Question

When can I JUST use TM internet modem as ONLY a modem, in BRIDGE mode, with NO NAT, NO firewall, and frankly NO Wifi.

  • 28 December 2021
  • 30 replies
  • 11843 views

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PLEASE let me know when can get a PLAIN modem from T-Mobile, or BUY my own modem, or SET their modem up to DUPLICATE the functionality of Spectrum.   I can’t and won’t change, until and unless I can get that kind of service.  Frankly, I am shocked that TM didn’t spec that into their design.  Instead, based on about a 20 minute search, that is IMPOSSIBLE today…  and here are just a few of the problems that will prevent me from even considering TM:

  • There’s NO bridge mode --- This means I CAN NEVER treat TM device like my Spectrum cable modem, and treat it JUST like a modem.
  • Since I can’t treat it as just another modem, I have to REDO and RETHINK, and REDESIGN my whole network, to adopt to their design -- This is NOT going to happen!
  • No Bridge means that I’m limited to whatever they designed into their modem, to provide services like DHCP, NAT, port forwarding, DNS, ETC.
  • Since their software UI is the only way I can provide services I depend on, then unless they perfected their software, their UI, and their firmware, and their firewall software that is better than all the other devices I have, some of which are extremely sophisticated and expensive, their device makes using these devices not only redundant, but also DISABLED services, without a lot of workarounds, assuming I both want to do the work, and I can actually achieve configs that work for me.  

I’m still using Spectrum, and it appears I won’t have a viable good option of changing everything over to T-Mobile, until they somehow figure out how to produce a service that is COMPLETE plug and play with a CABLE MODEM…. By modem, I do NOT mean a firewall, a router, a WiFi, or ANYTHING more than a stable MODEM with ONE IP address, DHCP in order to pass an IP to my firewall, and that’s it.  NO, I do NOT even need DNS services, either. 

I hope I just misunderstand the current TM design.  If this is how it works today, it reminds me of when I first put a DSL modem in my company in the early 1990’s.  The first thing they gave me was a contract that said I had to PAY EXTRA, for EACH device I connected, I’d have to notify them in advance, and EACH IP was extra cost.  After I rewrote their contract, and informed them I only wanted ONE device connected, and ONE IP, and bought my SonicWall “Internet gateway” “NAT Firewall”, and “DHCP server”.  Although that one device was about $300-400 at the time, we were able to use that to service over 50 computers at a time for the next 15 years.  I guess we were ahead of our time as a small company.  Most everyone else was paying 10-15 per user, and we never EVER paid for more than ONE user.  But then, we had 20 or more engineers working for us at the time as well.

C’mon T-Mobile --- Get a real great network designer involved so it only takes plugging my EXISTING 1,000-T WIRED internet cable and then everything works, out of the box.  Then, also provide the means to MANAGE and MONITOR that modem remotely.  That’s all I need or want, and suspect that is all most all users want today..

 

 

 


30 replies

I share these concerns.  One possible workaround is to use cloudflare tunnels to allow access to internal services from the internet.  It's free, not much more of a learning curve than vpn, but there is not as much ubiquitous documentation and support.  You have to learn some new subjects most likely.

I share the frustrations above; for what it's worth I at least used the test period with T-Mobile to get Spectrum to lower my bill. They went back to giving me the introductory rate when I mentioned the lower competing price, roughly matching the T-Mobile offer.

Given higher upload speeds I’d prefer to stick with T-Mobile, but the inability to remote into my own network makes that a no-go.

I also have these concerns and issues. Not being able to configure the Tmobile internet router for VPN use among other things is a very detrimental quality of an otherwise great product. There are many people and different use cases for being able to use this ability. Please, make this a possibility.

You would think this would be the easier option to support. Just make a modem… that’s it. No fluff, no wi-fi. c’mon TMO.

The double NAT situation is killing gamers and anyone who likes to access their devices outside their home network.

PLEASE let me know when can get a PLAIN modem from T-Mobile, or BUY my own modem, or SET their modem up to DUPLICATE the functionality of Spectrum.   I can’t and won’t change, until and unless I can get that kind of service.  Frankly, I am shocked that TM didn’t spec that into their design.  Instead, based on about a 20 minute search, that is IMPOSSIBLE today…  and here are just a few of the problems that will prevent me from even considering TM:

  • There’s NO bridge mode --- This means I CAN NEVER treat TM device like my Spectrum cable modem, and treat it JUST like a modem.
  • Since I can’t treat it as just another modem, I have to REDO and RETHINK, and REDESIGN my whole network, to adopt to their design -- This is NOT going to happen!
  • No Bridge means that I’m limited to whatever they designed into their modem, to provide services like DHCP, NAT, port forwarding, DNS, ETC.
  • Since their software UI is the only way I can provide services I depend on, then unless they perfected their software, their UI, and their firmware, and their firewall software that is better than all the other devices I have, some of which are extremely sophisticated and expensive, their device makes using these devices not only redundant, but also DISABLED services, without a lot of workarounds, assuming I both want to do the work, and I can actually achieve configs that work for me.  

I’m still using Spectrum, and it appears I won’t have a viable good option of changing everything over to T-Mobile, until they somehow figure out how to produce a service that is COMPLETE plug and play with a CABLE MODEM…. By modem, I do NOT mean a firewall, a router, a WiFi, or ANYTHING more than a stable MODEM with ONE IP address, DHCP in order to pass an IP to my firewall, and that’s it.  NO, I do NOT even need DNS services, either. 

I hope I just misunderstand the current TM design.  If this is how it works today, it reminds me of when I first put a DSL modem in my company in the early 1990’s.  The first thing they gave me was a contract that said I had to PAY EXTRA, for EACH device I connected, I’d have to notify them in advance, and EACH IP was extra cost.  After I rewrote their contract, and informed them I only wanted ONE device connected, and ONE IP, and bought my SonicWall “Internet gateway” “NAT Firewall”, and “DHCP server”.  Although that one device was about $300-400 at the time, we were able to use that to service over 50 computers at a time for the next 15 years.  I guess we were ahead of our time as a small company.  Most everyone else was paying 10-15 per user, and we never EVER paid for more than ONE user.  But then, we had 20 or more engineers working for us at the time as well.

C’mon T-Mobile --- Get a real great network designer involved so it only takes plugging my EXISTING 1,000-T WIRED internet cable and then everything works, out of the box.  Then, also provide the means to MANAGE and MONITOR that modem remotely.  That’s all I need or want, and suspect that is all most all users want today..

 

 

 

I unplugged my Comcast cable modem that I own and plugged in my TMO modem in it's place. My whole home network kept on humming along. Not sure why you are complaining other than to just complain. There isn't an ISP out there that is going to let you manage you own modem anyhow. Even if you own it. BTW I have close to 40 devices connected to my "home" network with no issues.

You are double NAT’d … you don’t know it… but you are.

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