Setting up port forwarding is a real headache.
Setting up port forwarding is a real headache.
The concept of port forwarding serves a specific purpose: directing external traffic to an internal device. Your router requires this mapping to handle incoming connections efficiently.
Did you think about switching the second router to AP mode? This would remove the necessity for double NAT.
I was considering the same idea... Setting up your Asus router to function as an access point might solve the issue. If it lacks exclusive mode for this purpose, consider turning off the DHCP server and giving it a static IP that matches your Bell Fibre router’s network and is also reserved on theirs or excluded from its range to avoid conflicts. I’m not entirely confident it will work, but it’s worth trying.
Record the IP addresses of all devices that are set to connect. Include only the server's IP, not the client machines. Make sure you're using a single router in bridge mode for consistency.
That's exactly my idea. If I could connect it and simply use the ASUS router, it would work perfectly.
It would then mean the small fibre op router would handle the 40 to 60 devices
It could work without needing WiFi and only requires one set of port forwarding. Remember, even with double-NAT, the main router still handles NAT for those 60 devices, directing them through the second router. The main reason for a dedicated router is that primary routers can't manage many clients effectively, but double-NAT doesn’t fully eliminate this limitation. Potential advantages include static routes, VPN integration into the main routing table, tighter control over DHCP and QoS settings. Issues with port forwarding in the main router remain unless you connect it properly or have sufficient public IPs to act as a WAN gateway. If you’re not implementing those features, double-NAT only increases latency and adds complexity.