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EE Signal Box Issues

paulw189
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎06-06-2013

EE Signal Box Issues

I have a signal box from EE which is a Nokia Siemens Femtocell.
I have an issue in the fact that when I connect it via the plusnet router (technicolor TG582n) it works fine, but when I connect it via my Apple Airport Extreme it just will not connect. I have the AE set up to log in with PPPoE and it connects and works flawlessly apart from this.
I do not want to use the plusnet router, and wondered if anyone knew why this was happening or if there is a workaround to allow this unit to connect?
Cheers
Paul
8 REPLIES 8
MisterW
Superuser
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: EE Signal Box Issues

The FemtoCell units work by establishing a VPN ( usually using IPSec ) to the 3g suppliers network.
I'm not an Apple I'm afraid but I believe there are some issues with VPN passthough on the Airport Extreme. Hopefully some googling or an Apple expert popping in here may be able to advise further.

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paulw189
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎06-06-2013

Re: EE Signal Box Issues

Thanks!
The strange thing is, is that it used to work ok when I was on Virgin Media Cable.
I had their router set in "modem only" mode, and the Airport Extreme handling all the DCHP reservations etc.
Literally the only thing that changed on the AE, was the setting from DCHP to PPPoE and the user/pass, all other settings are the same which is why I am totally stumped on this one  Shocked
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: EE Signal Box Issues

That's a bit odd!. I hadn't appreciated you had it working with the AE in the past. Given that the connection changed from DHCP to PPPoE, I wonder if it could be affected by the MTU setting on PPPoE ?. The default for FTTC ( I assume you're Fibre ? ) should be 1492.

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Townman
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: EE Signal Box Issues

DHCP and PPPoE are quite different aspects of router configuration.
If you have switched off DHCP, then the EE box is not going to have a network address.

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paulw189
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎06-06-2013

Re: EE Signal Box Issues

Quote from: MisterW
That's a bit odd!. I hadn't appreciated you had it working with the AE in the past. Given that the connection changed from DHCP to PPPoE, I wonder if it could be affected by the MTU setting on PPPoE ?. The default for FTTC ( I assume you're Fibre ? ) should be 1492.

Yes it is fibre, but AE doesn't allow me to see or change settings like that so I can't see the exact settings its using.
Quote from: townman
DHCP and PPPoE are quite different aspects of router configuration.
If you have switched off DHCP, then the EE box is not going to have a network address.

I have only switched off DCHP in respect of how the router is connecting to the modem. It is still running in DCHP and NAT mode from an assigning point of view, and I have other devices connected via ethernet without a problem inc a VOIP Vonage line and a bridged airport express via home plugs. AE doesn't allow me to see ethernet connected devices, only wireless so I can't confirm what it's actually doing with it which is a pain  Sad
MisterW
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Re: EE Signal Box Issues

Quote
DHCP and PPPoE are quite different aspects of router configuration

In this case no!. Virgin media use a direct DHCP connection on the WAN to obtain a public IP address whereas most ISP's require PPPoE to connect and obtain an IP.
Quote
Yes it is fibre, but AE doesn't allow me to see or change settings like that so I can't see the exact settings its using.
Typical Apple Roll_eyes
As I said earlier, I'm no Apple expert but googling earlier I did find something reagrding port forwarding and disabling Mobile Me ( or was it 'back to my mac' ? ) on the AE
Hope that might help a bit...

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m5rcc
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎19-06-2013

Re: EE Signal Box Issues

I'm having the same issues running with an Asus RT-N56U router - has there been any work around?
MisterW
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Re: EE Signal Box Issues

@m5rcc, what is the MTU set to on the N56U ?

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