Google Mesh and Broadband Routers (modem only mode)

narmst

Apologies in advance if this is posted elsewhere .. did some search of Double NAT and Mesh systems but didn't see exactly this ..

I live in Kildare and have bought a Google Mesh system. Bought and paid for so that's the solution I need to make work.

Originally I had Sky then moved to Vodafone. I'm not out of contract and want a service provider who's Router can be in put in Modem only mode.

I'm looking for a service provider (Kildare so only ADSL and choice of Eir, Sky, Virgin, Vodafone) who supports Modem only.

Problem: For both Sky and Vodafone their products seemed to offer a Bridge mode but when explored it didn't work as expected. You couldn't use it solely as a modem. I'm not talking about just turning off the wifi. I can do that. I'm talking about using the Modem aspect of the product only and disabling all NAT on the device.

Without this I'm getting NAT on the Router and NAT on the Google Mesh so double NAT. I've also bought two TP-Link boxes (VR400 and later VR2100) which advertised 'Bridge Mode'. After lengthy discussion with TP-Link they confirmed that NONE of their boxes offer Bridge mode (as in device works as Modem only). I've been able to configure the TP-Links to work as a modem on vodafone (there's a way to get username/password and I have that) but am always stuck with double NAT (which makes them no better than the Vodafone router).

I know I've the option of disabling the Mesh aspect of the Google Mesh (using only 1 Mesh device .. I have 3) but that defeats the point of it .. I might as well get rid of them and just turn on the Wifi on the supplied Router.

Double NAT by the way causes devices to intermittently stop working - basically things get confused behind two devices offering NAT and Netflix hangs .. my voice (I'm remote working) hangs all the time. Basically I've paid a fair bit of the Mesh (which allows voice priority) but I'm worse than I was at the start.

I believe I have two options

1) Find an ISP for ADSL (in Kildare so only above) who's out of the box modem/router supports turning it into modem only mode so I can plug in the Google Nest wifi device (you know it's working because the Nest gets a public IP not a private [10. / 192. / 176. IP Address means that the Router has done NAT already so you're stuck])

2) Find a decent Modem that will work with one of the Kildare ADSL providers (allows me to enter my username/password as I can do with the TP-Link) which will do Modem only and won't force double NAT.

Anyway - I'm out of contract and ideally would get option 1 (ISP box which will work as Modem) but I'd be equally happy staying with Vodafone and getting a network device that actually works.

Welcome questions and if needed I can upload a few pic of troubleshooting I've done to date to clarify things. To save people time - this isn't just turning off your wifi on the device so if you're recommending that thank you but that isn't the issue here.

Thanks,

Neil

dam099

Is the reference above to Virgin a typo? If not and actually available to you they don't use ADSL and likely are vastly superior to it. They also have a functional modem mode available (you may need to call to get one setting changed).

narmst

Was looking at a list on switcher which listed Virgin but you're right it does say Fibre. So looks like I'm limited to eir, sky, vodafone, regional broadband.

Thanks for spotting that.

alec76

ADSL isp , are they still exist? Surely it is FTTH or FTTC ( VDSL)

Both using VLAN tagging which Google WIFI doesn’t support

alec76

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/2728/

it is clearly says you could use it as pure modem . I presume same settings for VR2100.

ps. It is hard to believe that you have troubles due to Double NAT . NETFLIX definitely wouldn’t give a *** about it.

99% users wouldn’t notice double NAT.

What is your speed ? Download/upload.