How to disable router in HomeHub2000 to use my own router

[Tritabaga]

Hi,

Using Fiber50, comes with modem/router Homehub 2000, Model: Fast 5250

On the HH2000, I have already disabled all WiFi functions. I would like to disable its router function as well, to use my own router (Netgear R7000) for routing and WiFi. All home devices are connected to my Netgear router via a switch.

From what I have found so far, the possible solutions are:

Connect the WAN port of the Netgear router to a LAN port on the Bell HomeHub 2000

Solution1: In HH2000, enable DMZ and add the Netgear router in the DMZ

Solution2: In HH2000, disable all WiFi (already did). And also disable DHCP. In Netgear WAN settings, set connections type to PPPoE and enter the credentials of the Bell's UiserId.

QUESTION 1: Hope that one or both solutions would work. Which one would you recommend?

QUESTION 2: for either solution, would the Bell HH2000 still have an IP address, to access the Admin UI?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Tritabaga]

Tried Solution 1 (Netgear in DMZ of Bell HH2000) seems not working:

• Configure the Netgear router WAN Static IP = 192.168.2.9
• The IP above is in the same 192.168.2.0/24 than the Bell HH2000 subnet, but outside if the DHCP range of the HH2000 which is (192.168..2.10-254)
• Enable HH2000 DMZ, add only 192.168.2.9 in DMZ
• Connect the WAN port of the Netgear router to a LAN port on HH2000
• Reboot both routers.

The Netgear has its DHCP enabled, its subnet is 192.168.1.0/24, Which is different than the subnet of the HH2000 ( 192.168.2.0/24).

A client connected to the Netgear acquires a Netgear IP address 192.168.1.x. Running traceroute on this client (Ubuntu desktop) shows that the traffic still go through the HH2000 router: line #2 shows 192.168.2.1 which is the IP address of the HH2000.

traceroute bell.ca
 
traceroute to bell.ca (206.47.98.98), 64 hops max
  1   192.168.1.250  0.565ms  0.349ms  0.321ms 
  2   192.168.2.1  1.053ms  0.887ms  0.805ms 
  3   10.11.2.73  4.766ms  3.778ms  6.310ms 
  4   *  *  * 
  ... etc ...

Screenshot showing the HH2000 Admin UI http://192.168.2.1 is accessible from a client in the Netgear subnet.

[Tritabaga]

The HH2000 Stats shows a lots of "Errors Received" on the LAN port where the Netgear router is connected. What is this error? Normally I connect all home devices through the Netgear router. But for now I connect them to the HH2000 LAN1 port until I sort out the Double NAT issue. The HH2000 LAN2 has the Netgear router connected, there is only one computer connected to the Netgear router.

[ZaneP]

Have you tried Solution2? There are likely less complications when using PPPoE than putting your router in DMZ.

You may have double NAT but this pass-through connection might be the way to go. The HH2K will have an IP address.

There are multiple threads on various forums about connecting Home Hubs (including the 2K) to 3rd-party routers. It might be a good idea to do a search. Here's one example:

_________________________________________________________

" I have the HH2000 and my own Netgear R7000 router.

The R7000 is connected to the HH2000 by network cable. In the HH2000 settings, I put the R7000 in the DMZ and set the IP manually (reserved). In the R7000 Internet IP settings, I set the R7000 get the IP address dynamically. This ensures the R7000 gets the IP address from the HH2000, and it will also set the default gateway to the HH2000 (or it should at least); if this doesn't happen you can set those values manually.

I also turned off the wifi on the HH2000 and only use the wifi on the R7000, since this would force all my devices to connect to the internet via my router (R7000) and not the HH2000, this would ensure your VPN connection is used at all times.

There is no impact (at least none that I have seen) on the Fibe TV service, since all that still runs through the HH2000, including the VAP if you have one (for connecting the wireless receivers to the PVR/Fibe TV service)."

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Hope this helps.

[Tritabaga]

Hi,

So far tried Solution1 (put my Netgear router in the HH2000 DMZ) solution similar to the quote you cited above. Works OK. But I still have double NAT and after 2 days, just got a 2 minutes Internet disconnection. So it looks like it's not the best solution.

Solution 2 (PPPoE passthrough) would probably be a better solution. Will try this on the next weekend and will report back here. The part that I am concerned is if I disable the DHCP function on the HH2000, I may not be able to connect to its Admin WebUI.

[ZaneP]

Hi,

If you're using PPPoE for a passthrough, you won't be able to connect to the HH2000 UI.You're mostly bypassing it.

If you want to access to it  as a router, you must use it as your router and disconnect the Netgear.

Curious on why would you need to access the HH2K dashboard?

From what you wrote, your goal is to have the Netgear device controlling the WAN-LAN connection and managing all the device connections on the LAN. Your HH would be operating close to "modem-only", although the connection is not true bridge-mode.

[Tritabaga · Accepted solution]

Update:

- Solution1 (DMZ): NOT working, because clients connected to the Netgear still have the double-NAS issue.

- Solution2 (PPPoE passtrough works): Configure the Netgear WAN connection type as PPPoE (using Bell Account UserId = b1xxx). Connect Netgear WAN port to HH2000 LAN port. Reboot Netgear. Now Netgear has its on WAN public IP address. No more double NAT (clients connect to Netgear no longer traverse the HH2000 router). No need to do anything on the HH2000. Not even disable DHCP. To access the HH2000 AdminUI, I just need to connect a computer directly to its LAN port.

Retrospectively, the PPPoE passthrough is a straight forward solution. Which I am not familiar with b/c this is the 1st time I use Internet with PPPoE. However I think any Bell technician should be aware of. Replacing a router by another one is not something totally unusual. And yet after dealing with 8 support phone calls each time with a different technician, NONE had thought of that simple solution.

[ZaneP]

Glad you found a solution, with PPPoE.

Good catch on directly connecting to the HH!

Not sure why you're not turning off the router functions of the HH, like DHCP,  but that's your call.

Re. Bell technicians, keep in mind that Bell has no obligation to support anything downstream of its on-premises equipment. So I'm not surprised by the lack of phone support when we need help in attaching/configuring our own gear, such as a router.