Using a modem and Ubiquiti USG - settings

[RichardW2]

Hi, my Talk Talk connection has stopped working with my modem and router - a Draytek Vigor130, and a Ubiquiti USG.  

All was working well until a week or so ago when the connection dropped.  It seems there was an external fault, but eventually that seems to have got resolved and I have got the Vigor130 to connect again to the TalkTalk network - i.e. I have a constant DSL light which should mean the service has bound to the modem.  

My problem is in the USG/Cloud Key Controller.  When I look at the Talk Talk line the light in the controller is Green, which usually would mean it's connected.  However the IP address is shown as 0.0.0.0.  Also the connection shows up as a Light Green in the port connections display, not the darker green I can see on my other internet connection and on the LAN.  

In terms of the settings I'm using in the USG/Cloud Key Controller, I have not set VLAN tagging nor Smart Queues nor UPnP.  I'm trying to use IPv4 only and using DHCP not PPPoE.  

Any ideas where I may be going wrong?  

[RichardW2 · Accepted solution]

@KeithFrench , I finally got it all to work.  Your advice on using the TalkTalk router first as you described did work for me.  I set the LAN to be 192.168.xxx.xx and when I connected that through to my USG router it was able to obtain an IP address in that range.  

Thereafter, I went back again to see if I could get the USG to work with the Vigor 130 and this time it did.  

For future reference, in case anyone is trying to do the same as me, these are the settings that worked:

On Vigor 130:

General Setup - VDSL2 Only, VLAN=101, Priority=0

MPoA - Channel 2, 1483 Bridged IP LLC, VPI=0, VCI=101, Modulation=Multimode; MTU=1492.  

On USG (Cloud Key Settings for Internet Access):

VLAN, Smart Queues, UPnP are all left unchecked.  IPv4 set to DHCPv4 (NOT PPPoA or PPPoE); DNS Server=Auto

IPv6 off.  

[RichardW2]

Agree and I’ll try this tonight. 

[KeithFrench]

Bridge mode simply means it is not a router anymore, just a layer 2 device. I am not suggesting using this mode at all, as you would never be able to get out on the internet. You are possibly getting bridge mode confused with modem mode, neither of which is normally supported by TalkTalk routers anyway.

This setup of mine does work, I use this arrangement a lot when I need to test other routers, without interfering with my main fibre router. 

If your USG is perhaps using 192.168.1.1/24 as its IP address, then configure the TT to say 192.168.2.1/24. Then connect an Ethernet port of the TT to the WAN port of the USG & all should be well. The USG in this case would have a WAN IP address on the 192.168.2.0 network.

[RichardW2]

Not convinced that will work, but have to admit I’ve never tried it. The TT router has always been said to not have a Bridge mode so I’m not sure what will happen if I just plug in to its Ethernet port. I get what you’re saying about putting the TT router on a different network e.g. 192.168.xx.xx and presumably I would expect the router to detect that network and use that as the WAN address? 

Anyway, happy to try it and I’ll post back. 

[KeithFrench]

Thanks for explaining that. I am afraid without these products to test with there is not much more that I can offer. Except of course, use the TalkTalk router in place of the modem, then connect one of its Ethernet ports to the WAN port of the USG router. Just make sure that the TT router's LAN IP address is on a different IP network to the USG router's.

[RichardW2]

Hi Keith, I set up the modem as described in a Talk Talk post I found in the Community. It’s worked fine as it is for ages. 

The Vigor130 is basically just a modem and as I understand it Bridge Mode makes it a passive device to connect a modem-less router out to the internet. For sure, it’s always been working in bridge mode before.

As I said before, the modem seems to me to be working fine, but the handshake between the router and Talk Talk over the modem seems to be going wrong. As I read it, the modem is connecting correctly to Talk Talk (hence SHOWTIME) status, but for some reason the ubiquite USG is unable to obtain an IP address via DHCP.

Yes, I do have two separate lines and ISPs. The network is currently set up just in “failover” mode - i.e. if the prime line goes down, the second line takes over. I’m not trying to load balance between them. This doesn’t require access to a routing table as Ubiquiti implements it in its software so all the user has to do is decide the mode it wants the gateway to operate in. 

[KeithFrench]

Hi @RichardW2 

Further on from this, are you saying that the router is in bridged mode, because that will never work. Any IP packets from your local LAN will never be able to route out to the public WAN IP address (if it had one), as that is on a different IP network. In addition to this I see that you have two fibre links, that is not a problem, but is there a routing table to ensure which WAN link is being used?

[KeithFrench]

Hi @RichardW2 

The one thing that worries me is that the Vigor modem is set up in Bridge Mode. Obviously, I don't know the product, but does this mean it is bridging to the router, or does it have a modem mode?

[RichardW2]

In case this helps at all, this is the page in my router showing the status of the Internet access.  

[RichardW2]

Right, got more information.  

The TT router successfully connects and obtains an IP.  Address is 2.98.XXX.XX, mask 255.255.240.0, gateway 2.98.240.1.  VLAN is 101.  All as I would expect.  So that seems to say the line is OK.  

The Vigor130 seems to have a problem but I'm not sure if the problem is in the router as opposed to the modem.  I have set up so that in the General Setup page, VDSL2  has Tag insertion enabled, and the Tag Value is set to 101, priority 1.  

On the PPPoE/PPPoA section, this is disabled.

On the MPoA/Static or Dynamic IP, this is enabled.  Multi-PVC channel is Channel 2, encapsulation is 1483 Bridged IP LLC, VPI=0, VCI=101, Modulation =Multimode and MTU is 1492.  Bridge Mode is Enabled.  As I understand it, these are the recommended settings?  

As a result of this, the Vigor130 connects to the DSL line and I have a status report saying SHOWTIME with the correct upstream and downstream speeds showing.  The Interface reports DSL as Connected, the WAN also reports as Connected BUT has a White light beside it, and the LAN reports as Connected with a Green light.  The one section that's problematic seems to be the IPv$ section where WAN1 reports VDSL/Static IP - Disconnected.  

In the router, I get the same problems - no WAN ip reported.  

Does this help?  

[KeithFrench]

Yes, if it is the Sagemcom FAST 5364 or 5464, one way is to log into it & go to:-

Dashboard > See internet settings > Manage advanced settings > TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub > Device Info > General

From there scroll down the page to the Network section and look at the Public IPv4 Address.

If it is the Huawei DG8041W, then go to:-

Dashboard > See internet settings > Manage advanced settings 

Click on the graphical display where it says Internet and a panel will be displayed below, where you will see this, under the Network Connection Status..

[RichardW2]

I'm not sure.  Is there an information page in the TT router that identifies the address that's allocated?  R

[KeithFrench]

Hi @RichardW2 

As a final clarification, the TalkTalk router's light is white, but still, no WAN IP address is allocated to it?

[KeithFrench]

Sorry missed one of your replies, I will get back to you later.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @RichardW2 

That is what I thought. Did you see my reply about trying a TalkTalk router?

[RichardW2]

P.S. should also have said - I don’t seem to be getting a WAN ip address allocated as the router is just showing 0.0.0.0 as the WAN up for the connection.  

[RichardW2]

Hi Keith, thanks for getting back to me.  

I do have the Talk Talk router available, yes.  I had it re-connected to the line while Talk Talk diagnosed the fault and fixed it.  Talk Talk are now reporting the line as working correctly to the TT router and I can get the constant white light on it to indicate all is working.  

I’ve not gone back into the TT router to confirm it’s allocated an IP address; I guess I made an assumption that it is…

If you can help me resolve this it would be much appreciated.  As I said, it was all working for some months before this line fault occurred, so I’m a bit stumped why it’s stopped working since the repair.  

Thanks, Richard

[KeithFrench]

Hi @RichardW2 

@Michelle-TalkTalk has asked me to help you with this, but I am afraid I do not have any of this kit, so my help can only be generic.

From what you have said, I assume that your basic problem is that you are not being allocated a WAN IP address to your modem and on to the router. Is this correct?

If so do you have a TalkTalk router that you could connect in place of these two, to prove a point?

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

@KeithFrench Is this something that you may be able to offer some advice on please?

Thanks

Michelle