Zyxel VMG1312 & Asus RT-AC68u - No internet

Recently purchased an RT-AC68u to do my routing and wap.

The router came with Merlin and the PPPOE connection would not work.

I have flashed back to 385_1000b stock Asus firmware and still absolutely nothing.

The bridge side I'm pretty sure is fine as my EE Hub works plugged into the WAN connection.

Ive set the VLAN ID on the Asus to 101 and moved it to .254 as my Zyxel is 1.1

It just keeps saying internet disconnected, any ideas?

Edited by wolvesmad (Sun 10-May-20 13:24:01)

That is odd, as Merlin makes no change to the PPPoE side of things as you've found by going back to stock. I would suspect the Zyxel settings. Are you 100% sure the bridge is right on the Zyxel ? Have you connected a PC to test?

I used this guide:
https://kitz.co.uk/routers/zyxel_VMG8324-B10A_bridge...

Yeah I have just done a factory reset on the Zyxel to match the kitz guide.

Looking at the logs on the Asus, it's not getting an IP from the Zyxel.

Can you test the cable? Can you plug in a PC to the Zyxel and see if PPPoE on your PC connects to your ISP?

Just tried my old D-Link and PPPOE is working.

Also tried my HG612 too. Not working on the Asus.

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

Just tried my old D-Link and PPPOE is working.
Also tried my HG612 too. Not working on the Asus.

I guess you have a faulty one? If you have your D-link working, you should be able to plug the ASUS WAN port into a port on the D-Link and it get an IP address, when the WAN type is set to "Automatic IP".

You do have "Enable WAN" set to true?

You can try a hard reset:
https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039077

moved it to .254 as my Zyxel is 1.1[/quite]

In cases where I've done bridging and router uses same IP range on LAN side I've always changed the routers LAN IP range

So if both using 192.168.1.1 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0

I've leave the modem on its default and change the router to use 192.168.0.1 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

I've leave the modem on its default and change the router to use 192.168.0.1 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Well spotted, the Asus could get confused with the LAN on 192.168.1.1/24, and the WAN also on 192.168.1.1/24 (before PPP starts).

Why have you set a VLAN on the Asus? The VLAN is handled by the modem.

You say the Asus does not work with the HG612, which sets the Vlan ID directly in the modem, I don't think there should be any Vlan setup on the router PPPoE connection..

To get the tester I use to work with VDSL I have to set the VLAN to 101, but also a setting marked ‘VLAN priority’ to 1

(who knows, might help)

I cleared the VLAN tag out of the Asus and it instantly got an IP Address and is now working!

All the guides for BT Broadband say you need to put VLAN101 in!

Got there in the end 😁

Yes but that only applies if you are using a combined modem/router not a separate modem. Anyway good to hear it's working.

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

I cleared the VLAN tag out of the Asus and it instantly got an IP Address and is now working!
All the guides for BT Broadband say you need to put VLAN101 in!

The VLAN needs to be on the DSL interface; which the Asus doesn't have, so on the modem, and specifically on the DSL interface, NOT the Ethernet ports.

With that setting, the Asus was looking for an IP from the modem on a specific tagged VLAN, which the modem was not creating - which is why you were not getting an IP.

The Asus works around the world, some internet providers (cable, DSL, full-fibre) in some countries provide a modem with an Ethernet port, and let you connect your own router.

Are there any other settings that need changing on the Zyxel? Firewall, DHCP, NAT etc?

Kitz guide doesn't mention anything like that, so i'm guessing when bridged it ignores / disables them automatically?

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

Kitz guide doesn't mention anything like that, so i'm guessing when bridged it ignores / disables them automatically?

Nope all the other features are bypassed because the PPPoE session passes from the ASUS through the Zyxel to your internet provider. The Zyxel is only doing the change of technology from Ethernet to DSL.

I think the Xyxel, functioning as the modem, needs its firewall on to protect itself? The ASUS not needing its as long as the user devices have adequate software firewalls?

I didn't think the outside world could see the Zyxel when it's in PPPOE bridge mode?

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

I didn't think the outside world could see the Zyxel when it's in PPPOE bridge mode?

Correct, the Zyxel does not have a public IP address, and is invisible to the internet. Openreach, the network provider (e.g. BT wholesale) and your ISP - MIGHT be able to see it.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I think the Xyxel, functioning as the modem, needs its firewall on to protect itself? The ASUS not needing its as long as the user devices have adequate software firewalls?

The ASUS is handling the internet connection, is asigned the public IP (v4 and/or v6) and has both NAT and a firewall feature. This is boundary of the home network. Identical to using any other home router (aka. "gateway").

Software firewalls often don't add much value, unless you configure them for outbound and then they annoy people so they click "allow always". Go back to ZoneAlarm on Windows 98, the real requirement was in the US where people had PCs directly connected to modems without any router.

My second question now is if my Asus is on 192.168.1.1 with a DHCP range starting at 100 and my Zyxel is 192.168.1.2, how do I access the Zyxel from any device on the LAN / WLAN.

Saves me from sitting next to the Zyxel in the hallway with a cat6 plugged into it.

Plug a second cable between the Zyxel and a LAN port on the Asus.