Info on converting Billion ADSL routers to full WAN router

I have found this brilliant information on how to convert Billion 74xx routers to a full WAN router using telnet. It disconnects the RJ11 WAN port and then converts one of the RJ45 LAN ports as a WAN port. So then you can share NAT and get full use out of the router when connected to an Openreach router.

The important information is on page 5:-
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=9...

It would be good to know how easy this would be to configure it to FTTC products here when connected to an Openreach VDSL2 modem. As the information is from an Australian forum.

Edited by deleted (Mon 11-Jun-12 20:56:16)

A quick skim-read seems to suggest that it's expecting to be connected to a modem that's in bridge mode. That is to say that the modem has already handled authentication and will hand out the WAN IP address via DHCP.

I'm not sure whether the Billion can pass the authentication information to the BT Openreach modem using that configuration. Therefore that might well be a challenge to overcome! You could always speak to Billion support; they're trying to get their 7800 working with Sky's MER authentication, they might also be willing to help out with the 74xx series working at all with other Openreach products.

In reply to a post by blueacid:

A quick skim-read seems to suggest that it's expecting to be connected to a modem that's in bridge mode. That is to say that the modem has already handled authentication and will hand out the WAN IP address via DHCP.

I'm not sure whether the Billion can pass the authentication information to the BT Openreach modem using that configuration. Therefore that might well be a challenge to overcome! You could always speak to Billion support; they're trying to get their 7800 working with Sky's MER authentication, they might also be willing to help out with the 74xx series working at all with other Openreach products.

Billion already have working "Sky" firmware for their 7800N router. The next on the list is the 8200N VDSL router which should have the beta firmware available by the end of this week or early next week.

I have a 7404VGP router and it is not on the Billion list below that is why I am looking into converting the RJ11 WAN port to a RJ45 WAN port.

http://www.billion.uk.com/esupport/index.php?/Knowle...

The ones with an EWAN port can be used to replace the BT Home Hub 2.

http://www.billion.uk.com/esupport/index.php?/Knowle...

The 7800N is already on the list and can be used with Sky MER authentication as they updated the firmware.

http://www.billion.uk.com/esupport/index.php?/Knowle...

Edited by deleted (Tue 12-Jun-12 12:34:04)

Well I contacted Billion and the information they gave to me and confirmed unofficially is the original information that I gave in this link to convert the LAN port.

Here are the CLI commands needed for an ISP using a BT FTTC type connection (p1-4 vlanmember may have different hex values).

transports delete wanlink
port ethernet set p1vlanmember 0x7
port ethernet set p2vlanmember 0x7
port ethernet set p3vlanmember 0x7
port ethernet set p4vlanmember 0x8
port ethernet set vlan enabled
port ethernet set switchreset true
pppoe add transport wanlink dialout eth 1 ethernet1
pppoe set transport wanlink username <username>
pppoe set transport wanlink password <passwd>
ip attach ipwan wanlink
system config save
system restart

Replace the username and password with the one you get given.

I can confirm this worked on the router as I have just had FTTC installed but you will be limited to using a 40/2 or 40/10 profile. As the WAN to LAN limits the data download speed to roughly 35mb/s and you get the full upload speed of about the same.

This will NOT work with an 80/20 profile so a newer router is required which is what I am going to have to do.

In reply to a post by whosyagamer:

I can confirm this worked on the router as I have just had FTTC installed but you will be limited to using a 40/2 or 40/10 profile. As the WAN to LAN limits the data download speed to roughly 35mb/s and you get the full upload speed of about the same.

This will NOT work with an 80/20 profile so a newer router is required which is what I am going to have to do.

Which router are we talking about here. If it's the 7800N, Billion have confirmed that it will support 80/20 with the latest firmware although there is a speed issue if QoS is used.

This information is originally for the 7404 series which are without a proper WAN or EWAN port on it. Then using telnet CLI commands to hack it and convert one of the LAN ports.

And you can't speed it up by turning off QoS as on the 7800N?

Users were complaining about initial figures for the 7800N of around this yet Billion have confirmed that it will route up the about 90Mb/s with QoS turned off.

I have tried quite a few things on it and came across information about the QoS but have so far been unable to switch it off and solve the issue. Billion tech won't help anymore as I have been given an unofficial reply of how to make it work, but because what I am doing is not supported as I was using CLI commands.