hardware, internet, Tech

Using Existing DIR-655 Router with Starhub MaxInfinity Fibre Plan

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Initially I was a little apprehensive about hooking up to fibre connections. From all reports via friends, colleagues, friends of friends etc, it seems you are doomed to using only the modem/router combination as provided by your ISP (M1, Singnet, Starhub) and you have little or no choice in using your own existing router.

Why does someone want to use his own router? For one thing, all your wireless SSID, security settings, DHCP, and so on, are already configured. If you have to dump your router and use only the one provided by the ISP you would have to set everything up again.

In any case I was surprised how easy it was.

When the Starhub guy came he said essentially that if I wanted to use my router I would have to disable DHCP on it and all my reservations will have to be done on the new router. I didn’t want to prolong the issue so I said ok, you set it up as you normally would, I would figure it out later.

After he left, I figured it out. The steps are very simple.

DIR-655 (My own existing router, with all my wireless settings etc)

  1. Changed WAN settings from DHCP to Static IP, assigned 192.168.2.2. No other settings changed
  2. Note – LAN IP is still 192.168.1.1

Starhub-provided DVG5402SP

  1. Router IP 192.168.2.1
  2. DHCP is disabled
  3. WIFI is disabled
  4. DMZ set to 192.168.2.2 (for my DIR-655 router)
  5. WAN port is connected to Opennet ONT device (for fibre connection)

What you need to do to make it all work

  • Connect Ethernet cable from DVG5402 (any port) to DIR-655 WAN port.
  • Renew/get new/reboot DIR-655 (optional. May not even need a reboot)
  • Done!

That is all there is to it! The trick is that the modem/router provided by Starhub (or your ISP) must be on a different segment (hence 2.1 instead of 1.2). What that means, is that all my PCs and Laptops etc will still get DHCP-assigned IPs for 192.168.1.x (from the DIR-655). The 192.168.2.x segment is purely for my fibre and router connections.

Yes, I can still log in to 192.168.2.1 (fibre modem) web page to make configuration changes from any LAN-connected or WIFI-connected devices.