I want to disable IPV6 and change the security settings on my TT route. How do I do that?

[jebus1967]

Hi, as the title says, I want to disable IPV6 and change the security settings on my TT router. How do I do that?

The reason is I have a particular connected device that is struggling with IPV6 enabled and that needs the specific type of security used to match its security. The security on settings on my connected device allow connection through WPA and WPA-PSK only. I'm struggling with this router and having such limited access to user configurable settings. It seems I must contact TalkTalk staff and ask them to do what I was perfectly able to do on my previous router without restrictions?

I'm using the Sagemcom Fast 5364 router. This really is a router for idiots, I think. The interface and options are beyond basic!

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi jebus1967,

I've received confirmation that the option to disable UPnP and IPv6 isn't available in the router settings and we can't disable them either

Chris

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK, I'll try to find out. Yes, it's the modem that connects to the Internet not the router but the modem doesn't require a username and password anyway as full network authentication is used.

Chris

[jebus1967]

Please try to find out the potential consequences of doing this before proceeding, however, Chris. Also, to be clear, my account information that lets me connect to your servers are held on the G.fast modem and not the router?

[Chris-TalkTalk]

You should be able to use a 3rd party router connected to the Openreach modem. The modem connects to the Internet, you should have an internet connection if you connect a device directly the Openreach modem with an Ethernet cable, bypassing the router all together.

I can try to find out if we can disable UPnP and IPv6 as I'm not sure if we can

Chris

[jebus1967]

Well what can be done then Chris? Can you try disabling UPNP and IPV6 if enabled? What might the consequences be of doing this? Also, what would be the consequences of plugging a third party router directly into my G.fast router? Does the Sagemcom router hold my account information there? I tried with another router, but it didn't work. (No internet.) Some forum members here said it was because (apparently), it was a somewhat older router. But the Sagemcom router is not exactly a spring chicken either. Given I have so many IOT devices, maybe disabling UPnP would not be a good idea?

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi jebus1967,

I'm sorry, we can't change the options available in the router's UI. 

The router is the Sagemcom Fast5364 and yes it's running the latest firmware version

Chris

[jebus1967]

Chris I would be very nervous about resetting the router. I've just gone through a 30 say nightmare, because when switching routers to solve a previous issue, for some reason I decided to change the SSID name of my network and the password. I then promptly forgot the old SSID name and password. Which of course meant that all 46 of my smart home/IOT devices, plus 4 Google Home Smart Speakers, plus 3 Alexas all have to be individually reset. Of course, WIFI has probably as much in common with black magic, so it was a literal (30 day) nightmare to get everything set up and playing (somewhat) nicely together again. However, through sheer bloody mindedness and persistence (and possibly one or two sacrifices to Satan), I was able to eventually get everything connected again, including my GH speakers. Don't ask me how I did it. For days, I was greeted by the spinning 'connecting' lights on top of my speakers, but after the 30th or 40th (or however many crazy number of resets I did) they eventually just worked.

However now I am back with my original problem, with several of my devices intermittently losing connectivity. At this juncture, my Philips Hue Bridge (which controls my lights) and my Raspberry Pi 4 based Home Assistant instance (which acts as the central hub for all of my IOT devices), keep losing connectivity. Which is pretty odd, since they are both wired connections. What is even more odd is that I can ping them, and they show up in a network scan with any network scan utility (like Angry IP scanner), but they are unreachable on my local network, until they are manually/physically restarted. Also another oddity is that my Mac Mini M1 can't connect to the 2.4 GHz signal on this router, but it can connect to the 5 GHz signal/SSID. (I have named these separately to avoid confusion during set up of my IOT devices.)

One of the fixes I read about for Home Assistant in this case, was to try disabling UPnP on my router, and if that didn't work, to disable IPV 6. I would indeed like to try enabling and disabling these and having a general tinker in the settings. But as I mentioned before, the settings available to the user in the new (Sagemcom) router you sent, even the 'advanced' settings, are beyond basic. I would very much appreciate it if I could be given access to the same level of settings that you guys clearly have access to.

Can you please tell me which version of this router I have?

 
Also, do I have the latest firmware version for this router?

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks. Could you try factory resetting the router and then try connecting the speakers again. Please let us know how you get on - Restore your router to factory settings - TalkTalk Help & Support

Chris

[jebus1967]

They connect directly. They essentially use a trimmed down version of Android OS. (Although, in my case, with no screen. You can get some GH versions with screens though).

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks. Sorry, I don't know much about google home devices, do they connect through a hub of some kind or directly to the router individually?

Chris

[jebus1967]

No errors, just continuous spinning lights when the Google Home App says 'trying to connect'. My Home Assistant instance (as above) cannot connect to this WIFI at all either. I edited my post above btw.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK. What happens when you try to connect the google home speakers, do you get an error message?

Chris

[jebus1967]

Chris forget the other thread. I have since ditched the additional 3rd part router on account of some family members disliking all the additional clutter. All I have is the router you recently sent me and the G.Fast hub. Also, everything I'm trying to connect to this router complains it has 'weak security'. Is that normal? I want to set my security to WPA-PSK, as some of my devices require this.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

I've had a look at the other thread. So just to confirm, the 3rd party router will only work if connected to the TalkTalk hub and not when connected directly to the Openreach modem?

Chris

[jebus1967]

Only just developed in terms of the most recent router you sent? Then yes.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@Chris-TalkTalk, the issue continues from problems here:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Full-Fibre/I-have-bought-a-new-router-do-I-still-need-the-old-on...

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi jebus1967,

I'm sorry but we don't have a different make/model of router that we can supply. Is this a problem that's only just develped?

Chris

[jebus1967]

I just want to clarify that I am now having another issue with this router, in that all 4 of my Google Home speakers refuse to connect to it, no matter what I try. (And I have tried many, many things. Including of course resetting them) This router was sent to me in an effort to resolve an issue where my previous router would lose connectivity, maybe once each day and need a reboot. It was a somewhat minor, but annoying issue. However, I never had issues connecting devices to it. But this router is much, much worse! My Home Assistant home automation on a Raspberry Pie 4 can't connect to its wifi either, hence my original post. The interface is so basic, it's hard to know where to begin to troubleshoot issues. In fact, to be frank, you simply can't. Do you please have a router that puts me back in control and that doesn't suffer from these persistent connectivity issues? Thanks!

[Divsec]

Hi @jebus1967 I can't find anywhere that tt support Ipv6? Are you sure you are looking for something that exists?

Either way your post has been escalated and you should hear Monday from the team. 

Good luck

[jebus1967]

That was dumb of me not to say this. I've updated my post accordingly. But no, I don't use this router. I use the Sagemcom Fast 5364. I cannot recommend this router. TT have locked it down so hard, you need to come to them to ask them to change even very basic user settings (and previously perfectly accessible on other routers). I get that they are almost certainly trying to make their routers 'idiot-proof'. But in doing so they have in fact made this router 'everyone proof'!