modem and router firewall both on?

[Kalmah]

I just got dsl hooked up and am a bit unfamiliar with it since I've always used cable.
I just realized that my modem has a firewall.

Is it going to hurt anything to leave it on? I'm concerned about hosting game servers, file sharing.. etc. I don't want to have to open ports on both the modem and router.

Or perhaps the modem has upnp and the router will open the needed ports in the modem?

lol, I probably sound like an idiot. I've gotten use to only having to configure a router.


If anything I think I'd like to at least use the routers firewall over the modems if it is advised to disable one of them. I think I have more faith in the router..

I appreciate it.

 

[JackMDS]

The issue is Not Firewall but the NAT. Duble NAT is not a good idea.

It is up to you.

If you can configure the DSL Modem/Router to work as a transparent Modem Bridge, then do so and use your regular Wireless Router.

Otherwise leave the Modem/Router has the main Router and configure you Wireless Router to work as a Switch with an Access Point.

Here how, Using a Wireless Router as a switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

 

[Kalmah]

I appreciate it.

I logged into the modem and disabled the NAT.. then my internet stopped working with and without the router between it and the computer. I'll have to read up on it. Thanks for the link

 

[Kalmah]

dsl modem/router -> wireless router - > computer

Ok, I have found an option in my wireless router to turn on 'access point only' mode. I just need to figure out what ip address that I need to give it. If there is an easy solution to choosing the ip address I would appreciate it if somebody could help me. If it's not so easy, I'll do my research.

But that also brings up another question. Are all of the 4 wired ports on the wireless router still going to function as they do now? The option to use as 'access point only' is under the 'wireless' section in the setup. Then the routing tables would be in the modem/router... hmmm.. so the dsl modem/router will assign addresses to devices plugged into a different device?

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Kalmah
dsl modem/router -> wireless router - > computer

Ok, I have found an option in my wireless router to turn on 'access point only' mode. I just need to figure out what ip address that I need to give it. If there is an easy solution to choosing the ip address I would appreciate it if somebody could help me. If it's not so easy, I'll do my research.

your modem/router may have configuration information on a DHCP pool, which is a range of addresses that the router will assign as devices connect to the network. assign your router/ap something OUTSIDE of that range. if the dhcp pool is from 10-50, then you give your router/ap an address of 51 or 70 or whatever, up to 254.

But that also brings up another question. Are all of the 4 wired ports on the wireless router still going to function as they do now?

yeah, it just turns off routing (typically) so you have an AP with a 4 port switch. some 3rd party firmware will allow you to use the WAN interface as a 5th switch port, but i dont know that this is normal for stock firmware.

The option to use as 'access point only' is under the 'wireless' section in the setup. Then the routing tables would be in the modem/router... hmmm.. so the dsl modem/router will assign addresses to devices plugged into a different device?

thats right.

 

[Kalmah]

Thanks guys. I decided to put the dsl modem in bridge mode after I read all my options. It was kind of a pain because my router seems to have newer firmware than what all of the documents for it show.