d6400 support for Centurylink/vectoring?

[md_boulder]

Until a few days ago, I was using the D6400 with Centurylink ADSL service at 20 Mbps and everything was fine.  I then upgraded my Centurylink service to VDSL 40 Mbps and was told that the new DSL feed also involves 'vectoring'.   The DSL modem that CL provided with the new service seems to work fine.  I haven't yet made the D6400 work with the new service, even after playing with the router configuration.

1. Is there hope that the D6400 will ever work with my new VDSL/vectored service?

2. The D6400 I have is using firmware version V1.0.0.70.  Is there any reason to think that the latest firmware (V1.0.0.74) will fix the problem?

3. And, if I do want to update the firmware, how do I do that without getting internet through the D6400?

Thanks,

md

[michaelkenward · Accepted solution]

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@md_boulder wrote:

I then upgraded my Centurylink service to VDSL 40 Mbps and was told that the new DSL feed also involves 'vectoring'.   The DSL modem that CL provided with the new service seems to work fine.  I haven't yet made the D6400 work with the new service, even after playing with the router configuration.

The first thing to try, if you haven't done it already, is to factory reset the D6400 to get it to forget any of the settings that you had to make to get it to work on ADSL.

When my Internet service provider (BT in the UK) made the ADSL to VDSL jump it all went through automatically, but your message suggests that Centurylink has done some tinkering at the edges.

You'll lose  nothing by resetting, or running the setup wizard from scratch. You never know, the modem/router might just recognise the new network. Miracles have happened.

See page 42 in the manual somewhere at the end of this link:

>>>> D6400 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

From messages here, Centurylink seems to work hard to frustrate people who want to use alternative modems. Does it run a user group like this where people share their experiences with different hardware? Might be worth a try.

[antinode]

> [...] if I do want to update the firmware, how do I do that without
> getting internet through the D6400?

   You need some kind of Internet connection to download the firmware
kit to some computer.  After that is done, you need a connection from
the computer with the firmware kit to the router-to-be-updated.  The
router-to-be-updated, itself, does not need to be connected to the
Internet for either operation.

[md_boulder]

So, I updated to the most recent firmware, but still the same result.  The D6400 seems to boot up normally, with all four lights solid.

Here's the current configuration I'm trying in the setup utility:

Transfer Mode: PTM

DSL Mode: VDSL2

'Internet Interface' enabled (not IPTV)

'Use VLANID' box not checked

'Internet connection requires a login?' checked (yes)

PPPoE

I suspect vectoring is the issue here, but it's possible I'm doing something dumb.

Any advice is appreciated.

md

[antinode]

> [...] The DSL modem that CL provided with the new service seems to
> work fine. [...]

   It might help a little if more than one of us knew what that device
is, and how it's configured.

> Transfer Mode: PTM
> DSL Mode: VDSL2
> 'Internet Interface' enabled (not IPTV)
> 'Use VLANID' box not checked
> 'Internet connection requires a login?' checked (yes)
> PPPoE

   I still know nothing, but my quick Web search for:
      centurylink vdsl modem settings
 found things like:

      http://www.centurylink.com/home/help/internet/modems-and-routers/third-party-modem-support-and-setti...

which suggests:

      Connection Type: PPPoE (You can chat with tech support for your PPP
       username/password)
      Authentication Protocol: CHAP
      Line Mode: Auto or 8A
      Transport Mode/Encapsulation: PTM - tagged
      VLAN: 201

   If nothing else, that suggests that specifying a VLANID of 201 might
be worth a try.

   Another suggestion was a different line mode ("Auto" -> "12a"):

      http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r29419003

   "Auto" sounds good to me.  (But what do I know?)

[michaelkenward · Accepted solution]

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@md_boulder wrote:

I then upgraded my Centurylink service to VDSL 40 Mbps and was told that the new DSL feed also involves 'vectoring'.   The DSL modem that CL provided with the new service seems to work fine.  I haven't yet made the D6400 work with the new service, even after playing with the router configuration.

The first thing to try, if you haven't done it already, is to factory reset the D6400 to get it to forget any of the settings that you had to make to get it to work on ADSL.

When my Internet service provider (BT in the UK) made the ADSL to VDSL jump it all went through automatically, but your message suggests that Centurylink has done some tinkering at the edges.

You'll lose  nothing by resetting, or running the setup wizard from scratch. You never know, the modem/router might just recognise the new network. Miracles have happened.

See page 42 in the manual somewhere at the end of this link:

>>>> D6400 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

From messages here, Centurylink seems to work hard to frustrate people who want to use alternative modems. Does it run a user group like this where people share their experiences with different hardware? Might be worth a try.

[md_boulder]

Good news - The factory reset and fresh setup did the job!  Thanks so much for the advice.  After choosing Centurylink as my ISP during the fresh setup, the utility then offered VLANID = 201 as the default, so maybe that was the key parameter that I was missing before.

Just for clarity, I am now able to use the D6400 with Centurylink 40 Mbps service with vectoring (as I am told by CL anyway).  I did update the firmware from V1.0.0.70 to V1.0.0.74, but I have no way of knowing if that was really necessary or not.

I'll now be returning the CL-branded modem and getting back $150.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice.

md

[michaelkenward]

Glad it worked out.

When you switch to a different Internet service provider, or when the ISP changes the network, it makes sense to get the modem to forget its past life. But it is nice to have confirmation that it really does work.

Now you can spend $150 on something else.