Vodafone Sure Signal

[dso3712]

Hi all, well I've trawled the Net and found no way to get VSS to work with Apple Time Capsule. I'm using a Draytek Vigor 120 modem, as some others do with TC. Seems like a PPPoE issue but no solution forthcoming.

Vodafone have been hopeless. They first texted me 5 ports to forward, then told me I needed to forward 12. I forwarded them using TC but nothing, just the usual top flashing light on VSS but nothing else.

Finally, Voda told me my box was faulty (VSS 1) and are sending me a free replacement box version 2 which they said would work. I don't believe the first box is faulty nor that version 2 will work. I'm in a semi-rural area and the Voda signal is hopeless. But I'm stuck in a contract, so there you go. Bit of a bummer, since I love my new Time Capsule and modem.

Don't expect to find a solution on the Net; there isn't one.

Just FYI.

Cheers,

David

[Nabs]

David,

Just to be clear on your steup, You have your Draytek modem hooked up to the phone line and the your Time Capsule connected to it, the Sure Signal is then plugged into your Time Capsule?

I assume you are usging the Time Capsure for routing rather than your modem?

I'm keen to see if we can get this working for you so knowing the exact setup yout using will help in figuring out where to go next

[dso3712]

Hi, thanks for your reply!

Yes, that's the setup I have. Modem into phone line; Time Capsule into modem; VSS into Time Capsule. The TC is a router, so that's what I use for my wireless setup.

The modem itself, being just a modem, doesn't do port forwarding and Draytek told me there's nothing I could configure in the modem to get VSS working. VSS was working fine with my previous combination modem/router which used PPoA. Draytek said if I got one of their modem/routers it would be fine, but that's too late - I just bought my TC and modem and want to keep it that way.

Anyway, thanks for your interest and possible assistance.

David

[Nabs]

Hi dso3712,

So it should look something like this:

I use slightly different hardware but thats pretty much the same setup I have.

I assume you have manually configured the port forwards on your Time Capsule?

As long as the Time Capsule has an internet connection the Sure Signal shouldn't care where or how it's getting it, just as long as it can get out to the internet and communicate on the required ports

[dso3712]

Yes, that's my setup. I should be getting my new VSS box version 2 soon so I'll let you know if it makes a difference.

BTW, your link to manual port forwarding didn't work. Perhaps you could send the link again so I can check I've done it properly?

Many thanks for your help and interest,

David

[Nabs]

Apologies for that,

link below:

http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Apple/AirPortExtreme/Vodafone_Sure_Signal.htm

Just inaddition to the above instructions you will need to forward port 8 TCP/UDP as well.

Let us know how you get on.

[dso3712]

Thanks, but one question. The website says that for port forwarding my computer needs a static IP address. Do they really mean my computer or do they mean the VSS box or the Time Capsule?
Cheers,
David

[Nabs]

The VSS box will need to be allocated a static IP in your Time Capsule. 

If i remember rightly Apple call it DHCP reservations?

[dso3712]

Thanks. I'll do that and let you know how I get on. Looks like the website you linked me to should have said 'VSS box' instead of 'computer' for the static IP. Many thanks, David

[Nabs]

I think a lot of the pages are based on templates so that may be where the confusion comes in. It's the screenshots that are really handy.

Keep us updated 

[Neil_Brown]

Hmm.., if port forwarding is not working, you could try putting the Sure Signal in a DMZ, and seeing if that works?

I know the Airport Utility has been upgraded recently, and I don't have a Mac in front of me to see whether things have changed or not, but, my recollection is that, in AirPort Utility, you select your Time Capsule, go into Manual Setup, then select the Internet tab, and then NAT.

In the NAT window, you check the box to enable default host, and then enter the IP address of the Sure Signal (i.e. the fixed, even if DHCP leased, IP you've assigned to the Sure Signal).

The settings may well have changed with the latest upgrade, but this approach might be worth a try — it's an alternative to port forwarding.

[Neil_Brown]

I've checked the latest version of AirPort Utility (7.6.1) and the "default host" setting is under Network / Network Options.

[dso3712]

Hi, just to confirm I received my VSS v2 box today, tried both port forwarding and the default host setting, and still nothing.

Draytek told me that since the Vigor 120 modem uses PPPoE, there's no way it will ever work with Sure Signal. They said I need a modem/router. Well, I'm not giving up my Time Capsule, so looks like I'm stuck, unless some other modem will work with VSS. Some people say the Netgear DM111P works, but I could be throwing good money after bad.

I do appreciate all the advice, but looks like no solution.

Thanks,
David

[Nabs]

Not sure how the dreytek works but I would assuming it's forwarding all traffic to the Time Capsule.

As far as I am aware PPPoE is supported by the Sure Signal and has been for some time.

The way I am setup is using a Sky modem/router (with the router disabled) which forwards all traffic to a Netgear router which then has my SureSignal plugged into it. Effectivly the same setup you have but with slightly different hardware.

[dso3712]

Hmmm, so you're saying PPPoE should work with VSS? Maybe I shouldn't forward any ports or do anything, just have the original config? I don't know, I'll disable all the port forwarding etc. and see what happens. But I'm not expecting anything. Ah well...thanks again.

[Nabs]

The Sure Signal is uPnP compatible so if you don't setup the port forwards manually then in theory it requests and gets access it'self. 

Unfortunatly uPnP doesn't always work so sometimes port forwards do need to be setup manually.

Everytime i've setup a Sure Signal i have always configured port forwarding manually, purely because I know how to and it saved the headache of uPnP.

[dso3712]

Just checked, and Vodafone absolutely insist the VSS will only work with PPPoA. So looks like I have to ditch the Draytek modem and try something else, which looks like using a modem/router as modem only. But configuration looks like a nightmare. I have a DSL 2740 modem/router but manual doesn't make clear how to use modem only. So I think I'll give up for now, maybe wait for a couple of years till contract runs out and change mobile supplier to TMobile which has a very good signal in my area. Thanks for all your help.

[Neil_Brown]

Vodafone absolutely insist the VSS will only work with PPPoA

The line coming into your house is PPPoA though, isn't it? It's just that your have a modem which does a PPPoA to PPPoE conversion?

[dso3712]

Hi, yes that's right. To be honest I really don't understand how it all works, but it's BT for broadband, which I think is PPPoA, the Draytek modem is a PPPoA-PPPoE bridge to the Time Capsule, which is PPPoE, and the VSS doesn't work. Because I don't understand it all, I assumed that since the modem was a bridge, it would work with VSS. As I now understand it, the modem bridges the A signal to the TC which is E, the TC controls the connection, the VSS is plugged into the TC and so doesn't work b/c it's running on an E device. Maybe that's all rubbish, I don't know, but anyway it won't work and I cannot find a solution other than ditching the modem. Real pain but there you go. Cheers, David

[Neil_Brown]

I am pretty confident that, with a very similar setup (Airport Extreme rather than Time Capsule, but it's the same routing software, I believe), I've had a Sure Signal running before, but I'd need to dig it out and check.

For how long are you leaving it to synchronise?