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Forum Discussion
Instructions for setting up nighthawk RAX41 to use with my ISP router in bridge or modem mode.
Just as the title states, I’m looking for advice on how I need to set this router up when I return it back to router mode that will be connected via ethernet cable to one of the outputs of my ISP provided Calix 844E-1 router once I get that router converted to Bridge mode or modem mode.
I think my ISP is gonna take care of doing the conversion to my Calix router, but do I just plain and simply connect my laptop to my Netgear router and just reboot it back into regular router mode? Are there any specific changes I need to make to it once I do that?
15 Replies
A lot depends on what has been done to customize the network while in the current configuration. The Calix router will have defined a local IP subnet which may be different from the subnet that the Netgear router will define. If individual devices have been assigned IP addresses in the Calix configuration, that information will disappear.
Sounds like an adventure awaits!
I guess I don't understand what you mean when you say a lot depends on what has been done to customize the network whilell in the current configuration because whether I do this or my ISP does it, aren't they basically going to just reboot and reset the router into bridge mode? I would kind of think that would erase everything anyway which is fine because when this is all said and done with, I'm gonna have to reconnect all of my devices in my home directly to my Netgear router.
So after they reconfigure my ISP router to modem/bridge mode, can I literally just reboot and reset my Netgear router back into regular router mode, reconnect the ethernet cable, and only have to do simple changes like what to name my SSIDs, whether or not, I want to enable smart connect, custom 5G or 2.4 G broadcast channels and other various customizable settings? You know, about like the same thing you would do once you factory reboot this router and say you were replacing the ISP router with this one?
The reason why I'm asking this is because earlier today when I called and spoke to Netgear support, they wouldn't tell me much because I refuse to pay for support on a device Ive already paid for but the one thing they did say was that there would have to be certain specific settings made and that basically I couldn't just reboot my router back to factory default settings, plug it back into the output of my ISP router and expect it to work.
If you set the ISP router to bridge or modem only mode, then would be simple to just connect up the NG router and setup from scratch normally which the NG router would need to be in router mode.
Your ISP Modem already has a built in router and wifi. This would be a double NAT (two router) condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
https://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NAT
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router.
New: https://community.netgear.com/kb/en-orbi-knowledge-sharing/static-ip-address-configuration-for-ap-mode/2456256
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WIFI-6-AX-AND-Wi-Fi-6E-AXE/Procedure-for-Factory-reset-of-RBS850/m-p/2367505/highlight/true#M53985
https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop
Try option #2 first...
https://kb.netgear.com/000061277/Which-features-are-disabled-on-my-Orbi-router-when-it-is-set-to-AP-Modehttps://kb.netgear.com/22697/How-do-I-install-my-NETGEAR-router-using-the-router-web-interface
So then there isn't anything special or specific that I'd need to do to my NG router? I can just simply reboot it into factory configuration, reconnect the ethernet cable from the output of my now bridged/modem mode ISP router to the internet input of my NG just the same as if I was not dong anything at all to the ISP router and using my NG to completely replace it?
Like I told Mr CrimpOn, the NG tech support person I was able to talk to today didn't tell me what all I'd have to do because I refuse to pay anybody for tech support but they did say I couldn't just factory reboot my router and expect it to work when connected now to a router thats in modem/bridge mode and expect it to work.
Something to ask the ISP about. Some ISPs require there equipement to be used. The ISP will know this.
…..or put my ISP’s router into bridge mode and then reconfigure my Netgear router back into normal router mode and just connect it via ethernet cable to my ISP router once it’s reconfigured into bridge mode?
And just so you guys know, my ISP’s router which is a Calix 844E-1 is just a plain router itself as it connects to an ONT provided by my ISP.
I’ve used my Netgear router before to replace my ISP’s router, but the only reason why I reconnected their router and then put my Netgear router into AP mode was because one night when I wasn’t home, we were having some kind of Internet issues and my ISP was unable to remotely connect to router for a diagnostics test, but whatever it was that happened, I think the reason why my wife still didn’t have Internet after the ISP got their problem worked out was because she, I think, accidentally pressed the button on the Netgear router that turned off its Wi-Fi radios which pretty much rendered her without Internet until I got home to correct it but now that I don’t go out of town that much anymore and being that the only other issues we’ve had has been from just from plain outages and being that I’m pretty sure I can go into my router settings and turn off the buttons, I’m really starting to think I need to just go back to replacing their router completely with my own router and not use theirs at all being that I really don’t think my ISP needs to diagnose a router when they can still diagnose their own ONT. Thoughts?
For whatever it’s worth, forgive me for trying out that new ChatGPT stuff but when I asked the question to it, it said being that my ISP router connects to an ONT that I would be much better off to just completely replace their router with my router even over putting their router into bridge mode and the reasons it gave was less equipment being used, and the one that stood out to me was where it said something about how some ISP routers in bridge mode can sometimes deliver certain things improperly as they’re supposed to or something like that.
So what’s the verdict? Just replace their router with mine and call it good or set their router up in bridge mode and then connect my router to theirs? I mean, is there really any technical advantage by using my router in full-blown router mode connected to another router that is in bridge mode?
THANKS.
Yes. You can replace the ISP router with the NG router, if you want too. All up to you.
Well, I think that’s exactly what I’m gonna do because after speaking with my ISP’s tier 2 technical support, they said I’d be better off just replacing their router with my own instead of putting theirs into bridge mode.
New question…
Being that I just found out through customer service of my ISP, not too long ago they restructured their packages to wear basically long story short, I found out that for the same price we’ve always been paying for the one gigabit Internet, we can upgrade to the 2 gigabit and not paying anything extra or we could save ourselves $10 a month and keep using the one gig so my question is, will my RAX41 router be able to handle up to that speed?I
No. Max you'll ever see over ethernet would be around 900Mpbs +-
What about through WiFi? And able we're at it, what does it mean on the box when it says it can handle up to 3.45 GHz speeds?
