Help switching to ECI modem

[#1]

I’m looking to switch to an ECI B Focus modem (from a hub 1). I’ve bought a 2nd hand one from eBay and have been trying to get it to work.

If I plug it directly into my Mac and do a PPPoE connection with my plusnet details, it connects to the internet no problem (and I got about a 20% speed bump!).

But when I add the device to my network and try to connect to its admin area to add my plusnet login, I can’t reach it. The LAN 1 port is lit up (and works as it’s how I did the direct PPPoE test) but if I ping the default address 192.168.1.1 (I did a hard reset) I get no response. And if I have the hub 1 still on the network (tried it with and without), there’s no extra device shown on the hubs network devices list.

Is it possible that the web server isn’t working on this unit? Or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

[#2]

Other  IPs to try :

192.168.0.1

192.168.0.254

192.168.1.254

[#3]

The device is a modem, not a router. It is not responsible for negotiating the PPP connection (the bit that requires your username and password). By itself, you will not be able to connect to the Internet. To make use of it, you will need to run an Ethernet port between the WAN (red) port on your Hub One to the appropriate LAN port on the modem. And then run the DSL cable from the modem to your phone socket.
I don't think you can unlock the ECI modems to access them by IP without getting handy with a soldering iron.
Out of interest, why have you opted for the modem route anyway?

[#4]

Hi Bob, yeah, I've just realised I was misunderstanding the modem I have. It's in bridge mode, so I just need my Wifi router to be in PPPoE mode and it will provide the login. You learn something new every day Will try that in the morning.

As for the reason: I've using the Hub with wifi turned off as I have a mesh system in the house. So I wanted to try and remove the hub as I only need the modem function. Plus I can screw this modem to the wall, out the way (and it won't illuminate the room at night like the hub does...)

[#5]

I wasn’t able to get this to work as it not possible to set VLAN on Google WiFi. So I either have to put a switch in between the modem and the router or change either the router or the modem.

The cheapest option is the switch, but that gets me back to 3 devices when it should be possible with 2. So the next option is to get a modem which can have the VLAN set in its config.

Am I right in thinking than an unlocked Huawei HG612 3B is capable of having the VDSL login, password And VLAN ID/tagging set in its admin interface?

I also discovered I might have double NAT on my network which could explain the network drops I get on my iPad. If I stick with the Hub 1, I’ll need to sort that. 

[#6]

@burni 

Surely you can set your Mesh system to work in Access Point mode? If so all that you need to do is go back to your Plusnet hub, turn the wireless on it off, plug your Mesh system into one of the Hub LAN sockets and away to go.

[#7]

I wasn’t able to get this to work as it not possible to set VLAN on Google WiFi.

You shouldn't need to. The ECI modem will do the VLAN tagging by default. You just need to configure the PPPoE connection on the Google wifi

[#8]

@Baldrick1 Apparently you can't have Google Wifi in bridge mode while it is operating as a mesh with multiple units.

And although I agree with you @MisterW as when I did a modem test via PPPoE directly connected to my Mac, I didn't have to put in a VLAN tag, Google thinks otherwise. Their official line is that you need a smart switch in between to handle the VLAN tags. Seems like it's a semi common issue with UK ISP and a few in the US. Eero has the same issue apparently.

I'm wondering if something like the Draytek Vigor 130 modem (if I can find a cheap one) would be a solution? It's a VDSL modem but seems to have a setting in the admin to insert a VLAN tag. Anyone have any experience with that?

[#9]

@burni  Can you set the Google Wifi to router mode with PPPoE connection details and connect directly to the ECI modem, I seem to recall seeing this on the forum previously. The VLAN id is set in the modem.

[#10]

@RealAleMadrid You can and that's what I've done. But it's missing a few config setting to add a VLAN tag (101 for Plusnet) and without that, it doesn't work

[#11]

@burni  but you've proved here

And although I agree with you @MisterW as when I did a modem test via PPPoE directly connected to my Mac, I didn't have to put in a VLAN tag,

that the PPPoE connection does NOT need the VLAN ID. The ECI modem automatically inserts the VLAN tag on outgoing packets and strips it from incoming packets. Whatever makes the PPPoE connection does not need or see any VLAN tagging.

[#12]

@burni  are you sure the Google wifi is set for PPPoE , it's default is DHCP apparently

[#13]

@MisterW Yes I noticed that it defaults to DHCP and it seems to be a nightmare to set up. You have to use a phone app which needs the router to be connected to the internet, sounds crazy to me. I suspect the OP has not managed to set up PPPoE router mode. There is a long story here, the Google WiFi had to be connected via another modem/router to get an internet connection to set it up, then connect via the openreach modem.

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/06/switching-from-bt-homehub-to-google-wifi-is-it-worth-the-hassle/ 

[#14]

@RealAleMadrid This https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/6246630?hl=en-GB&ref_topic=9832042 seems to suggest you can set it up without an internet connection (in fact it says remove the cable) by connecting a mobile with the Google wifi app

[#15]

It was definitely in PPPoE. It's quite a faff to switch it over, so I can assure you it was done. When it didn't work the first time, I even did a factory reset on it to make sure it was clear of previous settings.

I'm pretty sure now, that due to whatever limitation they've put in, this isn't possible with what I have. There's a few posts on reddit and Google wifi support about people in the US using the ISP CenturyLink, which also requires VLAN tagging, and no one seems to have got around the limitation. So I'm not alone.

Thanks for the suggestions anyway all.