OPNsense Forum

English Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: xavierchazzard on January 16, 2024, 08:23:07 pm

Title: Can I use OPNSense router as a modem for another router?
Post by: xavierchazzard on January 16, 2024, 08:23:07 pm

I've got Gigabit Fibre to my house.

I was using an Asus router for everything but recently the speed has dropped from 900 to 300.

This looks to be an issue with the router as using my ISPs provided router gives me full speed as well as using OPNSense which I've tested on a machine with an I7.

I don't want to replace my Asus router right now as I've spent quite a bit on it and I've got a few in a mesh system.

What I want to know is, can I use OPNSense to handle authenticating the connection but have DHCP and everything else turned off and use my Asus router for that? Until I can afford to get a few Unifi APs.

Thanks in advance.

Title: Re: Can I use OPNSense router as a modem for another router?
Post by: CJ on January 17, 2024, 05:10:43 pm

Why don't you just configure your ASUS router into AP mode.  Then you can keep your mesh setup until you replace them and then use the full capabilities of OPNsense.

in regards to whether that will help your speed issues, you haven't provided enough details for anyone to know.

Title: Re: Can I use OPNSense router as a modem for another router?
Post by: xavierchazzard on January 17, 2024, 10:01:58 pm

That's brilliant. I didn't even know that you could use AI mesh in AP mode. That makes life much more simple.

Speed issue I believe is due to the CPU overhead of PPPoE.
My router worked great for ages, running full speed with low latency. But suddenly one day it just dropped down to 300. Can't figure out why, I tested different cables, tried other routers. Just this one router has decided to drop the speed. Wi-Fi is surprisingly faster at about 550mbps.

OPNSense worked great, I got full speed.

I just need to build a new machine with the proper hardware to run it.

Title: Re: Can I use OPNSense router as a modem for another router?
Post by: CJ on January 18, 2024, 03:59:33 pm

I don't know for sure that you can run the ASUS in mesh mode.  I don't use mesh or consumer routers.  But in the past I would convert consumer routers into AP mode in order to provide wireless for PC based routers.

What hardware are you planning?  I'm a fan of using old desktops.  They're cheap, albeit a bit power hungry.

Title: Re: Can I use OPNSense router as a modem for another router?
Post by: xavierchazzard on January 20, 2024, 05:59:58 pm

My home server, which was an old HP EliteDesk, has just died. Most likely will replace with a old server off ebay. Something like an E5 2650 v2 with like 100GB+ of ram.

Thinking of running opnsense inside a vm in ProxMox. Would that be alright?

Title: Re: Can I use OPNSense router as a modem for another router?
Post by: CJ on January 22, 2024, 05:54:55 pm

You can and people do but I'm not a fan of it.  It will tie your internet into your server and add complexity to the setup.  It would allow you to take snapshots of the VM but I've never felt the need for that.  I just make sure to save the config from time to time.