NMBA-OSPF can network work with only one designated router.

I im busy setting up NMBA network using ospf.

What i want to know is do i need to be connected directly to the designated router?

The reason why i ask is becos my layout is like this.

designated router —> router2 —> router3 —> router4

When i setup nmba the only router that works with the designated router is router 2. But when i set all routers to broadcast mode then all of then show dynamic routes.

Yes, all OSPF packets are sent with TTL 1, even in NBMA networks, so all OSPF neighbors must be directly connected (excluding neighbors on virtual-links and sham-links).

On the other hand, in NBMA networks you need to have direct connection between two OSPF routers only if either of them is a DR or a BDR. Between two routers in DR-Other state connectivity is not necessary.