Forcing Double NAT router to Use External IP

[CaptainSTX]

My ISP is Verizon and the Modem/Router they provide can not be put into a bridge mode. Therefore I am running my N66 with Merlin's firmware in a double NATed setup behind FIOS Actiontec device and it works fine.

However, I would like to be able to run a VPN server on my N66 so I can connect securely to my network from outside my home. The challenge is that I can not get DynDNS to work and use my actual external public IP on the N66 running Merlin's latest firmware.

If I use another N66 running Tomato I don't have a problem using the public IP. As part of its DNS setup it has a pull down setting "Use external IP checker (every 10 minutes )". With that option enabled using DynDNS works fine and I can connect to the ASUS from the WWW.

My question is if there is a way to force a router running Merlin's latest firmware to use my actual External Public IP? What I can do with the Actiontec is more restricted. There are many fewer options available than when using Merlin's firmware. The only setting I had to change on the Actiontec when using the router with Tomato was to put the ASUS in the Actiontec's DMZ. If I can get the VPN working reliably I will disable the DMZ and forward whatever ports are needed.

 

[sinshiva]

hey, try using the wan port as a switch port. you should be able to use the router like a dedicated server, set the port forwarding on the isp modem, etc.

[edit/] sorry, should have expanded on this. you'll of course need to move your lan subnet to the isp modem's lan, as well as changing the asus' ip, disable dhcp, the works.

cheers

 

[CaptainSTX]

I have tried several things to make it work without any success yet but I will try again.

After seeing how easy it is with Tomato was hoping for a similar straight forward solution with Merlin's firmware where you just import the public IP.

For security I was hoping to keep separate subnets for various parts of my network.

 

[sinshiva]

which vpn server are you using? openvpn might give you less trouble with double nat