Help! My New VSS V3 will not install

[mikebrunger]

After having problems with V2 that mysteriously stopped working after many years I have de-registered it and bought a new V3. After a total of about 36hrs trying to get it to work I am at a loss. Please help! Has my VSS connected with your servers yet??? T/S steps so far:

1. Serial number 42160534600

2. De-Registered old V2

3. V3 has registered through My Vodafone web page

4. Speedtest results: Ping 30ms; Download 30.84Mbps; Upload 6.6Mbps

5. Router is a Plusnet 2704N fibre connect

6. Port Forwarding set as per instructions. See attached screenshot

7. Tracert:

Traceroute has started…

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

 1  dsldevice.lan (192.168.1.254)  5.326 ms  2.089 ms  1.978 ms

 2  * * *

 3  * * *

 4  be3-3104.psb-ir01.plus.net (195.166.143.136)  30.125 ms  18.467 ms  16.746 ms

 5  core1-be1.southbank.ukcore.bt.net (195.99.125.130)  18.613 ms  16.746 ms  19.053 ms

 6  62.172.103.23 (62.172.103.23)  19.113 ms  17.225 ms  16.814 ms

 7  t2c3-et-3-1-0-0.uk-lon1.eu.bt.net (166.49.211.236)  20.032 ms  19.538 ms  16.950 ms

 8  166-49-211-254.eu.bt.net (166.49.211.254)  18.369 ms  19.228 ms  16.979 ms

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40  * (and so on....)

8. VSS is assigned an IP address from router

9. After going through supplied install steps I waited 26hrs and still the Power light is on solid and internet light slow-flashes.

10. I then tried reset by holding reset button for 5 secs. Still same state after a further 12hrs.

11. I can ping the VSS IP address ok

Getting really frustrated with these boxes. What hope do non-techie users have???

[mikebrunger]

Well, the new vss has been resyncd at least once but for waht it's worth the serial number is 43161662226. BTW I've returned home after being away for 4 days and the internet light is still flashing. 

Tomorrow (15th) I will take it to another location and plug it in to the router there. That will NOT be a fibre connect broadband connection and NOT be a Plusnet router. I have been told tnat nothing needs to be done but plug it in and connect to a lan port on the router. This will be the last desperate attempt to get this box to work. If it fails then I have to conclude that the VSS  will not and has never been intended to work with fibre connect routers. I can also conclude that Vodafone have no idea how to troubleshoot the VSS and do not seem to care much about long term customers.

[mikebrunger]

I connected the VSS V3 into another home broadband connection. This was a Virgin cable setup. The status was exactly the same as when connected to my fibre connection. Slow flashing internet light for about 30secs then flashing red and flashing amber Phone and Service lights indicating the VSS cannot communicate with vodafone servers. So, the very same symptoms!!!

What now Vodafone?? Please don't ask me to reset the vss and router and you will resync the sure signal????!!! I have done everything you have suggested - sometimes multiple times - and still it won't work. Surely you can now accept it will never work unless you can find someone who knows what they are talking about!

[Retired-EricChe]

@mikebrunger

The Sure Signal is now showing it made contactact with with our systems yesterday at 14:22, was this when it was connected to a different router?

I understand Plusnet have advised they don't need to configure anything from their side, however the Sure Signal does need certain ports open to work.

Is it possible for you to contact Plusnet and check the following ports are open;

• 8 (TCP & UDP)
• 50 (TCP & UDP)
• 53  (TCP & UDP)
• 67 (UDP)
• 68 (UDP) 
• 123 (UDP)
• 500 (UDP)
• 1723 (TCP & UDP)
• 4500 (UDP)
• 33434 - 33445 (UDP)

Thanks,

Eric

[mikebrunger]

14:22 was about the time it was connected, but it did flash up the light sequence saying it could not connect to your servers. I could not leave it connected to the router for more than 20 minutes. Also, I did not configure open ports on the router as it was not mine to play with. 

As for the list of ports you mentioned, the only ones listed in the vodafone documentation are 50,53,123,500 and 4500. These are open on my plusnet router but not the others you listed. I was also told about a week ago by a SS Tech support person that as the VSS is a smart device and the router is enabled for uPnP we do not need to open these ports. So who is correct?? Also, the user/setup guide you send with each SS box does not even mention router configuration - this should be a plug&play device for customers who are not technically savvy.

[Retired-EricChe]

@mikebrunger

The Sure Signal is enabled for uPnP and is usually a plug&play device, however with some ISP it is important to make sure all the ports I provided earlier are open for forwarding.

[mikebrunger]

Hopefully the attached screenshot shows that those ports are setup for forwarding?? You may know that Plusnet aren't exactly helpful when it comes to non-std configs on their routers.

[YoungDude]

I've found www.canyouseeme.org useful in checking if port forwarding is set up correctly.

[Carly]

@mikebrunger

Thanks for getting back to us.

I've spoken to our Technical team and it looks like the Sure Signal could be faulty. As you're within your 30 days, you'll be able to pop this back to store and they'll exchange it for a new one.

[mikebrunger]

OK. I'm prepared to exchange the vss again (This will be the 3rd one I've tried) but don't understand why the tech team think it is faulty. If this doesn't work then I'm going to go back to my old original V2 with a new power supply as I read somewhere that the power supplies can cause strange problems with the vss.

[Rahim]

@mikebrunger Please keep us updated and let us know what happens with the replacement Sure Signal.