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ZyXEL VMG8324-B10A - Bridge Mode for FTTC

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This article discusses setting up a router in Bridge Mode.  It is specifically aimed at the ZyXEL VMG8324-10A, but can be adapted for any other FTTC modem/router. 

Zyxel VMG8324-B10A

The VMG8324-B10A is an ADSL/ADSL2/ADSL2+/VDSL combined Modem/Router/GbESwitch that has recently become available in the UK. It has a BCM63168 DSL chipset that seems to be performing favorably on most lines and some may wish to use the router as a modem only with another router in a different location to increase wireless coverage.
 

• What is Bridged Mode?

For the sake of this tutorial, Bridged Mode is when one device acts as the DSL modem and performs the connection and synchronisation to the exchange, whilst a second device acts as router connecting to your ISP on the WAN side and controlling access to your local (home) network.


• 1. Planning your network

Both devices will need to have a different IP address but still be in the same subnet. What IP address you choose is entirely up to you, but in cases such as this it is usual for the devices to be assigned as follows:

     Modem device - 192.168.1.1
     Router  device - 192.168.1.254

To change IP address in the Zyxel go to Network Setting > Home Networking > LAN setup > LAN IP.

The device that is to act as the modem and put in bridge mode, will no longer as such be part of your LAN. It is purely there to control your (fibre) DSL broadband connection.

The 2nd device will be acting as the router and as such will be the one where you configure such things as wi-fi, DNS and ISP login.  You should be able to use practically any DSL or cable router as the 2nd device as long as it has a WAN port.

Make sure that you have your ISP login details to hand which consist of your username and your login password.  Username will normally follow the format of [yourName]@yourISP.net although some ISPs may use your phone number rather than yourName.


• 2. Connecting the two devices

From the Modem Device:

  • Connect grey modem lead to phone socket.

  • Connect Ethernet cable between any LAN port to the WAN port of the router.

Any equipment on your network such as PCs should be connected to one of the LAN ports on the router.

FTTC modem connection


• 3. Set the VMG8324 as modem only

From : Network Settings > Broadband:
           Broadband > WAN Interface :

Select the relevant interface (ADSL or VDSL) & click the Edit button  vmg8324 edit wan interface

This will open a new window.
 
Select Bridge from the drop down menu

Click Apply.
Zyxel VMG8324 WAN bridge as modem


• 4. Configure your router for FTTC when using a separate Modem.

Instructions will vary depending upon Manufacturer and Model, but these are the basic settings:

Connection type/Mode = EWAN (Ethernet WAN)
Encapsulation/Protocol = PPPoE
PPP Username & Password = Your ISP login details
IP Address = Obtain automatically
DNS = Obtain automatically or use Googles if you prefer


• 5. Getting line stats from the Modem when in Bridged Mode

The Zyxel VMG8324-B10A also has an excellent GUI and CLI that provides an awful lot of information about your broadband connection and works well with both DSLstats and HG612 modemstats for monitoring line conditions.

When running the Zyxel in bridge mode, the VMG8324-B10A will be on the WAN side of your home network so what do we do if we want full access to our line stats?

A solution is to use two ethernet cables. The usual one to the router WAN side for broadband, and the other on the router's LAN side to directly access the VMG8324 from your home network.

VMG8324 rear

Use 2x CAT5 Ethernet cables

cat5 cables

to connect to 2nd router.

 

• Configure VMG8324 access from the LAN to get line stats

We now need to segregate the WAN traffic from LAN traffic otherwise the LAN ports wont be useable, to do this we need to create a new interface group for the bridge.
The bridging group has to be the new (not default) group because only the default group has access to the gui/telnet which we need to access stats from the LAN.

From : Network Settings > Interface Group
           Broadband > WAN Interface :

Click Add New Interface Group which will open a new window.  add new interface group

Group Name:  Bridge
WAN Interfaces used: PTM type > VDSL/ppp1.1
Available LAN Interfaces:  Click LAN1 and move it to the Grouped LAN Interfaces

Click Apply.

Zyxel bridge interface


©kitz Oct 2014
Thanks to chrysalis for his suggestions on this tutorial

 
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