ditching Nowtv router for hg612/RT-AC68U

Just got NowTV (38mb vdsl) but their router (nowtv hub 2) is pretty poor, cannot run openvpn, only has 2 ethernet ports and the wifi is [censored].

I want to use my HG612 and RT-AC68u (with Merlin) instead. I have tried googling it and it seems Sky and Nowtv might use some sort of different authentication (and I have no idea if the RT-AC68U can support it). I found a site which suggests you can plug in your LAN MAC and default wifi password from the nowtv hub 2 and it will tell you the username and password to use on other routers. Tried this but didn't work, I still keep getting chaps authentication errors when the Asus is set to PPPoE.

I don't think the hub2 can run in modem mode. Assuming getting the Asus to connect via the HG612 is not possible. Is there a way I can just connect the Asus to the hub2 so that I can still use the asus wifi, lan ports and openvpn? Or is there another way to get the Asus and HG612 to work on nowtv/sky?

Edited by Ewok (Tue 31-Jul-18 13:26:46)

This Link may help! But not very encouraging.

Yeah seen that. was not much use. there seems to be no definitive answers anywhere on any of it. some places say Sky uses MER for authentication (whatever that is) and that PPPoE will not work, some places like that link suggest it can still work over PPPoE.

It seems the RT-ac68u with Merlin firmware should work but I am not sure if I need to do something to tell it to use MER to connect, there seems to be no options for this. Amd the site I found that should tell me what the password is (and which several people said worked fine, as late as Feb or March this year) simply did not work as the router still says chaps authentication failed, so I don't know whats wrong with it.

Just found a few more posts about it with a few things I can try so will have go at that tomorrow.

Edited by Ewok (Tue 31-Jul-18 19:33:35)

The important part is DHCP Option 61.
Bottom of the WAN page on the Merlin firmware.
I'm not 100% in what settings you need to enter though.

Not with Sky/NowTV myself but know a few ppl who use the RT-AC68U with them.

Yeahs thats where I was going wrong I think, I was putting the details into the username and password boxes, instead of the option 61 bit at the bottom. Going to try it later but I expect it will then work.

In reply to a post by Ewok:

Yeahs thats where I was going wrong I think, I was putting the details into the username and password boxes, instead of the option 61 bit at the bottom. Going to try it later but I expect it will then work.

sky and nowtv use the same network. so all the settings you need to input is on the WAN page:

WAN Connection Type = Automatic IP
Enable WAN = Yes
Enable NAT = Yes
Connect to DNS Server automatically = Yes or No (you can enter your own here i.e. googles)
MTU = 1500
Authentication = None
Host Name = leave blank
MAC Address = I've my now tv hub Mac address here (its not needed though)
DHCP query frequency = Aggressive Mode
Manual clientid (for some ISPs) = [email protected]|anypassword

the username & password as indicated above can be whatever you like as long as its the same format as above i.e.

[email protected]|abcde1234

the settings are the same for sky. just change @nowtv to @skydsl. the may even work with either way.

Edited by BrokenFibre (Wed 01-Aug-18 19:57:42)

Yeah it was the username and password I was using the username and password field instead of the manual clientid box (stupid me for thinking a username and password goes in the username and password boxes!). worked straight away after that, even with @skydsl instead of @nowtv.

The next problem was the vpn wouldn't work, figured out their "broadband buddy" was blocking it so turned that off and its now working. Pretty ironic that Broadband Buddy is meant to make your connection more secure, and yet it blocks the vpn which actually makes it more secure, instead of just blocking a few websites.

Edited by Ewok (Wed 01-Aug-18 19:59:14)

Sorry, just wanted to check before committing to course of action. My uncle wants to improve his wifi coverage i,e, replace the nowtv2 box, so I was about to purchase an unlocked HG612 modem and an Asus router that can take the merlin firmware (AC68U). Apart from the details in the thread above is there any other information I need to set up one or other device? I’m not new to routers just new to DSL as we’ve always had Virgin cable.

Thanks in advance.

It is almost certain that an HG612 will connect around 2Mbps slower than a more modern modem or modem/router. (Note that although ASUS router’s are quite good, their modem/routers are heavily criticised on these forums, so don’t go that way instead).

Sorry to hog your post but i currenty have a RT AC86U and have never heard of merlin software, i always just used the router software it checks for in the update section.