[ale] PPPo{EA} v NAT in DSL gateways

[Ken Cochran]

Actually, yes (helpful).  :)
Doing it "somehow" beats not doing it no-how...
Need to research other DSL gateways besides the Westell,
e.g. Netopia, maybe some Cicso thing (1800? 800?)  Or, rolling
my own with something that'll be *good* with the likes of OpenWRT.

-kc

>Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:13:40 -0500
>From: "James Taylor" <James.Taylor at eastcobbgroup.com>
>To: <ale at ale.org>
>Subject: Re: [ale] PPPo{EA} v NAT in DSL gateways
>
>I had to do that with an ATT box a few months ago. I don't remember what
>kind of DSL router it was, but ATT doesn't document the configuration
>for it anywhere, and can't help you set it up.
>
>I was able to get it to work using an obscure setting change in the
>configuration, but I don't recall what it was.  All I remember is that
>the label of the setting didn't look like it had anything to do with
>what I wanted to do.
>
>Real helpful, eh?
>-jt
>
>James Taylor
>The East Cobb Group, Inc.
>678-697-9420
>james.taylor at eastcobbgroup.com
>http://www.eastcobbgroup.com
>
>>>> Ken Cochran <kwc at theworld.com> 12/29/2008 10:36 AM >>>
>Summary:  Looking for ability to set up PPPo{EA} support
>          *without* NAT in some kind of DSL box.
>
>I'm trying to research DSL connectivity options at my locality.
>(Charter) cablemodem has become too expensive; DSL is the only
>other option & for residential, that's AT&T-only here.
>
>I asked here a week or two ago but not much of an answer I guess:
>
>Last I remember, by default, AT&T supplies a Westell DSL gateway
>for residences.  What I've seen of it is that it generally
>acts as a router, and handling the PPPo{EA} signon itself but
>also NAT, supplying on the LAN side private IP addresses in
>192.168/24.  I read that I can put that gateway into "bridge"
>mode & it no longer does NAT (that would then be up to my own
>devices of course) but it isn't clear to me whether that also
>breaks the builtin PPPo{EA} support.
>
>Questions:
>
>- If I change that Westell to bridge mode does that also mean
>  I have to do my own PPPo{EA}?
>
>- Any (good, better) alternatives to that Westell?  For example,
>  I've seen some from Netopia but I don't know much about these
>  types of products.