Hi all

My ISP is Talktalk on a fibre package and my objective is to improve my home network and wifi. With this in mind, I purchased an Archer C7 router with a view to using it with the Talktalk-supplied modem-router in bridge mode (so it would be modem only). To my great frustration, I just could not find a solution to the problem of putting the Talktalk device in modem-only mode. In the end, I bought the inexpensive TD-W9970 modem-router with the sole intent to use it in modem only mode and connect to the Archer C7. Unfortunately, this has not been straight forwards and I'm asking for some help. 

I think I may have got the sequencing of the necessary steps confused maybe. So, for initial setup of the TD-W9970, it prompts to select ISP and Talktalk VSDL is an available option. As the TD-W9970 is a router-modem, would I need to run the complete setup first by selecting the Talktalk option to enable the device to 'handshake' with the IPS; and then set try to set the device into bridge mode. Or, would I run setup for the TD-W9970 in bridge mode from the very beginning (but how then does the modem 'talk' to the IPS - excuse the pun).       

Despite the above, I somehow connected it all up and am actually typing this over internet provided through the Archer C7 router. On the TD-W9970, the DSL light is on and the internet light is off - implying that I have somehow managed to get it running in bridge mode. But here's the odd thing - despite me using the live connection made through the Archer C7 router to write this, the internet light on the Archer C7 is red which indicates no internet. So, I'm not fully convinced that the problem is so am still posting this asking for help.  

I would greatly appreciate some step-by-step guidance on how to set up the TD-W9970 in modem-only mode, to use with an Archer C7 router, over a talktalk fibre IPS.

It also doesn’t help that the TD-W9970 is model V3 and there’s only a V2 user guide available on the support page.

Paul