Optimum hardware setup

D

doc_msk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
217
Reaction score
4
Location
Sandton
Hello

I'm not a techie so apologies if this question seems simplistic.

I read these forums hoping to learn more about ADSL and networking.

What do the terms "Bridge Mode" and PPPoE mean?

My current setup is a Billion 5102S modem that connects via an ethernet port to a wireless router. I then just connect using my laptop wirelessly to the router so I can surf the web.

I have two ISPs I use and when I wish to change between the two I log onto my modem (default details have been changed!) and change the ISP details.

Is there a better way of configuring my hardware settings?

Thanks
Doc
 
The difference between bridge and PPPoE mode is as follows:

PPPoE mode:
your router established the internet connection, the machines on the network use the router as the gateway and to switch accounts you have to log into your router

Bridge mode:
each computer establishes it's own connection to the internet, and the router is just an ethernet - adsl bridge. I always recomend setting it up like this because it lets you use different accounts on different machines; it also allows you to setup P2P programs without port forwarding or anything like that.

It's simple to do, simply switch your router to Bridge mode.

then on your computer go create new connection, select "connect to the internet using broadband connection that requires a username and password." then put in your details.

It is recomended that you have a decent antivirus program, and perhaps even a 3rd party firewall, because you're exposing your computer to the internet a little more than usual.
 
Hi, I would like to do the following... where do you set it to Bridge mode?
 
When I'm letting my router handle the connection I swap between two ISPs by having two different router configuration files. I just upload the one I want to use.

I'm playing with bridged mode at the moment and while its nice I've yet to figure out how to replicate my LAN.
 
i'm not sure with the billion routers, but it should be in the WAN configuration settings of your router.
 
Maybe someone can help - if you're in bridged mode can you still have a LAN? If so would it involve having two NICs per device - one going to the modem and one to a separate router? I currently use my SMC 7904BRA as the router.
 
briged mode will not affect your lan at all and will require no special hardware or software configuration.

Simply change it in the router and whala.

I've got my telkom adsl router setup in bridged mode on my home network.
 
All I have that might sound right =/

"Set Up Dynamic Routing:

1. Choose the working mode. Gateway mode should be used if your Linksys router is hosting your network's connection to the Internet. Router mode should be selected if the router exists on a network with other routers, including a seperate network gateway that handles the Internet connection.
2. Choose the protocol you want the router to use to Transmit data on the network.
3. Choose the protocol you want the router to use to Receive data from the network.
4. Click the Apply button to save your changes. "
 
Carlhead: Many thanks for your concise answer. I will give it a go.

Maybe you could expand a little on your comment about security, and how the two different configurations affect security?

Thanks
Doc
 
basically, with the router connecting to the internet you are somewhat protected as the router accepts all incoming traffic and then passes only the relevant traffic on to you.

Whereas with the router in bridged mode, your computer accepts all incoming traffic to that IP... this is usefull when hosting any kind of server or with P2P programs, but also exposes you to other threats like worms, trojans and direct hacks more.
 
Carlhead said:
briged mode will not affect your lan at all and will require no special hardware or software configuration.

Simply change it in the router and whala.

I've got my telkom adsl router setup in bridged mode on my home network.
Click to expand...
It did but I think it's because I let each of airport expresses handle the PPPoE instead of each laptop.

Why you might ask? I wanted one set to use a saix account and the other to use a uunet account that only allows one concurrent connection.
 
Just noticed what I presume is an odd behaviour - My aforementioned router is set to PPPoE (I triple checked). While I was messing around with setting up my laptop to handle the PPPoE it connected.

I had to duplicate the Airport Network Port connection to get the lan working again but its just I wanted it now. The UUNET connection is being shared by the router and I have a SAIX account on demand.
 
bwana v.12 said:
Just noticed what I presume is an odd behaviour - My aforementioned router is set to PPPoE (I triple checked). While I was messing around with setting up my laptop to handle the PPPoE it connected.

I had to duplicate the Airport Network Port connection to get the lan working again but its just I wanted it now. The UUNET connection is being shared by the router and I have a SAIX account on demand.
Click to expand...

that isn't odd behaviour it's a good setup... have the following setup at home:

1. My Telkom ADSL router connects to the net (i.e. has it's own PPPoE connection)
2. luckily the 4 port Telkom marconi routers support bridging and PPPoE at the same time, my computers each have thier own PPPoE dialup account setup.
3. On my roof I have a connection to the CTWUG mesh, with an EoIP tunnel to a friend who has standard Telkom DSL... and another EoIP tunnel to another friend who has a 1MBit Uncapped IS line.

Thus

I setup the machines on the network using the Mikrotik RB122 router on my roof as the default gateway.

When my machine establishes a connection to the net via my ADSL router using a PPPoE connection, the machines use that as thier internet connectivity.

However should my ADSL line drop, my computers automatically fail over onto the wireless mesh and out of the primary EoIP tunnel though that connection instead. Should that ADSL connection also drop, then his RB112 should route me over the other friends IS uncapped line.

And when guests come over, they just set my ADSL router as the default gateway and use the connection on the router.

I'm installing another 1Mbit line soon, so that'll make it even more interesting.
 
Last edited:
Cool - didnt realise that they could support bridging and PPPoE at the same time - my neighbour's psyched since I can now give him access via the uncapped uunet account and keep the SAIX account for myself.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X