Will a router work with ADSL and Cable internet connections?

[JosephDuffy]

Hi,
Sorry for the poor title, I'm a little unsure about all of this.
I am currently on Karoo broadband, which (I think) limits my choice of modems since they use different connection options (I have to use different VPI and VCI options, but I'm guessing most new router will allow these to be changed).
I currently have a Netgear DGN3500, but it has some major issues with WiFi, and was hoping to improve this. However, Karoo will (hopefully) be rolling out fiberoptic broadband in my area soon, which will require a cable modem, which they will provide. If it possible I would like to keep the new router I buy and just use the new box they give me as a modem.
I would also like to do this with my current setup, just using the Netgear box as a modem and use the new box as a router to try and improve my wireless performance.
Firstly, will this be possible? If so, is it a good idea?
If I did do this, am I correct in thinking that I would manage everything other than the actual internet connection through the modem? How would this affect inbound connections (e.g. to a server)?
I am thinking of getting a TL-WDR4300, which would connect to an ADSL or cable modem via ethernet, no?
I don't really want to fork out for a new ADSL router/modem when I'll be getting cable soon and I already have a perfectly good ADSL modem.
I don't really understand routers/modems too well, but I think I've figured out that this should work, I'm just not sure how well.
Any ideas regarding this would be much appreciated!

 

[Emerald]

if it is only the wireless that is the problem, you could configure the new router for the time being as an AP.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/36406-43-convert-wireless-router-wireless-access-point

 

[JosephDuffy]

if it is only the wireless that is the problem, you could configure the new router for the time being as an AP.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/36406-43-convert-wireless-router-wireless-access-point

Thank you for the reply.
For the sake of simplicity will it be possible to use the new router for wired connections, too?
I am guessing this would work for both both the ADSL and cable modems since the new router will not act as a modem?

 

[eibgrad]

It's generally a bad idea to buy combo devices (typical of DSL) for yourself. They're great for the ISP to hand out to customers since it simplifies installation and configuration issues, but the downside is that the connection between the modem and the WAN of the router is *internal*, making the device unusable w/ cable systems which need an exposed WAN!

So whenever possible, always buy standalone routers with an exposed WAN, never combo devices that come w/ an integrated modem.

As far as your current situation, personally I would just connect the WAN of your new router to a LAN port on the Netgear and connect all your devices to it. And don’t use the Netgear radio either, just turn it OFF. The only thing you’ll need to do is make sure the Netgear and your new router uses different networks. For example, if the Netgear is using 192.168.1.x, perhaps make yours 192.168.2.x, or 10.0.0.x, whatever, just as long as it’s different. Then when your cable modem comes in, you can either leave it that way or change its back to its default (probably 192.168.1.x).

Note, Emerald's suggestion will work fine too, but I think if you're going to spend that much money for a new router w/ that many features, you might as well enjoy all it has to offer as a router NOW, not simply as an AP. But that's just a personal opinion, in the end, either approach would work.

 

[JosephDuffy]

It's generally a bad idea to buy combo devices (typical of DSL) for yourself. They're great for the ISP to hand out to customers since it simplifies installation and configuration issues, but the downside is that the connection between the modem and the WAN of the router is *internal*, making the device unusable w/ cable systems which need an exposed WAN!

So whenever possible, always buy standalone routers with an exposed WAN, never combo devices that come w/ an integrated modem.

As far as your current situation, personally I would just connect the WAN of your new router to a LAN port on the Netgear and connect all your devices to it. And don’t use the Netgear radio either, just turn it OFF. The only thing you’ll need to do is make sure the Netgear and your new router uses different networks. For example, if the Netgear is using 192.168.1.x, perhaps make yours 192.168.2.x, or 10.0.0.x, whatever, just as long as it’s different. Then when your cable modem comes in, you can either leave it that way or change its back to its default (probably 192.168.1.x).

Note, Emerald's suggestion will work fine too, but I think if you're going to spend that much money for a new router w/ that many features, you might as well enjoy all it has to offer as a router NOW, not simply as an AP. But that's just a personal opinion, in the end, either approach would work.

If I buy a new router, will all the port forwarding/firewall etc be running through that? I'm assuming I'll just turn off NAT/firewall etc on my modem, and maybe put the new router in the DMZ on my current modem? And when the cable modem/router comes I'll just disable the router aspect of that and use my new router.
Thanks for all help, I hope to have a good network soon, and carry that on when I get fibre!

 

[eibgrad]

In a perfect words you'd place the Netgear in bridge mode so that it's demoted to a modem (so no firewall, no dhcp, etc.), then your router would receive the public IP. But we don’t even know if that’s possible w/ the Netgear. Plus, we were trying to keep it simple for the time being, esp. if the changeover to fiber/cable is imminent.

If you wanted to keep the Netgear as-is and use your new router, then yes, I’d recommend giving the router’s WAN IP a static IP from the Netgear and placing that IP in the DMZ of the Netgear. But I wouldn’t recommend disabling the Netgear’s firewall since you still want to protect it from attacks.

Most cable systems use a standalone modem, not a combo modem+router, although it does happen from time to time. So it seems premature to discuss how to connect your “theoretical” new router to your “theoretical” new cable modem or modem+router.