Can I set my NR801 router to Bridge mode?

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

I have one of the NOW (Sky) NR801 routers as my main modem/router and attached to that is an Apple Airport Extreme base station. 

I have the Apple Airport set to bride mode and have it broadcasting a separate WiFi SSID.

I seem to be having performance issues and I've rules out channel crossover and even 5G issues, so I'm wondering if the NOW router is causing a conflict with the Apple device?

Is there an option/method to explicitly state what mode an attached device is in?

Regards

Mitch

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Don't know if this similar thread that i posted on helps or not.

https://community.nowtv.com/t5/Setup-Performance/Connection-problem-with-Airport-Express/m-p/477345#M1499 

If it was me i would type Sky Router with Airport Express on a Google search and maybe also try the search box on both the NOW & Sky Community Forum (unless another forum member comes up the information needed).

[Anonymous User]

Hi @schnapps 

Had a look but doesn't seem to cover my issue, nor can I find any specifics on Google. Very annoying.

I've scanned all the settings in the router as well and can't find anything related to the mode so I'm not sure what else, if anything, I can do about it.

That's assuming the WiFi issues are indeed caused by a conflict between the AE and the router. Tried finding an iOS app for iPhone that may shine some light on the issue but can't find one with such features. 

Cheers

Mitch

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

My Google or Bing Search came up with a couple of the setups using a Sky Router with Apple Airport Extreme products, where an Ethernet cable had to be connected to both bits of hardware, but not sure if it's the same setup scenario that you are looking for to be honest.

From memory there was a thread over on AVForums and another thread over on the dedicated Apple Community Forum.

Sorry i can't help further because i am not familiar with Apple products and my IT knowledge is not the best.

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User .

I'm not sure what setting the Apple Airplay to bridge mode does.

Ideally you would set the Now router to bridge mode, but you can’t.

Or you could try setting the Apple Airplay to Client Mode, if that is possible.

What you absolutely don’t want is both the Now router and the Apple Airplay trying to control the DHCP, that is, both trying to dish out the internal IP addresses.

Less critically, but it can still impact performance, is to also try to avoid double NAT, where both devices try to do Network Address Translation.

iOS apps are pretty tightly restricted from telling you what is going on, even in your own network, so if you have an Android device, use an app on that.

Not that either of these is necessarily the app you need here, but I use WiFi Analyzer on Android to see what’s going on around me, including nearby WiFi that reaches my airspace, but comes from neighbours and the like, and there’s nothing like it for iOS because Apple absolutely forbid any iOS app from doing that. And I use Fing, on both iOS and Android, and you can clearly see how cutdown Fing on iOS is because of Apple’s rules.

[Anonymous User]

Morning @schnapps @RoyB,

So currently I have the NOW router sat there with its own WiFi SSID and 2.4+5GHz turned on. The Apple AE is physically connected to the NOW router with an ethernet cable from port 1 of the NOW router to the LAN ports at the back of the AE. The AE is set to Bridge mode and creates a new, separate WiFi SSID, it doesn't extend as I've heard this can also create huge issues. The 2.4+5GHz is also turned on on the AE and all channels are manually set to not overlap.

Analyser wise, I've read that in a few places that Apple lock it down so much that it's pretty much pointless, but then again are they doing it for security? That said, if Android can do it, it's clearly not illegal and may only serve me to get rid of the AE given it's a legacy device compared to the NOW router.

Do you have any recommendations for a new access point like the Apple AE that I could purchase? Especially as Black Friday is around the corner . . . .  

[mae-3]

@Anonymous User 

If you are basically using an Airport Express/Extreme when the ISP router doesn't support bridge mode then it is usually best to set the Apple router to bridge mode which basically avoids double NAT which can cause issue with some applications, eg: VPN communication incoming to the home which neither routers support directly.

If you leave the Apple router in routed mode then you will have double NAT that usually doesn't cause an issue but you will get a warning about the situation from Apple router in most situations it doesn't make any difference for most applications.

If you need to use UPnP for application then double NAT will be an issue and you'll need o manually forward ports for servers and game consoles for them to operate correctly with the Apple router in routed mode.

Recommend you just place the Apple router in a bridge its far easier setup for most uses which is to obtain better wifi performance.

[Anonymous User]

Hi @mae-3 

I've already got the Apple AE set to Bridge mode and ensured DHCP and NAT is definitely off in this mode, my concern was the main ISP router was still somehow not allowing a proper Bridged connection or something on the AE was upsetting it.

I could try extending the ISP wireless rather than create a new network to see if this resolves the issue in case the two are somehow fighting even though the SSID is separate. 

Any ideas or help would be much appreciated 

[mae-3]

@Anonymous User 

They are likely on the same channel and are fighting with each other, is the Apple AE set to automatic for the 5Ghz wireless band? If so, then the router wireless system should coexists happily otherwise set it for automatic for 5Ghz band on Apple AE and manual channels for 2.4Ghz wireless bands and separate the wireless by at least 6 channels, eg: 1, 6, 11; so one on 1 and other on channel 6.

With the Apple AE in bridge mode you will not have double NAT. But you may need to set the Apple AE IP address manually to ensure it does not collide with the ISP router, eg: set it to 192.168.0.254 to ensure that is the case or the subnet that the ISP router is on and Apple AE up high in the DHCP range. The subnet should be 255.255.255.0 and DNS server should point to your choice of DNS server, eg: 8.8.8.8 for Google.

[Anonymous User]

They're definitely not on the same channel. Always manually had them set at 11 and 6 for 2.4GHz and 36 and 48 for 5GHz, although this should matter in theory as the 5GHz bands (so I'm let to believe) don't overlap each other inherently.

I would be tempted to try a static IP on the AE which is already in Bridge mode, however all the IP and DNS stuff is above my skill level.