ISP router/modem has no bridge mode. Use DMZ?

[sheamus]

My ISP (Sasktel) uses ActionTec v1000h router/modems out of the ONT, for their fibre service.

I believe there is a way to put this device in bridged mode, as I have found instructins from a Telus (another Canadian ISP) forum stating how to do this. But the Sasktel firmware does not seem to have the same configuration options available.

I have spoke to SaskTel's customer support, and they suggest creating a DMZ for my router. Any comments on how well this will work? Do I still plug the WAN port of the ASUS into the actiontec? Does the asus need to be in any special mode on the WAN page? How does this work for incoming ports that I want my Asus to handle?

Thanks,
~S

 

[sinshiva]

i believe that if you set the router as the dmz, you'd still have to connect the modem to the router's switch ports unless the wan port can be assigned to the lan. with dmz set to the router, you'd essentially just be forwarding all ports to it; and would be useless.

 

[CaptainSTX]

I have an ASUS N66 running behind my Actiontec and I am not setting in the DMZ. The only function that I have not been able to get working on the ASUS is DDNS because of the double NAT. It is probably possible to get DDNS working if you need it to be able to use a VPN to access your router.

Settings on secondary router:

1. Set to Static WAN IP
2. Set WAN IP on the secondary router to an IP in the primay routers range. Probably best if it is not in the range that are assigned by DHCP server. (I used 192.168.1.20)
3. Set default gateway to the LAN IP of the primary router. (Commonly this would be 192.168.1.1 )
4. On the secondary router set the LAN IP to a different subnet. (I used 192.168.2.1 )
5. Be sure the DHCP server is turned on and assign a range. I used 192.168.2.100 - 192.168.2.119.
6. Then run an Ethernet cable from a LAN port on the primary router to the WAN port on the secondary router.
7. All other setting should be the same as if the secondary router was your only router. You can turn the WiFi off on the Actiontec if you don't want to use it.

If you have any problems you can try setting the secondary router in the primary router's DMZ as part of your trouble shooting.

Good luck.

 

[sheamus]

i believe that if you set the router as the dmz, you'd still have to connect the modem to the router's switch ports unless the wan port can be assigned to the lan.

I am not sure I understand why, can you elaborate?

with dmz set to the router, you'd essentially just be forwarding all ports to it; and would be useless.

I think that is what I want, everything forwarded to my secondary (asus) router, so that the asus can handle NAT/firewall/port forwarding to my internal server, etc? Am I misunderstanding?

@CaptainSTX
I think I already have double NAT working. Did you try using DMZ to avoid double NAT?

 

[CaptainSTX]

I am not sure I understand why, can you elaborate?


I think that is what I want, everything forwarded to my secondary (asus) router, so that the asus can handle NAT/firewall/port forwarding to my internal server, etc? Am I misunderstanding?

@CaptainSTX
I think I already have double NAT working. Did you try using DMZ to avoid double NAT?

Using DMZ isn't going to eliminate the double NAT. Normally your ISP gives your primary router a Public IP. The secondary router is then stuck/ assigned with a WAN IP that is in fact a private IP in the primary router's DHCP range.

A double NAT isn't a problem in most situations as long as the DHCP servers don't issue duplicate and conflicting IPs.

A double NAT setup is a problem if you want to VPN into the LAN behind the secondary router particularly if you don't have static public IP for your primary router.

I'm sure there are other problems/ challenges or limitations when you double NAT and perhaps someone will point them out to you. In my network setup I having been using a double NAT setup for over three years and I can do everything I need to do.

 

[sheamus]

Thanks for the expanation. I found some docs, on how I can simply plug my router directly into my ONT. So I am going to give that a whirl tonight, and if that doesn't work, either return my Asus router or settle for double NAT.

I was unable to get things working when plugged directly into my NAT. I currently have the Asus in the DMZ of the ISP router, and things seem to be working as I had hoped. Time will tell.