This topic

Setting up a third party router and modem

aaront263 — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 22:28:40 GMT

I'm in the process of trying to upgrade my home hub to a third party router (Asus ROG Strix AX5400) and modem (TP-Link TD-W9970) and having no luck...

Firstly I set up the modem, it's a router / modem combo but you can put it into bridge mode to work solely as a modem. Tried it out as a full router / modem set up first and it works, connects to the internet, all good. With that confirmed to work I set it into bridge mode, connected it up to the router and then proceeded to set up the router through it's GUI. Entered the 'bthomehub@btbroadband.com username and 'bt' as password, checked the connection type was 'PPPoE' and that should be all I need to do, but it never establishes a connection.

Has anyone got experience with a TP-Link router / modem in bridge mode with an ASUS router? My BT broadband is 'Fibre Broadband (VDSL)', so unsure why it's not working.

When I put my TP-Link into bridge mode I loose internet connection , should that be the case? I feel like the modem set up is what's stopping this from working but i'm not sure, this is the first time i've tried to set up a third party router / modem.

Any help or advice would be appreciated!

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

licquorice — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 22:15:24 GMT

Your mistake is setting the router as PPPoA, for VDSL it is PPPoE

You also need to set the VLAN id to 101 on the modem

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

aaront263 — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 22:28:09 GMT

Actually think it was PPPoE, my mistake I’m back on the BT hub so so couldn’t double check. Fixed my original post now.

Definitely set the VLAN ID to 101 as well. Still didn’t have any luck.

Thanks for the swift response! Appreciate it.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 07:56:28 GMT

You need to identify which device you're issue is with. Assuming you have followed this guide, try a direct PPoE connection from a PC to the TP-Link. If that works you know your issue is with the Asus setup.

Open Control Panel.
Then go to Network & Sharing Centre.
Click on Set up a new connection or network.
Select Connect to the Internet and click Next button.
Click on Broadband (PPPoE).
Enter btinternet@btbroadband.com with no password.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

DavidM — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 09:28:54 GMT

Hi @aaront263 and welcome to our community.

Thanks for posting about setting up your router. Can you try the advice posted by @Anonymous and let us know if that helps?

Cheers

David

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 09:38:01 GMT

I seem to have missed the link to putting the TP-Link in bridge mode.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1332/

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

aaront263 — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:56:48 GMT

Thanks everyone for their help!

I carried out the steps mentioned in peoples replies prior to me publishing this thread, so I can't say there was a particular fix mentioned here but it was good to know what I was doing was correct from the start.

I waited a few days before trying again (just because I couldn't deal with internet downtime this week due to my job), gave it another go yesterday, factory reset both the router and modem, did the exact same steps as I did when I tried to set these up last time and miraculously it worked! No idea why, which is frustrating, but all seems to be okay now.

Cheers!

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

Thejackal — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:39:08 GMT

Hello. I would like to say thank you very much for inadvertently helping me solve an issue with setting up my tp link wd9970.

I didn't realise the generic password even existed let alone was what I had needed to use. Kept on using the admin password and details listed on the bottom if my old router like a complete idiot.

After hours it's finally working!!!! Thank you very very much!!!!!!

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

Camg — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:04:51 GMT

Thanks this helped with getting up a Netgear DM200. Silly me hadn't get the VLAN Id!

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

seabassbluesman — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:23:41 GMT

Hi,

I am receiving a 3rd party router today and will be setting it up.

I've seen in a few places I may need to enter a VLAN(as well as the PPPoE login of Username: bthomehub@btbroadband
Password: BT).

But I can't find how to find out a/my VLAN id. Is it universally 101? And will I need to enter a VLAN?

Many thanks

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:32:34 GMT

@seabassbluesman

VLAN, not applicable to FTTP, only FTTC.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

seabassbluesman — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:37:30 GMT

Thanks! That's great, appreciate your help.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

licquorice — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:21:11 GMT

It's a modem function, not a router function. Hence only required on combined VDSL modem/routers.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

seabassbluesman — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:44:01 GMT

Thanks!

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

seabassbluesman — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:11:24 GMT

Hi, I have just bought a 3rd party router and it won't connect to the Internet. I can connect to the router via my phone but when I try and access the router settings(I was expecting to have to enter bthomehub@btbroadband in the PPPoE settings) but as its not connected to the Internet I can't access the settings.

Is there something I need to do on the BT router settings first?

Just wondering if there's something basic I'm missing.

Thanks for your consideration.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

licquorice — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:18:13 GMT

Unless I'm missing something, you didn't actually say you had fttp @Keith_Beddoe seems to have just assumed you do

Do you in fact have fttp rather than fttc and which router have you bought and how have you connected it,?

Just re-read your post. You don't need to be connected to your broadband to be able to access the router settings.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

seabassbluesman — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 20:01:57 GMT

Yes, I have FFTP. I have bought the Netgear Nighthawk XR1000. I've connected it to the Openreach ONT.

I was struggling getting to the settings until I saw your message, then I realised the mobile version didn't allow to change the router settings so I clicked on desktop version and managed to enter the PPPoE info and the red light turned to white on the router so it seems to be getting Internet signal now but I still can't connect to the Internet on my phone.

The Web page is really buggy and only shows part of the page and I'm unable to scroll across. I'm going to try and have a look at it on my friends laptop tomorrow. Here's what I'm currently seeing in the attached image.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

licquorice — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:46:14 GMT

All looks ok on screenshot.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

seabassbluesman — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 11:54:22 GMT

I just can't get it to work, there's a led light suggesting there's an Internet connection but on the setup wizard it says it can't detect any bandwidth. I spoke to a local PC repair shop who said he believes BT would have to do something at their end and that to allow the router to work. I spoke to someone at BT yesterday who said they can't do anything and don't advice use of 3rd party routers.

The PC guy said in his experience some days you'll find someone at BT that will help and sometimes not, it's pot luck.

I'm not asking you guys to help me as you've already really helped, just thought I'd update the post. I'll try down the BT avenue, thanks again.

Re: Setting up a third party router and modem

licquorice — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 12:08:19 GMT

The PC guy is talking absolute tosh and should be ashamed to call himself a PC technician. He clearly knows nothing.

Countless people use third party routers with no problems whatsoever, BT do not have to make any changes to allow third party routers.

I suggest you factory reset the router and set it up again.