DSL Modem with Wireless Router

Question

I have a D-Link WBR-1310 wireless router and a TP-Link TD-8616 DSL modem. My old DSL modem died recently and I got the TP-Link as a replacement. With my old DSL modem, I plugged it into the WAN port on my D-Link and I could reach the internet through wireless and through the network.

However, when I plugged the new TP-Link into the WAN port, I was not able to get any internet connectivity (either on the network ports or through wireless). So I plugged my labtop directly into the TP-Link DSL modem and I was able to get internet connectivity.

I'm trying to figure out why my labtop can see the internet connection, but not the D-Link router. I think that the problem is due to the IP networking.

My D-Link was originally set to have IP address 192.168.1.1. According to the documentation for the TP-Link DSL modem, it uses 192.168.1.1 as its IP address. I do not believe that my old DSL modem had an IP address.

I logged into my D-Link router and changed its IP address to 192.168.1.2 and restarted it. Unfortunately, I still could not see the internet from my wireless devices. I've read a few forum postings which implied that I needed to setup a "bridge" between the two networks. Does that sound correct? Why didn't my old DSL modem require a bridge?

I read pg. 12-13 of my D-Link's manual and they suggest that I need to disable UPnP, DHCP, and then plug the DSL modem into one of the LAN ports on my router. I'm concerned about doing this since I don't think that the firewall will work if I plug my DSL modem into one of the LAN ports. I also have a home NAS on my network and I wouldn't want that to be available over the internet.

Does anyone have any advice about how I can get my TPLink DSL modem to work with my D-Link router?

Thanks!

Answer 1

There are different ways to do this

1. Connect the DSL modem to the WAN port of the wireless router
   • DSL modem in bridge mode
   • DSL modem in PPP mode
2. Connect the DSL modem to the LAN port of the wireless router

In option 1a, you need to change the mode on your DSL modem to bridge, and then configure PPP authentication on your wireless router i.e. your username/password should be entered on the wireless router. The connection mode on your wireless router should be changed to PPP.

In case of option 1b, your modem will continue to authenticate and establish the connection, and the wireless router can be in the DHCP mode on the WAN side. In this case NAT is performed twice which is not really required.

Now for option 2, your DSL device will act as your internet gateway, you need to disable the DHCP server on your wireless router. Your wireless router will only act as wireless access point, every other function will be performed by the DSL device. This will be easier to setup with minimal changes. Ensure that the IP of the modem and router are not the same but in the same subnet else you will not be able to access wireless router's web interface.

I would recommend option 1a or 2, previously I think you were set up as described in 1b.

And no, your NAS will not be accessible from the internet even if you go for option 2, as the DSL device performs NAT and no device will be exposed directly.