Zen Internet and voip

[GeoffColl]

I have Vigor 130 > ASUS mesh with DSL RT-AX92U & CT8 nodes. Zen Internet through BT landline.

I have upgraded with Zen to include Digital Voice with a sogea connection and thus ditched BT.

Being totally naive I didn't realise how restrictive VOIP was.


When I received the 'free' router from Zen (Fritz!Box 7530 [F!B]), I originally set up the F!B as an ipclient on the ASUS LAN-LAN ethernet connection. The connection
worked, but couldn't provide VOIP.

In the small print, and according to Zen techs, I need to have the Fritz!Box 7530 in place of the Vigor - Ok - at least that gives me VOIP!. Restrictive practice - no?!

But how to keep the ASUS mesh? The F!B as a single unit won't cover the house as well as the ASUS - and why should I landfill a good stable system?

On Sunday I set up the F!B in place of the Vigor, established a connection with Zen and the Wifi broadcast switched off.
LAN on the F!B was cabled to WAN on the ASUS which took an static IP address from the F!B.

For a few minutes all went well, ASUS reported speeds of 70 Down 18 Up - then devices started to drop out on the Mesh, then the ASUS
lost Internet connections. Using the Android ASUS app, diagnosis kept failing at the finding Modem stage.

I then tried ASUS in AP mode - but F!B took over completely, which is not what I wanted as there are too many devices bound to the ASUS.

It took 25 minutes to return the ASUS as it was originally and install it as the Internet connection - sound idea to save the configuration before I start!

I suppose I could return to the AP idea, but change the wifi naming and IP address mask on the F!B to replicate that of the ASUS so, in theory (practice?)
those bound devices will still connect.

But is there any other solution that might work?
Zen techs are not as willing these days to help out with 3rd party items (I've been with them 11 years and they've been great in the past).
If I need further assistance I can call them ........ ! ( when I don't have voip!? )

ASUS tech responded to my email of 8 days ago asking if everything was now working. So asking them in a timely manner is difficult.....

I need VOIP, instead of using a mobile phone, for text-relay services......

 

[AndreiV]

I would be asking at the Thinkbroadband forums , you'll find plenty of Zen Internet users there along with techs that use UK Voip services.

In the small print, and according to Zen techs, I need to have the Fritz!Box 7530 in place of the Vigor - Ok - at least that gives me VOIP!. Restrictive practice - no?!

No, not restrictive practice , just that you can't use Voip without a Voip capable device .

Aside from that you are at present on an FTTC line so you can make use of a Voip adapter for your phone line which will allow you to ditch the Fritz unit.

However once you go FTTP , and that is coming soon , you will be forced to make other arrangements.

 

[GeoffColl]

Thanks - by restrictive I meant, according to Zen I have to use the Fritz!Box!



FTTP is probably, still a way off for us

 

[AndreiV]

Thanks - by restrictive I meant, according to Zen I have to use the Fritz!Box!

Yes because that is the Voip capable unit .

 

[GeoffColl]

and they're not prepared to say any other adapter will work. If it's capable it ought to work as a ipclient of the Asus? It doesn't.