Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Transparent bridge problem

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    11 Posts 4 Posters 1.7k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • A
      almabes
      last edited by

      Why not put in an inexpensive switch?  Plug in the cable modem, STB, and WAN.  Done.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        why not just plug your settop box directly into your modem?

        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • A
          almabes
          last edited by

          @johnpoz:

          why not just plug your settop box directly into your modem?

          Which would also work, provided it has multiple LAN ports.  For some reason, I had it in my head that your modem only had one LAN interface.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • johnpozJ
            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
            last edited by

            hey called it a
            "The ISP modem is also a router (modem/router/switch/AP … all in one)"

            Sure would think it would have more than 1 lan side interface.

            An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
            If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
            Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
            SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • A
              almabes
              last edited by

              I'm glad one of us can read… ;)

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                So for example some of the business routers you can get from isp, so port 1 gives the device connected to it public, and then 2 thru 4 are natted.  I have never seen a isp device that could give you mixed IPs in how he has it setup.

                It would for sure require vlans to do something like that..

                He seems to show that his isp device is on rfc1918 on port, and at the same time he wants to get a public IP?  Why sure you can do that with a subinterface, etc. there would be a vlan tag on it, etc.

                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • K
                  Krisbe
                  last edited by

                  Hi

                  The 'ISP cable modem/router' (EuroDocsis 3.0) is indeed a 'all-in-one' with a build-in switch with 4 LAN ports. I use only 1 LAN port and that is connected to igb0 on my pfSense.
                  This ISP modem/router gives directly connected devices a private IP, but their own directly connected settopbox is getting a public IP - I guess they recognise the MAC address of that box, I don't know if they work with VLAN tags. The settopbox realy requires a public IP, otherwise (if it gets a private address) eg. you can't see the TV guide schedule for the upcoming week or you can't manage your programmed recordings and it doesn't get software updates.

                  Like johnpoz says, yes I can connect the settopbox directly to a other LAN port of the ISP modem/router, but I would like to do it via my pfSense box so that I don't have to pull a extra cable from my TV to the basement. An of course just because it should work :-)

                  On the ISP modem/router, there are only 4 LAN ports available. It doesn't matter wich one you use for which device. On all ports you get a rfc1918 address, but if you connect the settopbox, it gets a public address.

                  So I was trying to setup a bridge from the settopbox to the WAN port of pfSense that is connected to one of the LAN ports of the ISP modem/router to get a public IP.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • D
                    doktornotor Banned
                    last edited by

                    Pretty sure it uses some VLAN for TV. Complete waste of time in that case.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • K
                      Krisbe
                      last edited by

                      I bet it works with MAC passthrough, how should it recognize the settopbox otherwise to give it a public IP?

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • johnpozJ
                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                        last edited by

                        Run a cable, and directly connect it.. Or use a switch in front of pfsense if you don't want to run 2 wires.  I would run 2 wires ;)

                        Or you can sniff the traffic from your set top box and see exactly what is going on, could be something with dhcp option and jumping vlans like a phone can do, etc.  But without understanding how its getting the public how do you expect to make it work behind pfsense?

                        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • First post
                          Last post
                        Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.