[ale] PPPo{EA} v NAT in DSL gateways

[Ken Cochran]

Summary:  Looking for ability to set up PPPo{EA} support
          *without* NAT in some kind of DSL box.

I'm trying to research DSL connectivity options at my locality.
(Charter) cablemodem has become too expensive; DSL is the only
other option & for residential, that's AT&T-only here.

I asked here a week or two ago but not much of an answer I guess:

Last I remember, by default, AT&T supplies a Westell DSL gateway
for residences.  What I've seen of it is that it generally
acts as a router, and handling the PPPo{EA} signon itself but
also NAT, supplying on the LAN side private IP addresses in
192.168/24.  I read that I can put that gateway into "bridge"
mode & it no longer does NAT (that would then be up to my own
devices of course) but it isn't clear to me whether that also
breaks the builtin PPPo{EA} support.

Questions:

- If I change that Westell to bridge mode does that also mean
  I have to do my own PPPo{EA}?

- Any (good, better) alternatives to that Westell?  For example,
  I've seen some from Netopia but I don't know much about these
  types of products.

Thanks,

-kc