Digital Voice with different Router

[redvers76]

Have followed these steps to configure my Asus RT-AC86U (merlin f/w), but every single web page lookup is excruciatingly slow. Wasn't sure if it was DNS related, put BT ones directly into Asus, pointed Asus at SH2, nothing made a difference. Speed tests showed up as reasonable speeds, as did playstation updates, but there was a lag before it would start doing anything which is when I am guessing it was trying to find the door 🙂 

Needed to get things up and running for work yesterday so in the end I ripped out my Asus and put the SH2 in it's place as the router for everything. Have then had to spend today going around changing all the wifi setup for my 2G devices (as I had different names for 2G/5G on the Asus!) just to get them back on to the network. And then try setting fixed DHCP assignments for certain devices... and then find there are no parental controls... and despite all this I'm still only getting 300/50 despite paying for the 900 package! (been told it can take a few days to "settle")

So I am now ready to rip out the SH2 and launch it, but I need it for DV and my landline number.

In theory, I can set the landline to divert all calls to my mobile. Ditch the SH2 completely, use the Asus in PPoE mode, and use unlimited mobile minutes for calling out. However, is that diversion "free" or will I be effectively paying for a call to my mobile for every call that comes in to the landline? And if the latter, given that I stuck the 700 minute call allowance bundle on, will it come out of that? (so effectively using that bundle as a way to retain the landline)

(Am not sure if I can port the number out to a VOIP provider while retaining the fibre service in contract. Technically I don't see why not, but it depends on how things are hooked up within the BT systems I guess!)

Alternatively, if I do need to keep the SH2 for the landline, has anyone any ideas how I can resolve the connectivity / DNS issues I was having? I'm tempted to do a complete and total reset of the Asus back to factory settings and start again trying to get it to connect, rather than trying to adjust my previously configured setup...

[guidoliguori]

Hi, my solution ended up being a Fritz router (as used by Zen) and diverting calls to my mobile.  So far, three months in, no additional charges.  I have full control of my settings and no drop in performance.

[redvers76]

Hmmm thanks for that. My wife doesn’t like the forwarding idea though. If there’s an issue with the mobile she wants to be contactable by family still, so putting all the eggs in that basket won’t work... I think I might have to do a full reset of the Asus and see if I can get it working that way...

(Although from reading an unrelated thread about ipv6 dns being enabled as default, I’m now wondering if every request was trying to go out over ipv6, failing, then falling back to ipv4 and working. So now I have switched that one option off it might work out of the box! Typical!)

[colbartram]

@redvers76 

@guidoliguori 

Regarding DNS settings on the existing router - when I was getting my Netgear Nighthawk and SH2 to work together I did not need to know any of the default settings of the SH2. On the Nighthawk, in the basic WAN settings page, I set Gateway and both DNS's to 192.168.1.254, and subnet mask 255.255.255.1    

The hardest part of the process was finding all the items to disable on the SH2; to turn off its DHCP I went My network - change settings - /IPv4 Config

We're on the cheapest package with BT at 50Mb download, but that's fine for two of us streaming video and there's no delay in opening new Web pages.

[redvers76]

The way teenagers are these days they’re consuming multiple media streams concurrently, while on a video call for school and a separate video call with friends... and we have two teenagers in the house! So from my perspective if I was going to pay extra for fibre I may as well pay a little bit more and go all out! 😉

Now I just need to get it all working! Haven’t seen the ipv6 issue mentioned anywhere in getting a separate router working, but *have* seen it in the context of using pihole for dhcp. So suspect it might be the cause of the issue I was having...

[redvers76]

Just to confirm, having set it all up again with SH2 and Asus together, it all works fine.

So an additional step to those listed at the start of this thread :

Under Advanced Settings -> IPv6 -> Configuration, change Allocation mode to Off.

[manchego]

This solution works for me and allows me to use my ASUS RT-AC86U behind the BT Smart Hub 2 with Digital Voice and IP4 traffic forwarded. I have tried to get the AC86U working with IPv6 but have been unsuccessful, probably because I don't fully understand ipv6.

Has anyone managed to do this?

I am running ASUS Merlin-wrt firmware on the router and it has many ipv6 connection types:

Native, Static, Passthrough, FLET's IPv6 Service, Tunnel 6to4, Tunnel 6in4,Tunnel 6rd

Where do I start and what details form the BT SH2 do I need to copy/change to get the AC86U working with ipv6?

Thanks

[BlueMeany]

Can anyone do an updated guide (noticed a couple of additions from original)?

I've not long got FTTP 300 with DV, currently just using SH2 for everything but would like to use my Asus DSL-AC88U as something more than a doorstop.

[carlito000]

Ive got SH2 setup as normal except wifi disabled, one of its Ethernet ports plugged into a POE switch and 2 access points cabled to the switch.

Thats about it tbh.

[manchego]

I have managed to get IPv6 working on my ASUS RT-AC86U behind the Smart Hub2. MY 86U would not establish a VPN connection with my VPN provider unless IPv6 was working and this is the only reason I needed it. The Merlin firmware allows selective routing so I can set it up to only route certain devices through the VPN. The device I am routing through the VPN works fine now, so I have to assume that previous to enabling IPv6 in the way I have was not allowing all traffic through.

On AC86U --> IPv6 -->

Connection Type = Passthrough

Release prefix on exit = Enable

Connect to DNS server automatically = Enable

On the BT SH2 --> Home --> Advanced Settings --> IPv6 --> Pinholes

Create a rule to forward all IPv6 traffic to the ASUS

Rule Type = any-any [can be anything you like, as it's just a description]

Device = select the MAC address of your ASUS [this will only appear after completing the settings above]

External Ports

Start = 1

End = 65535

Protocol = TCP/UDP

Click + to Add it and then Save

That should be it and you can test your IPv6 status at https://test-ipv6.com/