How do I set up Airport behind a DSL gateway

With the new 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) connected directly to the Actiontec gateway by Ethernet, it will become the downstream router in your overall network configuration. As such, it should be configured as a bridge, leaving the Actiontec configured to provide the required NAT & DHCP services for any network clients connected to either router. You will use the AirPort Utility to configure the AEBSn as a bridge, as follows: AirPort Utility (5.x) > Select the AEBSn > Manual Setup > Internet > Internet Connection tab > Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

You then have three choices with wireless radios on either router:

1. Leave the Actiontec radios enabled; disable the AEBSn's radios.
2. Leave the AEBSn's radios enabled; disable the Actiontec radios.
3. Leave both routers' radios enabled and configure the network as a roaming network.

Is there a way to turn off NAT and DHCP and the radio on the DSL and run it just as a DSL modem and then have the AEBSn do the NAT and DHCP so I can do portforwarding with the AEBSn and take advantage of the overall better technology on the AEBSn?

Potentially yes. You will need to refer to the User's Guide for the Actiontec gateway to see if you will have the ability to disable both services.

I have an ActionTec DSL modem/router (not wireless) connected to my Time Capsule. I have TC set in "bridge" mode letting ActionTec do PPoE, DHCP, and NAT.

It makes sense to let ActionTec do PPoE. When I had the TC do it I lost connection often.

Does it make any sense to have TC do the DHCP and NAT instead of ActionTec doing those functions? Perhaps beter/faster performance of some kind?

Or does it make no difference which device does the DHCP and NAT?

Thanks,

Al

Sorry to resurruct an old post but I was wondering about these. For the past two years I've had CenturyLink 20/.75 service with Actiontec M1000 modem and Apple Airport Extreme. For those 2yrs I've had the the Aiport set to bridge mode and let the modem do all the work, but disabled wireless on the modem, and have dual band setup on my Airport.

I just upgrade to Centurylink 40/20 service with a new C1000A modem, and looking to setup portforwarding for my PS3 and it's got me wondering if setting it up the other way around might be better or not. That is put the modem in bridge mode and setup the Airport to do the rest. I dunno if that makes a difference or not, or which is easier. I have a very basic understanding of this all, so wanted to know which was better and why.

Thanks

It is a matter of preference as to whether you want Actiontec providing DHCP and NAT routing services for the network with the AirPort in Bridge Mode.....or....whether you configure the Actiontec in Bridge Mode (assuming it is possible) and then configure the AirPort as the router to provide the DHCP and NAT services for the network.

If you have been happy with the Actiontec device acting as the network router, there is probably no reason to change. If you need to setup port forwarding, that must be done on the Actiontec device since it is providing routing duties for the network.

It would be considerably more work to reconfigure the Actiontec in Bridge Mode (assuming it is possible), and then also configuring the AirPort to act as the router for the network.

If you decide to try this, do it as a learning experience....but not in anticipation that this will somehow be a better setup than what you already have.

The only really good reason to setup the AirPort as the main router would be if you have a dual band AirPort Extreme and you want to setup a Guest Network function since the Guest Network option is not available when the AirPort is in Bridge Mode.

Agree with Bob. I've had ActionTec be the workhorse and have never had a blip.

As for the dual band issue, well I have the dual band Time Cap, and when my wife streams video it does not slow me down (hard wired) all that much so I think the dual thing works pretty well? Or maybe I don't understand what dual band really means. All I know is that the combo of the ActionTech doing all the DSL work and the TC doing whatever it does in Bridge mode, has worked flawlessly. I would not change.

Ah, I see, thanks. So the Airport Extreme isn't any better at it than an Actiontec modem? I have no interest in using Guest Mode, I imagine my neigbhors would just steal it, ha ha. But I do use Dual band on it, as I find 5Ghz band has a lot less interferance. I don't have any problems using Dual Band... that I'm aware of.

My problem is when I tried setting up port forwarding on the new modem last night (the C1000A). It would NOT save anything I inputted and I didn't know why. I thought maybe since it was DSL modem and router this function maybe limited/restricted maybe? Why I don't know, I saw somethign once that some settings are limited on DSL modem/routers. I went to Port Forwarding, I selected an ip, I put in the port number, I choose TCP/UDP, hit Apply, the modem would say it was saving, then go back to the previous screen and under Rules Setup (or something like that) it said "none". I tried numerous times, even rebooted it and it would not save any settings.

So I thought maybe swapping which was bridged and which was DHCP, I could setup port forwarding easier on the Airport Extreme. I'm not sure I have the password to setup PPoPE though, or is that automatic when it's connected? As I said I have loose understanding of this all, thanks

My problem is when I tried setting up port forwarding on the new modem last night (the C1000A). It would NOT save anything I inputted and I didn't know why.

That would be a question for an Actiontec support forum. I suppose it is possible that a user on an Apple support forum might see this post, know the answer about the Actiontec device and reply......but you will likely get a much faster and more informed response if you post your question in an appropriate forum.

So I thought maybe swapping which was bridged and which was DHCP, I could setup port forwarding easier on the Airport Extreme. I'm not sure I have the password to setup PPoPE though, or is that automatic when it's connected?

I am not recommending that you do this, but the Actiontec would have to be configured as a simple bridge mode modem (whether that is even possible is open to question....whether your ISP would support this is also open to question). Assuming that the Actiontec could be configured as a bridge mode modem, the AirPort would need to be reconfigured to Connect Using = PPPoE. You would need to enter the connection credentials.....your user name with the ISP and password in the setup for the AirPort. This would not happen automatically.

I have a similar question ... am new to the forum .. apologies if I am violating some guidelines. Been struggling with AT&T DSL stabiltiy for years (their 2701-hg-b modem/router). I just very recently got a Time Capsule, and based on some forum research (this one and others) I decided to get the ActionTec GT701D modem to try and improve my connection stability.

I have the whole scheme working well, the ActionTec is in Bridged mode (and I am not smart enough to describe how that was accomplished....I just followed setup sequnce for a direct connection). After establishing the DSL via direct cable connection, I moved to the Time Capsule ... and it works ... I want the TC to be the router because I do want the guest network ... all that is configured and working properly.

My question is now that the ActionTec is bridged, how do I get into the management login on the ActionTec ?? Documents say to use 192.168.0.1 to start ... but I can't get anywhere using that IP .... does anybody know how I do this now that the TC is the main router ... ??

My question is now that the ActionTec is bridged, how do I get into the management login on the ActionTec ?? Documents say to use 192.168.0.1 to start ... but I can't get anywhere using that IP .... does anybody know how I do this now that the TC is the main router ... ??

You will not be able to access the settings of the ActionTec device as long as it is configured in Bridge Mode.

If you need to change something on the ActionTec, you first have to reset it back to its normal non-Bridged configuration to be able to access the settings using the default IP address.

I would like to reopen this topic after quite some time... I live in the Netherlands and I am subscribed to KPN. This company provides a lousy modem/router made by ZTE (model H220N) with very poor wifi signal and no gigabit ethernet ports. I would like to upgrade my network by buying an airport Extreme but i am considering the trouble I may face by having two routers behind each other.

The KPN modem cannot be set to "bridge"mode, at least not from me (it's locked). Maybe it would be feasible if asking the support of KPN. However, I understand from the discussion here that a better option would be to put AE to bridge mode and let ZTE modem/router function als DHCP server.

The question:

by doing this I can only take advantage of the wireless capabilites of my AE, correct? If I understand it correctly, I will have no internet access from the LAN ports of the AE. Well if this is the case, it seems a bit a waste of money to spend almost 200 euro's for a better wifi transmitter... I also have a NAS and I would like to use the Gigabit Ethernet of AE in order to connect my PC to the NAS. If this is not possible, I 'll pass.

by doing this I can only take advantage of the wireless capabilites of my AE, correct? If I understand it correctly, I will have no internet access from the LAN ports of the AE.

When the AirPort Extreme is connected using Ethernet to another "upstream" modem/router, and the AirPort is configured in the correct Bridge Mode setting for this type of setup, the Ethernet LAN <-> ports will all be enabled on the AirPort Extreme.

I would like to use the Gigabit Ethernet of AE in order to connect my PC to the NAS.

You will have Gigabit Ethernet speeds between the AirPort Extreme and any Ethernet connected device, if the other device also has Gigabit Ethernet capability.

When the AirPort Extreme is connected using Ethernet to another "upstream" modem/router, and the AirPort is configured in the correct Bridge Mode setting for this type of setup, the Ethernet LAN <-> ports will all be enabled on the AirPort Extreme.

Dear Bob, thanks for your super fast reply! Honestly impressed!

Let me ask you to clarify something from what you said:

1. What do you mean "configured in the correct Bridge mode"? I thought that putting AE in "bridge mode" is quite straight forward through airport utility, so there should be no issues there.

2. According to what you say, the LAN ports of the AE would provide access to the web (functioning as a switch?) in this setting (my original router configured as it is now, the new AE in bridge mode connected through an ethernet cable on the main router). I currently have a Synology NAS connected on the basic router and I have given it a static IP address (something like 192.168.178.5). I can access it within my network just by typing on any browser this ip addres. Will I be able to do the same thing if the NAS is connected on the LAN port of the AE (configured in bridge mode)?

Probably my questions are rather trivial, but I have to admit that my understanding of networks is really limited. And I don't want to invest money on something that will prove in best case a pain to configure and in worst case non-usable (unfortunately I don't have any people around me with a much better knowledge of networks as well).