Guest User!

You are not Sophos Staff.

This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Setup behind Wireless Modem Router. Gateway or Bridge?

Hi Guys,

We have recently purchased an XG Appliance and are expecting it to be delivered any day now. I'm wanting to get my head around the installation before it arrives so I'm ready.

First our current setup.

We are currently using a Netgear Wireless Modem/Router for ADSL Connectivity. This then connects to a couple of switches that handle all internal LAN Traffic, we also use Unifi AP's for wireless connectivity with the Wifi switched off on the Netgear unit. So basically we are just using the Netgear unit as a DHCP Server and a modem, as well as its rubbish domestic firewall.

The Netgear unit is configured with PPPoE with a static public IP. The DHCP IP range is 192.168.0.x/24

We will also be getting a second ADSL connection installed shortly and will be using the XG as a load balancer across both links, i'd anticipate the same PPPoE for ADSL link 2.

Anyway,

My question is, if the Netgear unit is at the edge of our network being the modem, and is currently configured as a DHCP server and handing out addresses in the 192.168.0.x/24 range.

What do I set the XG Appliance up as? I would like the XG to become the new DHCP server, and disable the DHCP function on the Netgear unit. Do i need to put the netgear unit in bridge mode? then the XG as gateway and enter in the PPPoE settings for my IP within the XG?

We have no public facing servers so no need for DMZ or anything like that so it should be fairly straight forward. I guess im just confused as i know a network can only have 1 x DHCP server and I'm thinking i need to use a different IP range for the XG to give out via DHCP turn off the DHCP server on the router/put the router in bridge mode and use a static IP address to connect the XG to the Netgear unit.

Hope i've explained my scenario clearly enough. Really appreciative of anyones help or ideas.

Cheers



This thread was automatically locked due to age.
Parents
  • Also there doesn't seem to be a way to turn off this POS Netgears minimal firewall features like DOS protection. Is this an issue?

    Even in bridge mode there is no option to switch it off? Bridge mode would surely negate it anyway?

  • Hi and welcome,

    the XG does not have a very good DHCP server, it is not linked to the DNS. You should be able setup the netgear in bridge mode using an rfc connection and disable the NAT function. You would probably better off buying a cheaper modem.

    If you have server on your network it probably has a better DHCP server than the XG and talks to your internal DNS.

Reply
  • Hi and welcome,

    the XG does not have a very good DHCP server, it is not linked to the DNS. You should be able setup the netgear in bridge mode using an rfc connection and disable the NAT function. You would probably better off buying a cheaper modem.

    If you have server on your network it probably has a better DHCP server than the XG and talks to your internal DNS.

Children
  • Hi,

    Thanks for your reply.

    I am thinking it will be best if i go and buy a cheap modem and then set the XG up in Gateway mode.

    Even still though the modem would be giving out an address range to attached devices? Which would only be the XG but would i have to point the XG at the static IP of the modem and then give the XG a different range for internal addresses? Which is effectively what i would still have to do with the current Netgear device.

    We do have a Windows Server with AD, but we don't have an internal DNS server as that goes a bit beyond my comfort zone. We have clients set up with DNS 1 as the AD Server and 2nd DNS entry as Google DNS. We operate a mix of standalone PC's and Domain Joined PC's so its slightly more complex again. 

    Im only really needing simple IP reservation so i'm hoping that the XG can handle this.






  • Hi,

    put the external modem in bridge mode, that way the XG will get the address from the ISP.

  • I got it working with WAN DHCP so the XG simply gets an IP from the router. Set up the XG in gateway mode and all seems to be working well. Client devices have Internet Access etc.

    Thanks for your help :)

  • Hi Shane, 

    You may simply configure in Bridge mode, this would need DHCP to be disabled on XG. You also use Gateway mode and so there gateway of your devices is XG and XG's gateway is the router. Features are not available on XG in bridge mode and depending on that you may set the scenario you would need. 

    Bridged Interfaces do not support the following features:

    1. Dynamic DNS
    2. Multicast Routing
    3. DHCP Client
    4. IPsec VPN
    5. VLAN
    6. Virtual Host
    7. PPPoE
    8. Bridge (a Bridged Interface cannot be a member of Bridge)