THG3000 Router VDSL Username and Password Configuration

[Delta10]

I have just signed up for Vodafone Superfast 1 broadband  ( pointless paying for Superfast 2 as the local network can not support the full 35 Mbps speed of Superfast 1 ). The connection date is nearly 4 weeks ahead.

Before signing up I discussed on the phone including the router delivery. I was told this will be using DPD.

The bottom line is nobody will be able to receive it so I will have to divert to local drop-off and collect.

Given the router is only sent out just before the changeover date I may not get to collect it for several days.

I also disccussed and was confirmed that Vodafone will supply the username and password for another router. Hence I purchased and have just received a THG3000 to use initially and as a spare. However even in Expert Mode I can not see where to change the username and password. Am I just missing this or have I made a mistake buying a THG3000 ? In hindsight is it why they sell so cheap ?

My current router is Plusnet which I understand can not be configured for Vodafone - correct ?

The same applies to Talktalk routers ?

I think I also have a Sky Hub 1 but can not recall if ADSL or VDSL. Can that be configured for Vodafone ?

I would appreciate suggestions for cheap router, an ISP one is fine, from eBay that will work with Vodafone Superfast 1.

Thanks in advance.

[Jayach]

---

@Delta10 wrote:

@Jayach 

The master socket looks like the picture attached

---

If you have a socket like this picture, with the line across it, there should be a test socket revealed when you remove the face plate. See this video: How to connect your BT test socket - YouTube

I'll be trying the THG3000 shortly.

[Jayach]

O.K. so I fitted the eBay THG3000, and the results were very interesting.

Firstly it connected to Vodafone fine, so I see no reason why your eBay one won't work just as well.

I did a factory reset and all the Wi-Fi options came back as expected, but when it connected to Vodafone it has the settings that would only be expected for a Pro user. ( I'm not Pro) Like this: 

and I do now have a Super WiFi tile in the app, which I didn't have before.

This means that the downloaded config file is based on the physical router, not the line it is on. (presumably it uses the serial no.)

This also explains why my "unofficial" THG3000 doesn't get a config file as it is not registered to a user.

[Delta10]

@Jayach 

Thanks for your posts. I just presumed the incoming wiring was direct to the external socket not that it was a removable module and another socket inside.

I will have a proper look at my BT socket and incoming wiring when time to do several checks. I can try as I did yesterday with a microfilter too.

Good news that your latest eBay router connects so with 3 out of 3 the one I have ought to as well to confirm the switchover was successful if initially I do not receive / collect official one. Interesting about the Pro settings.

I had a letter from VF today stating speed will be a maximum of just over 16 Mbps. Ultimately if that is what is needed to be reliable so be it, after all I had not noticed the drop from 22-24 Mbps but would not want to drop again.

I've simply not looked / noticed until now but have seen two more cabinets that are separated. The one nearest the road looks like other cable ones is cable but maybe taller one is BT. I will walk and look as labels on. If so straight line less than 500m away although of course wire route will be longer.

Cabinets about 300m away with covers / slabs marked CATV in front reported in earlier post.

Cabinets about 500m away

[Jayach]

Pictures not yet moderated, but Openreach cabinets are normally in pairs. One is the original copper cabling cabinet and the other added when VDSL fibre became available. (you will hear the fans cooling the electronics in this one)

One of the cabinets should be marked with the number shown on the BT/Openreach checker.

What does the checker say your cabinet is? Mine is Exchange HADLEIGH - ESSEX is served by Cabinet 5, it is often possible to find them on Google street view. These are mine:

See here for info on cabinet types: 

Identifying BT and Virgin Media's Broadband Street Furniture 2020 - ISPreview UK

Identifying BT and Virgin Media's Broadband Street Furniture 2020 - Page 2 of 2 - ISPreview UK

Some interesting info on trying to find your own cabinet:

::. Kitz - Cabinet Lookup .::

How I found my BT cabinet location online (kitz.co.uk)

[Delta10]

@Jayach 

First thanks for the links. These confirm the two cabinets around 500m away are those I am connected to. I walked to them and while no owner identification the slabs/covers in front of those nearest the road are marked PO not CATV and very faded but the cabinet number is painted on. The taller one set back then the FTTC cabinet.

This is the detail I found. Is the distance that from the exchange? Straight line about right but given both railway and canal to cross if the cable route followed the roads then seems short by perhaps 300m.

Earlier I took the panel off my BT incoming socket. I then took the socket off the wall to check the connections were good and not corroded. I did loosen & retighten the terminal screws so ' wiping ' the contact areas. I then connected the internal test socket direct to the router and the router to the laptop with a LAN cable plus turned wi-fi- off. The BT speed test result was still nominally 16 Mbps. I then added a microfilter then ran the test again. This gave essentially the same result as seen below.

I logged into the router and all I could see that is relevant is the screen below.

I'm thinking as suggested Openreach have throttled the speed back to give a reliable connection even if the reason is outside my house. After all ever since moving to Sky FTTC four years ago if not longer until the dropouts last year I was getting close to 25 Mbps and I have changed nothing in the house. From the comments by you and @CrimsonLiar that ought to be 30 Mbps.

I will park this until connection day. Presuming all goes to plan once connected I will update with the initial speed.

While I have the second VF router once notified that the official router is despatched I will request the username and password should I need to try with the Talktalk HG633.

[Delta10]

Just to update I have managed to get my official router.

Presuming all goes smoothly with the changeover my  plan is to leave this router connected for a couple of weeks and monitor if any improvement in the speed. I can then check the eBay router works so I know I have a spare.

[Delta10]

This morning I switched off my official router which has been continuously powered for over two weeks, waited about 30 minutes then connected the eBay spare router direct to the the incoming socket test connector.

The router connected but then rebooted a couple of times so I guess updating.
It showed a red indicator that a phone was not connected. I just used as received. Maybe if I had done a reset this would have cleared?

I simply connected to my laptop with a LAN cable. Looking at the router it showed the same connection speed and, at least to me as a layman, similar line quality readings. I will put these and the details on another thread.

I used for an hour or so then disconnected and put the house wiring back to normal. I waited rather more than an hour before restarting my official router.

Back to the start of this thread the key point is the spare router connected just as @Jayach found. Hence I have a spare so if no service can determine if a router or line / service fault.

[Jayach]

---

@Delta10 wrote:

The router connected but then rebooted a couple of times so I guess updating.
It showed a red indicator that a phone was not connected. I just used as received. Maybe if I had done a reset this would have cleared?

I would assume you are right about the reboots, probably firmware updates.

As I said earlier, when I tried the eBay router it configured itself as if it was on the Pro service, which I assume the original user was on.

It sounds like the former user of your one was on FTTP, and therefore the router was configured for VoIP.

But thanks for updating us.