DSL-AC68U No DSL light

[Neocray]

Hello there,

I've very recently acquired a refurbished DSL-AC68U to get rid of my ISP box.

I've made a mistake at first, which is to directly flash the last Merlin firmware, without first testing it out of the box.
The problem is that the modem never catches the DSL signal. The DSL led does not even light at start.

As the cable coming with my ISP bundle does not fit in the DSL port, I tried two different other cables with no luck.

I've performed several resets, the last one coming after a reflesh of the last original Asus firmware.

In the end, I've performed step 1 to 7 of the nuclear reset, step 7 ending with the fail of finding a DSL signal.

Did I made something badly wrong?
Could it be possible that it is actually an hardware malfunction?

Thanks for reading!

 

[L&LD]

You can't flash the RT-AC68U RMerlin firmware on to a DSL-AC68U router and expect the DSL part to work.

You need to flash the RMerlin fork from @GNUton instead.

Afterward, make sure you perform a full M&M Config (see link in my signature below) to give your new router/modem the defaults it needs.

https://ftp.snbforums.com/threads/dsl-ac68u-asuswrt-merlin-builds-for-dsl-routers.55985/

 

[Neocray]

Thanks for your answer!

You can't flash the RT-AC68U RMerlin firmware on to a DSL-AC68U router and expect the DSL part to work.

You need to flash the RMerlin fork from @GNUton instead.

I may not have been clear, but I indeed flashed the DSL-AC68U firmware from GNUton.

Afterward, make sure you perform a full M&M Config (see link in my signature below) to give your new router/modem the defaults it needs.

Right. But once again, it may have not been clear, but the start of the M&M config is actually the same than the nuclear reset procedure from you, and it still stucks at : "Use the wizard to connect to your ISP."
There is no DSL signal, not even DSL light at boot . All the other LEDs light up briefly when starting the router.

 

[L&LD]

Okay, in that case, just flash the official Asus firmware then and do a full reset to factory defaults afterward. It may be a hardware issue with this refurb.

 

[Neocray]

Did that already with your nuclear reset. Still the same, unfortunately. :/
As a matter of detail, I've used the last original Asus firmware (3.0.0.4.384_81981 from 31/12/2019).

 

[Sobster88]

You may need to call your ISP to register the new modem on their system. With my ISP if I upgrade my modem I have to call then, provide the make, model, and MAC so they can register it before service is provided to the unit.

 

[Neocray]

Well, there are settings precisely to mimic the original ISP modem.
But the problem actually occurs BEFORE even registering. The modem doesn't catch DSL signal. Even if it was a register problem, the modem would show a sync signal.
Moreover, there is no way my ISP would allow that, actually. Very few French ISPs would officially authorise the use of an other device than the one they provide. Even if it is not that unusual.

 

[Grisu]

Take it for what it is: that your DSL-port is somehow broken, port or DSL-chip.
Signal has to be found as first step and then sync, regardless of your ISP and registration.

 

[Neocray]

All right then, I'll ask for a RMA.

 

[Neocray]

The router has been exchanged, and again, the one I received doesn't light up the DSL led at startup.

Is it bad luck or is it the normal behaviour?

 

[L&LD]

It could be pointing to other issues on your network, or it could be bad luck.

Did you test this one as shipped?

Did you flash the @GNUton firmware and followed that by a full reset to factory defaults?

You will need to detail your steps so we don't need to guess what you're tried (or haven't tried) already.

 

[Grisu]

I think your DSL-line isnt compatible with this router, maybe G.fast or Vplus or similar non-supported protocol.
Or you are using only the wrong cable and connectors, on the router it is a 6 pin plug and a-b from line has to go to the middle pins of the connector.

 

[Neocray]

I only took the modem, and plugged in on sector and nothing else, then press the ON button to check which led lights show up, and that's all.
All leds briefly light, except "DSL", "USB3" and "W-Fi 2.4GHz".

The protocol on my line is VDSL2 17a.
I can't double check the cables I use, because my ISP modem and the AC68U don't have the same DSL port, I previously tried two different other cables with no luck though.

 

[Joshuajackson]

The router has been exchanged, and again, the one I received doesn't light up the DSL led at startup.

Is it bad luck or is it the normal behaviour?

May be a stupid question but are you putting your info correctly? It may be that your username or password is incorrect. Just want to make sure.

Sent from my SM-A505W using Tapatalk

 

[Grisu]

He doesnt need any username or pw for DSL syncing!

So I think you need a correct cable.
Whats different, usually they all use RJ-11 6P2C and line on middle pins.
Show pictures of both ends and which other working modem do you have to compare ports?

 

[Joshuajackson]

He doesnt need any username or pw for DSL syncing!

So I think you need a correct cable.
Whats different, usually they all use RJ-11 6P2C and line on middle pins.
Show pictures of both ends and which other working modem do you have to compare ports?

R u sure? Because mine only turns on when I'm logged into my PPPOE account.

Sent from my SM-A505W using Tapatalk

 

[Grisu]

R u sure? Because mine only turns on when I'm logged into my PPPOE account.

OK, you may have to fill in something to get it started at all.
Didnt take care that his modem never ran before on a line.
Cant test it now as I've been upgraded to Vplus and sold mine.

Could you please be so kind and test it with changed username or pw?
Then it should sync, but without internet connection.

If it is like you say there cant be any bridge mode (modem only mode) where you set credentials on the client side or the router behind the modem.

 

[Neocray]

Guys, you were going too fast on my debugging.
As I stated in #13, there wasn't any cable plugged in other than alimentation. I only wanted to know if it was normal that the DSL led didn't light at startup, as it was one of the symptoms of the previous modem and I was suspecting a faulty behavior.
Now, I found elsewhere that it is indeed a normal behavior. The led only lights when the DSL port detects a signal.

So, only then, I plugged in the line cable.
And the modem actually finds a signal and catches a sync.

However, I went through the setup wizard, and ended with no connection. Sync is OK, though, even if the max rates are quite worser than actual (by roughly 10%).
The login informations are correct (it was basically a c/c from my actual modem interface), but it says that the distant server doesn't respond.

 

[Grisu]

You may need to set a VLAN ID (in TV settings). Contact your ISP or look at old modem settings or ask in local forum.

 

[Neocray]

About that, it is said on forums that my ISP does not use VLAN settings, because they don't use 802.1Q, which the DSL-AC68U has correctly detected.
And this is confirmed in the old modem settings, where VLAN ID appears nowhere.

I've put the MAC address of my ISP modem in the Asus interface, also.