MizuiroBOX Season 2 – Episode 33
So, what kind of optical modem do you have at home?
There are many types of optical modems, some with strong performance and some with weak performance. However, most modern optical modems perform decently, typically at least dual-core Cortex-A9 or A53 level (in fact, there is not much difference in performance between A9 and A53; A9 is 32-bit and supports out-of-order execution, while A53 is 64-bit and does not support out-of-order execution, so they are about equal), and some optical modems even reach the level of 4-core A53, especially those with NPU. Modern optical modems are not like the ones from the MIPS architecture processor era (back then, optical modems could barely perform optical-electrical conversion); their performance is sufficient for home use. Unless you have extremely high performance requirements for NAT forwarding or a very large number of connected devices (which requires more memory; typically, an optical modem/router with 512MB memory can support about 200 devices), the routing performance of an optical modem is adequate, and you don’t need to switch to bridge mode. Changing to bridge mode in some regions might affect internet speed (due to ISP speed limits). If you feel that the optical modem’s performance is lacking, it might be because you do not have a public IP (which is often unattainable in some regions), or more likely, the optical modem limits performance, which can be adjusted through Telnet to change the maximum number of connections.
Refer to this article for modifications:
[Tutorial] Step-by-step guide on how to change your optical modem! [MizuiroBOX]
If you absolutely need to switch to bridge mode, this article may not be useful, as you likely already have some knowledge, but I am stubborn; I love to teach.
The connection method for an optical modem in bridge mode is to connect the router’s WAN port to the optical modem’s LAN port used for bridging and then use the router for PPPoE dialing. So how do you connect a second wireless router? Actually, a single line (or a LAN) does not require two NAT devices, so the second wireless router can be used as a thin AP. The method is to turn off the DHCP server on the second router and connect its LAN port (note! It is the LAN port! Not the WAN port; of course, some routers do not differentiate between LAN and WAN, then it doesn’t matter) to the first router’s LAN port, forming a multi-AP LAN. Nowadays, some routers even support switching to pure AP mode, so you can set the router to AP mode and connect its WAN port (note, this is the WAN port) to the first router’s LAN port, achieving the same result.
As for setting up Mesh, different brands have different methods, but most now offer one-click Mesh setup; proceed as needed.
Next is how to connect a router to an optical modem in routing mode (which is the default mode for most modern home optical modems). A routing mode optical modem is essentially a complete router. Some optical modems with wireless capabilities do not even need to connect to a router; their wireless function can cover small areas. However, if your optical modem lacks wireless capability or has poor wireless performance, you can connect a thin AP; the method is similar to what I mentioned for the ‘second router’ connection: change the wireless router to AP mode and connect it to the optical modem’s LAN port. If you have multiple routers, connect them to multiple LAN ports accordingly.
I know what you want to know; how to connect AC+AP, right? It’s actually very simple. AC is essentially a router but with additional features, allowing for the management of multiple APs and even PoE. So just follow the router’s connection method. You can even achieve large area network coverage with just thin APs as long as they support 802.11k/v, connecting them to a switch (PoE APs can use PoE switches). The switch can connect upstream to a router (a wired router is sufficient; for high performance, use a soft router with large memory), and the router connects to the optical modem (please switch the optical modem to bridge mode; otherwise, even if your router is powerful, there will be a bottleneck in forwarding capacity).
Of course, you might say your router is in NAT mode, and the optical modem is in routing mode, and it still works.
That can certainly work! But it’s quite inefficient because you have to go through two NATs when browsing the internet, each potentially having performance bottlenecks, leading to low efficiency. I do not recommend this unless your router has special features that require NAT to function, which the optical modem’s routing capabilities cannot provide.
Liushi Xuecai
a.k.a. Sasuga Setsuna
Co-founder and Editor of Mizuiro-Aqua
bilibili:@SasugaSetsuna
Weixun Gongzhonghao:
Mizuiro-Aqua 10th Anniversary!
