Do I need it in Modem mode?

[Colbaker]

Hi all,

My current setup, VirginMedia hub 3 in Modem mode attached to my ASUS AC88U router, wired into that is my old ASUS AC68U router and a gigabit switch which in turn has another gigabit switch chained off of it.

it’s been working fine for years now but suddenly I get random DHCP errors from the virgin media hub, not ideal as, like lots of people, we are working from home although we always have done, multiple conversations with the idiots at virgin who even tried to sell us a new dongle that is “guaranteed to extend my wireless and wired connections!” They are sending an engineer tomorrow, they have told me the engineer won’t touch it if it’s in modem mode so I have turned it back to router mode although I still expect the, to blame anything else on my network and not the hub.

question is, do I even need it it modem mode? What’s the benefit of modem mode vs router mode when plugged in as a gateway to the AC88?
Also quick side question, should I get a single 8 port gigabit switch to replace my 2 4 port gigabit switches?

thanks I’m advance.

 

[Colbaker]

So I seem to have over complicated my initial post, my current setup is…

VM hub in modem Mode, plugged into my AC88U router, the AC86 router is setup as a mesh, so really I only have the 1 router, issue is VM have told me to put the Hub back into normal router mode for the engineer tomorrow because he won’t touch it if it’s in modem mode.

The DHCP error is what sometimes comes up when looking at the internet connection on the router once it’s dropped.

 

[Colbaker]

These DHCP errors, are they on the LAN or WAN side of the AC88U?

I'm not at all surprised that VM want the Hub putting back into router mode.

Whilst double NAT is far from ideal, it's worth putting the Hub back into router mode and seeing if the problem remains. If you have any port forwarding in place that without additional farting about that won't work at this point.

it’s the WAN side that comes up with DHCP error, the engineer has replaced the hub (says they should be replaced every couple of years and I’ve had this one for 10), I’ll try putting it back into modem mode later and fingers crossed.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Colbaker]

Thanks those with the proper replies, I have now remembered why I refrain from posting on these forums, too many self important “know it all” keyboard warriors who don’t post to help but post to mock, forum trolls!