Understanding Orbi innards

[des421]

Have recently upgraded from an RBK53 system to an RBK853 (which isn't even in the Model list above yet)? And which btw works well (unless you count the incompleteness of the Log). In an effort to try and understand my Internet connection better (and some other things), I've tapped the WAN connection with a Sharktap and am attempting to grasp what I see there. Phew! But getting behind the router anywhere on the LAN only points out it's efficiency in apparently only including traffic for that particular node/interface and broadcast packets. Finally to the point... Is there somewhere I can go to find out more about how the router is mapping LAN clients to TCP connections on the WAN for instance? Could it be as simple as it's use of all those very high unassigned or unofficial source ports I see for instance?

[CrimpOn]

The original Orbi had a "debug" web screen (http://orbilogin.net/debug.htm) which offers a way to capture LAN/WAN traffic to system memory and then dump it to a file in the form of "pcap" files (wan and lan).  I believe the AX product may also have that feature.  System memory is relatively small, so the amount of traffi that can be collected is not very much.

Yes, like all consumer routers, Orbi employs Network Address Translation (NAT) so that all packets transmitted to the internet come from the Orbi public IP address with unique port numbers.  Packets received from the internet are processed back to the correct LAN IP address and port.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation 

My (limited) understanding is that Linux systems use iptables to perform the address translation.  I am not aware of any method on the AX Orbi to access iptables.  The original Orbi supported telnet access to the router.

Not sure if this addresses the question, but it's all I know.

[des421]

Yes, the 850 has that debug page too, Thanks! I've had an Orbi since they came out and didn't know about that. Might have been able to save the cost of the Sharktap, although it offers more versatility. If a LAN application/client can't be related to a specific outgoing communication any other way that can certainly resolve it. Even though I don't yet have any AX capable clients, the newer system with its increased processing power just does everything quicker and cleaner... "almost" justifying its price!