Using 2nd IP with XB6 in bridge mode

[javerwey]

Hi All,

I've recently moved to Shaw BlueCurve and after a short stint using the built-in DHCP, have moved back to my 3rd party router and put the modem in bridge mode.  Glad I did, because I recently had to deal with a brute force login attack against my QNAP NAS, which was opening the 8080 port from inside, allowing the login screen to be exposed through my external IP.  In the process of trying to grab a new IP from the pool and talking with online support, I discovered that I could possibly activate a second WAN IP by utilizing the other port on the XB6.  Having an EdgeRouter capable of load balancing, I wanted to try getting a second IP but I cannot get the modem to assign a second IP.

Does anyone have 2 IPs working with an EdgeRouter and are able to utilize basic load balancing?  I have confirmed with support that I do have 2 IPs available, but I seem to be stuck at the starting line where I can't even get my second IP assigned when plugged into both ethernet ports.

[javerwey]

Finally got the modem to give me 2 IPs.  Had to factory restore my EdgeRouter and run load balancing wizard to get the right configuration. So not an issue with the XB6, but rather my router config.

[javerwey]

Spoke too soon...I'm getting a second IP, but only one IP will be active at a time.  If I disable or unplug one connection then the other springs to life, and visa-versa. Cannot ping the internet from both at the same time. Still wondering if anyone's had success with this?

[rstra]

Weird. You shouldn’t have to, but I wonder if adding a switch to the BlueCurve and connecting your load balancing router to that would work?

[javerwey]

Not sure I understand. How will the two ISP gateways be addressable by the router through a switch when the switch is connected to both network ports of a bridged modem? 

[rstra]

You would connect the switch to a single port on the BlueCurve and then get two public IPs through the switch. But I am not 100% sure of exactly what are doing, so never mind 😀

[rocketMoose]

Did you ever find a solution?  I'm in the midst of re-doing home network and load balancing sounds like a nice feature to have.

[mdk · Accepted solution]

@rocketMoose & @javerwey  -- after "bridging" the cable-modem, disconnect its power-cord, wait a few seconds, and reconnect the power-cord.

The cable-modem is limiting your service to two public IP-addresses.  If you disconnect one of your two devices, and connect a different device, that device will be asking Shaw's DHCP-server (not the DHCP-server "inside" the cable-modem) for a THIRD public IP-address, and the request will not be allowed. So, after changing your two devices, power-cycle the cable-modem, to reset its counter to "zero". Then, your two currently-connected devices will both be allowed to obtain a public IP-address.

[javerwey]

Finally got around to trying this (powering up the modem with both ports connected to the router), and it worked. I now have 2 WAN connections into my Edgerouter X and Load Balancing enabled. Now whether or not the load balancing helps my overall performance and latency, we'll see.

Thanks