Running Vodafone Ultra Hub off TP-Link Router solely for landline phone

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › Running Vodafone Ultra Hub off TP-Link Router solely for landline phone

infovariable

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#306447 23-Jul-2023 23:42

Apologies in advance, I know this has been discussed at length on here already but I've read all of the other threads but 2 days later I'm still banging my head against a wall!

I want to replace my parents Vodafone Ultra Hub (VANT-9) due to poor wireless performance. Have installed a TP-Link (Archer AX1500) which is connected directly to the ONT, working great.

My parents are almost ready to drop it, but ideally they want to keep the landline. From my reading on Geekzone I was planning to daisy-chain the VANT-9 off the AX1500 with VLAN (ID 10 + tags) and DHCP enabled and use it as a glorified ATA but... no dice. The VANT-9 isn't picking up an IP.

I have WAN of VANT-9 connected to LAN of AX1500.
Have tried connecting VANT-9 to ONT directly to acquire SIP credentials then switching back to LAN off AX1500 but it made no difference. Voda router into the ONT and the phone always works fine.
I've tried power cycling the ONT, the AX1500 and the VANT-9 in various orders but also no luck.
VLAN is active and set to NZ preset of AX1500 (ID 10 on all LAN ports and sending 802.1Q tags).
WAN on VANT-9 is set to IPoE and Dynamic IP, VLAN ID 10 here too.
The DHCP on the AX1500 is active.
The LAN IP of the VANT-9 isn't in the DHCP pool range of the AX1500.

What am I missing here? I read something about things not working until you assigning the DNS manually but not to the Router's IP. I don't 100% follow what that should be set to – will having it set to Cloudfare's do, or am I missing the point?

I know that this setup isn't officially supported by One NZ but I'm interested if it simply will not work with this hardware setup or if I've missed something really obvious.

Thanks in advance if anyone can point me in the right direction.

Goosey

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#3107399 24-Jul-2023 06:45

Would you consider going the other way?

i.e. keep the ultra hub as the main router, use the tp link as an access point only?

MaxineN

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#3107401 24-Jul-2023 07:03

Whilst it's possible https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=300859

It's absolutely not supported and the ultra hub is one of the most harder ones to do it(as it's locked down).

Ultrahub isn't that bad in wifi performance it's a huge upgrade from the 659 do it's interesting to hear you're having issues with it. Is it range?(super wifi) or just straight up performance (throughput and stability)?

As goosey suggests you could go ONT > UH > then your tp link in access point mode and turn off the wifi of the ultra hub.

If you want to ditch the UH then you'll need to port it away to a provider that can give you a ATA or provision it on the ONT.

Doing what you want to do is asking for trouble and we will just ask you to revert it in any troubleshooting. Also if we have to do any changes to the SIP line it won't push down if it's anything but the assigned router as your gateway.

Hope this helps.

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

robjg63

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#3107406 24-Jul-2023 07:37

infovariable:

My parents are almost ready to drop it, but ideally they want to keep the landline.

I would hazard a guess that they have a mobile phone then?

How about moving their number to a VOIP provider and setting it up on a mobile, OR just redirect to a mobile number if they are just worried people may be trying to call them on the 'landline'.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

infovariable

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#3107523 24-Jul-2023 11:06

Thanks all for the replies.

@Goosey AP mode on the AX1500 is a good call. I think I was too zoomed-in on banging this square peg into a round hole I didn't think about that. I did try this config without AP mode and it didn't like it either. Will give it a go.

@MaxineN Thanks for your help, your replies on several other threads (including that one) were really useful. Both wireless coverage and throughput issues with the Ultra Hub – dropped in the tp-link and they all went away!

@robjg63 Yes exactly, just a mental thing for them (like many others it seems). Good suggestions though, I'll run em up the flagpole with them and see what they think.

Just out of technical curiosity, any ideas where is my current layout falling down? It sounds like the older Vodafone supplied Huawei router was able to do this by disabling VLAN (which isn't an option on the Ultra Hub).

cyril7

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#3107529 24-Jul-2023 11:18

Hi, I believe the ATA is bound to the vlan, if you disable it, you no longer have in interface that it expects to connect via. I suspect the firmware is rodgered so you cannot work around it, hence in the couple of instances I have made it work I have just presented a lan subnet on vlan10 to the WAN of the Ultra Hub and away it went, but that would be too much for the AX1500 it does not have the ability of more capable routers with regards to interface config.

Cyril

shk292

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#3107574 24-Jul-2023 13:58

I switched my landline from ISP to 3rd party VOIP provider, saving $8 per month. Then you can also use any ATA or IP phone connected to the LAN instead of being tied to ISP equipment.

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

infovariable

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#3108089 25-Jul-2023 20:55

cyril7:
Hi, I believe the ATA is bound to the vlan, if you disable it, you no longer have in interface that it expects to connect via. I suspect the firmware is rodgered so you cannot work around it, hence in the couple of instances I have made it work I have just presented a lan subnet on vlan10 to the WAN of the Ultra Hub and away it went, but that would be too much for the AX1500 it does not have the ability of more capable routers with regards to interface config.

Cyril

Ah that makes sense, thanks for the info.