VSS and Time Capsule no hope

[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

[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?