Time Capsule + modem + VSS: THE SOLUTION

[dso3712]

Hi all,

Judging by the viewings of my post and the subsequent thread 'VSS and Time Capsule: No Hope', there is a lot of interest in how to get Apple Time Capsule to work as a router with an external modem and Vodafone Sure Signal.

I thought there was no solution, but I have found it. Just get the right modem. The Draytek Vigor 120 is a fine modem but they were right when they told me it would never work with TC.

I'm not a tech expert so others can explain this better than me, but here's how I understand it. The Draytek is a true bridge modem in the sense that it sends everything to the router (e.g. Time Capsule), which handles everything from ISP login onward. This means the TC, into which the VSS box is plugged, controls the VSS, but since the TC uses PPPoE and the VSS needs PPPoA, the VSS can never make a proper connection to the Vodafone servers.

Based on a hint I found on the web, I changed modem to the Netgear DM111P. The difference from the Draytek is that it's the *modem* that handles the login, not the router. So when I plugged it all in, the TC set the control to DHCP and did not give me the option of logging into my ISP with username and password. I *had* to do this via the modem interface, which by default is 192.168.0.1, with default login as admin/password. The Draytek doesn't let you do that. 

So after a bit of resetting of the TC and the modem, eventually I was able to log wirelessly into the Netgear interface, where I made sure the VPI/VCI was set to 0,38 since my ISP is BT. I then entered by ISP username and password, and hit connect. I had to do this a few times, with some resetting, but eventually, believe it or not, the VSS box started trying to connect, but instead of going back to solid power light only, the system and phone lights kept flashing and then only the signal light kept flashing, which it never did with the Draytek.

After a few hours, the signal light went solid and lo and behold I had a full strength 3G signal! It's been fine for nearly 24 hours now. Occasionally the phone light flashes, even when the phone isn't being used, but the signal is still there and the box goes back to solid signal light.

So, changing modem worked. The Time Capsule is doing the routing, the wireless backup is fine, and everything is as it should be. Note: I did *not* have to assign a static IP to the VSS box, nor did I have to forward any ports. Don't do any of this until you try what I did and give it a few hours.

This is the definitive solution. If you want your setup like mine, with the TC doing the routing and the backup, you don't need a modem router. Just get the Netgear DM111P or any modem that allows you to access the admin interface and login to your ISP from there and *not* from the TC. That way, the modem controls the login, the modem uses PPPoA, as does VSS, and all will be well.

Thanks to everyone who tried unsuccessfully to help me. For now, as far as I'm concerned, it's case closed.

Cheers,

David

[Neil_Brown]

Great post, David — it's great to know that there's an answer for this for those who don't mind changing hardware (or buying certain hardware in the first place!).

[Retired-James]

Hi dso3712,

Thanks for your post here.

Reading through it definitely makes sense and it’s nice to be able to see exactly where the issue lies.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your help and advice on this one and I’m sure that a lot of our customers will find this information very useful.

I hope you are enjoying having full 3G signal through your Sure Signal, if you have any problems or questions, please let me know.

James

[dso3712]

Thanks James and Neil for your kind words.

Very happy to have my 3G signal back, still going strong after 2 days. I'm pleased to be able to report the solution as it will help everyone else in my situation.

Ironically, I checked the Vodafone website and saw there is a planned signal upgrade to my postcode area over the next 12 months, which hopefully will mean we won't need a VSS box at all eventually!

Cheers,
David

[richardprossor]

Thanks for this post - it pointed me in the right direction. To help others in the same situation here is how I fixed my network:

Starting network: TalkTalk modem (Dlink 2680) set in bridge mode connected to Apple Airport Extreme which in turn then has a second airport extreme and a airport express both extending the wireless network created by the first Airport Extreme.

Just got a Sure Signal and could not get it to work when connecting it to the Airport Extreme - flashing power and 2 orange symbols.

Solution: Reset the Dlink to default settings. Went into Advanced and entered TalkTalk connection details and connected to TalkTalk ADSL. Then went into wireless setup > Manual settings> unticked enable wireless and saved settings. Dlink now connected and providing DHCP.

2 ports on back of Dlink - connected one to the Sure Signal and the other to the Apple Extreme. On the Apple Extreme went into Network>Router Mode> set to Off (Bridge Mode). Then into Internet > Connect Using> set to DHCP. Finally Wireless > Create a wireless network.

End result Sure Signal works, wireless network from the Apple much better than Dlink, wireless extended to cover whole house (not an option with Dlink), printer plugged into Airport Express, hifi plugged into Express so allowing Airplay. All perfect - now I just nee a faster DSL connection

Cheers

Richard

[wuf810]

Sorry but that is NOT The Solution. It is A solution but only if you want to spend money. Unless people want to correct me, there appears not way to get a Time Capsule providing the login via a modem to work with the Sure Signal. The help and advice from Vodafone has been atrocious as ever (would I expect anything less).

The only reason I have a Sure Signal is because the support personal told me to get one. I am pathetic for listening to them.