How to Set up a third party router with vodafone

[gipjon]

IF YOU ARE USING A THIRD-PARTY ROUTER THAT WORKS 100% WITHOUT BUGS.PLEASE PM ME THE MAKE AND MODEL SO I CAN UPDATE THE LIST

The first thing you need to do is ask Vodafone for your username and password. live chat with Vodafone is best because you can copy and paste the name and password into the router. ( some users did write it down wrong. password is lower and upper case. username watch out for zero and o )

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/contact-us/index.htm

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/bbservcd/

FTTC SETTING         ( FTTP is below FTTC)

The setting is the same for all the routers it's down to the isp (the setting page will be laid out differently but the setting are still the same, eg

Vodafone setting are

Vlan ID - 101

enable 802.1q (not on every router)

Username  - ******@broadband.vodafone.co.uk

Username - ******@businessbroadband.vodafone.co.uk  ( for business customers )

Password - ********

PPPoE

MTU Size : 1492

rest of the setting auto detect when the router and the dslam are negotiating with each other

List of third party router that work well with vodafone will update as more router are confirmed working 100%

asus ac68u                              ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual band Wifi 

ASUS DSL-AC55U                   ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual-band Wifi 

DrayTek Vigor 130:                 ADSL and VDSL modem with Ethernet ( UK model )

Draytek 2762 VDSL

Draytek 2862 Series

Fritzbox 3490

technicolor tg589vac :             ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual-band Wifi 

Netgear D6400-100UKS         ADSL & VDSL router with Ethernet + dual-band AC1600 Wifi  + beamforming

Netgear rbk40  :                       ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + Tri-Band technology

Netgear D6220                        ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual band Wifi 

Netgear Nighthawk D7800    ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual band Wifi 

Technicolor DGA4231/DGA2231 is actually the Vodafone THC3000/THC3000g

TP-Link Archer VR2800

TP-Link AC 1600                      ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual-band Wifi 

TP-Link TL-Link Archer VR400 V3 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Dual Band

TP-Link VR600                        ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual-band Wifi 

TP-Link W9970                        ADSL and VDSL router with Ethernet + dual-band Wifi 

Zyxel VMG3925-B10B

List of routers with WIFI 6 that works well  

None listed as yet 

IF YOU ARE USING A THIRD-PARTY ROUTER THAT WORKS 100% WITHOUT BUGS.PLEASE PM ME THE MAKE AND MODEL SO I CAN UPDATE THE LIST

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gigafast 

Openreach the VLAN will be 101 or not required

CityFibre, the VLAN will be 911 or possibly not used.

Mtu 1492

PPPoE 

Username - *******

Password - ********

List of routers that works well with Gigafast

Asus RT-AC86U 

Cisco 5506-X

Linksys EA9500

netgear nighthawk ar500

FRITZ!Box 7530

TP-link M4 deco system

TP-Link Archer AC2300 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Router (Plug ONT cable into Internet port, run Autodetect > PPPoE > add username/pass = connected at full speed), no need for VLAN IDs

TP-Link Archer VR400 V3 AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Dual Band (1st Advanced tab, change the Operation Mode to Wireless Router Mode (the ONT is acting as a modem, hence it will not work if you are in DLS Modem Router Mode). 2nd  Do not enable VLAN ID or it will not work! Vodafone will tell you to set it to 101, if you do this it will not work! Keep the default MTU size (1480), do not change it to 1492, as suggested in several posts in this thread, or it will not work!. 

Synolgy RT2600ac ( https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Broadband-connection/Synology-RT2600ac-Vodafone-Router-CityFibre-PPP... )

List of routers with WIFI 6  that works well 

RT-AX86U ?

(from user) I managed to connect Asus DSL-AX82U modem/router and use it without Vodafone Wi-Fi hub finally. When use Asus router tutorial choose network provider as BT - Infinity. VLAN ID come up automatically as 101 then just copy your Vodafone username and password

[jasonmark39]

I said modem/router (router with a built-in modem) not modem+router (two separate devices). There are routers without a built-in modem, which is what you might use if you were a Virgin Media customer. However we are talking about Vodafone here which do require the built-in modem. I have read more problems with Asus than any other make. I’ve not read of problems with the makes below. Vodafone support don’t recommend third party routers. There is an Openreach approved list but it doesn’t appear to have been updated since 2018. That’s why Vodafone told me I can buy the latest router of these brands: Netgear, TP-link, D-link, Cisco, Zyxel and Draytek. I can personally recommend Netgear and Zyxel. As for saying Vodafone don’t know the difference between a router and a toaster, I think that’s quite insulting. I don’t like either of their Wi-Fi Hubs (the Huawei or the Technicolor) which is why I’ve always used a third party router since I’ve been with Vodafone.

[Jayach]

---

@jasonmark39 wrote:

There are routers without a built-in modem, which is what you might use if you were a Virgin Media customer. 

---

Or on Vodafone Gigafast or any other FTTP service.

You recommend  Netgear and Zyxel, but have you ever used an Asus?

[BrizzleTim]

Hi, I'm currently using a 6 year old Netgear D7000-100UKS Nighthawk for Gigafast, which worked straight away once user/pass added (no VLAN tags, etc needed). Problem is, the poor thing is feeling it's age and regularly freezes - it was doing this on the previous ISP too, I only put it back in when the VF router screwed up my CCTV.

I'm looking at getting the Asus RT-AC86U but just need to confirm it will only need to connect to the ONT on the wall, and not require a further modem?

Cheers

[Jayach]

Absolutely right.

[raften]

Any recommendations for a third party modem? I used an unlocked HG612 B and my speed was almost half that with my wf potato router

[Anonymous]

There seem to be a number of people, not just on this forum, or even just with VF who are seeing their Huawei HG612V3b routers suddenly suffering from crippled speeds.

As soon as I can arrange to do so without causing a riot here, I'll get my own back in circuit and see if anything has changed.

[fozuk]

I also have a Huawei HG612V3b that recently has suddenly dropped significantly in speed. 

We were only getting around 30mb down to begin with and its all of a sudden dribbling at 1mb!!

Have you found any information regarding a fix or suitable replacement?

[BrizzleTim]

One thing I struggled with when first looking into FTTC/P broadband was the change in terminology, or rather the way people used it.

People refer to their modems as routers & vice-versa.

Huawei HG612V3b is an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) modem for FTTC ['slow' fibre] - I have seen it described elsewhere as a modem/router but can't see it's routing capability.

This in turn connects to a router, initially supplied by your ISP (some models are modem/router combined) which distributes the internet connection across multiple devices.

As an example, I have a BT-fitted Nokia ONT modem for FTTP and that connects to a TP-Link router.

What I have found is that FTTC modems are regulated by a DSLAM device in the local cabinet, whereas FTTP modems aren't.

DSLAMs can activate a massive speed reduction on FTTC modem lines when 'abused' - just constantly rebooting your modem will trip it - but it can only be reset manually by an engineer at the cabinet, or by leaving the connection in a stable (but slow) state for up to several weeks.

[Jayach]

---

@BrizzleTim wrote:

Huawei HG612V3b is an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) modem for FTTC ['slow' fibre] - I have seen it described elsewhere as a modem/router but can't see it's routing capability.

---

It's not optical. It's a modem (modulator/demodulator) purely electrical.

It's not only other people who get their terminology wrong.

[BrizzleTim]

Yes, I called it a modem

"The ONT (also called the modem) connects to the Termination Point (TP) with an optical fibre cable. It connects to your router via a LAN / ethernet cable and translates light signals from the fibre optic line from your TP into electronic signals that your router can read. "