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Want to use a 3rd party router - will a Zyxel Speedlink 5501 Work?

xiga
4: Newbie

Hi guys

So, long story short, i need to replace the Vodafone router with one that supports DDNS, as i want to use a Vpn. 

After doing some research, it looks like i will have to use the Live Chat to get my DSL username and password, and i may have to say i plan on using an Openreach approved modem. 

I'm looking for a cheap solution here, and it looks like you can pick up a Zyxel Speedlink 5501 off fleabay for under £30. This model is listed as being one that is supported by DynuDNS. 

So, i guess what i need to know is, will this work? Assuming i get the username and password, will i be able to use the 5501 on it's own, or will i need to put a modem (such as a HG612) before it?

TIA!

🙂

18 REPLIES 18

Anonymous
Not applicable

Unless the modem/router has VPN built into it the only way to use it to watch TV would be to cast from a client device running VPN software to the TV.

Way to burst my bubble Keith! 😐

Hmm, now that I am a paying customer, I might bring this query directly to ExpressVPN and see what they say. It's hard to see how they can rightfully advertise something that doesn't actually function. 

At the end of the day, if it turns out that it's not actually doing anything and the buffering has not actually improved, then I'll just pick up a used H612 and Netgear r7000 and just install ExpressVPN firmware onto it.

That should at least work, right? 

Jayach
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

I honestly can't see how any VPN can improve streaming, I would think it can only ever slow the speed down.

I read the piece on the the Express VPN site about DDNS, MediaStreamer and it acting as a "smart DNS" and I have to say it all sounded like snake oil.

Hopefully I am missing something and it will work, but I can't help feeling your streaming problems are down to something else.

 

You could well be right. I should point out, the streaming actually works great nearly all the time, it's just whenever there is a big match on during primetime that I seem to have issues, and I've been suspecting that it is Voodoo slowing things down behind the scenes. 

Will report back on performance over the coming days and weeks. 

Thought i would update the thread, as things have changed a little. 

Streaming has been pretty good, with just the odd bit of buffering here and there, but i figured if i was going to sign up to a vpn, then i might as well make sure i am getting the most out of it. So i went and picked up a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 router (it came pre-installed with Merlin software, which seems pretty good) but i am struggling to get it connected, so i need a little help please. 

I have read through various other posts, so i kind of knew what i needed to do, but still i am having no joy. I got my ppoe username and password and have tried inputting them into the R7000 (connected via WAN) but it just keeps telling me invalid account details, as though the username or password are not correct. I actually got the details twice, from 2 different advisors, and they were the same, so i think they are correct. The details i were given were as follows:

Username- dslxxxxxxxxx at broadband.vodafone.co.uk
Password- ********

Some additional details
"•VPI – 0
•VCI – 38
•Encapsulation/protocol – PPPoA (PPP over ATM)
•Framing/multiplexing – VC-based or VC-MUX (some routers will have this listed as PPPoA VC-MUX)
•Modulation – Multimode or Auto
NOTE: Specific modes will be either G.dmt/ITU G992.1 (ADSL1) or ITU G992.5 (ADSL2+)

•Security/authentication type – CHAP
•Idle timeout – No or 0
•MTU size – 1492
•IP address – Obtain automatically from ISP
•Default gateway – Obtain automatically from ISP

 

Now, apart from the username and password, i can only find an input for the MTU size, and none of the other info given above. The LAN settings does have an IPTV tab that lets me set VID to 101, and i've done that, but i don't see a security/authentication type anywhere. 

I've attached screenshots below of what the WAN settings look like in my router. 

Anyone have any ideas where i'm going wrong? Do i need a separate modem (like an HG612)? I thought i could just use the Voda router to take care of that part, but maybe i'm wrong?

TIA.

1.PNG2.PNG3.PNG

* Bump*

 

I'm tearing my hair out with this now, lol. 

So i picked up an HG612 and flashed it with the WebGui firmware. I was able to log into the WebGui to set all the settings. I have read so many posts and threads (even the huge How to use a 3rd party router thread) so i really thought this would work, but still no joy. From what i've read, the 612 is setup by default in Bridge mode for a VDSL connection, but from the info Voda sent me (in my earlier post above) i think i am on an ADSL connection, and not VDSL. So i set up an ATM line and then picked that up in the Basic-WAN settings, with 802.1q enabled and all the usual stuff, Vlan 101, etc. I wasn't sure if Bridge mode should be IP_Bridged or PPOE_Bridged so i tried both, and still no connection. I should point out, the DSL light on the 612 is a solid green, but there is no light at all on the Internet LED on the R7000. 

 

At this stage i have tried just about everything and i am ready to throw the whole lot out the window! I really didn't think it would be this hard to connect a damn router 😕

Based on all of this, together with the info and screenshots above, does anyone have any bright ideas as to where i am going wrong? I really don't think it's the login credentials, i' have got them 3 times now, they are always the same and there are no ambiguous characters, apart from one lower case "i" and i've even tried substituting it for other similar characters just in case. 

 

After years of having cable internet, now that we've moved house this is my first time on ADSL, and i'm not loving it, to say the least. 

Jayach
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

@xiga wrote:

from the info Voda sent me (in my earlier post above) i think i am on an ADSL connection, and not VDSL.


Vodafone no longer offer ADSL so you must be on VDSL.

Thanks

Any idea then why these settings won't work for me:

20201118_145236.jpg

For info, in the screenshots of my router settings above,  the tick box for Enable Vpn and Dhcp at the bottom is actually set to No. 

 

 

 

Thanks

Any idea then why these settings won't work for me:

20201118_145236.jpg

For info, in the screenshots of my router settings above,  the tick box for Enable Vpn and Dhcp at the bottom is actually set to No.