Question Looking to use my own router with my fiber modem

[Deltafox2022]

Hello, I upgraded my internet to Fibercast FTTH but I've been having issues with the wifi reaching the back of my flat. This is an old building and the wifi was never great but I managed to fit it using my own router Asus Rog Rapture GT-AC2900. I was previously with Virgin Media who used the Super hub 3 and it was pretty easy to setup, change it to modem mode and boom lt worked. But with this new moden I don't see a modem mode or understand how to go about using my own router. I was reading that you need to watch for double NAT issues so thought I'd ask for advice.

My router / GT-AC2900

ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 | ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 | Gaming Networking｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global

NVIDIA GeForce Now recommended wifi router for Steam, Uplay cloud gaming, console game, mobile game. Easy setup NAT open, wide range and smooth signal.

rog.asus.com

Fiber Modem / Icotera i4850
https://icotera.com/products/managed-wi-fi-routers/wi-fi-5-ethernet-router-i485x-series

 

[kanewolf]

Hello, I upgraded my internet to Fibercast FTTH but I've been having issues with the wifi reaching the back of my flat. This is an old building and the wifi was never great but I managed to fit it using my own router Asus Rog Rapture GT-AC2900. I was previously with Virgin Media who used the Super hub 3 and it was pretty easy to setup, change it to modem mode and boom lt worked. But with this new moden I don't see a modem mode or understand how to go about using my own router. I was reading that you need to watch for double NAT issues so thought I'd ask for advice.

My router / GT-AC2900

ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 | ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 | Gaming Networking｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global

NVIDIA GeForce Now recommended wifi router for Steam, Uplay cloud gaming, console game, mobile game. Easy setup NAT open, wide range and smooth signal.

rog.asus.com

Fiber Modem / Icotera i4850
https://icotera.com/products/managed-wi-fi-routers/wi-fi-5-ethernet-router-i485x-series

There are a few web pages about setting that to bridge mode (but not in a language I read).
I would start by contacting the ISP and seeing if they can set it to bridge mode.
You can also run in dual NAT mode, and see if you have problems. Many people don't. If you choose to do that, you should DISABLE the WIFI on the i4850 so that it doesn't interfere with the Asus.

 

[Deltafox2022]

Ok thanks, will contact my ISP and see what they say.

 

[Deltafox2022]

Hello again I did get a message back from my isp but I'm more confused now lol.. Maybe someone with more tech knowledge unserstands what they said

Hi David

If you have your own router which is capable of configuring a VLAN tag of 911 on the WAN interface then you can remove the Icotera router entirely. We use DHCP on our network and you’ll need to wait 10 minutes after disconnecting the old router before the new one will connect.

 

[bill001g]

So first what is your problem with double nat. Is this something you just saw or are you actually being limited by it. Mostly this is related to people who need to do things like port forwarding to run server or maybe want remote access to their home network via vpn.

The ISP router supports DMZ which will send all traffic to your asus router which fixes the vast majority of issues people have with a dual nat configuration. There are vendor like att this is the only way you can run they will not allow their router to be removed.

I was somewhat surprised that the ISP even offered to allow you to swap out their router. What I had incorrectly assumed was it had a fiber optic port for its wan interface. It appears you have another device/ONT in your house that has the fiber port.
SO if you really want to do this there is a setting on many asus router called 802.1Q under the wan settings. Since asus runs a single code image I think it is on all their router but I may not be correct. You can load merlin firmware on a ac2900 and it has the 802.1q option. With 802.1q you can set a vlan tag.

I would recommend you try other option before you try to remove the ISP router. It again depends on why you want to do this in the first place.

 

[Deltafox2022]

Hello again Bill

The main reason for using my own router is the wifi isn't stable at the back of the house. This is an old building but both smart tvs keep cutting off or losing signal. We also do alot of gaming in this house and at some point someone said be careful you don't have double nat as it can cause packet loss or other connection issues. This might not be true however? But I did try the DMZ as sugessted and it was connected but the internet wasn't working.

1. Connected the ethernet from the box on the wall to the Icotera i4850 wan port.
2. Ran small ethernet cable from lan port 1 to the Asus Wan port
3. Ran the Ethernet from Port 1 of the Asus router to my Pc
4. Enabled DMZ destination IP to 192.168.1.1 As suggested on the net wouldn't execpt this.
5. Changed the DMZ destination IP to 192.168.7.1 which it did accept but on the Asus router it said connected but the internet was off.

Also on DMZ mode do I need to disable the wifi on the Icotera i4850 or will that switch off in DMZ Mode?

 

[bill001g]

Gamers are as dumb as rocks sometimes. The believe all the technical conspiracy theories and are too lazy to look things up on reputable sites or come to sites like this and ask questions.
Double nat does not cause packet loss it really is no different than single nat, I mean if the router has defective firmware it can cause issues but then any device can be defective.

On paper you ISP router is as good as your asus for wifi. The asus is using feature that no end device actually supported to get bigger numbers. Neither vendor actually makes their own wifi chips and many times they use the same ones. Also almost all wifi routers transmit at the legal maximum allowed which is what affects range.
So in general the idea that a ISP router is worse is mostly a myth.

Why some routers work better than other in general is hard to say. It is mostly related to how the house is built but it can also be small difference in how the antenna are placed on the unit and maybe that affects the interaction with the house. It is all hit and miss when you try to compare. The results from controlled test that are filed with the FCC show little or no difference between routers. All other tests are greatly affected by where and how they are tested. You can't even think to compare results form different people house or even some review sites that test in their office or house.

So what I would do is turn off the wifi radios in the ISP router. I would then use the Asus router as a AP. This will in effect replace the ISP router wifi chips but all other function will be done by ISP router. You only have a single nat if it matters in the path.


If you really want to use DMZ you are doing it wrong. The destination IP is the IP the ISP router assigns to the wan port of your ASUS router. 192.168.1.1 is likely the ISP router not the address of the wan on your asus router. You also likely need to change the LAN ip range on asus router if it using the same range as the ISP router.
But it sounds like you really have no need for this. First it does not even sound like you are needing port forwarding in the first place since you are not say running a minecraft server. You also don't seem to need your asus router for other purposes say like vpn or parental controls.

If it purely a wifi issue use the asus as a AP it is a much simpler thing to get setup.