HOW TO: Use a third party router on Vodafone VDSL

[jonnywombat]

On Firday afternoon Vodafone UK sent a corporate email telling their support team that they can now give out Broadband username and passwords.

I have now set up my own router, and here's what i did.

Step 1 Ring VF on 08080034515 and get your username and password. The support team member then emailed me my Log in info.

Step 2 Swap your router. Keep your VF router in case you ever get an issue and need tech support as they will not support your 3rd party device

Step 3 In your routers web interface access the WAN settings. Set connection type to PPPoE, enter username and password and leave all settings as default EXCEPT enable 802.1Q and set Vlan tag to 101.

Step 4 Save settings and apply. Your router should now connect to VF. Mine took a couple of minutes to get a connection and another couple from the router showing it was connected to actually being able to access the net

Step 5 After a few minutes the connection dropped, and it would not connect again. After investigation I was told this is to do with VF registering your router on there network. Hard reset your router. Power it down remove the power cord for 30 seconds and power back on.

Step 6 Enjoy

This is just based on my experience of setting up my router ASUS DSL-AC68U, YMMV. However the ASUS is syncd at 73.6meg, when the VF router syncd at 72.1 and I have noticed a marked improvment in performance.

HTH someone

Jonny

[florca]

Well that's good news! Looks like sanity may have at last broken out in the corporate office...

For anyone with an old Openreach ADSL/VDSL modem, it should "just work", certainly if reset (hold down the reset button whilst powering on, release at least 10secs after power active). The modem's default settings are for VLAN 101 and Bridge mode, so you should be able to use most "cable" routers with PPPoE support on the WAN interface at the back of it. If you don't have one then lots available on Ebay for around £25.

Very relieved that Vodafone have come to their senses over this, as opening up should remove significant amounts of frustration for informed users and needless grief for the VF support team.  The underlying "raw" broadband service has worked pretty well for me so far and seems like the lowest cost Big Brand unlimited FTTC service on offer at the moment.

Thanks for the tip off....

[jonnywombat]

You still have to change your user name and password, and open reach modems are, or at least used to be locked down.  The HG612 model is hackable easily but the other model, whose name escapes me atm need  to be dismantled and a serial wire run to the main pcb and code run to hack it.

Personally I would by the best router you can afford.

[florca]

Hi - You don't need to unlock the Openreach modem or make any config changes to it at all. The Username & Password are entered in the WAN section of (any) "cable" (not xDSL) Router via PPPoE, and the default settings on the Openreach device will work fine. I tested this out on my VF VDSL connection with my HG612 prior to unlocking it - only done so that I could see the line synch speed and other stats.

Personally I prefer to keep Modem, Router/Switch and WiFi AP(s) seperate so that as the technology of each changes I don't need to replace all in one go.

YMMV...

[Nabs]

@jonnywombat Do you know if this will work with any router or are Vodafone the same as some other ISPs and require you to use a BT approved one? (Can't link but there are threads on the BT forum asking about this and also some talk on ispreview.co.uk & Kitz.co.uk about it) 

[chrisb84]

The official line is that you need to use an Openreach approved router however does it matter so long as it's from an approved supplier like TP Link or Asus. They don't update the approved list often enough to capture the newer routers.

This would apply to everyone, whether you're using an approved router or not. Ensure auto update is on and if that isn't a feature make sure you check for updates regularly. There are a lot of people looking to exploit vulnerabilities in routers and the underlying software so you should always keep it up to date. In most cases where problems have occurred it's because the routers weren't kept up to date and not because the manufacturers hadn't released a fix.

The Vodafone router automatically updates, they can control that but they can't on 3rd party routers so it's your responsibility to keep up to it. I've seen ISPs disconnect users because they have detected that the end user has become exploited.

[aioderek]

Hi, I just wondered what modem you would recommend that will Work with VF Fibre? I’m not totally comfortable with modem settings but willing to give it a go! Just want a better one than the router provided and have a stable connection.  Many thanks 

[vcx20]

I bought a archer tp link off eBay for ten poundunfortunately it wasn't fibre compatible but I have connected to my vf router via a network cable switched off the wifi on my vf router and connect to the archer now I still get the same speed but I get full unbroken coverage all over my house.

I also had major issues using the vf routers wifi terrible network connectivity around my home not any more though.

[aioderek]

Thanks for the info. I have literally just bought a tp link n300 modem router.  I’m hoping it’s an easy set up as I’m not as tech savvy as you. I’m hoping once up and running it will be better than the Vodafone router.

[vcx20]

Believe me when it comes to setting this gear up i aint no expert but do understand what i am told to do by someone in the know.

I basically use two routers now the vf one to get the fibre connection and the tp link to distribute my wifi network.

If you read back a couple of posts in this thread you can see what i got told to do to make mine work failing that a true networking expert will undoubtedly come along at some point and sort you out.