UPC Cisco EPC3925: Enabling True Bridge Mode - A Simple How-to Guide

Martynet wrote: »

At last! I'm so happy about this. I can use my airport extreme the proper way again and everything is working like a charm. Can I buy you a pint? :-)

No bother! Alcohol, a fair reward.

Deanicus wrote: »

Hi guys,

Quick question. I am not computer illiterate by any means but am not fully up on networking etc.

Question is, if I put the router into bridge mode, is it possible to do so for one of the ports only (by ports I mean ethernet ports on the back of the router)

My house has a smart home system so I have the router hooked up into a switch underneath the stairs. Whilst this is great for various PCs etc that I have in the house I still use wireless for my phone, tablet etc.

I want to keep this system as is but also want to hook up a Netgear wireless router from one of the ports in another room. Can I isolate the bridge mode to a single port or is it all or nothing? I guess I can keep the Netgear router underneath the stairs if I can't, but its not ideal for me.

Any advice is appreciated

I'm not exactly sure what you're looking to achieve here exactly, so let me take your questions one at a time.

Bridge mode will affect the whole device so it won't be isolated to one port. This is normal and not just pertinent to the EPC3925.

I'm guessing that you want to keep the EPC and the switch under the stairs for all your wired computers and use the Netgear for something else (this is where I'm confused about what you're trying to achieve)? You can still use the switch with the EPC3925 to distribute the connection throughout your home, but you will not be NAT'd or have any protection (all your ports will be open to traffic so your sole protection will be your computers' firewalls), which is not ideal at all.

You can opt to use the Netgear as one NAT and the EPC as another. I mean, don't bridge the EPC and put the Netgear on the DMZ inside the EPC. ED E has written a guide on this procedure but you won't be following it to the letter in your case. The best way I can explain it quickly is to tell you not to disable DHCP on the EPC as the guide advises you to. This way you can use both routers. Use the Netgear for Wireless and turn off the EPC's Wireless, while use the EPC under the stairs with your switch as before and put the Netgear where you planned to put it.

If you have your heart set on briding your EPC with your Netgear, then you'll need to put the Netgear under the stairs or relocate everything to a more convenient location using cable extensions or whatever works in getting these devices moved while still being hooked up to everything!

If you could explain exactly what you're hoping for, I can give you more specific information on how to get it done (if it's possible). I'd be happy to help you out in any way, even if you're not going to bridge and use the DMZ/double NAT method that ED E has written about (if that being the case, we should do it over in his thread - which I am also subscribed to). If what I've said is Double Dutch, it'll be easier to break it down once I understand your networking requirements better, so don't worry.

kippy wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this thread, I'm not sure whether I will need to do this or not.
I currently have the 25 meg package on the Cisco 25 meg capable router.
I'm getting the upgrade to 50 meg and they are sending out the new router in the next few days.

Currently I have another device managing my network connected to the current cisco router via LAN cable.
Will I be able to continue using this configuration or will I need modify settings as outlined in this thread on the UPC Cisco router?

If the device they're sending is the EPC3925, to bridge it (assuming that's what you have done already with your current Cisco), you will need to follow my instructions. As for keeping the settings in your other device, that all depends on what they're currently set to. But I wouldn't worry, settings can be easily changed.

JHet wrote: »

Any recommendations for a cheap router thats decent quality that I could bridge with?

Thanks

Define cheap? I got my WNDR3700v1 on eBay for around €70. PC World did the router back then for €130, though I suspect it was a v3 model and not a v1. If you can give me the highest amount that you're willing to splash out, I'd be happy to give some recommendations.

Deanicus wrote: »

Hi DECEiFER,

Thanks for your reply.

I guess I should have been more clear in my post. I live in a 3-storey house. The switch is on the bottom floor underneath the stairs. My fear was that if I put the Netgear under there, the signal would not travel to the 3rd floor or would be very weak as is the case now. As such my plan was to put the Netgear onto the 2nd floor where hopefully it will cover all of the house sufficiently. Also I want to connect both a PS3 and Xbox to the Netgear as the room I have in mind only has 1 network port. So the Netgear was to serve as a wireless router for the whole house and also as a switch for that room.

I have read that putting the Netgear into the DMZ was not as good as bridge mode (the reasons for which I am unclear) but I was under the impression that once put into bridge mode that the EPC would no longer function as a router (apart from the line connecting it to the Netgear) and so any ports connected on the switch would no longer work.

From your very helpful post I realise it will still work but that any devices connected to it are vulnerable and those connected to the Netgear will be protected.

I think the best option is the DMZ route with DHCP enabled so I get not only the wireless capabilities of the Netgear but also get to use the switch under the stairs.

One last thing though, could you explain the benefits of bridge mode over DMZ?

Thanks very much for all your help

The one downside of going the double NAT route is that it will add one more hop before the Internet but it's not going to have a detrimental effect that you'll notice. You need to set the EPC's DMZ to an IP of your choosing and set the Netgear's IP to that same DMZ IP. This way it's faux bridging and things like UPnP will still work, the EPC won't block any traffic to and from the Netgear when done correctly, similar to bridging.

What I would do (and used to do before discovering the true bridging solution) was to set my DMZ to something outside the DHCP range of the EPC and then in the Netgear's "Basic Settings" I would set the following:

IP Address	    192.168.1.10  (this was my EPC's DMZ IP, you can use a different IP, just make sure it's the same IP as the EPC's DMZ is all)
IP Subnet Mask	    255.255.255.255  
Gateway IP Address  192.168.1.1

Primary DNS	    192.168.1.1  
Secondary DNS       (leave blank)

You'll also have to set the Netgear to use a different subnet/NAT, so I recommend in the "LAN Setup" or wherever it is on your Netgear to set its IP address to 192.168.2.1.

Just remember, turn off the EPC's Wireless. Make sure the Netgear is assigned the the same IP as the EPC's DMZ (as above). This way you can have your cake and eat it and you'll never really notice that it's not using true bridging, that extra NAT hop won't be a detriment.

Deanicus wrote: »

Thanks DECEiFER

I think I understand.

Gonna buy the Netgear this week so when I do go to set it up, do you mind if you ask you some questions if needs be?

Thanks again

Cool, that's not a problem. What model are you going for?

That sounds like an excellent choice. Dual-bands simultaneously (2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless Radios). It's better than my WNDR3700v1, which is also dual-band, it's one model up and it's part of Netgear's elite consumer range. How much is it, can I ask (just out of curiosity)?

No, you're right and €120 sounds about right also (it's nearly €190 on Dabs!). Though, you could save €10-€30 if you buy it on eBay from a continental seller. Here's a search for all EU-based sellers of the product sorted by the lowest price ascending to the highest:
http://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=3&_nkw=WNDR3800&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m283

It should be safe as long as you stick to sellers who have a lot of sales and great feedback. I've had things break down or come DOA from the likes of Komplett and other big stores and from eBay, all resolved fairly quickly. I have learned to trust eBay based on my positive experiences, but it depends on your own experiences whether you'd be willing to. One of the sellers happens to be pixmania_deutshland and it would come to just about €114 inc. shipping! Or better yet, pixmania_fr for just under €106.

Regarding not getting something cheaper, your house being 3-storeys would need more than what the standard router could offer and you probably would have regretted going down a cheaper route.

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

I think the EPC2425 did the same.

Maybe that's the real reason they don't want you doing it, hence hiding the functionality in the EPC3925. :eek:

Deleted User wrote: »

Does this mean that devices connected to the EPC when bridged are using up multiple public IP addresses of which UPC have a limited number they can assign?
Better add the disabling of the EPC wifi before bridging to the original guide!!

Hi Songok,

Already done, I have requested another edit from Cabaal since late last week by PM. Just waiting for him to log on and apply the new post content I provided with step one being to disable certain functions, including WiFi.

Deleted User wrote: »

Way ahead of me!
Thanks for the tips re. disabling the wifi etc earlier, nice to have one less SSID showing!

Yeah that could be a problem, especially if you're in a busy area, with extra interference. The neighbors might not be all too happy about it either.

Alun wrote: »

AFAIK UPC only allow 3 addresses per connection, so if you connect a 4th one it will kick one of the other 3 off.

That's good to know, I wasn't sure if there'd be a limit.