Sure Signal not working with Apple Airport Extreme router

[janemac]

I have a Sure Signal latest version.  Is it really possible for this to work with an Apple Airport Extreme router?

We have spent a considerable amount of time telephoning the Vodafone helpline, and talked through all sorts of possible solutions without success. They eventually concluded that our sure signal device must be faulty, which we returned and received a replacement. Unfortunately this will not work either. Shortly after plugging in, the red light starts flashing and continues flashing no matter how long it is left.

The new device has been correctly registered, and we have checked with our ISP that there is no port blocking. Checks on our line speed were confirmed as being OK.

The Airport connects via a Draytek Vigor 120 modem and we wondered if this was the problem. Draytek confirmed that connection was via PPPoE and that this is also the requirement for the Airport Extreme.

They stated that the Vodafone Sure Signal requires PPPoA and as such they did not believe that our system could connect successfully.

Is this the case? Are we wasting our time continuing to try?

Any advice to solve this problem would be gratefully received as our phone signal at our house is very poor.

[janemac]

Hi

We had only used a Draytek modem, not router. Draytek informed us that Sure Signal would not work with Airport Extreme as it was PPPoE. We therefore purchased a Netgear modem/router which is PPPoA.

Once again, the exact same problem with the flashing red light and solid service light. Both before and after doing the factory reset you suggested.

It seems this is insoluble, and it is now 6 months since I renewed my contract with Vodafone, as at the time you appeared to offer a solution to our reception problem.

Janemac

[Retired-James]

Hi janemac,

The Sure Signal is designed to work with PPPoA, however we have seen it working with a PPPoE setup.

Can you let me know the results of a traceroute since you have connected the new router?

James

[janemac]

Traceroute as you requested.

traceroute to 212.183.133.177 (212.183.133.177), 64 hops max, 72 byte packets

 1  192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1)  0.921 ms  0.614 ms  0.491 ms

 2  losubs.subs.dsl1.wh-man.zen.net.uk (62.3.87.145)  44.457 ms  44.412 ms  44.355 ms

 3  no-dns-yet-62-3-80-197.zen.co.uk (62.3.80.197)  44.879 ms  42.553 ms  43.113 ms

 4  ge-3-0-0-0.cr2.th-lon.zen.net.uk (62.3.80.45)  50.929 ms  49.653 ms  49.777 ms

 5  lndgw2.arcor-ip.net (195.66.224.124)  51.926 ms  66.290 ms  52.154 ms

 6  85.205.116.6 (85.205.116.6)  52.430 ms  51.984 ms  52.585 ms

 7  * * *

 8  * * *

 9  * * *

10  * * *

[Retired-James]

Hi janemac,

Can you confirm that you have gone through all of the port forwarding settings on the new Netgear router?

Looking at the traceroute it does show that it is pinging our server but the ports could be stopping the VPN from being created throught he new router.

James

[janemac]

Yes we have checked all the ports - one, I think Port 500, was being used by something else but all the others and the firewall settings were dealt with.

I suppose it may somehow be possible to configure this Netgear router, but although we have reasonable technical ability, it may be more complicated than we can manage.

This device, the Sure Signal, is clearly complicated and difficult to set up with certain hardware, not plug and play by any stretch of the imagination.

[Retired-Wayne]

Hi janemac,

I’m sorry to ask but I’m not sure, so did you change it so Port 500 was open for the Sure Signal? This will need to be done in order for things to work.

Thanks

Wayne

[janemac]

There seemed to be no way of doing this for a port which was used by other reources.