Bell 2Wire 201 in Bridged mode

[paristotle]

The Bell Canada technician visited one of my clients today to swap out a faulty modem. The problem is he changed it for a 2Wire 2701 (router/modem) and he left it in router mode. The client already has a Sonicwall firewall router so I would like to use the 2Wire as a modem only. I can't figure out how to get this thing into bridged mode. Not sure if Bell locked out this function as some say. Other routers have a wizard that walks you through the steps. Is anybody here familiar with the settings required to put this into bridged mode?

 

[pc-quebec]

you need to go in the management console, for that you need the password,

since you will not find it better get a Thompson 516


here where to buy one

http://www.speedtouch.ca/typesearch.php



P.S. you can always flash the 2wire with another firmware, but it will not work reliably and you can brick it if you miss it .

 

[paristotle]

I've seen it work eleswhere. I don't think it was a true bridge because the management interface was still available on the 2wire. In that case the DHCP was off, but if I plugged into the 2Wire LAN and manually gave myself an IP I was able to get into the web configuration utility. I've read a couple of posts that confirm this, but I couldn't figure out how to set it up.

 

[Peaceful]

Normally on those 2wire modems there's a s/n on the label for the password.

 

[pc-quebec]

Normally on those 2wire modems there's a s/n on the label for the password.

that's the pass key for the wireless not the one for management

 

[Jake77444]

that's the pass key for the wireless not the one for management

pc-quebec is correct. The 10 digit key underneath the SN is the WEP key.

There is only one way you will get that 2Wire in bridge mode, if it has 2Wire firmware(which for bell it should). I assume this is a 2701HG-B.

Access the MDC(default gateway ip/mdc.....ex: 192.168.1.254/mdc or /management)
Go to Broadband link > Configure
Set ATM PVC Search to "Disabled"
Set Connection type to Direct IP "DHCP or STATIC"
Click Submit
Go to Advanced > Configure Services
Uncheck "Enable Routing"
Submit
Your internet light on the modem should now be completely off on the 2701HG-B.

This can not be done from the GUI, only the MDC.

Keep in mind this will put the modem into a true bridge mode and it will not do any authentication so you will have to put the PPPoE session inside your firewall. It is impossible to turn off NAT on the 2WIRE and still do authentication, this is not a netopia.

Now how you get the Bell MDC password, that one i'll leave up to you since i'm not legally at liberty to release that. I'm sure you are capable of searching google though

 

[paristotle]

Thanks for the reply. I'll give it a shot. I was on the phone with Bell yesterday and the Bell technician was going around in circles trying to figure out what the settings should be. I'll try this and if it doesn't work I'll downgrade the account to a simple modem and they'll save $6 per month. There is just so many of these devices around that I want to know how to configure them. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Jake77444]

Thanks for the reply. I'll give it a shot. I was on the phone with Bell yesterday and the Bell technician was going around in circles trying to figure out what the settings should be. I'll try this and if it doesn't work I'll downgrade the account to a simple modem and they'll save $6 per month. There is just so many of these devices around that I want to know how to configure them. Thanks for all the input.

It will work as long as you can get the MDC password. I worked for 2Wire back before they were acquired by PACE.

 

[paristotle]

Just to finish it up even the Bell tech couldn't get the thing to bridge. I'm going to down grade them to a modem and have them save six dollars a month.

 

[Jake77444]

Just to finish it up even the Bell tech couldn't get the thing to bridge. I'm going to down grade them to a modem and have them save six dollars a month.

Honestly downgrading is probably a better idea, then you can do the pppoe session inside the modem........but the bell tech cleary didint know what he was doing then. I know the firmware that 2701HG-B Bell has and bridging is literally a matter of following the instructions in my last post. It can only been done from the MDC. You should of printed my directions and handed them to him......ISP techs are typically off the street.