Cannot get N66U to detect internet connection.

[RMerlin]

Don't enable PPPoE Passthrough on the router. This option is only if you want the router to allow PPPoE connections from a PC to go through the router.

 

[digilog5]

Same thing here:

I got an Asus rt-n66U to be used with a Draytek Vigor 120v1 in DSL. (thats my second rt-n66 as I have another one in another location working great with cable but not with DSL).

No matter how much I fiddled with it and the Draytek (in PPoa/PPoE bridge mode) there was no way to get it connect to WAN. I enter all login details correctly and it just doesn't connect even after waiting 5 minutes. The Draytek connects fine by itself to the ISP in zero time. It almost seems as the Asus doesn't pass the PPoA login details properly upstream. I returned the modem to get a Vigor120v2 in case that is the issue but i am still puzzled.

In a third location I maintain a Draytek 2920n router with a Vigor 120v2 (bridge mode) and these connect right away with PPoE. Something seems really buggy with PPoE and the RT-n66U (220 Asus firmware). Perhaps Tomato f/w passes the PPoE login info properly. I could only make the Asus useful by turning it to AP and connecting it to the Vigor120v1, with the Vigor handling the login to the ISP.

 

[Enigma69]

Just noticed the PPPoE option on the Vigor is ticked but selection is disabled

 

[katabatik]

Thanks for all the help. I've passed the last 10 hours of my existence (yes, ten) trying to make this work, to no avail.

I then tried Enigma69's settings, left the username and password fields blank on the Vigor (protocol was PPPoE; Encapsulating Type was LLC/SNAP; PPP Authentication was PAP or CHAP, always on; DHCP server disabled). The Asus router managed to establish connection and get an WAN IP, albeit only for a few seconds (less than a minute). Then it disconnected for about 5 min, then it connected again for a few seconds more and so forth. During those brief seconds of joy, I tried opening web pages to check if I could actually surf the web, but no.

So, before I grab a sledgehammer and end this nerve wrecking nightmare with a bang , are there any more suggestions?

Enigma69 which firmware are you using? Official? Tomato? Other? A different firmware is about the only thing I haven't tried yet (and that sledgehammer fix )

 

[Enigma69]

Currently running RMerlins 3.0.0.4.200.18, prior to that I used Shibby's Tomato v100 MEGA

 

[digilog5]

katabatik,

Which firmware do you use? I really hope we get to the bottom of this. Something tells me its f/w related.

Might also try to write your password first to a raw text editor in windows and copy paste it in the router's config box. Sometime ago (actually with the Vigor 120V1) I had trouble loging to the ISP, and at the direction of the ISP's helpline, they suggested me to do that and it worked...go figure...

Perhaps a different (older) f/w may do the DSL log in trick.

 

[katabatik]

katabatik,
Which firmware do you use?

On my Vigor120 v2 I use Draytek's firmware v3.2.6. On my RT-N66U I'm running RMerlin's firmware v3.0.0.4.200.18b, prior to that I used the official ASUS firmware v3.0.04.220.

As for your suggestion regarding the password, I already knew that, but thanks anyway. I guess it has to do with font type/size.

Anyway, I tried making it all work again with RMerlin's firmware but got the same result: it connects for about one minute, gets a WAN IP, disconnects for about 3 minutes connects for about 1 minute again (gets another WAN IP), and so forth.

So, conclusions? It seems that the modem is in pass through mode and the router is being able to authenticate and get an IP address from my ISP, however, it disconnects after about one minute for unknown reasons. During that minute of connection I have no actual internet access, in spite off having a WAN IP. I even tried turning off all of the firewalls (modem, router and pc), but no luck.

I'll probably be able to borrow another modem next Monday (a TP-Link or a D-link, don't know yet). That, at least, should clear the doubt of whether it is a modem or router related problem.

Enigma69 What type of protocol does your ISP use? PPPoA or PPPoE?

Just for the record my ISP uses PPPoE with LLC encapsulation, VPI 0 VCI 35 and I'm on a ADSL2+ line.

 

[xrecar]

I have the same problem. It seems that reinstalling rmerlins fw is the only solution for me when the router goes into its "disconnected" mode. I noticed this problem as soon as the ddns aicloud was implimented. I also notice when things go haywire, my Mac addy clone number has changed even if I go back through setup, reinstall is the only thing that works.
I posted about this problem maybe 3 weeks ago.

 

[katabatik]

I've just installed Shibby's Tomato v101 MEGA keeping the same settings I used previously on the Vigour120. This time I couldn't even establish a connection and get a WAN IP. I'm fed up with this.

I'm still waiting for my friend to lend me his TP-Link ADSL modem. If that doesn't work, I'm out of ideas and I'll be stuck with a fairly expensive router that doesn't work. Maybe it is a protocol based problem, like some suggested earlier in this thread.

What about you guys? Have you tried some new settings/firmwares (or old firmwares for the matter)?

 

[digilog5]

There must be something in the Asus then.
Your last symptom, was exactly as mine. The RT-n66u couldn't even detect the WAN, via the Vigor120v1 in bridge mode.

Katabatik, did you try to access the net, only with the Vigor modem (without the Asus in between?) - Did you make sure it works this way first?

Would a different MTU setting do anything? Still waiting for the new Vigor 120v2. Everything worked fine with the Vigor120v1 as modem, router and the Asus as Accesspoint but that was a last resort. I was hoping that the Tomato would be functioning but as you said it didn't.

I know these modems are very reliable so I dont think it is the modem. I am sure you have the Vigor and the Asus in separate subnets -right?

I just looked at the PPoE settings of my remote Draytek 2920n router, connected to a Vigor120V2, in case its of any help to you:
-WAN connection mode is set to ARP (the 2920n router has option ARP or ping detect mode)
-MTU 1442
-PAP or CHAP authentication.

In the 120v2 I have PPoA, multimode,ppoe passthrough enabled, dhcp dissabled, all firewalls down. Perhaps an older tomato or Merlin may work?

Also for PPoA dsl you may need to leave the "Service Name" entry empty in the Asus: http://www.draytek.net.nz/draytek/support/passthrough/

 

[katabatik]

Katabatik, did you try to access the net, only with the Vigor modem (without the Asus in between?) - Did you make sure it works this way first?

That is the way I'm connect to the net as I write these lines. Actually, that is the way I've been connected to the net since this all mess begun. As a modem, the Draytek Vigor120's performance has been faultless so far.

I know these modems are very reliable so I dont think it is the modem. I am sure you have the Vigor and the Asus in separate subnets -right?

Exactly.

I just looked at the PPoE settings of my remote Draytek 2920n router, connected to a Vigor120V2, in case its of any help to you:
-WAN connection mode is set to ARP (the 2920n router has option ARP or ping detect mode)
-MTU 1442
-PAP or CHAP authentication.

In the 120v2 I have PPoA, multimode,ppoe passthrough enabled, dhcp dissabled, all firewalls down. Perhaps an older tomato or Merlin may work?

Also for PPoA dsl you may need to leave the "Service Name" entry empty in the Asus: http://www.draytek.net.nz/draytek/support/passthrough/

Yep, that is pretty much the same, except for the PPoA on the 120v2, since my ISP uses PPPoE (check my previous messages) and ARP on the router. I even tried using PPPoA on the 120v2(of course it didn't work, but why no try everything). The farther I got was that cycle of getting a WAN IP for 1 minute, loosing the connection, getting another IP after 2-4 minutes, loosing the connection again, etc.

We need a solution for this. We didn't buy this router because we needed a new toy (well, no just because of that... ) but because we need a router.

Either I find a satisfiable solution for this problem or it is goodbye to Asus. Other people have reported problems with PPPoE in other Asus modems and is not my first experience with Asus products not working due to buggy firmware.

 

[katabatik]

Problem solved

Hi guys

Contrary to our initial beliefs, this is not a firmware related problem, but a modem related one.

Today I borrowed a TP-Link TD-8610 ADSL modem from a friend and the minute I plugged it to the RT-N66U it immediately connected to the internet.

The TD-8610 is a Bridge Modem. It a completely dumb modem that works in bridge mode only. There is little or nothing you can configure in it, apart front protocol and encapsulation. It doesn't have the ability to authenticate, no firewall, nothing. As stupid as it gets

I've tried this modem with the latest firmwares from Asus, Merlin and Shibby's Tomato MEGA on the RT-N66U. All worked flawlessly with the firmware's default settings. No tweaking, no trial and error, no headaches, nothing! I immediately ran to a computer shop that still had one of these in stock (the TD-8610 has been discontinued but I found some guys who still had one in stock), came back home, plugged it in and promised myself I would never sneer on TP-Link products again.

So, my friends, do borrow a modem or get a cheap modem on eBay, a flea market, etc. and try it with your router. Remember: the simpler, the better. The Vigor120 is a wonderful piece of hardware and I am sure, much more reliable than the TP-Link, but the fact is that it doesn't work well with the RT-N66U, at least not with mine. My guess is that the Vigor's firmware is prone to incompatibilities with the Asus firmwares, hence the reports of problems with firmware changes. Albeit, I'm not throwing my Vigor away. Who knows if it will work with a new firmware version?

Update

It works flawlessly with the D-Link DSL-320B modem too (firmware EU_1.22). Just turn the modem's DHCP server off, set to bridge mode and you're good to go.

 

[digilog5]

RT-N66U with ADSL2 modem

This is a followup to some older posts re. compatibility of the RT-N66 with bridge modems such as the Draytek Vigor 120.

I have had great success with Draytek modems connected to Draytek VPN routers. For one installation I had tested the Vigor 120 (v1) in bridge mode with the RT-N66 and no matter what I did there was no connection. That was with the 220 Merlin FW.

I changed the Vigor 120V1 for a Vigor 120 V2 (and also bought a cheap TP-link bridge modem as backup). Upgraded the Asus to latest 264.22 and tried again with the Vigor. Connection is supposed to be PPPoA to ISP, so the Vigor does PPPoE to PPPoA translation.

First time plugged in, nothing worked -as previously. The modem was connecting and sensing the ADSL, the asus was showing IP but no actual connection.

Tried the TP-Link and got the same results... nothing.

Then it struck to me to change DSL mode from PPPoA to PPPoE login which is also supported by the ISP at my location. It worked within minutes!
However I noticed slow speeds (possibly PPPoE is not optimal) so tried to go back to PPPoA. Fiddling with the settings I also realized that the Service Name entry in the Asus (the asus provides the credentials for the dsl connection) may or may not be required even by the same ISP, depending on the connection if its PPPoA or PPPoE.
When I connected PPPoE with the service name, the Asus connected immediately. I then switched back to PPPoA (not expecting success, as it didn't work previously) and also deleted the ISP Service Name from the credentials. This time everything worked.

I did not continue testing the TP-Link modem as the Draytek worked.
I unplugged the pair Draytek-Asus few times to test the reconnection, and the pair connected to ISP immediately within seconds. However I do agree that something is finicky in the way that PPPoE is handled by the Asus. I think patience is needed for this setup but works.

Thanks