Introduction
You may have noticed that your router has both a bridge and a router mode. As a result, you may be wondering what these two modes are and how they work. Their comprehension may appear quite technical at first, but it becomes very familiar very quickly.
This article will cover both bridge and router modes. Also, see our comparison of bridge mode vs. router mode to see how they differ. This article will explain how these modes work and how you can use either one to best suit your needs.
After all, the best routers typically include a plethora of customization options, particularly when it comes to how and what to connect with. Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about these modes and when to use them.
Router mode is the primary or default setting or operation of your router, whereas bridge mode has unique applications and features. Before delving into the specific differences between the two, let us first understand the fundamentals of both modes, as well as their operation and applications.
What is a Router Mode?
When you enable router mode on your router, you are using your router as the primary LAN. As a result, if you connect it to any other devices, they will connect to the main LAN, which is your router. The router connects your internet to your home network.
With the router mode enabled, you can take advantage of some additional features. You can use it to filter IP addresses and block websites. If you block a specific website or IP address from the router, it will not appear on your devices when they connect to that router’s wifi network.
You can use router mode to set up a guest network and connect to a VPN service. VPN services allow you to access websites with specific IP addresses that may be blocked or unavailable in your country. VPN also protects your data by encrypting it, making it less vulnerable to data theft and hacker attacks. VPN can be accessed easily via router mode.
Additionally, router mode enables you to control the router from a remote location via the internet. The important thing to remember is that you will need to type the router’s Internet IP Address rather than its LAN IP Address in the web browser’s Address Bar to access it.
What Is Bridge Mode?
You may have two separate routers that use different wifi routers, which can be inconvenient. This would not be possible, for example, if you had to connect your speakers to your TV wirelessly and both were using different wifi from a different router. This could be referred to as a Double NAT scene.
Bridge mode comes in handy when you want both of your routers to share the same wifi network. Bridge mode connects two different routers. This connection is usually very secure and performs well. When bridge mode is enabled, the router functions as a DHCP server with no IP address issues.
This is because the Bridge route disables the modern’s NAT configuration and thus easily connects two. This eliminates the need for dual NAT.
Difference Between Bridge Mode and Router Mode
The main distinction here is that the bridge feature of a single router is used to connect devices within the same network, whereas router mode is used to connect devices to the Internet at large. As a result, the differences will be similar to those found when comparing a network bridge to a router. Consider bridge mode, which is essentially a software implementation of a hardware device.
Here are some examples of how this crucial distinction between the bridge and AC router modes manifests itself.
WAN and LAN
Routers typically have the ability to establish both a wide area network (WAN) and a local area network (LAN) connection. The former is a typical Internet connection, while the latter is mostly used for intra-network connections. The bridge mode of a router specializes in local area network (LAN) connections, making it ideal for intra-network communication. If you are using a router in its standard mode, you are most likely dealing with your typical router mode. This is true whether you are surfing the web, streaming, or playing video games.
Difficulty
The default router mode of a router is how it operates right out of the box. In other words, simply connecting to the Internet activates router mode. Bridge mode, on the other hand, necessitates a more expert touch to navigate successfully. In fact, you may need to contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to learn how to use this mode. The bridge mode of a router is typically hidden within the router’s firmware software.
Data Path IP Address
In bridge mode, the data path is assigned to the BVI rather than the LAN or WAN interface. In router mode, the data path address is assigned to the LAN or WAN interface.
Deployment Type
Bridge mode only allows for the in-line deployment, whereas router mode allows for both in-line and out-of-path deployment. PBR, WCCP, or VRRP are used for out-of-path deployment.
Having seen the differences in the two modes’ essential properties, let us now look at the fundamental differences you will encounter when using the two modes.
In bridge mode, the modern firewall cannot make its own routing decisions. It cannot block traffic by using specific port numbers, nor can it modify data or zip codes. Bridge mode also prevents the router from starting or terminating sessions. It cannot change HTTP layers, for example. Because the existing IP address is used in bridge mode, fewer network changes are required.
In contrast, if your router is in router mode, it can easily accept routing. This effectively means that it can perform all of the tasks listed above that it cannot perform in bridge mode. Router mode allows you to change the device’s data path.
FAQS
Do Google Nest WiFi and Google WiFi support bridge mode?
Yes, but only if you only use one WiFi device. If you use a secondary router, it may not work properly and may prevent you from accessing certain features, such as parental controls and the ability to adjust link layers.
How do I bridge my modem/router combo device?
If you have an ISP-supplied router or any combo device, contact your provider directly for information on how to access this mode.
What are the disadvantages of bridge mode?
A network bridge does not provide a public IP address, but rather a MAC address, which may be an issue with a mesh Wi-Fi system, necessitating a review of advanced settings and port forwarding rules.
Final Thoughts
Bridge mode and router mode are two distinct modes of operation for your router. This article explains in detail what the two modes are. We investigate the technical differences in terms of properties and paths, as well as how these differences affect the features of both modes. You can learn more about these two modes and how to switch between them by visiting the website of your router’s manufacturer.
