What DSL modem should I get that will connect properly with the WAN port on a new Asus Wireless Router?

[Lownote]

My old Thomson SpeedTouch 510 DSL Modem will only work with my new Asus RT-AC66u router when the SpeedTouch is plugged into one of the LAN ports on the router. All the instructions that come with the Asus say the cable from the modem must be plugged into the WAN port on the router, but I can't connect to the internet if I do this. I've spent hours trying to reconfigure both pieces of gear and keep having to do a factory reset to get them working at all.

I'm new to this forum and now having read a bunch of the postings have realised that I should provide a bit more detail. My problems started when I had to change from an Apple Airport Extreme router that was connected to the Thomson SpeedTouch 510 in order to be able to use VPN on offer from Astrill.com. I had used the Extreme in bridge mode with the modem providing all DHCP addressing, but I had also been successful in turning off the DHCP in the SpeedTouch and letting the Extreme control the DHCP addressing. The Extreme is now in another part of my masonry house acting as a "booster" of Wifi.

When I got the Asus RT-AC66u, I followed the instructions and connected the modem cable to the WAN port on the back of the router, ran an enternet cable to a huge Gigabyte switch, and my computer plus a bunch of other CAT5 cables to the switch. If I turned off DHCP addressing in the modem and turned it on in the Asus router, my network connected up fine but no internet connection. The only way I could get the setup to work was to plug the modem cable into a LAN port on the back of the Asus and turn off DHCP addressing in the Asus. The Asus control software in my browser tells me it is not connected to the Internet and that I need to plug the modem cable into the WAN port. But if I do this, both networking and internet connectivity stop. I am connected to the Net even if the Asus doesn't think I am.

While I do have a working system at the moment, the problem is that I can't install the Astral VPN software applet on the Asus router when it is set up with this configuration. I let an Astral tech take control of my computer to "fix" things about midnight last night, and then all hell broke loose, particularly after he told me to change the wiring. I ended up spending all night at my desk and finally got things running again at 6:30 this morning.

Can anyone shed any light on how to fix this? The Thomson is ancient--is there an easy to configure, dependable and more modern modem that can be set up so that my sign-in/password/static IP can be entered through the router and not the modem? The Thomson appears to be "too smart" for its own good good, but not smart enough to allow for settings to avoid the conflicts.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Lownote

 

[GhislainG]

It sounds like you haven't configured the Asus router correctly for DHCP. Make sure the default gateway is the modem and that it can ping it, etc.

 

[Lownote]

Thanks for weighing in. I went back and did the following: turned off DHCP addressing in the SpeedTouch modem, turned on DHCP addressing in the Asus with the default gateway set to the IP address of the modem, pulled the ethernet cable coming from the modem out of the LAN port on the Asus and put it into the WAN port. I then restarted both devices. Using this cable routing and the above changes resulted in no internet service and no ability to access the modem through a browser. The ASUS was also unable to detect what type of internet connection I have. Reversing all of the above, and I'm back with a working computer and network even though the ASUS software interface on my browser says I have no internet connection.

I also looked again at some way of putting the SpeedTouch in bridge mode so that the Asus would do the sign-on to my ISP. Thomson doesn't use this terminology but they do allow you to assign the public IP of a connection to a device. I was able to assign the connection to the Asus. Moving the modem cable into the WAN port on the Asus, and switching the Asus over to PPoE and putting in the login and password information on the Asus didn't work and the Asus wouldn't connect to the internet atlhough the modem was showing through indicator lights that it was still connected. I couldn't confirm since this change prevented me from getting back inside the Modem from my browser.

I think my original conclusion is right. I need a different ADSL modem that is set up for the British phone system, one that allows you to put it in bridge mode. If anyone can recommend a good one, i.e., one that won't keep dropping connections even though I'm some way from the connection point, it would be much appreciated.

 

[GhislainG]

Can't your ISP recommend a modem that meets your requirements?

 

[Lownote]

Well, that makes too much sense. I phone New Star Network and the tech there recommended a Draytek 2860. He said it should do everything I'll need it to do and work well with the Asus. I'm headed to their website now to check it out. Actually, after looking at their website, that would be overkill, and I've ordered a Draytek Vigor 130 modem that will handle ADSL and VDSL when we finally get some fiber in our town.