V3 Problems (Power flashing & solid Amber Service light)

[Hambroski]

Please  note that this is a different problem to the one raised for a different serial number v3 unit.

I am trying to install 40124108412 and 40124107836 at PE31 8AE.

The FAQ does not appear to be relevant due to not covering v3 and also not covering the symptom.

I previously had a v1 box 21196758813 working here fine.

On both V3s I get a flashing red and a solid amber on the service light. No sign of internet and user lights.

I have amended the router to allow port access for:

Port 50 - TCP/IP
Port 4500 - UDP
Port 500 - UDP
Port 123 - UDP

Port 8 - TCP/IP

Port 1723 (BT Customers only) - TCP/UDP

My IP Address is:86.133.19.212

Speednet - 38ms Download 6.8mbps Upload 0.34mbps

Pingtest - 0% lost, Ping 37ms, Jitter 9ms

I have put one in the DMZ but this makes no difference. 

Traceroute via the router shows:

traceroute to 212.183.133.177, 30 hops max

  1  217.47.93.250         40 ms

  2  217.47.93.161         30 ms

  3  213.1.69.86           30 ms

  4  217.41.168.102        40 ms

  5  217.41.168.49         30 ms

  6  217.41.168.107        30 ms

  7  109.159.249.64        30 ms

  8  109.159.249.33        40 ms

  9  213.121.193.97        30 ms

 10  195.66.224.124        40 ms

 11  85.205.116.6          40 ms

 12 Request timed out.     *

 13 Request timed out.     *

Trace complete.

Please can you help

[Mark_B]

I've found the problem, I think !!!!

1. The VSS is getting a correct DHCP response and a correct ARP response, so the address allocation is all good.

2. The VSS then attempts to do a reserve DNS lookup (normally to find its local domain name) and the NetGear does not respond.  This is not a problem and after 4 attempts the VSS stops trying this.

3. The VSS then attempts an DNS lookup to initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk of query type AAAA and the NetGear does not respond.  The problem is that:

  -- an AAAA DNS lookup is IPv6, not IPv4 and there is no IPv6 entry for this DNS address, BUT there are valid IPv4 addresses.

  -- some DNS serves will respond simply by sending the address back unresolved, but I expect many DNS redirections on our modems do not recognise the DNS server response, such as the NetGear, and just ignore it.

You can re-create the problem on your PC.

 - Run a command prompt

 - Run nslookup

 - Type set type=AAAA

 - Type initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

 - Do you get a time out or some form of response?

 - Type google.co.uk

 - You should get a response with an IPv6 address

 - Type set type=A

 - Type initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

 - You should get a response of IPv4 addresses

I have attempted to get the NetGear to provide a different DNS server to the VSS.  According to the manual it should do if you manually enter a DNS entry.  Unfortunately it keeps giving out it's own address so that does not work.

The VSS works on my Linux box because of the following:

 - the Linux box is allocating my ISPs DNS server address and so the VSS is bypassing the NetGear and going directly to the ISP DNS server.

 - The ISP DNS Server does respond to the AAAA query type.... some of the time.  The response to the AAAA request simply says that the authoratitive name server is vodafone.co.uk and that their mailbox is dl-dnsadmin.gb.vodafone.co.uk.  I'm guessing that the NetGear DNS redirection also receives this and does not know what to do with it as it is also pointing to the same name server.

 - The VSS then attempts the AAAA request again and gets the same response.

 - The VSS then attempts an A request and surprise surprise it get the IPv4 addresses.

 - Life then moves on and the VSS does a set of reverse DNS lookups on all of the addresses it receives from the DNS lookup.  This gives a load of cluster severs at vap.vodafone.co.uk

 - The VSS then has a little think for about 7 seconds and then does the type A DNS lookups on all of the DNS entries it has just learnt about.

 - Only once the VSS has got this far does it now try to contact the servers and starting with an IPSEC connection to the initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

Dear Vodafone,

Can you please create and IPv6 entry in the DNS so that our DNS servers will respond, or stop our VSSs doing AAAA type DNS lookups as you're not using it anyway.

Cheers,

Mark.

[robinv2]

Mark - that sounds very convincing - you might want to reply directly to one of the engineers on here to ensure that they see it

I've also sent the details to Netgear.

[robinv2]

Oh, and yes - mine did the same, following your instructions.

[Mark_B]

robinv2,

Here's some food for NetGear if you would be kind to pass it on since you already have a query open with them.

Mark.

[Mark_B]

... and more food.

Mark.

[robinv2]

Well wouldn't you know it - i got a little 20 quid modem, plugged it in with my old wireless router and bingo everything works. My old router does have some forwarding setup for the version 1 VSS but i didn't have to change a thing - in an hour it was up and running all by itself.

Why on earth did i think it was a good idea to get a better quality, faster, more fabulous combined router modem? Netgear have cost me a month of lost signal and time wasted on tech calls and troubleshooting - best solution DO NOT BUY A NETGEAR ROUTER - EVER!

However, i would still like to benefit from the Netgear's gigabit LAN and faster wireless..... but at least i'm working and can now text my wife from the shed

[Mark_B]

Good news.  Can you do a quick test for me.  Does the following give a response:

nslookup

set type=AAAA

initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

Mark.

[robinv2]

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
(c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
This is what i get

C:\Windows\system32>nslookup
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
Default Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.0.1

> set type=AAAA
> initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.0.1

Name:    initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

>

[Hambroski]

I am not much of a ranter but the time has come!

I am have been battling since mid December to get my 2 new V3 VSS to work. Firstly neither of them worked. Then one started working. Then the other started working and the one that was working stopped. Now neither of them are working!

The my account on the vodafone website for managing the sure signals has been down for weeks! All I get is the Unable to render /framework/skeletons/vodafoneDefault/head.jsp message.

My most recent attempt to get them working was on Saturday. As I could not do it online, I attempted to register unit 4012410736 by phone. The lady told me it was done and told me to plug it in and leave it 24 hours. I plugged it in and for the last 40 hours it has shown a red flashing power light along with a steady amber service light. During the first few hours after being told to register this one, the one that was working, 40124108412, started to suffer the same flashing power and steady service light issue. Now I am left with 2 units not working and I can't log in to see if they have registered.

I have now unplugged 4012410736 in the hope that 40124108412 will come back to life some how (resync?!?!).

Judging by the amount of posts about these V3 units on the forum, there is a clearly a problem with them that Vodafone doesn't not know how to resolve. Everyone has different routers. Just like everyone has different computers or TVs.

I am beyond my 14 days since receiving them but as of today both my V3s are useless. I would like to have them refunded or most preferably replaced by units that work.

Changing my router is not an option as I need the advanced setup that my Draytex Vigor 2700 has but the original sure signal worked fine on this router so what has changed. Are the changes beneficial to anyone? Change it back!

Please please help!!!

[Mark_B]

Hambroski,

I'm interested to see if you have the same problem that I have.  If so then there may be a way round it.

What happens if you try the following commands in a command prompt:

nslookup

server

What it the result at this point?

set type=AAAA

initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

What is the result at this point?

google.co.uk

What is the result at this point?

set ype=A

initial-ipsecrouter.vap.vodafone.co.uk

What is the result at this point?

Cheers,

Mark.