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How to Set Up Router Bridge Mode (Fixing Double NAT)

If port forwarding does not work, or your game console reports a "strict" or "moderate" NAT type despite everything looking correctly configured, double NAT is a common culprit. Here is how to fix it with bridge mode.

  1. Recognize the symptoms of double NAT

    Common signs include port forwarding rules on your own router that never seem to work, a game console or app reporting a restrictive NAT type, and checking your router's WAN IP address only to find it is itself a private address (starting with 192.168, 10., or 172.16–31) rather than a real public IP β€” meaning your router is plugged into another router, not directly to the internet.

  2. Log into your ISP-provided modem or gateway

    Most ISP-supplied all-in-one devices (combining a modem, router, and Wi-Fi access point) have their own admin panel, typically reached at a different local address than your personal router's panel. Check the label on the device or your ISP's documentation for the correct login address and credentials.

  3. Find and enable bridge mode

    Look under a section usually labeled Advanced, Network, WAN, or Gateway Settings for an option called "Bridge Mode," "Passthrough," or sometimes "IP Passthrough" (exact wording and location vary significantly between ISPs and device models). Turning it on disables the ISP device's own routing, DHCP, NAT, and often its Wi-Fi radio, so it simply passes the public IP address straight through to whatever is plugged into it, instead of creating its own private network.

  4. Connect your own router's WAN port to the modem

    Plug an ethernet cable from the bridged device's LAN port into your own router's WAN (or "Internet") port specifically β€” not a regular LAN port β€” so your router can now receive the public IP address directly.

  5. Reboot both devices in the right order

    Power off both devices, then power on the modem or gateway first and wait for it to fully establish its connection before powering on your own router, so your router requests a fresh IP address from a connection that is already up.

  6. Verify you are down to a single NAT

    Check your router's WAN IP address again in its admin panel. If it now shows a real public IP address instead of a private one, bridge mode is working correctly and port forwarding on your own router should now function as expected.

What double NAT actually breaks

With two NAT layers stacked (one on the ISP device, one on your own router), incoming connections initiated from outside β€” the exact thing port forwarding is meant to enable β€” have to correctly traverse both layers, and most ISP gateways are not designed to forward ports to a device that is itself acting as a router. This commonly breaks inbound game connections, certain peer-to-peer applications, some VPN passthrough scenarios, and remote access to devices like a NAS or security camera.

What to do if your ISP device cannot fully bridge

Some ISP equipment, particularly certain fiber ONTs, cannot be fully bridged because it needs to retain some management function. In that situation, two common workarounds exist: placing your own router's WAN IP address in the ISP device's DMZ settings (which forwards essentially all traffic to it, functioning similarly to bridge mode), or disabling the ISP device's Wi-Fi and routing entirely and using it purely as a modem while your own router handles everything else on a separate subnet β€” though this still leaves double NAT in place for anything the ISP router itself intercepts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will bridge mode turn off my ISP-provided Wi-Fi?

In most cases, yes β€” bridge mode typically disables the ISP device's own Wi-Fi radio along with its routing functions, since your own router's Wi-Fi is meant to take over entirely. If you still see the old network name broadcasting after enabling bridge mode, check the ISP device's settings again or contact its support.

What if my ISP's device does not offer a bridge mode option at all?

Look for an "IP Passthrough" feature instead, which achieves a similar result under a different name. If neither is available, placing your own router in the ISP device's DMZ is the next best workaround, though it is slightly less clean than a true bridge.