Setting Up HG659 as modem to replace my Vodafone Ultra Hub

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Setting Up HG659 as modem to replace my Vodafone Ultra Hub

alems

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Wannabe Geek

#268132 1-Mar-2020 14:02

Hi Team,

Clearly new here so please go easy XD

I'm on Vodafone Fibre with one of those horrible Ultra Hub's... I've been struggling for a long time trying to get it to work well with Google WiFi to which VF support has been a bit of a joke (Didn't expect much).

Following members advice on this page I decided to pick up Huawei HG659 (Vodafone branded) as I believe they work better with other Routers and can customize more settings on it.

My question is:

What settings do I need to change exactly so my Google WiFi can handle the wireless side (But I can still use the Ethernet ports on the HG659)?

My network at home is a disaster at the moment with this Ultra Hub... And I'm just not quite tech savvy enough dive into the 'nitty gritty' of the settings on these things.

Thanks in advance guys - Love the site and the advice I get from here.

Al.

Spyware

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#2429596 1-Mar-2020 14:07

Turn off the wifi on the HG659.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

alems

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2429597 1-Mar-2020 14:10

Please tell me it isn't that simple? 😂

sbiddle

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#2429603 1-Mar-2020 14:28

The solution for your VF Homehub is also the same. Turn off the WiFi on the Homehub.

alems

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2429610 1-Mar-2020 14:43

I tried turning off the WiFi on the Ultra Hub however the problem I have is devices plugged into the VF Hub have access to the internet but no ability to see them on the WiFi network... And devices plugged into the Google WiFi are seen internally on the network but have no ability to communicate externally.

If I try put the Google WiFi into Bridge mode (which I don't) as a fix to make both work together the Google WiFi randomly loses access to the internet. 🤷‍♂️

sbiddle

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#2429619 1-Mar-2020 14:54

If you want L2 / L3 connectivity between local LAN devices on your VF router and WiFi devices on your Google WiFi it must be in bridge mode. In "normal" mode Google WiFi acts as a 2nd router and you end up with devices connected to Google WiFi with their own subnet behind another NAT layer so connectivity isn't possible.

I'm not a huge fan of Google WiFi, it's not a great solution, nor a great product in general.

The recommended setup is for it to be your primary router, ie it replaces your VF router, and in bridge mode it used to have some fairly major limitations but it's been a long time I've looked at one to see the current state, simply because I have no need because it's not something I'd ever recommend.

alems

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2429623 1-Mar-2020 15:00

Yeah I've had it for years and it solved the problem I had with poor jack placement and not having to run dreaded extenders back in the day.

Appreciate nowadays some much better solutions!

I tried to take the Ultra Hub out completely however I don't think the Google WiFi is capable of being the primary device without some form of Modem in between.

Perhaps using the HG659 instead of the Ultra Hub with Google WiFi in Bridge mode might solve the issue with the "Connected, no internet access" issue I kept suffering when I tried previously.

Edit: Also, You're right... It still has plenty of limitations in Bridge mode sadly!

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alems

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2429703 1-Mar-2020 17:51

Well I gave the HG659 a go with Google WiFi setup in Bridge mode - Unfortunately same fault as before. 😞
Surely I can't be the only one with this issue. Damn!

antoniosk

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#2429704 1-Mar-2020 18:02

1. Factory reset the HG659, so it clears the mac address table and starts the device from fresh. the default settings in the firmware will download from the network and set it up fresh as a daisy with latest firmware.

2. Turn off WIFI on HG659. The thing to remember with the HG659 is there is a 32-device on the number of MAC addresses it can manage, and EVERYTHING you connect to your network has a MAC address. EVERYTHING. Beyond 32, the device 'kinda' manages who gets access, and I've found it quite unpredictable in this respect - it doesnt seem to be that good at recycling it's table.

3. Google wifi, from what I have read, is a bit finicky (which is why it's being sold so widely and cheaply). So plug in the master unit directly into the back of the hg659 and go through setup from fresh. Remember your device limit. By plugging direct to the router you avoid anything wierd from your inhouse wiring, which you've indicated is a bit average.

4. Connect the slave google units over wifi to set them up. The Slaves can't be connected over ethernet for backhaul, which was a deal breaker for me buying them.

5. See how you get on.

The Ultrahub is meant to be a little better than the 659, according to the interweb

________

Antoniosk