output devices of Qobuz app, it takes 10 full seconds for the MARANTZ to turn on, a little too long. Both MARANTZ and Qobuz supports say it might be a "double NAT" problem.

If your app device is connected to your AiMesh Wi-Fi then I don't see how NAT (double or not) has anything to do with it. Did you have this problem before you made any network changes? Or was your MARANTZ connected to your carrier's modem/router rather than your AiMesh?

 

[thegios]

Yes.

What would the the consequences of this (forget the MARANTZ) in general?

If your app device is connected to your AiMesh Wi-Fi then I don't see how NAT (double or not) has anything to do with it. Did you have this problem before you made any network changes? Or was your MARANTZ connected to your carrier's modem/router rather than your AiMesh?

I bought the MARANTZ when I already had this setup.
I originally connected it to the modem, but of course discovery from phone was not working, so had to connect it to Node 1.

Thing is that Qobuz Connect is an internet service making use of MARANTZ HEOS service, so communication between Qobuz and the Marantz (and between Qobuz and my phone) gets translated twice, public IP --> 192.168.1.x --> 192.168.50.x. The discovery requires an active internet connection: by unplugging the cable from the modem, the Qobuz app doesn't find the MARANTZ.

 

[ColinTaylor]

What would the the consequences of this (forget the MARANTZ) in general?

It can sometimes make unsolicited connections from the internet to a server on your LAN more difficult. Connections initiated from a device on your LAN to the internet are unaffected.

Thing is that Qobuz Connect is an internet service making use of MARANTZ HEOS service, so communication between Qobuz and the Marantz (and between Qobuz and my phone) gets translated twice, public IP --> 192.168.1.x --> 192.168.50.x. The discovery requires an active internet connection: by unplugging the cable from the modem, the Qobuz app doesn't find the MARANTZ.

This doesn't sound like a NAT issue. But without knowing how the Qobuz and HEOS services work at a technical level it's difficult to guess. I've read this but am none the wiser.

You could try removing the XT8 router from the DMZ and making sure that the XT8 router has UPnP enabled (WAN - Internet Connection). Then reboot everything and see if something changes, but I doubt it will.

That's probably a question for Qobuz and MARANTZ support - Do they rely on UPnP for port forwarding?

 

[thegios]

I can sometimes make unsolicited connections from the internet to a server on your LAN more difficult. Connections initiated from a device on your LAN to the internet are unaffected.


This doesn't sound like a NAT issue. But without knowing how the Qobuz and HEOS services work at a technical level it's difficult to guess. I've read this but am none the wiser.

You could try removing the XT8 router from the DMZ and making sure that the XT8 router has UPnP enabled (WAN - Internet Connection). Then reboot everything and see if something changes, but I doubt it will.

That's probably a question for Qobuz and MARANTZ support - Do they rely on UPnP for port forwarding?

No it doesn't

 

[ColinTaylor]

No it doesn't

"No the changes don't make a difference" or "no it doesn't use UPnP"?

TBH it doesn't sound like a NAT issue. If that were the case then it probably wouldn't work at all rather than just taking time to start playing.

 

[thegios]

"No the changes don't make a difference" or "no it doesn't use UPnP"?

Yes sirry;: no it doesn't use UpNp.

TBH it doesn't sound like a NAT issue. If that were the case then it probably wouldn't work at all rather than just taking time to start playing.

I believe so, but I'm investigating all options.

Consider that my MARANTZ, although an expensive one, takes around 6 seconds since it is turned on (by remote or by Qobuz Connect) till it is operative.

With Qobuz Connect the delay I am experiencing is not this one: it's from when I choose the MARANTZ on Qobuz app till when Qobuz Connect turns on the MARANTZ.

It's not even the Discovery which takes so long, because when choosing the MARANTZ on Qobuz app the Discovery has already been completed in a second.

So...

1. From Qobuz app I select output sources: Discovery of MARANTZ takes 1 second.
2. From Qobuz app I select MARANTZ: it takes 11 seconds for MARANTZ to turn on
3. It takes another 5 seconds for MARANTZ to be operative and play the song.

I am complaining about point 2.

 

[ColinTaylor]

So...

1. From Qobuz app I select output sources: Discovery of MARANTZ takes 1 second.
2. From Qobuz app I select MARANTZ: it takes 11 seconds for MARANTZ to turn on
3. It takes another 5 seconds for MARANTZ to be operative and play the song.

I am complaining about point 2.

Sorry, home audio is not my area. It's all Greek to me.

As I understand it the Qobuz app is just a third party alternative to the Marantz HEOS app? If that's the case does the HEOS app also exhibit the same problem?

 

[thegios]

Sorry, home audio is not my area. It's all Greek to me.

As I understand it the Qobuz app is just a third party alternative to the Marantz HEOS app?

Yes

If that's the case does the HEOS app also exhibit the same problem?

Here's the funny part: the first time I use HEOS, it connects in a second. As if the send times it takes 7-8 seconds

 

[degrub]

Sounds like it connected the the last device previously connected to. Then the next time it does a scan for new devices in the area.

 

[thegios]

Sounds like it connected the the last device previously connected to. Then the next time it does a scan for new devices in the area.

I have no idea... This morning I tried again from HEOS and it took 10 seconds to connect.

Anyhow, this post was originally to understand if my setup was correct or not, and indeed it is.