If my ORBI is an AP, where do the wired ports get their addresses?

[delk]

I have an ORBI and a modem/router of different manufacture. ORBI is on subnet 10.0.0.1, and is 192.168.1.xxx on the router that feeds it. All of my devices are on the 10.0.0.x subnet, and everything works fine. If I change the ORBI to access point mode, I understand that WIFI devices will now be served a lease from the 192.168.1 subnet. What will be the IP range of the wired ports on the ORBI? I am trying to decide whether to switch to AP mode and let the home internet router control everything.

Del

[CrimpOn · Accepted solution]

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@delk wrote:

I have an ORBI and a modem/router of different manufacture. ORBI is on subnet 10.0.0.1, and is 192.168.1.xxx on the router that feeds it. All of my devices are on the 10.0.0.x subnet, and everything works fine. If I change the ORBI to access point mode, I understand that WIFI devices will now be served a lease from the 192.168.1 subnet. What will be the IP range of the wired ports on the ORBI? I am trying to decide whether to switch to AP mode and let the home internet router control everything.

Del

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IP addresses are assigned to devices, not ports. Thus every device attached to the Orbi in AP mode will receive IP addresses from the primary router, and will be in the 192.169.1.x subnet.  For example, there could be a switch connected to one of the Orbi ethernet jacks, and the switch might have more switches connected to its ports.  Every device connected to any of those switches and every device connected with WiFi will send out DHCP broadcasts asking for IP information and those will come from the base router.

Is there a specific reason to change the Orbi to AP mode?  (Hint: this is one of the solutions for the "Double NAT" situation, which affects some specific applications, but not general usage.) https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT 

[CrimpOn · Accepted solution]

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@delk wrote:

I have an ORBI and a modem/router of different manufacture. ORBI is on subnet 10.0.0.1, and is 192.168.1.xxx on the router that feeds it. All of my devices are on the 10.0.0.x subnet, and everything works fine. If I change the ORBI to access point mode, I understand that WIFI devices will now be served a lease from the 192.168.1 subnet. What will be the IP range of the wired ports on the ORBI? I am trying to decide whether to switch to AP mode and let the home internet router control everything.

Del

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IP addresses are assigned to devices, not ports. Thus every device attached to the Orbi in AP mode will receive IP addresses from the primary router, and will be in the 192.169.1.x subnet.  For example, there could be a switch connected to one of the Orbi ethernet jacks, and the switch might have more switches connected to its ports.  Every device connected to any of those switches and every device connected with WiFi will send out DHCP broadcasts asking for IP information and those will come from the base router.

Is there a specific reason to change the Orbi to AP mode?  (Hint: this is one of the solutions for the "Double NAT" situation, which affects some specific applications, but not general usage.) https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT 

[delk]

Thanks for your help. The only reason I have is that I might have future use of VPN. Other than that, my Internet use is primarily browser and email, although I do use Google drive quite a bit, as well as Meet and Zoom. Throughput and speed are important. I know there is a chance that double-NAT could affect VPN, but I don't know about speed and through for AP vs router on the ORBI.

Del

[CrimpOn]

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@delk wrote:

Thanks for your help. The only reason I have is that I might have future use of VPN. Other than that, my Internet use is primarily browser and email, although I do use Google drive quite a bit, as well as Meet and Zoom. Throughput and speed are important. I know there is a chance that double-NAT could affect VPN, but I don't know about speed and through for AP vs router on the ORBI.

Del

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"Bingo".  VPN is exactly the reason I swapped out my combo modem/router/wifi for a "modem only".  Thre are three generally accepted ways to solve "Double NAT":

1. Put the ISP device in "bridge" or "passthrough" mode. (no longer a router)
   Sometimes this is a challenge, or even impossible. (FIOS is especially picky)
   
2. Put the Orbi in AP mode.
3. Put the Orbi in the ISP's DMZ (a "distant third" option)

There should be no significant difference in speed between AP and router mode.

Please note that the VPN that will be affected is using VPN to reach the Orbi network from the internet, not using VPN to make web browsing more private or secure.  I use VPN to administer my Orbi and one across country when I am not physically connected to one of them.

[delk]

If there is no significant penalty to "double NAT" the way I am using, and if there is nothing preventing my using VPN originating in my home network to access a site outside it, I will probably just keep using my ORBI plugged into my t-Mobile LTE modem/router. If I do use AP mode, it will be in confidence that my wired connections in the ORBI LAN ports will be in the same subnet as my wifi connections, all served from the DHCP in my t-Mobile Home Internet

Thanks very much.

Del

[FURRYe38]

You can use the modem routers DMZ for the Orbi in router mode. This helps with double NAT issue that maybe see with out using DMZ.