3BB HG8045A In Bridge Mode

[tweezer]

Hi,

I've got a 3BB Fiber line with the supplied HG8045A. However, I want to use my better Netgear Wireless router and use the 3BB for just the modem.

However, when I try to change it to Bridge mode in the WAN configuration page (at WAN Mode) I get an error reading "the current service type is in bridge wan mode".

The Service Type below it is TR069_INTERNET and that can't be changed.

Has any one had any experience with this and can offer some advice on how to set it to Bridge Mode?

Thanks!

T

[tweezer]

OK.... well, while waiting for some answers I figured it out.

If anyone is interested, here are my steps (follow these at your own risk!!!):

First, you need your 3BB user name and password:
username something@3bbfttx
pw something

Make sure you have this, contact 3BB if necessary.

Then in 3BB's HG8045A:

- Made sure my HG8045A's LAN IP is 198.162.1.1

On the WAN configuration page:
- Delete the connection 1_TR069_INTERNET_R_VID_33 (or whatever its called)
- Then create a new connection:
Encapsulation Mode: PPPoE
Protocol Type: IPv4
WAN Mode: Bridge WAN
Service TYpe: INTERNET
VLAN ID: 33
-Binding Options LAN1, LAN2, LAN3, LAN4, SSID
- Apply...

The back in my Router (Netgear R8000), On the Internet Settings:
- Made sure my Router's LAN IP is set to 198.162.1.2
- Does your Internet connection require a login? Yes
- Internet Service Provider: PPPoE
- Login xxxx
- Password xxx
- Connection Mode: Always On
The rest defaults, then apply.

I then went back into 3BB's HG8045A
- Disabled DHCP Server
- Disabled WLAN (WIFI)

It works great. Again, copy my steps at your own risk.... good luck!

[EricHoudini]

Thanks a lot. Haven't tried it yet, though.
With the same modem/router I got the problem that my iMac's LAN and also the WIFI connection disconnect frequently, sometimes both at the same time. Unplug ethernet cable, plug in again, wait, and then I'm connected again.  Sometimes it's taking time, then I switch to Wifi, which sometimes works, sometimes not. iMac may show ethernet connection on, but I have no internet connection. The cause, I think, are interruptions in milliseconds in the internet connection by 3BB, perhaps, and then the "handshake" did not work or whatever or the new IP address is not assigned.

Do you think it'll work if I put the modem in bridge mode and therewith bypass the router, buy a new separate router (still love Netgear from years ago) to be connected by LAN directly to the modem? You eem to know a lot. Thanks.

[HooHaa]

Yes. Modem in bridge mode is the way forward.

[mtls2005]

With the same modem/router I got the problem that my iMac's LAN and also the WIFI connection disconnect frequently, sometimes both at the same time. Unplug ethernet cable, plug in again, wait, and then I'm connected again.

 

Sounds like an IP address conflict? Multiple internal IP addresses, say 192.168.1.102, and 192.168.1.105 mapped to the two MAC addresses, both inside the iMac? Not sure the Apple HW/SW can "route" packets properly up into the higher layers?

 

You should use either WiFi or ethernet. Choose one, turn off the router for a few minutes, turn off the iMac, turn the router on, wait for it to fully boot up, turn on the iMac.

[EricHoudini]

@mtls2005

Thanks. I often used both on, Ethernet and Wifi, but when LAN worked ok, switched off Wifi, as right now. When the LAN disconnects, I try first with the cable out/in method to reconnect, and if that doesn't work withinn say 20 seconds, switch on Wifi and that then mostly works ok, for some time.

I'll do exactly what you mentioned in that sequence, then keep ethernet on only, then wait and see.

Have alse assigned fix IP address manually, but then got no internet connection.

Configure IPv6 is set to "automatically". Could this somehow distrurb?

 

 

[mtls2005]

Try to resist doing too many things to 'fix' a/the problem.

 

I'd let the router handle DHCP (managing local IP addresses) unless you have some very unique requirements/applications.

 

Don't change any other settings unless you have a back-up of the configuration, know your 3BB log-in credentials and are relatively savvy. I certainly wouldn't muck about with the WAN settings or the IPv6 settings.

[EricHoudini]

Thanks. Have done as you advised, still working on Ethernet, though it's 5 minutes only.

I would keep my fingers crossed but cannot type well that way ;-)

[JaseTheBass]

Damn! So tempted...

 

Will it actually make any noticable difference to the speed? On the TWW I get 100Mbps and in the WWW I get 30 to 40Mbps which bridging routers won't do anything to address. My system is also pretty stable.

[mtls2005]

I think people may like to use a second device to extend/expand a network (although there are many ways to do that), or utilize increased functionality available via custom firmware, e.g. network-based VPN, which cannot run in a WAN-enabled (DSL, FTTx, DOCSIS) device.

 

There are some complaints about the WiFi performance on some of the 3BB GPON routers. I'm not in front of one now, and can;t remember the make/model but it seems to work fine in a 2-story home.

 

The Huawei 8245H GPON which AIS uses has amazing WiFI performance; I actually get higher speeds on WiFi than ethernet, but not much difference...55/12 on WiFi and 49/11 on ethernet.

 

 

[EricHoudini]

The Wifi performance of my 3BB fiber optic modem & router is absolutely bad, much worse than the ADSL before. That's why I use LAN for my computer.

For better reception, wider range, for other devices, as iPads, phones, I first put slitted beer cans around the antennas. That improved it, but not really a lot. Then I bought a wifi booster, Tenda 300 MBps Access Point model AP5, run it now via wifi. Reception is great now in all rooms of the 2-storey house. Modem/router is downstairs, booster upstairs.

I will connect it directly to the router by ethernet cable and see whether it is better.

[Chicog]

Over distances, you can't beat wire at the end of the day.

A good alternative is powerline adapters:
 

 

http://www.cnet.com/topics/networking/best-networking-devices/power-line-adapters/

[mtls2005]

 

"Then I bought a wifi booster, Tenda 300 MBps Access Point model AP5, run it now via wifi. Reception is great now in all rooms of the 2-storey house. Modem/router is downstairs, booster upstairs. "

 

OK, getting more detail always helps. The Tenda device wasn't mentioned previously; I assumed you were talking about WiFi being provided by the 3BB fiber router.

 

What "mode" are you using with the Tenda? Mode 1, Universal Repeater? All of your wireless devices seem to be working acceptably? Except for your iMac, occasionally? Is that correct?

 

 

"I will connect it directly to the router by ethernet cable and see whether it is better."

 

Connect "what" exactly?

[JaseTheBass]

On 26/08/2016 at 3:30 PM, Chicog said:

Over distances, you can't beat wire at the end of the day.

A good alternative is powerline adapters:
 

 

http://www.cnet.com/topics/networking/best-networking-devices/power-line-adapters/

 

I wonder how well these will work as they're supposed to be on the same circuit. My plugs sockets on the roof use a different circuit/come from a different breaker than the plugs in my living room. Would this mean a powerline adapter wouldn't work?

[mtls2005]

I looked in to the powerline adapters for a specific solution, here and on Thai social media, and they seem to work across multiple, distinct separate circuits. Some people love them, some people tolerate them. Throughput seems OK, certainly OK for many applications, but maybe not streaming 4K content off a NAS.

 

They are almost cheap enough just to experiment with, ~ 550 each, so 1,100 THB for a pair.

 

I was looking at the TP-Link AV500 Nano unit(s).

 

http://www.shopat7.com/computer/network/tp-link/tp-link-av500-nano.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwuo--BRDDws3x65LL7h8SJABEDuFROBm0omISlJuDsxgETB4UhZjgcX_ZJgMvcAy9liLtVhoCvZ_w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

http://www.invadeit.co.th/category/powerline-networking/

 

http://www.lazada.co.th/tp-link-tl-pa4010kit-av500-nano-powerline-adapter-starter-kit-338938.html

 

 

 

 

 

[lor]

I have this router and the wifi was useless. I just went into the settings and changed the wifi channel from auto to one which was empty in my area. It gave me about 1,000% improvement! Part of my home which had no wifi at all now had very strong wifi. I could not believe that such a simple change could give such a huge improvement

[EricHoudini]

@lor OK, done that too, before already, will check again about channel numbers of other networks around. The wifi reception is ok as it is, though, good signal strentgh almost everywhere. The problem still is the speed. Speedtests with an iPad mini, just next to the router, give me 5-30 MB/s, usually around 5-10. Of course, the iPad is also an issue, sure.

My real problem is the iMac, originally OS SnowLeopard, upgraded to Yosemite. With the ADSL modem/router, before, I never had any problem, wifi only, no LAN cable connection. When I switched to 3BB Fiber, I installed the LAN cbale, and since then I've got the problem. I get disconnected, sometimes every 5 minutes, sometimes connection lasts for 3-4 hours. Mostly the ethernet is still on, connected, then I now renew the DHCP lease and usually it re-starts ok, but not always. Today not. I'm now on wifi.

[EricHoudini]

@mtls2005 Sorry for long silence, busy with other matters, or rather busy reconnecting my LAN cable and renewing my DHCP lease.

The Tenda is in mode 1, Universal Repeater. When I wrote connect it to the modem/router, I meant by ethernet cable, as this is a possibility shown on the box, namely connect a cable based network by cable to the Tenda booster and use it as an access point for wifi. In my view, the fiber optic modem/router are my wired network, However, I haven't done this, because I do not expect an improvement. The Tenda is not a router, hence, the 3BB router will still take care of assigning the various devices and the problem will still be the same, I assume.

I may need a separate router and use the 3BB box only for its modem function.

If I can solve the loss of connection to the internet for the iMac somehow, all will be solved. Will continue searching. At least no I know more about the problem. It really seems to be the iMac who is dropping the LAN connection, or the router cutting the internet connection for a moment and the iMac cannot reconnect, or 3BB cutting all internet connections regularly which for most devices may not be a problem, as they instantly re-connect.

I am not much further than at the beginning. From what I read about other peoples' problems with ethernet and wifi with their Macs, most get into trouble when upgrading their OS or even pnly updating to a new version of the same OS. People suggested to start again fromscratch, install the OS and then all programs, time consuming and a hassle, if some s/w is lost since first installation (CD or original download file).

[mtls2005]

It still sounds like you are getting an IP address conflict; your iMac is getting two IP addresses, one from wired ethernet, and one from WiFi, and is as confused as someone trying to follow your posts.

 

For a brief investigatory period, I would strongly recommend turning off WiFi on your iMac, turning off the Tenda (leave it off), turn off the 3BB router, turn off the iMac. Connect your iMac to the 3BB router via a known good working wired ethernet cable. Turn the 3BB router on, wait, wait, wait. Turn on the iMac.

 

Do you experience any disruption in internet access on your iMac?

 

If yes, maybe ring 3BB and ask for a new modem/router.

[EricHoudini]

@mtls2005   Sorry, I did all what you suggested before and what you suggested in your last comment, already before you suggested it, btw. Thanks.

My problem REALLY IS that the iMac's internet connection is disrupted again and again. The wifi problem is a problem everybody with 3BB fiber optic modem/router is suffering from, the 3BB unit's wifi is very weak, for everybody.

And when a reader is confused when trying to follow my postings is either caused by an deficit on the reader's side or caused by the fact that English is not my first language or that my postings are indeed written in a confusing way. In case of the latter two possibilities, I apologize for the inconvenience caused.

[mtls2005]

No real WiFi issues with the 3BB Fiber GPON (early install, Huawei 8045).

 

2-story home, as far as I can get from the router...service is 100/30, 100% up-time since original installation, never had an issue

 

If you are experiencing frequent, repeating disconnects you really should contact 3BB.

Edited September 6, 2016 by mtls2005

[EricHoudini]

Sometimes,  "big" problems have minor reasons and can be solved with simple means that nobody thought of.

I hope this is the case with my problem of frequent internet disruptions when on ethernet LAN.

A friend said to first check the basic things, lent me an ethernet cable for temporary use, and voila, last night for 3 hours until I switched off, and today since 7 a.m. there have been no internet interruptions. I really hope that it'll remain like this.

 

Thanks to all for the help. If you don't hear from me in this OP,  you can safely assume that the cable was bad and was the reason for the problem.

 

@mtls2005 

-  My 3BB's modem/router is not a Huawei. Sometimes I get 3 Mbps down and 7 Mbps up (no mix-up) 2 meters from the router, rarely I also got 50 Mbps down.

-  Wifi speed depends a lot also on the receiving devise, bad seed with older iPad mini, good speed with desktop iMac

-  Observation, more than once:  When I did several speedtests in a row, with Ookla, local in Chiang Mai, on wifi, I got first 3 Mbps, then 7, then 16, then 30 Mbps within 20 minutes.

-  This looks fishy, makes me feel that 3BB detects speedtests (easy) and then increases the testers allocation (give him preference).  Try it yourself.

 

[mtls2005]

Sometimes,  "big" problems have minor reasons and can be solved with simple means that nobody thought of.

 

 

From my post #19:

 

Connect your iMac to the 3BB router via a known good working wired ethernet cable. 

 

Suspect you may have interference with nearby competing WLAN networks, based on this new information? Investigate - use a wifi analyzer program on a mobile phone, then use a different channel.

 

Now that we know what brand your router isn't, any chance you can tell us what brand/model it is?

 

I am only interested in testing local internet access - that's all I'm paying for - along with local WLAN performance. One speed-test is all I need; better things to do with my time and internet than testing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EricHoudini]

I thought I had a GOOD working wired ethernet cable, haha, coz I just had bought it recently.

Thanks for your hint, and sorry I haven't changed my cable that time.

Modem/Router: Fiberhome, China, Group OANU, Model AN5506-04

 

18:50 still working ok since 7 am.