Linksys WAG-160N as modem only

[time]

Best not to ask why, but I need to configure a WAG-160N to pass everything through to a separate router behind it. According to Linksys, I need to change encapsulation to BridgeMode. What I'm wondering is, will the modem still do the authentication, or will I have to mess about with the router as well?

Unfortunately, I can't touch or see the device - I'm relying on talking someone through it.

[ddrueding]

Wow, that sounds like a proper mess you have going

The modem should still do the modem part, but I haven't used that hardware, ever. I prefer to keep my modem and router as separate devices.

[time]

Yeah, quite. In this case, one of the obvious questions is which of the 4 ports should you plug the router into? I'm going with port 1.

The whole thing just has a feeling of wrongness about it.

[time]

Oh yes, and Linksys downloadable manuals are pathetic. Doesn't tell me much more than the main menu headings.

[Howell]

I have had to do this with several ISP supplied Westel DSL router/modems in the distant past.

This might help answer some questions:
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/6405

Other than changing to bridged mode there were a couple other settings that should be changed but I'm drawing a blank right now. Well, one was to turn off DHCP.

[Howell]

Originally Posted by Howell

Other than changing to bridged mode there were a couple other settings that should be changed but I'm drawing a blank right now. Well, one was to turn off DHCP.

I meant to include:

I think it would become obvious to you if you just look through each config page.

[MaxBurn]

I am doing the same thing and I have a westell. There used to be a feature called single static IP in them that would do this, disable the firewall etc and everything went to that IP. Didn't matter what port the device was plugged into, DHCP still worked and it got that one IP address. In newer firmware that they just chose to update out of the blue on me I couldn't find that so I set that one IP as the DMZ host which effectively bypasses the firewall and anything incoming goes to that IP near as I can figure. There is also a firewall off feature that I am using. Anyway is working for me till fairpoint chooses to update again on me, obviously they have some sort of back door as I changed the password from what they gave me.

[time]

Yeah, the Linksys has a Disable NAT option, but no idea yet if I'll need it or not.

I now have remote access to the WAG-160N. So far, I'm seriously underwhelmed. Not even signal strength or S/N, but I guess it's pretty cheap by today's standards.

I can now confirm that Bridge mode means the authentication has to be initiated by the back-end router, which unfortunately was what I suspected (thankfully, it's been quite a while since I had to do any of this stuff). That would be fine, except no-one knew what the password was, so the ISP had to reset it.

So now the password in the router is wrong.

I can't access the router until everything is up and running. Catch 22.

Once I flip this modem to Bridge mode, I won't be able to see it at all.

All this, because the ISP (as usual) claimed the outage was due to client equipment failure, and persuaded them to run out and buy a new modem.

FML.

[Howell]

Having you do all of this reconfiguration is going to cost more than the new modem itself.

I would try to convince them to shelve it "for the day the modem actually does fail".

For that matter, if uptime is critical purchasing an exact drop in replacemnet would be a better use of funds long term than this fagile hack. Interchangable parts - good.

[time]

Oh, it gets better. The ISP got them to reset the old modem, i.e. wipe the settings. I no longer have any idea how it was configured, and again, I can't seem to download a proper user manual.

I tried bridge mode, but no go. About this point I remembered that the ISP doesn't support PPPoE (needed for bridging). I thought they might have improved on that in 5 years, but apparently not.

Certainly, I was hoping to replace the original modem-router combination in the near future. A combo unit gets around the ISP BS, but I notice they're insanely expensive in that country. You need two in case one fails.

In case you're wondering why I don't have a copy of the old modem configuration, I've been unable to access it remotely to do so. Instead, the original deployment included two spare routers and two spare modems, all identically configured. The spares have disappeared.

FML.

[Mercutio]

Just having to support PPPoE in the first place is more work than I'd actually want to do.

[time]

Out of interest, what sort of DSL modem would you guys use in this situation? I probably won't be able to source it anyway, but it would still be nice to know.

[Mercutio]

Locally, Verizon provides Westell to subscribers and AT&T provides a box made by Motorola. That's essentially all I ever see. I think I've installed one third party DSL modem because a customer had one break, and that was a Netgear something-or-other that just happened to be the first box I saw that said "DSL modem" on it.

[Howell]

I used to have an Alcatel Speedtouch Home. I have worked with a few Westels. I have worked most often with the Netopias. Probably exactly like Merc.

I think the Netopias were the easiest to work with.

[Howell]

Originally Posted by time

The spares have disappeared.

FML.

Bummer. : )

[time]

Originally Posted by MaxBurn

There used to be a feature called single static IP in them that would do this, disable the firewall etc and everything went to that IP. Didn't matter what port the device was plugged into, DHCP still worked and it got that one IP address.

I think this is how the old (D-Link) modem was configured, but without a user manual or actual modem, no idea what they called it.

In newer firmware that they just chose to update out of the blue on me I couldn't find that so I set that one IP as the DMZ host which effectively bypasses the firewall and anything incoming goes to that IP near as I can figure.

Well, that was my answer right there, staring at me, but I was too busy struggling to remember the other thing to register what you'd written.

I wasted time calling Linksys twice, and all they could come up with was "use Bridge mode" or "use a different router", because the "VPN Passthrough" settings don't do what you might expect, i.e. pass through the VPN protocols.

I'm bemused at how much I'd forgotten all this stuff - must be the booze. Thanks to everyone for suggestions and moral support.