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Forum Discussion
C7000 AC1900 Bridge Mode to PFSense Configuration
At the moment, I'm running just the single C7000. This is connected via ethernet to my media/download server, and wirelessly by mobile devices, Roku, Nvidia Shield, etc. I've been fooling around with Pfsense and OpenVPN and have an old box I'm going to turn into a Pfsense firewall appliance.
I'm wondering how the wireless functionality behaves when the C7000 is put into bridge mode (router mode turned off). I'd like to add a wireless access point at the other end of my house, but still use the C7000 as a wireless AP. I also am wondering that in bridge mode if the c7000 will forward all internet traffic to the connected LAN device. I currently have NAT/Port Forwarding for some services running on my media server. Has anyone done something similar?
Here's a general outline of what I think the new network would look like:
C7000 (Cable Modem & Wireless AP only) -> Pfsense Firewall/Router -> (Wireless AP & Media Server connected via LAN)
2 Replies
> I'm wondering how the wireless functionality behaves when the C7000 is
> put into bridge mode (router mode turned off).
I'd expect no router = no wireless.
> [...] I also am wondering that in bridge mode if the c7000 will
> forward all internet traffic to the connected LAN device. [...]
What else could it do? In modem-only mode, I'd expect it to be too
stupid to do anything else.
> [...] I currently have NAT/Port Forwarding for some services running
> on my media server.
Ok, but that's a router function, not a modem function. Unless your
firewall (about which I know nothing) could handle that job, you'll
still need a router after the firewall.
> C7000 (Cable Modem & Wireless AP only) [...]
No such thing as a modem-only with wireless AP, I claim.
> [...] -> Pfsense Firewall/Router [...]
And why would you want some/any of the wireless stuff outside the
firewall, even it it could work?
> [...] -> (Wireless AP & Media Server connected via LAN)
What does "connected via LAN" mean to you? Ethernet cable?
(LAN = "Local-Area Network", and wireless connections are normally about
as "Local-Area" as wired connections.)
I'd say that you can't do what you want with the stuff you have. You
seem to want something like:
Modem -> Firewall -> Wireless Router -----> Wireless AP
Aside from the firewall, the brains ("NAT/Port Forwarding") would all
be on the "Wireless Router" (which, by the way, can't be a C7000,
because it lacks an Ethernet WAN/Internet port). The modem would be
stupid, and the WAP would be about as stupid as it can be, while still
handling wireless connections.
I'd expect that using the C7000 as a WAP would be possible. One
step-by-step procedure should be here:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1463500
That's written for a C6300, but the steps are about the same for any
other router (any make/model) which lacks a one-step WAP option,
including a C7000. But, in that mode, you couldn't also use its
cable-modem features.OK, that's pretty much what I expected but figured I'd at least ask. All the option says is "Router Mode" on/off...so we're left to guess as to what it really does. But I think you're right, it just disables everything except for WAN connection and forwards all traffic to the LAN port. I've already been looking at a Unifi AC Pro unit to upgrade wireless coverage in my home so I'll just have to turn this unit into a simple modem and have the pfsense box take care of everything else.