How to change from the ISP provided router?

[unheard]

We have a pretty good fiber service around here, where ISPs provide both ONT boxes and routers as a package.

I wanted to upgrade to a better router box by buying my own.

To my surprise my local ISP office responded with "can not due that".

 

My understanding is that I can not just connect my own router to the existing ONT box and get service since it is been preset with a login.

Any experience on setting your own router?

 

Thank you

[OneMoreFarang]

Most (all?) ISP in Thailand don't use usernames and passwords anymore. The serial number (or similar) in the router is used for authentication. If you use another router, then you are not authorized.

 

What you can do, at least in theory, is using the ISPs device in bridge mode and then connect your equipment. I do that with a TRUE cable modem and then I use TP-Link OMADA devices.

 

But not every router works in bridge mode, even if that is an option in the interface. Now I have another TRUE connection in another apartment. The existing router shows bridge mode, but it doesn't work. I asked TRUE about that, and they will change the existing router to another model (from CISCO) which works in bridge mode. 

[unheard]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

The serial number (or similar) in the router is used for authentication.

 

I asked TRUE about that, and they will change the existing router to another model (from CISCO) which works in bridge mode. 

My router's serial number didn't work as a user login.

Their customized firmware has the bridge option removed.

 

Did your ISP offer a replacement router free of charge?

[OneMoreFarang]

47 minutes ago, unheard said:

Did your ISP offer a replacement router free of charge?

TRUE offered the device which can be set to bridge mode free of charge. 

[Woof999]

1 hour ago, unheard said:

We have a pretty good fiber service around here, where ISPs provide both ONT boxes and routers as a package.

I wanted to upgrade to a better router box by buying my own.

Are your ONT and router separate boxes or are you trying to reduce the function of your current ONT/router to ONT only? For the past 8 years I've had fiber and only ever had a single box.

 

What feature set are you trying to add by replacing the router? For me it was better wifi separation / bandwidth limits per wifi zone and permanent VPNs to the internet in general or specific customers, all of which I can achieve with my router sat behind (LAN side) their router, so effectively double NAT between my local network and the ISP. It adds an extra hop and makes things like UPnP more tricky, but for what I need it works just great.

[unheard]

1 hour ago, Woof999 said:

Are your ONT and router separate boxes or are you trying to reduce the function of your current ONT/router to ONT only?

 

What feature set are you trying to add by replacing the router? For me it was better wifi separation / bandwidth limits per wifi zone

The ONT and router are in separate boxes.

I want to get rid of the ISP provided, bare-bone router and replace it with a separately purchased,  fully featured unit that allows wifi separation etc.

[topt]

19 hours ago, unheard said:

The ONT and router are in separate boxes.

I want to get rid of the ISP provided, bare-bone router and replace it with a separately purchased,  fully featured unit that allows wifi separation etc.

You don't say which ISP you are with? I am also with True and although it wasn't as simple as it should have been like  @OneMoreFarang   they switched the modem/router box for one that had bridge mode (a Huawei). Previously was Cisco....

 

AIS offer a BYOD (bring your own device package) - https://www.ais.th/fibre/en/package_byodbroadband.html

 

as do True https://www.true.th/trueonline/site/package/choose-your-own-device-package?ln=en

 

[OneMoreFarang]

A little advice for people who don't use the ISP provided equipment: keep the original devices, and if necessary, keep them for a decade or as long as it takes.

 

Some time ago I moved out of a rented apartment. I went to the TRUE shop and tried to cancel my subscription. They told me I have to return the equipment. I told them I am not sure if I can find these old devices, maybe 10 years old. And then TRUE told me then they would charge for those devices a ridiculous price like 10,000B or something similar. I looked again and I brought them to TRUE. I am sure they will go on a heap of trash; nobody uses them anymore in new installations. 

[recom273]

4 hours ago, topt said:

You don't say which ISP you are with? I am also with True and although it wasn't as simple as it should have been like  @OneMoreFarang   they switched the modem/router box for one that had bridge mode (a Huawei). Previously was Cisco....

 

AIS offer a BYOD (bring your own device package) - https://www.ais.th/fibre/en/package_byodbroadband.html

 

as do True https://www.true.th/trueonline/site/package/choose-your-own-device-package?ln=en

 

3BB offer a ONT - you connect your router, enter you PPoE credentials, and the local area VLAN and you are away.

[FriendlyFarang]

On 5/20/2023 at 7:21 PM, unheard said:

The ONT and router are in separate boxes.

I want to get rid of the ISP provided, bare-bone router and replace it with a separately purchased,  fully featured unit that allows wifi separation etc.

The easiest way is to just connect the new router behind the existing router. Then you can disable wifi on the existing router and you are good to go.

[topt]

15 minutes ago, FriendlyFarang said:

The easiest way is to just connect the new router behind the existing router. Then you can disable wifi on the existing router and you are good to go.

You can but you may have some issues with Double NAT. When I had that originally I had to keep resetting my connection which stopped after getting the ISP to set it in bridge mode. This was some years ago however.

[DudleySquat]

On 5/20/2023 at 3:23 PM, unheard said:

Any experience on setting your own router?

 

My connection is PPPoE. I know the username and password. I can use almost any modem capable of PPPoE. 

 

Take the existing modem and put your new modem behind the existing one.  Now you have two NAT devices that ultimately give you excellent hacking protection. 

 

Turn off the WIFI on the existing modem and use the better WIFI on your newer modem. 

[unheard]

13 hours ago, DudleySquat said:

My connection is PPPoE. I know the username and password. I can use almost any modem capable of PPPoE.

At the local office they've refused to disclose my PPPoE username and password.

[unheard]

15 hours ago, recom273 said:

3BB offer a ONT - you connect your router, enter you PPoE credentials, and the local area VLAN and you are away.

That was my expectation but to my surprise they've refused to share my PPPoE credentials.

I wonder if it's just the local office problem as in them being clueless.

I think I might need to go up the chain to verify.

Edited May 22, 2023 by unheard

[unheard]

20 hours ago, topt said:

You don't say which ISP you are with? 

I'm with CAT.

[recom273]

15 hours ago, FriendlyFarang said:

The easiest way is to just connect the new router behind the existing router. Then you can disable wifi on the existing router and you are good to go.

Easiest, but not the best as you create a double NAT - maybe for some people who have a cctv system or use torrents - Putting the GPON into bridge mode is as simple as calling up 3BB, they can do it remotely or send an engineer and assist you on where to put you PPoE credentials, if required. 
 

Double protection from hackers? It takes about 3 mins to hack your wifi - why anyone else would want to get into your secondary router?

 

41 minutes ago, unheard said:

At the local office they've refused to disclose my PPPoE username and password.

3BB provide a letter when you first sign up, they send the credentials and then the router arrives later. The technicians ask for the letter and enter the details.

 

A little while ago they stopped giving the details verbally from the helpline, but there is a delay of maybe upto a day before they send via sms. The girl mumbled something about security, which is fair enough, but annoying if you are looking for that first letter they sent 15 years ago. 

[unheard]

24 minutes ago, recom273 said:

3BB provide a letter when you first sign up, they send the credentials and then the router arrives later. The technicians ask for the letter and enter the details.

That would be nice to have that info but we haven't received any setup credentials during the service setup.

It was the tech who brought and then installed the ONT and router.

And that was it.

 

[unheard]

21 hours ago, topt said:

AIS offer a BYOD (bring your own device package) - https://www.ais.th/fibre/en/package_byodbroadband.html

 

as do True https://www.true.th/trueonline/site/package/choose-your-own-device-package?ln=en

 

Thank you.

If there's no change with my current ISP then I'll switch to another provider that offers a specific BYOD service.

[recom273]

57 minutes ago, unheard said:

Thank you.

If there's no change with my current ISP then I'll switch to another provider that offers a specific BYOD service.

It’s usually a year minimum contract -

 

Do you really need a specific service?
I just tell 3BB that I don’t want their free router, they mumbled, and the fitters took it back with them. AIS is a hit different as they seem to offer packages where you rent a mesh system. 

 

[unheard]

29 minutes ago, recom273 said:

I just tell 3BB that I don’t want their free router, they mumbled, and the fitters took it back with them.

I should have asked them for the same thing during my install.

Couldn't anticipate a potential problem later on about router substitution.

[DudleySquat]

5 hours ago, unheard said:

At the local office they've refused to disclose my PPPoE username and password.

My router shows both to me.  Tell them you will cancel. 

[unheard]

1 hour ago, DudleySquat said:

My router shows both to me.  Tell them you will cancel. 

On the attached label or in firmware settings?