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

[Anonymous]

Misread what was going on here mac is correct!

[Anonymous]

Okay, so reading this correctly this time (I'd had a couple of drinks and it was late...), it's going to be as much education as as information - I was hoping @machare was going to answer.....

So we might need a means to change some basic settings in a modem such as the DM200, but once in place you should really be treating it as a dumb device.  All the modem does is take your ethernet input from a gateway device (router, gateway, firewall) on the local network and change it in such a manner that it can be shot down the phone line!  All the encapsulation of usernames and passwords is already completed by the router/gateway/firewall that you are using!

If you are using a Netgear Prosecure UTM it should from the info I can glean have the ability to create a PPPOE that it can send through the modem, and create all the local IP addresses (the UTM is just a router on security steroids).

I guess you are being given this equipment as it's now out of date.  It's a piece of pro networking equipment with tons of configuration options that used wrongly are going to cause you (or anyone unfamiliar with it) multiple problems.  I'd seriously urge you to think again about your choice of equipment!

[WhiteCar]

Close ... but not quite.

I am changing Service Provider which entails replacing a Cable Modem with a DSL Modem.

Currently the Cable Modem takes care of the Internet connection and I was expecting that the DSL Modem would work in the same way.

The UTM is a Sophos UTM 9 which I have been using for years, in fact since the Astaro days before the Sophos takeover, and yes, it's complex but it allows very fine control and monitoring of whats going to and coming from the Internet.

[machare]

The Sophos Firewall demo I found from your link appears to support PPPoE.  You have to change the WAN interface. I think the PFSense software also does PPPoE

[WhiteCar]

Damn!!!!

I spent ages going through the settings, of which there are plenty, and didn't spot that ...
If there was a facepalm emoticon this would be where to use it.

Thanks ... looks like problem solved

... and I've just set up a fixed IP address (but I was going to do that anyway).

[WhiteCar]

Just bit the bullet.

Put the DM200 into Modem mode, reconfigured the UTM 9 and gave it a go ...

and here we are. Up and running 

[Anonymous]

Good!

Sorry, I just go into a cold sweat as soon as though it sounds like someone is trying to use equipment that "work" has just discarded - which is where I thought you were coming from on this originally.  It gets increasingly difficult trying to explain that you just can't stream Netflix 4K over an 802.11b/g conection!

[hh28360]

Dear All - appreciate a little help.

So i have been looking to change my vodafone Router. Although the wifi speed has been fine, i have started to get frquent drop outs and cannot do a decent whats app call without switiching to 4G. (please advise if changing the vodfone router help this problem).

I have narrowed down my choice to the following:

DSL-AC88U Or

RT-AC88U or RT AC86U

Now the advantage I see with DSL-AC88U is that it has a built in modem and some very good reviews (future proof etc) and plus the fact that i save money on buying a separate modem. Howeever interestingly the price of the RT version which has no built in modem has a similar price. So the question is if there is an inherent advnatge in buying a router and a separate modem? does it give better performace etc or any other advantage and worth spending more money on separate modem and router. If yes then should it be AC88U or AC86U. and if any recommendation on modem if the verdict is to go for a separate one ? Vigor 130?

thanks for help

[Ianl49]

I was getting frequent drop outs.....disconnections.....

So have changed router...

I bought tp link ac1200. Now the drop outs and disconnections have been better I think.

I have been doing speed tests. They have improved by a few mbps. But at times it can drop into low single figures. Not for long but does it..

I would deff recommend a router which combines a modem.

I use a mesh system so turn Wi-Fi off on router. 

Will Continue to monitor speeds.......

But can't use sync speed in app as using 3rd party router

[Flo333]

Sync speed in app is completely different than real speed at speedtest.net in stance. I've had Voda router connected and app shows 80mbps but real speed on website test was 20-30mbps. After online complain has been improved.

So don't believe in app results.