Bypass AIS fiber router (or VLAN tagging your WAN connection on your own router) - how I did it

[AgentSmith]

Plenty of people these days seem to be using their own router behind a AIS router in bridge mode. This works just fine but it seemed like a waste of space and energy to me having to run the FTTH modem, the bridged AIS router and then my own (much better) router. The reason that AIS officially states that you have to use their router is because it performs VLAN tagging. AIS uses an ID of 10, other providers might use a different number. Because my own router is running on DD-WRT it just seemed very possible to have it hooked up to the modem directly by having it perform the VLAN tagging instead. It took quite some investigating but I finally managed to do it and this setup has been spinning just nicely for about 2 months now.

 

Not all router hardware supports VLAN tagging, and even when the DD-WRT interface provides VLAN options that is by no means a guarantee that it actually works. Our old D-Link router had an Atheros chip and unfortunately didn't play nice. No matter wat I tried, the WAN just refused to come up. So I bought a replacement in the form of a TP-Link Archer C9 which does support VLAN tagging in its hardware and as a bonus also gets raving reviews on the net.

 

After flashing DD-WRT (I'm using build number 35244, more recent ones seem more problematic so I suggest you use the same one in case you have the same router) all I had to do was change the settings in the Setup > VLANs section and run a command under Administration > Commands. See the attached screenshot for the VLAN settings. Basically all you have to do there is change the W(AN) column so that these and only these options are selected: 10, Tagged, Auto-Negotiate and Enabled. Leave the other columns and settings untouched, then save and apply. Again, if you use a different provider with a different VLAN ID then use that one accordingly.

 

Because AIS uses PPPoE and because DD-WRT doesn't apply VLAN settings to PPPoE automatically these extra commands are necessary:

 

nvram set pppoe_wan_ifname=vlan10

nvram commit

 

The first command applies the VLAN ID to the PPPoE WAN connection (once again: VLAN ID 10 in my case). The second one makes sure that the router retains this setting after every reboot or power cut. Just copy paste both commands together into the text box under Administration > Commands and click on "Run Commands".

 

Now you should be all set. The WAN indicator on the router should say it's online (give it a minute). If not then try a reboot. Happy browsing!

 

The AIS router is now used as an extra access point here providing dual band WIFI in an area that was previously a WIFI dead zone. All you have to do is set it to access point mode in its settings. Then adjust the IP address to make sure it doesn't conflict with your router's IP address and also so that it is in the same subnet (192.1.0.0 by default but we use 192.0.0.0 here). And of course make sure that all wifi settings are identical to the one in the main router (except for the channel numbers, those should be different; never use auto).

[Pib]

Good info...glad it worked for you.  I have my AIS-provided router set to bridge mode which feeds my personal ASUS 86U router...been running like this for around 6 months with no issues.

 

I don't have an AIS-provided "modem" and separate AIS-provided router like you have.  My AIS-provided router is a "combo" modem & router....the incoming fiber optics cable plugs directly into the router which performs both the modem and router duties.  Or should I say "use" to provide both duties....since I switched to bridge mode it only does modem duties to convert the incoming fiber optics signal so my ASUS 86U performs all routing duties.

 

Whereas it appears you had your incoming fiber optics cable going to an AIS "modem only" and that modem outputted to an AIS router....then you were feeding that AIS router output to your personal router.   Then you figured out the bridge mode setup you described above enabling your to take the AIS router out of the front-end setup....let you then use the AIS router elsewhere as an Access Point.

 

I'm a little surprised you got both a FTTH modem and separate router from AIS versus just one of their combo routers.

[AgentSmith]

AIS replaced our router/modem combo box about 2 years ago. I've attached a picture of our fiber modem. Funny, I actually assumed they would've done this everywhere by now.

 

I prefer it this way. Basically all they provide now is a LAN connection. If would be nice if they ditched PPPoE all together and just use a plain IP connection instead but at least we still get to use our own router as we please. ?

[mtls2005]

I think most of (who have AIS FTTH, and not VDSL for the last mile) have a single, integrated routing-type ONT, 4GE+2POTS+1Wi-Fi+1USB modem which terminates fiber directly.

 

Most installs I've been involved with, from a few years ago, use the Huawei HG8245H (3BB uses this model, True On-line uses a HG8247H).

 

It looks like you have two devices: a single-port ONU ONT/GE which uplinks to another Huawei conventional router (4GE, WAN, POTs, etc), and that you've simply replaced that router with your own?

 

I have seen mention of this configuration with some AIS installs, although the 1-port ONT is white, made by Huawei (maybe a Huawei HG8310M?). Not sure why, when. where they do this? Maybe they have these on hand, and have run out of the single-unit, so gives them some installation flexibility stocking-wise?

 

 

[Pib]

Yea, from looking at AIS support webpage that gives info on their various routers the best I can figure the modem AgentSimth showed he has is the only "modem-only" offering which is a HUMAX modem....expect that is one model AgentSmith has.   All the other AIS offerings were combo modem-router devices....all-in-one device versus needing two devices...both a modem and router.   

My AIS Fibre was installed 22 months ago...I got a combo modem-router (a Huawei HG8245H) which AIS shows at the GPON Router on their website.   And actually they gave me another router also...a Edimax 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz router which I could hook to the Huawei HG8245H router since it only did 2.4Ghz Wifi.   However, the Edimax only had 100Mb WAN/LAN ports which limited it use on plans faster than 100Mb.  But 22 months ago AIS didn't have any plans faster than 100Mb.  It was just one of the equipment packages they were "installing at the time."   

 

Get AIS installed today and it's hard telling what the equipment will be but I expect it will be a combo/all-in-one device which has an integrated modem and does both 2.4 and 5Ghz Wifi.   An all-in-one device...makes its simple and easier for the typical, non-techie customer.  Below is quote from their website talking the equipment they issue now.

 

Quote

New AIS Fibre subscribers has permission to borrow Dual Band Wi-Fi Router amount of 2,500 baht that support 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency increase efficiency improvements.

 

 

My neighbor got AIS Fibre to Home installed about 6 months ago....he go a combo modem-router also...not a separate modem and router.

 

I really expect the equipment AgentSmith got was due to the area he was in or just the type of equipment AIS was handing out at the time since they are always awarding new contracts to buy-in-bulk for equipment they need to support their expanding customer base....need for replacement routers to replace defective routers, etc.   

 

In AgentSmith's case since he said AIS replaced their AIS router/modem combo 2 years ago with a separate modem and route, maybe it was an area-related thing...or maybe he upgraded to a faster plan the old router/modem couldn't handle....or ?????     

 

But regarding AgentSmith getting his equipment set to bridge mode since AIS didn't seem to want to help, that awesome...good info/crossfeed....thanks.   

 

In my case to get my AIS-provided combo device set to bridge mode so I could let my ASUS 86U handle all routing duties, all I had to do was call AIS  and ask they switch the AIS provided router to bridge mode...they did it...took about 30 minutes to go into affect. Then my ASUS 86U automatically detected and setup the connection  after I entered my account User ID and password (both are your AIS internet number which AIS told me during the call) and I've been good to go since. 

 

Nice to get firmware updates approx every two months for my Asus router to keep it fully up to date against ever changing internet threats.  Every ISP-provided router I ever got over the years, like the AIS equipment, never got a firmware update.  Below is a snapshot of my ASUS 86U WAN settings which allow it to connect to the AIS provided router set to bridge mode....maybe helpful to anyone trying to setup their equipment to bridge mode.

 

 

 

 

 

[AgentSmith]

We indeed have a Humax modem here. The local AIS mechanic replaced our equipment 2 years ago because of a "change in the system" used by AIS. Not his exact words but it's what it came down to. Unfortunately I was out of the country when he came by unexpectedly so I wasn't able to ask for more technical details. Which he surely would've given me since he is very knowledgeable and also happens to speak English almost fluently.

 

It was a bit of a hassle though to get the info to setup PPPoE again. Before the PPPoE password wasn't the same as the username/internet number. And because I wasn't sure about this it was hard to troubleshoot the VLAN situation, not knowing which one was to blame for the WAN not coming up. Twice AIS customer service wasn't able to give me the PPPoE login details, once for not having this information at hand and once because she obviously had no idea what I was talking about.. Then I decided to give it a third try and just asked for them to switch the router to bridge mode knowing they'd have to give me the password at some point. From then on talking to customer service was a smooth ride and I was once again reminded to simply follow the official route whenever possible and minimize trying alternative methods (which is a universal law and by no means a strictly Thai phenomenon, just saying..). Within an hour I had my password at hand which as we know now turned out the be the same as the username. Finally I was able to get back to the VLAN issue at hand and figured that one out too.

 

In hindsight it's not really complicated. I just hope that the DD-WRT developers find the time to integrate VLAN tagging a bit more smoothly into the graphical interface making this setup more intuitive. And possibly also remove VLAN options all together from firmware for routers that don't support it. That surely would've saved me a lot of time trying to get this to work with my old router. Regardless I'm very happy that alternative firmwares such as DD-WRT exist at all. Imagine being stuck with those crappy official firmwares out there! ;)

 

Luckily the Humax modem has a gigabit connection with the router so we are future proof. :)