The DSL modem does not come with the firewall activated, and it is not in any way, shape, or form, the preferred firewall to be using over the airport extreme.

Furthermore, most users will not know how to put their modem into bridge mode, and they will get DoubleNAT error messages from the Airport. It’s not simply a matter of turning off DHCP.

Your problem was a faulty line or Airport and if you had the time (who does) you could have tracked the problem down. Mine ended up being an intermittent DSL connection that the first three “line tests” didn’t catch.

I just set my AEBS (dual-band model) up to use PPPoE with no problems at all. Once I changed the default NAT to use a 192.168 address space instead of the 10.0 address space everything worked as advertised.

I also configured my AEBS to use WPA2 Personal and setup the ACL to mimic the functionality of the Linksys MAC filtering.

If you want to see how I did the ACL, go visit the post on my blog: http://arfore.com/2009/04/03/configure-airport-extreme-mac-filter-acl/

Andy

Not only is the double NAT an issue, but running everything off the AEBS lets you enable a default host for running an open web server, as well as support for mobile me remote access. Not sure you can configure any of that if your dsl modem is dishing out addresses and the AEBS is just acting as an access point.

Seems like setting up the modem to handle PPPOE is the way it *should* be done, but setting it up in bridged mode and passing it off to the AEBS offers a lot more in terms of configuration. Not much good if it’s randomly crashing, though. So far I haven’t personally this and plan on leaving my setup as you have yours…

Just a note to add to this:
AEBS has no way of turning off NAT.
If we have the DSL modem do the PPOE credentials then it runs a NAT as well. We had many problems with “double nat” with xBox Live and Netflix. Because AEBS can’t turn Nat off (would also ahve to turn off DHCP) we set the AEBS up to do PPOE. Now we are fraggin’ 14 year olds with blazing speed. If you encounter a “strict” message from xBox Live, this is probably something to check.
Cheers!

Furtermore, this problem has started after NO software updates to the AEBS (both of them are running current and have been for sometime). My connection has been stable for months and months!

Perhaps the ISP has made a change to do with their authentication servers and the AEBSs are have problems? It’s REALLY weird that they have both started doing it. I will report back on how the connection goes with the Billion 7300 in change of routing and PPPoE.

There should not be an issue with using the PPPoE client in your Basestation and using it as a router.

BUT… mine has been working perfectly for sometime, and now it is dropping PPPoE connections frequently under load. I’ve even switched out for another AEBS (I have a 100MB, and 1GB version) and I am having the same problem.

It’s very strange indeed.

I’d prefer to use the AEBS as I like the love the config util, and it’s ability to easily configure multiple basestations… but I am going to switch over and use the Billion 7300 for PPPoE and routing later and see if it’s the AEBS to blame.

Erm… Even though your network is now fine, your AEBS is still not fixed. That’s because your AEBS still cannot do what you’ve paid it to do…

Now, speaking of that, you’re gonna hav helluva time trying set up NAT…

I have a similar problem.

I have the Westell modem/router, and an airport extreme.

There are 3 other macs in the house. Periodically, we will lose our connection. Though the AEBS green light is solid, none of the computers can see the base station anymore. Sometimes the situation resolves itself (comes back on in ten minutes or two hours) and sometimes you go through all sorts of voodoo turning things off, then on, then launching the Airport Utility to look for the base station, etc.

I am trying to find someone who can tell me the exact settings I should be using. I do not know how to find the Westell web page to see the settings on this modem….anyone ?

Thanks
Tom

Thanks for the suggestions….

Although a bit unclear as my DSL modem and WiFi/Ethernet Router are all together in the ‘same box’, it’s an all-in-one type device…

Diamond Multimedia SupraMax

ADSL2+ Modem with 802.11G Wireless & 4-Port Ethernet Router Gateway

Does that make a difference????

Using this with my MacBook running OSX 10.4.11.

Thanks,

Mark

Jack, you’re absolutely right although this wasn’t contributing to my particular problem. Regardless of which device was initiating the DSL connection, they were both set to “Always On”, but not everyone will realize to set their connection up that way.

Travis, yes I’ve been well aware of the modem and wireless capabilities of the device. However, when I originally used just the modem as a wireless router, I had nothing but problems in 2005 so I added my own router. I also run several WiFi networks in the house and need multiple routers. I use 802.11b/g for data and 802.11a for streaming HDTV content through the house.

You didn’t know that the 327 is a modem and a router with wireless?

My son had a similar problem which I attempted to fix. Airport base was set to connect via PPPoE. Old DSL modems I think were simply modems. After looking over his BellSouth information, I realized you could access his newer modem using its IP address. It looked, from the browser, as though it was a single port router with a DHCP server, if that makes any sense. You can plug these things directly into your computer and it will assign an address. Anyway, setting up the Airport base to connect via ethernet is the correct way to fix part of the problem. You also must also enter the account login information into the modem. Second part is to access the modem from your browser and set the connection to stay alive. Otherwise after a short interval, the modem will disconnect. This seems to happen if there is no information being transfered, such as when you are reading a long article on a web page. I recently bought a new modem for my service and had the same problem which was solved in quick fashion after spending an hour learning on my son’s system.

Mark, where is the PPPoE connection being made: on the modem or on your router? Put another way: which device has your DSL account credentials? If it’s the router, try setting up the modem with the DSL account info and just use the router to connect to the modem via Ethernet. That’s what I did.

turn_self_off, I understand and agree. I wasn’t thinking when I put my AirPort Extreme in place. To be honest, the info that came with it pointed me down the path of setting up a PPPoE connection on the router. Still, I should have known better.

let me say that in my opinion, the devices that does the dsl should also do the pppoe if used. anything else seems just insane…

that way one can run clean ethernet and/or wlan behind it.

Hmmm….very interesting, Kevin….

I never had disconnection problems with my old DSL modem which was connected to my old ASANTE router and AirPort base station.

Then recently DSL modem crapped out on me and I bought a new Diamond Supramax combo DSL modem/wifi/ethernet router. Since then have I get disconnect messages pop up on display several times a day!

The only other thing that has changed besides the above is that OSX 10.4 Tiger got updated recently….

So, now don’t know if my problem is due to hardware or OS update???

BTW, my connection is PPPoE too…so, maybe that’s a factor???

Any ideas???

Thanks,

Mark