Best way to config primary and secondary routers

[Hydrogenius]

Hi all!
Will need your expertise with my situation.
I'm connecting an AX86S (WAN port) to a Bell Home Hub 3000 (modem/router) (LAN port). Currently this is what I'm doing:

Bell​

• Disable all Wifi.
• Auto DNS. Primary: 207.164.234.193. Secondary: 207.164.234.129.
• I access the Bell portal by using 192.168.2.1

Asus​

• Asus FW (I don't want to mess with custom FW )
• Router mode.
• Connect to DNS server auto: Yes
• WAN IP: 192.168.2.16
• DNS: 192.168.2.1
• Gateway: 192.168.2.1
• Fixed IP: 192.168.3.1
• Wifi networks are setup properly.
• The rest of the settings are at default.

Some of the questions I can't find any answer to, please kindly help:

1. How best to config DNS in the above config? Should it be changed at Bell or at Asus level?
2. Anything to change with the above config? I'm assuming the Bell is a middleman p.o.s. How to minimize Bell's impact on overall performance?
3. DNS Benchmark is showing the below, is that a concern?
   It appears that only one local (router gateway) DNS nameserver, with the IP address of [192.168.3.1], is currently providing all DNS name resolution services to this system. This configuration is not recommended because most consumer-grade routers provide inefficient and under-powered DNS resolution services.

Thanks in advance for all your time and help on this!

 

[degrub]

I would use cloudflare public dns
1.1.1.1 or 1.0.0.1
In the asus settings.

can the Bell be configured to modem only or bridge mode ?

 

[Hydrogenius]

Hi Degrub, thanks for the response!
I'm not quite sure but seems like there is no options for that.

 

[degrub]

The isp may have to do it from their end if they will.
check their tech support help pages or forum as well.
If you are only plugging in the asus to the bell and not using its wireless, i would turn off upnp and dlna services.

 

[Hawk]

The isp may have to do it from their end if they will.
check their tech support help pages or forum as well.
If you are only plugging in the asus to the bell and not using its wireless, i would turn off upnp and dlna servicei with bell

I am with bell Canada as well, their is no bridge mode but you can use pppoe pass-through to obtain closest thing to bridge mode. @ hydrogenius, On back of modem do you have phone line or fiber connected. If fiber you can remove hh3000 completely and just use asus router for everything, if that option suits you requirements.

 

[Hydrogenius]

Thanks Degrub, will give that a try!

Hi Hawk, thanks for the feedback! How do you do pppoe pass-through?

On the back of the modem it's a fiber connection, but how can you remove hh3000 since it's a optical fiber cable?

 

[Hawk]

Thanks Degrub, will give that a try!

Hi Hawk, thanks for the feedback! How do you do pppoe pass-through?

On the back of the modem it's a fiber connection, but how can you remove hh3000 since it's a optical fiber cable?

Regarding pppoe pass-through, you will need b1 and password that bell gave you, if you not sure about password you can reset at my.bell.ca website. Under wan section of asus router choose connection type pppoe instead of automatic then enter username which is b1 and password then click apply. You will know have public ip from bell and have full control and no more double nat.

If you want to completely remove bell hh3000 from picture you will need media converter to convert fibre to ethernet. What speed you subscribe with bell? If mire than 1 Gigabit then media converter is not possible, since max they can do is 1 Gigabit.

 

[sfx2000]

If you are only plugging in the asus to the bell and not using its wireless, i would turn off upnp and dlna services.

I was thinking maybe consider putting the personal router into the DMZ of the carrier provided gateway

 

[Hydrogenius]

Thanks Hawk and sfx! Any setbacks of having double nat? I've read that it may cause additional unnoticeable latency, and any port forwarding need to be done at both routers?

About dmz setting, will that provide any benefit?

I'm pretty new on the lan settings side, even though I spent a year or so reading up on how to best set up wifi network xD

 

[Tech9]

I've read that it may cause additional unnoticeable latency

Not a concern, under 1ms.

and any port forwarding need to be done at both routers

Not when the second router IP is in DMZ.

About dmz setting, will that provide any benefit?

It means all ports open for this IP - your router. Saves you port forwarding on the ISP router.

 

[Hydrogenius]

Thanks!

I think I will need to set static IP for the Asus router then enable DMZ. Should static IP be set at Bell level or Asus level?

The advanced DMZ also allow for MAC address instead of IP address. Is this similar to what Degrub mentioned? Or is it similar to ppoe passthrough?

 

[sfx2000]

The IP should be within your own DHCP scope provided by the ISP gateway - if you have the option to reserve it as a "static" IP, that should be all you need.

From the Internet - your personal router is what the public will see, so make sure, esp these days, that you've got things locked down.

 

[Tech9]

Should static IP be set at Bell level or Asus level?

I would use reserved IP address on the ISP router, place it in DMZ and leave the Asus router on default Auto.

 

[Hydrogenius]

Hi Tech9 and sfx, got it! Thanks for the help! Learnt something new again today xD