Bridge Configuration

Topics on this page: Enabling Bridgeable Interfaces | Enabling Bridging Services

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Use the bridge configuration page to define which device interfaces are capable of bridging data between your LAN and ISP. Interfaces can be routable (i.e., assigned an IP address), bridgeable, or both.

Enabling the device to function as a bridge requires two steps:

  • Enabling the bridgeable interfaces
  • Enabling the bridging service on the unit

Enabling Bridgeable Interfaces

To enable bridging, you use the Bridge Configuration page to specify the interfaces that can bridge data. Then, you use the System Mode page to enable the appropriate operating mode.

  1. If the Bridge Configuration page is not already displaying, click the Bridging tab. The Bridge Configuration Page displays by default.
The page displays Enable/Disable links for Bridging, WAN-to-WAN Bridging, and Zero Installation PPP bridge (ZIPB – also known as PPP Half Bridge). The page also provides a table for specifying the interfaces on which bridging will be performed. The table may be empty if bridging has not yet been configured.
  1. Select the interface names on which you want to perform bridging and click Add.
For example, select eth-0 or usb-0 to enable bridging on your LAN interface, and eoa-0 to enable it on the WAN interface.

If you do not have an eoa-0 interface, but instead have a WAN interface named ppp-0 or ipoa-0, your device is not currently configured with a WAN interface that allows bridging with your ISP. You may want to check with your ISP to determine whether they use this protocol. See Configuring EOA Interfaces for additional instructions.

If you enable bridging on an interface that has already been assigned an IP address, then it is considered IP-enabled and will route (rather than bridge) IP packets received on the interface. The interface will bridge non-IP data it receives, however. 

You can determine whether the Ethernet (eth-0) and USB (usb-0) interfaces have been assigned IP addresses by displaying the IP Address Table (display the Routing tab, then click IP Addr). These interfaces will display in the table only if they have been assigned IP addresses.

You can check whether the eoa-0 interface has been assigned an IP address by displaying the EOA configuration table (display the WAN tab, and then click EOA). If the Config IP Address field is empty and the Use DHCP field contains the word Disable, then no IP address has been assigned.

To make an interface non-bridgeable, display the Bridge Configuration page and click next to the interface you want to delete. Click OK to confirm the deletion. The interface remains defined in the system, but is no longer capable of bridging.

 

Enabling Bridging Services

After configuring the bridgeable interfaces, click one of the following links on the Bridge Configuration Page:

  • Bridging: Enable/Disable
  • WAN to WAN Bridging: Enable/Disable
  • ZIPB: Enable Disable

Each of the links displays the System Mode Page, where you can enable the appropriate bridging operating mode. Refer to the Configuring the System Mode for instructions and descriptions of the available operating modes.