Im currently running a FRITZbox 7530ax with my DSL connection.
What’s the recommended way to integrate a Asus router into this setup?
Do I just connect the new Asus router with a lan cable to the wan port and disable WiFi etc on my current FRITZbox ?
I think Asus routers have a option to avoid a double NAT situation…
Maybe someone is running a similar setup.
The asus router is going to be the RT BE-88U.
Thanks !
If you just connect the Asus Router WAN port to one of the FRITZbox LAN ports, you will have a double NAT scenario which will make it harder to run an internet facing servers (Including Roon for access by ARC) because of the need to do double port forwarding. From an ARC point of view, this can be mitigated by settings up Wireguard on the Asus Router and the phones/tablets that run ARC which is easy to do (Wireguard works in the same way as Tailscale). However, if you run any other servers (like a self hosted web server), the Wireguard solution won’t extend to that.
If you can, you should try to elliminate the double NAT by either (but not both):
Bridge Mode on the FRITZbox
I don’t know the details of this but, at least one article I have seen on the web suggests that the FRITZbox can be configured in bridge mode. You may then need to configure the Asus router to use a PPPoE connection using the WAN → Internet Connection settings. To do this, you will need to know the login name and password to use with your ISP account. You may also need to know (and configure) a VLAN ID for the ISP’s internet connection. In the latest Asus routers (Like my RT-BE88U), this is done by enabling the 801.q feature in the Internet Connection settings and setting the VLanId as appropriate (leaving ‘priority’ set to 0):
On older Asus routers, this had to be done using the LAN → IPTV settings. Set ‘ISP profile’ to ‘manual’ and then set the VLanId to whatever is required. E.g. for VLan ID = 101:
Access Point Mode on the ASUS
To put the Asus Router into Access Point mode, in the ‘Administration’ page:
This will mean that the Asus router will act as a switch and a WiFi endpoint - but it will not give you access to any of the advanced router cabapbilities if that is what you want. It will, however, give you the WiFi capabilities.
A couple of the other ways of using the Asus router may be appropriate as well.
Repeater mode:
Media Bridge:
Thanks. Sounds complicated. Cancelled my order for now.
