TP Link separate modem and router setup

F

feo

Honorary Master
Joined
Jan 22, 2006
Messages
13,722
Reaction score
109
Location
Pretoria, South Africa
Hi guys

So lightning struck and both my ADSL modem and separate router have to be replaced. I really struggled to get it working when I set it up initially last year so I just wanna make sure I understand it all now before setting it up.

Modem is connected to the WAN port of the router, correct? Also, modem will be put into bridge mode, correct?

On the router side, I choose PPPoE connection and put my ADSL username and password there, correct? (So no ISP details go into the modem)

Also, another thing I'm unclear about is the internal IP addresses of both the router and modem. Can they be in the same IP range? For example router is 192.168.0.1 and modem is 192.168.0.2? There's no problem with that?

Thanks in advance
 
When I put the modem in PPPoE mode, the ADSL and Internet both come on fine (no router involved in this setup now).

When I put it into bridge mode and let the router do the PPPoE, the router never get an external IP. BUT what I think happened is that after the storm, my WAN port (and 2 LAN ports) got fried.

I got an idea and flashed the router with DD-WRT and tried to reassign one of the 2 working LAN ports to be a WAN port but no luck.

Bottom line is, it looks like I'll have to shell out for another router.
 
Hi There,
I think you need to put the router in bridge mode and not the Modem.
You want the modem to handle the DHCP and if you have wireless on the modem and the router you need to be careful.

I put this post up to address some of the issues you have. Have a read through before you take the wallet out.

Regards

Tim
 
Tim the Techxpert said:
Hi There,
I think you need to put the router in bridge mode and not the Modem.
You want the modem to handle the DHCP and if you have wireless on the modem and the router you need to be careful.

I put this post up to address some of the issues you have. Have a read through before you take the wallet out.

Regards

Tim
Click to expand...

No offense Tim, but what OP originally said was correct and yours not.

For clarity sake, the modem is where the telephone line connects to and the router is what handles the internet connection and lan.
 
What you can do if your router WAN port is really fried is set the modem to dial the PPPoE connection and run a DHCP server (with itself as the gateway). Make sure both your router and modem are using the same IP range (eg. both 192.168.0.x but the one is 192.168.0.1 and other is 192.168.0.2) then plug a LAN port on the router into the modem. Then when you connect anything to the router (wireless or wired) it should receive an IP address from the modem with itself as the gateway etc. Connecting between devices should work just fine as well.
 
I had a problem using the WAN port on my TP-Link Wifi router to connect to my TP-Link DSL modem. The TP-Link router wouldn't allow itself to be on the same IP range as the modem when connecting through that silly WAN port. ie. couldnt make the DSL modem ip 192.168.0.1 and the Wifi router 192.168.0.2.

Got a friend over to help, DSL modem handles the DHCP. And the router is in bridge, BUT connected to a standard LAN port, and NOT the WAN port. Works like a charm.
 
I could try that just to test if it would indeed work. For now, I've ordered a replacement router so I should be up and running tomorrow.

I did try to convert one of the LAN ports into a WAN port but that didn't work. Even if it did, I would've have one remaining LAN port which isn't enough for my setup.

And to the guy on top, the router must not be in bridge mode, I mean why would it? It's the modem that's connected to the phone line, all I want is for the router to handle the PPPoE and DHCP stuff, all the modem has to do is sync.
 
X gamer, if you connect a device to one of the routers ethernet ports, how does that device get its IP address? From the modem?

I'm confused now...
 
I'm running a similar setup (TD-W8960N with fried ADSL + TD-8840T Adsl Modem). What router/modem are you using? The only problem I have is that some webpages won't load fully and I have to keep refreshing which is becoming a PITA...
 
TD8817 modem and WR1043ND router.

When it worked, it worked flawlessly. Only problem is getting the thing setup initially.
 
feo said:
Also, another thing I'm unclear about is the internal IP addresses of both the router and modem. Can they be in the same IP range? For example router is 192.168.0.1 and modem is 192.168.0.2? There's no problem with that?
Click to expand...

The router will have a WAN IP and a LAN IP. They should be in a different range. The modem will have it's own IP.
EG:
Router LAN IP: 192.168.1.1
Router WAN IP: 192.168.0.1
Modem: 192.168.0.2

PS. I have that TP-Link, I know how it works.
 
Last edited:
If you connect the router on the WAN port rather make it a different range. If you connect it to the LAN port make it in the same range.
 
Well... yes :p It would kinda work if you put it in bridge mode and dial PPPoE with the router. It would get an internet connection and be fine but you'd never be able to access the modem web interface etc.
 
rorz0r said:
Well... yes :p It would kinda work if you put it in bridge mode and dial PPPoE with the router. It would get an internet connection and be fine but you'd never be able to access the modem web interface etc.
Click to expand...

The router won't even allow you to use the same subnet. How much simpler must I explain this?
 
So this setup wouldn't work:

router: 192.168.0.1 (PPPoE mode)
modem: 192.168.0.2 (bridge mode)
modem connected to router via WAN port

??

but this will work:

router: 192.168.0.1 (PPPoE mode)
modem: 192.168.1.1 (bridge mode)
modem connected to router via WAN port

??
 
feo said:
So this setup wouldn't work:

router: 192.168.0.1 (PPPoE mode)
modem: 192.168.0.2 (bridge mode)
modem connected to router via WAN port

??
Click to expand...

Xera and I disagree. He would like to explain it simpler and I would like to explain it making reference to the OSI model but that would only serve to confuse. Either way we both agree don't do it.

feo said:
but this will work:

router: 192.168.0.1 (PPPoE mode)
modem: 192.168.1.1 (bridge mode)
modem connected to router via WAN port

??
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X