Hub One or new Hub Two in bridge mode

[#1]

I have been a Plusnet customer for years and have just signed up to a new contract so they are sending me a Hub Two router - my current Hub One is several years old. I have the Fibre broadband service (soon to be without phone line) as FTTC (?) - please note I am not an IT expert!

The current hub has Wi-Fi turned off and is in bridge mode linked to a set of TP-Link Decos. I am an amateur in all of this and set it up based on online guidance, but it seems to be working ok. I have two Decos linked by ethernet and the rest are wireless. 

I appreciate that the Hub Two may be better in terms of signal strength etc, but bearing in mind I won't be using the wireless aspect, does anyone have any advice as to whether it is even worth swapping over from the Hub One?

Whilst I am fairly sure I'd be able to reinstate most of my devices/Decos, we have a CCTV recorder linked by a LAN cable to the main Deco (I think, I haven't been up in the loft for ages) so I am worried that by swapping to a new router I might 'mess up' the CCTV settings - which are temperamental at the best of times. If it's worth swapping I will try, but I wanted to check it's not a waste of time!

Thank you 🙂

[#2]

Hi @bill16  not sure how you've managed to configure the Hub One to bridge mode as that is not an option for that model.

Maybe you've just turned off wireless and using the Deco's as Wireless Access Points?

Good the Deco's are interconnected using a ethernet.

The are a few options:-

1) Leave everything as it is

2) Use the Hub Two and set the wireless name to the one being used now

http://192.168.1.254 Advanced Setting > Wireless

2) Configure the Hub Two to bridge mode and setup the master Deco to be a router with the WAN port set for a PPPoE connection. Changing the Deco to PPPoE connection should not change the wireless details.

To change the Hub two to bridge mode.

http://192.168.1.254 Advanced Setting > Broadband >Internet > Bridging >Enabled. Save settings.

Before starting to reconfigure the Deco I would take a backup of the device.

Connect a cable Hub Two LAN port to Dec WAN port,

On the Deco you select PPPoE and add you plusnet broadband username and password in WAN/Internet settings, There is no need to configure a VLAN if there is an option.

It worth noting using the Hub Two in bridge mode you will not longer be able to use LAN pots other than for a connection to the Deco master device.

HTH

[#3]

@Dan_the_Van Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I realise now that I think I used advice from forums here about setting up the Hub One with the Decos so it wasn't as a bridge 🙂

Anyway, I have attempted to configure the Hub Two in bridge mode and put the PPPoE details into the Deco to use it as a router.

However despite trying in different orders, turning both on and off and resetting the Hub Two, the only way I can get the system to work is by keeping the Hub Two in 'normal' mode with wireless still running and having the Deco as an Access point. Every time I put the Hub Two into bridge mode the main Deco simply won't connect and the Deco app refuses to identify any of the Deco machines. 

I believe this can give rise to 'double NAT' - I don't really know what this is, but as far as I can see there are no negative effects. We don't have an xbox and I've seen some reports that this is where there can be problems.  

I have everything connected to the Deco network although may allow the odd mobile device to access the Hub Two network via wireless unless this sounds like a bad idea. Wireless speeds are good so I'm tempted to leave things as they are unless there is an obvious solution!

[#4 · Accepted solution]

@bill16 

When you have successfully configured the Hub 2 in bridge mode you should get a pink light, not blue.

When inputting your Plusnet credentials to the Deco, they should be in the form accountusername@plusdsl.net the password your account password.  Input should be PPPoE and VLAN should be Blank, None or Off, this is handled by the Hub 2.

You must use one of the yellow LAN sockets, NOT the red WAN one to connect the Hub 2 to the Deco.

See here re double NAT:  https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-double-NAT-and-why-is-it-bad

[#5]

Deleted in favour of @Baldrick1 post

@bill16 

which deco model are you using?

[#6]

Thank you @Baldrick1 and @Dan_the_Van 

The Hub Two showed the pink light as it should, but the Deco went through the startup process then simply stopped responding.

I will venture into the loft again later and double check the connections and will re-enter the PPPoE details in case I did something wrong (I was melting in the loft when I did it at the weekend!). I know it shouldn't be in the WAN port (but I do need to check I've not used the wrong one!) - however would there be a difference between the remaining ports of the Hub Two?

Is there a correct order to do it? I assume I need to enter the Deco details first before changing the Hub Two to bridge mode? Based on my last attempt I could not even access any Deco setup after changing the Hub mode.

I have the Deco S4 - although there is no WAN port I believe it has automatic WAN/LAN sensing. 

I'll report back later 🙂

[#7]

@bill16 

I have found the user guide https://static.tp-link.com/2019/201912/20191231/1910012710_Deco%20S42.0_UG_REV2.0.0.pdf 

I would suggest only connecting the router to the Hub and then add the second device once working.

If you're happy maybe reset the Deco and start as if new.

[#8]

Just as an update I managed to get the system working properly today. I think I had everything set up correctly before but did it in the 'wrong' order. I think the key was needing to use each wireless connection for the right thing. 

In case anyone else finds a similar problem:

- ethernet cable between Hub Two (not the WAN port) and the main Deco. All other Decos off!

- used the original Deco wireless connection to use the Deco app to change to Router mode and added the PPPoE login details

- went into the Hub Two wireless network to change the mode to Bridge, gave it chance to save (but of course it didn't show 'complete' because it lost connection). Light turned pink/purple. 

- logged back into the Deco wireless connection - all good

- gradually turned other Decos back on to connect to original wireless network

Thanks for your advice @Dan_the_Van  and @Baldrick1