As industrial processes increasingly depend on the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for reliable and secure connectivity has never been greater. The AR7091 Industrial IoT Cellular Router provides a robust and versatile solution for businesses that need to connect to cellular networks to enable their operations.
One important feature of the AR7091 router is IP passthrough mode, which allows devices on the local network to use a cellular modem’s IP address for their internet connection. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how IP passthrough works and why it’s an important feature for industrial cellular routers.
What is IP Passthrough?
IP passthrough is a mode on a router that allows a device connected to the router to use the public IP address assigned by the ISP to the router itself. In other words, instead of the router using a private IP address to communicate with devices on the local network and the public IP address to communicate with the internet, devices on the local network use the public IP address to communicate with the internet directly.
This is useful in situations where the device requires a public IP address for a specific purpose, such as accessing a remote server, without having to go through a Network Address Translation (NAT) process, which can cause latency and other issues.
How Does IP Passthrough Work?
IP passthrough works by passing through the public IP address assigned by the ISP to the router to a device on the local network. The router essentially acts as a bridge, allowing the device to communicate directly with the internet using the public IP address assigned to the router.
To enable IP passthrough mode on a router, you typically need to go into the router’s settings and configure it accordingly. Depending on the router model, the specific steps may vary, but generally, you need to specify the device on the local network that will be using the public IP address and configure the router to pass through the IP address to that device.
What is Cellular WiFi Passthrough?
Cellular WiFi passthrough is a feature that allows the router to pass through a cellular network’s IP address to a device connected to the router via WiFi. This is particularly useful for mobile devices that need to be connected to the internet on the go, such as tablets or laptops, without requiring a separate cellular modem.
Which Model Supports Cellular WAN IP Passthrough Mode?
The AR7091 Industrial IoT Cellular Router supports cellular WAN IP passthrough mode, which allows devices on the local network to use the public IP address assigned by the cellular network for their internet connection. This feature is particularly useful for businesses that need to connect to cellular networks for remote monitoring, data collection, and other IoT applications.
What is IP Passthrough on Verizon Router?
Verizon’s routers also support IP passthrough mode, which allows devices on the local network to use the public IP address assigned by Verizon for their internet connection. This can be particularly useful for businesses that need to connect to Verizon’s cellular network for IoT applications.
How do I set up IP Passthrough on my Industrial Cellular Router?
To set up IP Passthrough on your Industrial Cellular Router, follow these steps:
- Log in to your router’s web interface.
- Navigate to the WAN settings.
- Look for the IP Passthrough option and enable it.
- Enter the MAC address of the device that you want to use as the passthrough device.
- Save your settings and restart the router.
What is the advantage of IP passthrough?
The main advantage of IP passthrough is that it allows a single device on a local network to have a public IP address and communicate directly with the internet. This can be useful for applications that require a public IP address, such as running a web server or hosting a gaming server. Additionally, IP passthrough can simplify network configuration by allowing all devices on a local network to use the same public IP address.
Is IP passthrough safe?
IP passthrough itself is a safe feature to use, as it simply allows for transparent communication between devices on a local network and the internet. However, it’s important to ensure that any devices on the local network that are exposed to the internet through IP passthrough are properly secured and configured to prevent unauthorized access.
What is passthrough mode?
Passthrough mode is a feature that allows a device to pass network traffic through it without modifying or inspecting the traffic. This can be useful in situations where a device needs to be transparently connected to a network, such as when using a cellular router to provide internet connectivity to a local network.
Bridge mode vs IP passthrough
Bridge mode and IP passthrough are both features that allow for transparent network communication, but there are some differences between them. Bridge mode is used to connect two different networks together and allow them to communicate as if they were part of the same network. IP passthrough, on the other hand, is typically used in conjunction with a modem or a cellular router to allow for a single public IP address to be used by multiple devices on a local network.
IP passthrough vs port forwarding
IP passthrough and port forwarding are two different features that can be used to expose devices on a local network to the internet. IP passthrough allows for a single device on the local network to have a public IP address and communicate directly with the internet, while port forwarding allows for specific ports on a public IP address to be forwarded to specific devices on the local network.
Main parameters comparison table
To help you compare different routers and their IP passthrough capabilities, here is a table that compares some of the main parameters:
| Model | Networks | Ports | Protocols | Dual SIM Cards | VPN | RS232 | RS485 | RJ45 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR7091 Industrial IoT Cellular Router | 5G, 4G LTE, 3G, Cellular, Wi-Fi, Ethernet | 4 LAN, 1 WAN | MQTT, Modbus TCP, OPC UA, Ntirp and DTU IPSEC, L2TP, PPTP, OpenVPN, GRE, DMVPN etc. |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | 4 LAN, 1 WAN | TCP, UDP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP3 | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| TP-Link Archer C7 | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | 4 LAN, 1 WAN | TCP, UDP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP3 | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
FAQs
Q: What is the difference between IP passthrough and bridge mode?
A: IP passthrough and bridge mode are similar in that they both allow you to bypass the router and connect a device directly to the network. However, IP passthrough is more flexible and allows you to assign a public IP address to the device, while bridge mode simply forwards all traffic to the device without assigning it a public IP address.
Conclusion
IP passthrough mode is a useful feature that allows for transparent network communication between a local network and the internet. By using IP passthrough, a single device on the local network can be exposed to the internet with a public IP address, which can be useful for applications such as running a web server or hosting a gaming server. While IP passthrough itself is a safe feature to use, it’s important to ensure that any devices exposed to the internet are properly secured and configured to prevent unauthorized access.
