Landline phone with own router on FTTP

[bruce_miranda]

Just got FTTP and everything is working fine off the VF router. Phone lines are plugged into the VF router, VF router's WiFi is switched off. 3rd party Mesh has been switched to Bridge mode and plugged into the VF's ethernet port.

However I am shocked at how feature poor the VF router is. e.g. There are no Parental controls at all. I know I can get rid of the VF router and plug my own Mesh router into the Openreach ONT, but what about the Landline. 

Are there any 3rd party routers in the market that have a telephone socket at the back to allow the home phone to be plugged in? 

[Tobywhiting10]

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@cf996 wrote:

Try an SRnslookup -type=SRV _sip._udp.09a.Z2.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk

not sure if this is right:

[root@freepbx ~]# nslookup -type=SRV _sip._udp.xbn.Z4.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk
Server:         90.255.255.90
Address:        90.255.255.90#53

Non-authoritative answer:
_sip._udp.xbn.Z4.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk service = 1 100 5060 s1.bshn03.xbn.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk.
_sip._udp.xbn.Z4.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk service = 0 100 5060 s1.chtn07.xbn.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk.

Authoritative answers can be found from:

[root@freepbx ~]#

In regards to the port issue, pfsense does not directly have SNAT settings, only 1:1 NAT and outbound rules.

This should be not a problem an I will be able to get it working but in honesty, NAT is not my strong suit and this is the first time I am messing around with this so I will need a minute to figure this out.

[djwren]

For those who wish to make their Grandstreams make phone like British ones, this I found to be particularly useful [Removed]

Hope that helps others 🙂

[MOD EDIT: This post has been edited to remove off topic/personal information/inappropriate content please see Community Guidelines]

[timgranger]

Thanks for your post, I've only just had time to give this another go.  Running those queries on my laptop did get actual responses, which gave me confidence.  I looked at my Unifi configuration, and many people were recommending to disable the Conntrack SIP option, so I did that and my Grandstream WP822 got further along, but still wouldn't connect.

Looking more at some example configurations posted on this thread, it turns out I had the DNS mode in the Account settings as 'Use Configured IP', changing this to 'SRV' made my phone connect.  I've verified I can make outgoing and receive incoming calls, so hopefully I now have a working phone!

[Ferrari14]

Hi @bruce_miranda - hoping you can help me

I've just had Gigafast with a phone line installed and the router is awful as expected.

Initially I wanted to see if it was possible to get rid of the VF router entirely and after reading this thread it seems like you can but you need to be an expert which I'm not.

So instead I *think* I want to replicate what you said in your original post - "VF router's WiFi is switched off. 3rd party Mesh has been switched to Bridge mode and plugged into the VF's ethernet port."

Does this mean that you have a 3rd party router connected via ethernet to the VF router and then also other 3rd party routers connected to the first 3rd party router to extend range etc? 

Thanks in advance 

[bruce_miranda]

It doesn't help that nowadays we refer to a Modem+Router+WiFiAP as Router. The VF box is now actually the Phone line hub too!

But each function is required. 

When you have the VF's WiFi turned off and you plug in a 3rd party system in Bridged mode, you are effectively just using your own WiFiAP.

The VF box is still the Router to the Modem and still the analogue Phone line hub. Hence why all firewall rules, and filtering etc still needs to be performed at the VF box. Your phone line is also connected to your VF box. 

The idea behind this thread was to get rid of the VF box completely. So you need to find a device or devices that can do all 4 functions.

Most modern WiFiAP can also play the role of the Router. So with the right credentials you can get your 3rd party Router to connect to the OR Modem and produce a WiFi signal. This is well documented in many places. 

Then you need to add a solution for your home phone to this setup. Which is what this thread has concentrated on because prior to this, it was always considered Impossible. 

[Ferrari14]

Apologies, I realise I might be hijacking the thread - it's just that your initial post sounded like exactly what I wanted to do.

In your reply you said "When you have the VF's WiFi turned off and you plug in a 3rd party system in Bridged mode" - is an example of this having one 3rd party access point connected via ethernet to the VF router and a second 3rd party access point connected wirelessly to the first? 

[bruce_miranda]

When you connect the ethernet port of the VF router to a 3rd party system, you are basically extending the VF network into that system. That 3rd party system might be a standalone device or a Mesh WiFi system. But because VF is still the router in your network, you need to turn your 3rd party Mesh or WiFi AP to bridged mode. You cannot have 2 routers on the same network. Your Mesh nodes in turn will talk to each other using their own wireless network. And will also give you WiFi for your other devices.

If all you need is better WiFi than what the VF box provides then that is all you need to do. 

[Ferrari14]

Right okay - thanks for clearing that up. I think I'll go for a mesh system. Does anyone have any recommendations? I can pick up 3 Deco m4s for about £90 but would be good to know what speeds I can expect from something like those

[Xjacko]

Hi, I use eeros Pro set up, Amazon kit now I believe. Very happy with the quality set up, the app and the telephone support 

[Ripshod]

Oops!