Setting up Google Nest Wifi router via Huawei-DG8041W

[toomek]

Hello 

My Talktalk router is the Huawei-DG8041W. I have a Google Nest Wifi router which I would like to use as a fully functioning router device in my home network. To do this I have been trying to find a way to do it, but it seems impossible/very complicated for someone that is not an IT specialist!

Is there a way to connect a Google Nest Wifi router directly to the BT Openreach socket? I have an RJ11 2-pin cable that plugs into a 'broadband' port in Huawei-DG8041W. I tried to connect it directly to the Google Nest Wifi router but it does not recognise connection - is there a modem-like adaptor or RJ11 2-pin to a 6-pin adaptor that would let me connect to the internet? Or maybe I have to use Huawei-DG8041W as a modem?

I saw that some people recommend bypassing the existing TalkTalk router functions - effectively turning it into a modem only. I've understood that one way to do this is to put the TalkTalk device in 'bridge mode'. I have discovered that by going into advanced settings, then 'WAN configuration', then clicking on the connection name (I have only VDSL connection available to me to click on), under 'WAN Mode' there is an option to 'Bridge WAN'. However, when I try this saving this option I get the message "The current service type is not supported in bridge WAN mode".  

I saw that a Sagemcom WIFI hub has been offered to some customers free of charge - does it allow 'bridge WAN'?

What are my other options? Any solutions to this?

I would greatly appreciate your help!!! 

Cheers, 

Tom

@Debbie-TalkTalk @Karl-TalkTalk @Chris-TalkTalk @KeithFrench @speedygonzalez 

[nophead]

I always fix the IP address of important devices. I have found that during DHCP renewal there is a brief pause in the connection and that is no good if you want close to real time performance, for example controlling a 3D printer.

[toomek]

SETTING UP GOOGLE NEST WIFI ROUTER VIA HUAWEI DG8041W (TalkTalk WI-FI HUB EchoLife DG8041W Home Gateway)

SOLUTION:

1. open a new browser tab and type 192.168.1.1 in the search bar and click enter.
2. Go to your TalkTalk (TT) router and look for Router Username and router password info (different from the Wi-Fi password).
3. When you are in TT router settings go to dashboard > ‘see internet settings’ > ‘manage advanced settings’ > ‘continue’.
4. Go to the ‘advanced configuration’ tab > ‘LAN configuration’ > ‘LAN Host Configuration’.
5. Change the ‘Primary IP Address’ from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.2.1
6. Click ‘Apply’
7. Still, within the ‘advanced configuration’ tab go to > ‘WLAN’.
8. Disable WLAN for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 
9. Plug your Google Nest Router via ethernet cable to the yellow ETHERNET port (not red WAN port)
10. Switch power off and on for the TT router
11. Turn on Google Nest Router (I recommend doing a hard reset of Google by pressing a small button on the bottom until the light turns yellow – keep pressing until the yellow light stops blinking and release only when steady yellow light, wait 5 min for Google to reset itself).
12. Open Google Home App and go to settings > add device > new device > choose your home > Wi-Fi > Nest Wifi router and follow the steps

Note:

• To get to TT router settings, you must use a new 192.168.2.1 address in the search bar.
• You will probably have to set up your smart plugs if any unless you give Google the same WIFI name and set up the same WIFI password as your TT WIFI used to have.
• In the google app, next to settings you can see a rounded Wi-Fi icon where you can control your network.
• For an explanation of why you need to use the TT router with Google Nest Wifi and other questions look through the conversation below.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed and answered my questions! I appreciate that a lot.

[KeithFrench]

OK see how it goes then.

[toomek]

@KeithFrench I think it was a one-off event: I could see TT wifi together with Google wifi then it lost connection, I switched the power off and on, and now everything works (internet works) and I can only see Google wifi. 

I have no mesh at all - only one Google wifi router.

[KeithFrench]

Can you elaborate on why you think it is going down? When it does:-

• is the DG8041W still sync'd OK to the fibre
• is the Ethernet connection to the mesh still up OK.
• What does the mesh report as the problem?

[toomek]

@KeithFrench Got it! Thanks again for your help! Much appreciated 🙏

[KeithFrench]

Do not change DHCP lease time. The DHCP client (device) will automatically request an extension to the lease at 50% of the lease remaining. The DHCP server will automatically grant this extension.

[toomek]

@KeithFrench @nophead rebooting helped! today it lost connection exactly after 24h of setting it up. I rebooted it and it's all good. Is that something to do with the DHCP lease time of 1 day? Should I leave it as it is in the settings or change it to longer time? Thank you so much for your help so far, yous are the best!!!

[KeithFrench]

Turn your TT router off to see if this disappears.

Do not worry about the secondary IP address, it is not used here.

[nophead]

Perhaps rebooting the DG8041W will get it to take notice of its settings.

[toomek]

@nophead 

definitely mine! If I switch off the power supply to both TalkTalk and Google - could  that reset help? Just don’t want to mess it up as it works ok now 😅

[nophead]

Is that definitely your router and not a neighbours? If it is then it seems to be ignoring the fact you have switched off Wifi. Mine doesn't do that but it is one revision behind the latest firmware I think.

[toomek]

@nophead thanks for explaining, no need for the second address then!

I have 'forgotten' the TalkTalk wifi on all the devices, but they can still see it. 

[nophead]

I supposed if you had two networks you could arrange devices into two groups that could see each other and the internet but none of the other group. Perhaps that is useful in shared accommodation.

[nophead]

I don't know what the secondary address is for. A normal home network doesn't need more than one as you can have 254 devices on one class C network. Even I haven't got that many devices and I have about 45 Ethernet ports on the various switches around my mouse and dozens of Wifi devices.

Devices will remember all the networks you have attached to so that if they see them again they can connect. For example my phone will connect in various bars in Tenerife but at the moment it can only see my Nest router and about 5 neighbours routers, so that is all it displays. It doesn't show old networks until it sees them again.

[toomek]

@nophead thanks! 

There was an option to allow for a 'secondary address' in advanced settings LAN Host Configuration.

I can confirm that the TalkTalk wifi is visible althout I have disabled both 5GHz and 2.4 GHz. I am now connected to Google Nest router but can still see old TalkTalk on my laptop and telephone/tv/ipad. Any idea how to change it? or if I make sure all devices use Google that can be left as it is?

[nophead]

Not sure what you mean By "not sure if I can allow for a 'secondary address'"?

The LAN address will work fine. Mine is a more common 192.168.1.1. I can't remember if I manually changed it with the Google Home app. I didn't want all the dozens of devices in my home to notice any change. I used the same SSID and password on the Google Nest as I had on the previous router from a  different ISP.

If you have turned off both Wifi channels (5GHz and 2.4 GHz) and you haven't got any wired devices other than the Google Nest connected to the DG8041W then nothing else should see the other network on 192.168.2.1.If you do connect anything wired to the DG8041W then it will see the internet and devices on the Nest will see it but it won't see any devices on the Nest network.

[toomek]

@KeithFrench @nophead 

It think worked! Thank you so much!

I went to advanced settings LAN Host Configuration to change it to 192.168.2.1 the not sure if I can allow for a 'secondary address' (?) however, the Google nest wifi router shows

WAN IP 192.168.2.1

LAN IP 192.168.86.1

is that correct?

then I switched off the wifi from the main screen.

My devices can still see TalkTalk somehow but a device that was never connected to it cannot see it, is that an issue?

[KeithFrench]

Hi @toomek 

You will know if you are using port forwarding currently, as this is something, whatever router you use, needs to be configured manually. OK, UPnP does similar, but is incredibly insecure & should never be used.

Port forwarding is only used when some legitimate service needs to connect from the internet to a specific device in your flat. This would typically be any game that you might be hosting, remote access to security cameras etc. Any connection that you make from a device to the internet does not use port forwarding at all.

If you do need to set this up, it is not difficult & I regularly use another router in the fashion that I described in my other post, when I need to check a particular port forwarding scenario. That always requires it to be configured for use in the double NAT environment.

[toomek]

@nophead thank you! 😉

Hi, @KeithFrench 

Thank you for your answer! I will only use the Nest as the only wifi (so no mesh) as my flat is tiny! Does it mean that I do not use port forwarding? My flatmate and I use google chromecasts and we have 3 google smart speakers - do you think a double NAT scenario will impact those?