Orbi NBN connection via Netcomm AC modem (Aussie Broadband FTTN NBN)

[KKCAUS]

Appreciate any help to setup Orbi to connect to Aussie Broadband FTTN NBN via supplied Netcomm AC modem router. Understand that I can connect with Orbi setup in AP mode but read somewhere that I will loose some functionality in AP mode. Few questions below:

- is there any lose in functionality while in AP mode? I current setup IP assignment and access in Orbi.

- what is the steps to connect thru the supplied Netcomm AC modem while turning off Netcomm Wifi. Read that Aussie Broadband use IPOE. Need to know which settings in Orbi to setup.

[FURRYe38]

Most of the routing and control features are disabled on the Orbi when in AP mode. 

Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge 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 for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode thus claiming back all features of the Orbi.
3. To setup AP mode, disable all wifi radios on the modem/router and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. 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

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Appreciate any help to setup Orbi to connect to Aussie Broadband FTTN NBN via supplied Netcomm AC modem router. Understand that I can connect with Orbi setup in AP mode but read somewhere that I will loose some functionality in AP mode. Few questions below:

- is there any lose in functionality while in AP mode? I current setup IP assignment and access in Orbi.

- what is the steps to connect thru the supplied Netcomm AC modem while turning off Netcomm Wifi. Read that Aussie Broadband use IPOE. Need to know which settings in Orbi to setup.

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[KKCAUS]

Thank you for the feeback. Will check with Aussie Broadband on how to setup the netcomm wireless router to transparent bridge mode.

Are there any setup required at Orbi side besides setting it in router mode?

[raven_au]

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Are there any setup required at Orbi side besides setting it in router mode?

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There shouldn't be.

All that's happening here is your making the ISP router behave like it's a modem only.

The ISP router might not turn off its WiFi so watch out for that becuase it will interfere with the Orbi WiFi, there's simply not enough wireless channels available for both to be active.

I've seen posts saying Aussie Broadband are very good so I ecpect they will be willing to help.

I'd be very surprised if the Netcomm couldn't be set to bridge mode and I think that's the best way to handle this. In fact I have used my iiNet Technicolor in bridge mode just fine with the Orbi, although it was really hard to find out how to set it to bridge mode (I wasn't willing to even ask iiNet ...).

Ian

[raven_au]

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@raven_au wrote:

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Are there any setup required at Orbi side besides setting it in router mode?

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There shouldn't be.

I found this, not sure it's accurrate as I don't have the Netcomm.

https://support.netcommwireless.com/faq/nf10wv-bridge-mode-setup-guide

Also be aware that when the Netcomm is is bridge mode you'll no longer be able to use its VoIP so if you need phone services you'll need to get an Anolog Telephone Adapter (ATA) to connect your phone to the network. The Cisco ATA device that Aussie sells would be sufficient if you do need one.

Ian

[raven_au]

And one last thing.

In the Orbi all you should need to do is check the Orbi Internet settings are:

Internet requires login is set to no.

Internet IP Address is set to get dynamically from ISP.

Domain Name Server addresses is set to get automatially from ISP.

Router MAC address is set to use default address.

I'm pretty sure that these setting will be the defaults.

They were what I got when I setup the Orbi from scratch, I didn't need to change anything. Of course you need to connect the ethernet cable correctly, into the yellow internet port on the Orbi and into the correct port on the Netcomm (some routers want you to connect to a specific port when you set them to bridge mode), try port 1 on the Netcomm that's the most common one if there is a restriction.

Ian

[raven_au]

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@raven_au wrote:

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@raven_au wrote:

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Are there any setup required at Orbi side besides setting it in router mode?

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There shouldn't be.

I found this, not sure it's accurrate as I don't have the Netcomm.

https://support.netcommwireless.com/faq/nf10wv-bridge-mode-setup-guide

I spoke to my son yesterday, he has an nf10wv and says he tried this procedure and couldn't get it to work.

He was quick to add he may have made a mistake and he's with Spintel which I think requires a different setup to what you need so that might also be a factor.

Reagrdless of whether he made a mistake contacting Aussie Broadband before trying this is probably the best thing to do.

Ian

[KKCAUS]

Thanks for the followup. Still pending Aussie Broadband reply.

[raven_au]

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Thanks for the followup. Still pending Aussie Broadband reply.

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I'd be interested to know how you go with this.

From discussions I've seen on Whirlpool AussieBB apparently have good support, something very rare these days.

[KKCAUS]

Just to update. Aussie Broadband replied that they do not support bridging setup on th netcomm modem/router due to the complexity of the settings setup between devices. They adviced me to contact Netcomm directly for the help.  

On the Netgear Orbi, they indicated that it should just require to be setup with a DHCP connection and where it says "Does my connection require a login" select No.

The access point setup with Orbi seem to be working ok so did not have a real need to play around with modem bridging yet. 

[FURRYe38]

Does the modem in question have a DMZ? If so you could try this out for the Orbi in Router mode. 

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Just to update. Aussie Broadband replied that they do not support bridging setup on th netcomm modem/router due to the complexity of the settings setup between devices. They adviced me to contact Netcomm directly for the help.  

On the Netgear Orbi, they indicated that it should just require to be setup with a DHCP connection and where it says "Does my connection require a login" select No.

The access point setup with Orbi seem to be working ok so did not have a real need to play around with modem bridging yet. 

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[raven_au]

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@KKCAUS wrote:

Just to update. Aussie Broadband replied that they do not support bridging setup on th netcomm modem/router due to the complexity of the settings setup between devices. They adviced me to contact Netcomm directly for the help.  

On the Netgear Orbi, they indicated that it should just require to be setup with a DHCP connection and where it says "Does my connection require a login" select No.

The access point setup with Orbi seem to be working ok so did not have a real need to play around with modem bridging yet. 

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That proceedure is complicated so it's not surprising ABB elect not to support it (a bit disapponting though).

The settings they specified for the router are the most common ones used by ISPs for NBN, that sounds sensible.

If your happy with AP mode then that should work well too, but you do loose some of the functionality of the Orbi in that mode.

OTOH if you need the VoIP functionaily for you phones then this the simplest way to keep your phones working with the NBN without buying an ATA as well.

Setting my iiNet device to bridge mode was a bit difficult too but it works for me.

I also purchased another inexpensive modem/router (Dlink G225) and set it to bridge mode and it also works fine with iiNet NBN (but even that was slightly difficult to set to bridge mode).

It might be worth asking ABB how to reset the Netcomm to it's original settings (that work with ABB) so you could try out the bridge mode settings and if there's a problem perform the reset to restore it. You would hope that resetting it to factory defaults would be all you need to do but checking with ABB first on that would be the smart thing to do.

[KKCAUS]

I backed up the settings for the Netcomm modem/router just in case. Wouldn't that work to restore ABB settings if my experiment with other setting doesn't work?

BTW, I am still unclear of the functionaly lost from Netgear Orbi when setup in AP mode. Thought there was benefit like not having to do the switching (DHCP handled by Netcomm) help free up processor at Orbi side. What's the downside of using Orbi in AP mode?

Probably a newbie question. For DMZ setup, do I turn off DHCP at Netcomm side and turn it on at Orbi side? 

[raven_au]

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@KKCAUS wrote:

I backed up the settings for the Netcomm modem/router just in case. Wouldn't that work to restore ABB settings if my experiment with other setting doesn't work?

BTW, I am still unclear of the functionaly lost from Netgear Orbi when setup in AP mode. Thought there was benefit like not having to do the switching (DHCP handled by Netcomm) help free up processor at Orbi side. What's the downside of using Orbi in AP mode?

Probably a newbie question. For DMZ setup, do I turn off DHCP at Netcomm side and turn it on at Orbi side? 

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Backup/restore should work fine.

I haven't had my Orbi in AP mode for a long time so I can't remember the details.

You won't be able to use things like parental controls and probably not MAC filtering either.

I'm not sure how functional devices list is in AP mode ...

In AP mode the Orbi is just another device so DHCP and other router functionality is disabled when it's switched.

If you use DMZ to get the internet packets forwarded to the Orbi you wouldn't turn off DHCP on either device.

All this is meant to do is make the modem/router send all incoming traffic (for which it has nowhere to send it) to the Orbi.

There are a couple of things to be careful of.

The Orbi needs to be on a different network (eg. Netcomm 192.168.0.0/24 and Orbi 192.168.1.0/24) to the modem/router so that incoming packets can be properly routed to it.

Using this setup will introduce what is called Double NAT which can cause a problem for certain usage types, for example UPnP won't work with this setup so games console might have problems.

[FURRYe38]

If you set up DMZ on the modem correctly for the Orbi in router mode, yes this would be in a double NAT condition, however using DMZ on the modem helps to avoid double NAT problems with devices and applications that are connected thru the Orbi. 

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/nat.htm

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Networking-101-The-DMZ-137550