Locked down Modems from ISPs

daffy_duc

So I'm having some frustration with a modem I recently received with a new service from an ISP.

They supplied me with a login to the router. Well, supplied makes it sound like it was offered straight up. I had to ask a few times before they would give it to me)
The login they gave me, lets me configure port forwards. That is all.

I cannot change the Wireless SSID.
I cannot change the Wirekess Key.
I cannot disable the Wireless.
I cannot change the LAN IP range
I cannot disable the DHCP Server.

No I know I'm not your average home user, but is it really too much to ask to have access to change the basics?
I already have devices on my network that have static IPs configured, I don't want to go around changing them all so they fit in the range of the router from the ISP.
I'd like to rename my Wireless SSID and set my Wireless Key to the same as my old router, so I don't need to reconfigure all my devices.

The ISP in question, won't even allow me to use my own router with their service. (And lie about the reasons why I can't, but thats a story for another day)

Where do I draw the line?
I'm paying for an Internet connection. I'm not paying an ISP to dictate how I can and cannot run my home LAN.

Why do ISPs think they can do this? Why don't users complain more?

CptSternn

All routers in Ireland provided by ISPs can be modified. Some have a separate web login for administrators vs. users.

You can always telnet to the settings in ALL routers whether they are locked down in the web gui or not.

Tell me which ISP and the modem model and I'll tell you how to get into the settings.

daffy_duc

CptSternn wrote: »

All routers in Ireland provided by ISPs can be modified. Some have a separate web login for administrators vs. users.

You can always telnet to the settings in ALL routers whether they are locked down in the web gui or not.

Tell me which ISP and the modem model and I'll tell you how to get into the settings.

Its a Thomson TG789vn from Magnet for their FTTH. Good Luck!

daffy_duc

*tumbleweed*

CptSternn

To be honest, I have never seen a Magnet modem (hey, they don't have Magnet down here in Clare!) but it can be done.

Here are a few suggestions -

First, what login are you using? Many of these like Vodafone and Eircom have TWO logins, the one the give customers which leads to a locked down set of options and a second one which installers and customer service use to modify the real settings. I would contact them and ask them sure, as Eircom and Vodafone both give out the advanced login if you just ask. I would also go to the website and post in their support forums as someone else might know it and reply quick sure.

Second, can you upgrade the firmware from the login you have? If so just flash the firmware with the newest non-branded version and that should sort it. This however is a bit risky and having never done it with that modem I would say be careful, but if it were me, I would do it (providing I had a spare just in case). I used to do this with the older Eircom branded modem/routers and it worked great.

Finally, if all else fails TELNET to the router and modify it there. The interface won't be pretty, but you will be able to get to all the settings. Username/password should be admin/admin.

daffy_duc

CptSternn wrote: »

To be honest, I have never seen a Magnet modem (hey, they don't have Magnet down here in Clare!) but it can be done.

Here are a few suggestions -

First, what login are you using? Many of these like Vodafone and Eircom have TWO logins, the one the give customers which leads to a locked down set of options and a second one which installers and customer service use to modify the real settings. I would contact them and ask them sure, as Eircom and Vodafone both give out the advanced login if you just ask. I would also go to the website and post in their support forums as someone else might know it and reply quick sure.

Second, can you upgrade the firmware from the login you have? If so just flash the firmware with the newest non-branded version and that should sort it. This however is a bit risky and having never done it with that modem I would say be careful, but if it were me, I would do it (providing I had a spare just in case). I used to do this with the older Eircom branded modem/routers and it worked great.

Finally, if all else fails TELNET to the router and modify it there. The interface won't be pretty, but you will be able to get to all the settings. Username/password should be admin/admin.

Its not that easy. Like I said in the original post, they only give out the very basic login details, and that only allows you to change a few things. You can't upgrade the firmware through the web interface, and they've locked out telnet access to the router too.

CptSternn

Now I really want one to play with

daffy_duc

CptSternn wrote: »

Now I really want one to play with

No, you really don't.
The only way to do this is JTAG, and I really couldn't be bothered to wait the 10 hours it takes to dump the image from the flash and crack it open.

I'd rather they just didn't do it in the first place.

Maybe have advanced users sign a "I know what I'm doing, please let me in. If I break anything I understand its my own fault" disclaimer...

Murtinho

daffy_duc wrote: »

No, you really don't.
The only way to do this is JTAG, and I really couldn't be bothered to wait the 10 hours it takes to dump the image from the flash and crack it open.

I'd rather they just didn't do it in the first place.

Maybe have advanced users sign a "I know what I'm doing, please let me in. If I break anything I understand its my own fault" disclaimer...

I have a thomson TG789vn, from magnet fibre.

I managed to get login details from magnet "user" & "mygateway" but i can do shag all.
I want to set up opendns, i managed it on the last router i had from vodafone but cant get it on this. Any ideas?

wexie

daffy_duc wrote: »

Maybe have advanced users sign a "I know what I'm doing, please let me in. If I break anything I understand its my own fault and i will not bother your tech support guys with it " disclaimer...

Which is most likely the reason they won't supply you with the login credentials. While I completely agree with your frustrations and you do sound like someone who knows what they're doing look it at from their point of view. There are a lot of people out there that will swear on everything good and holy they know what they're doing and they have 'donkey's years of experience' and then call tech support to help them undo whatever it is they did when it turns out they really hadn't a clue and just wanted to 'have a look'.

I swear I didnt change anything

It was like that when I got it

It worked fine yesterday?

Of course I wouldn't have changed it, someone else must have

Really? The logs say I did it?

Having said all that....I'd quite like to have a go at it myself now

daffy_duc

I know all the excuses, I've heard many of them, having worked for ISPs myself.

There are ways for ISPs to get around this though, like having a basic working factory default configuration that could easily be reverted to with a press-and-hold of the routers reset button.

At what point do I start to claim that the ISP is overstepping its bounds by controlling my router?

Surely I'm paying for internet access, not for them to manage my home network.

wexie

Completely agree but I'd say your only hope is a decent fella in their support who understands where you're coming from.

What we used to do is setup a remote session, login to the hardware involved and develop a terrible urge to go to the bathroom for a few minutes. If the customer, during that time, felt the need to setup their own account with admin priviledges....well.....these things happen

daffy_duc

wexie wrote: »

Completely agree but I'd say your only hope is a decent fella in their support who understands where you're coming from.

With magnet, you'd be lucky if you got through to a call center agent. I call them a call center, because thats what they are. There's no support.
It's taken weeks for their first-tier call center people to get someone from support to give me a call back.

I have an open ticket with them from November, and the last I heard about it was in January.

blaz

daffy_duc wrote: »

At what point do I start to claim that the ISP is overstepping its bounds by controlling my router?

Read the T&C's, it is most probably not your router, it is their router.

Surely I'm paying for internet access, not for them to manage my home network.

They are managing your internet service and the router is part of it.


The only thing you can do is to vote with your wallet.

daffy_duc

blaz wrote: »

The only thing you can do is to vote with your wallet.

I specifically stated that I didn't want the service if I wasn't able to use my own router. I said this before I placed the order, they said it wouldn't be a problem and that I would definitely be able to use my own router.
It was therefore sold to me under false pretenses.

I'm going to give them some time to think about it, I've opened a few tickets with them about the issue.
If they come around, then very well. Otherwise, I'll be leaving.

Nothingbetter2d

daffy_duc wrote: »

So I'm having some frustration with a modem I recently received with a new service from an ISP.

They supplied me with a login to the router. Well, supplied makes it sound like it was offered straight up. I had to ask a few times before they would give it to me)
The login they gave me, lets me configure port forwards. That is all.

I cannot change the Wireless SSID.
I cannot change the Wirekess Key.
I cannot disable the Wireless.
I cannot change the LAN IP range
I cannot disable the DHCP Server.

No I know I'm not your average home user, but is it really too much to ask to have access to change the basics?
I already have devices on my network that have static IPs configured, I don't want to go around changing them all so they fit in the range of the router from the ISP.
I'd like to rename my Wireless SSID and set my Wireless Key to the same as my old router, so I don't need to reconfigure all my devices.

The ISP in question, won't even allow me to use my own router with their service. (And lie about the reasons why I can't, but thats a story for another day)

Where do I draw the line?
I'm paying for an Internet connection. I'm not paying an ISP to dictate how I can and cannot run my home LAN.

Why do ISPs think they can do this? Why don't users complain more?

magnet right?

daffy_duc

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

magnet right?

Sadly.
The service is good, I get 100mbit/s (not 150, as advertised, because the router only has 100mbit LAN ports).
This restriction thing lets them down.

And even though I have a router capable of doing gbit on the LAN ports, I'm not allowed to use it.

thesteve

Did you ever manage to get the admin user/password? I'm in the same situation myself now

lotas

admin and m4gn3tTG789

thesteve

lotas wrote: »

admin and m4gn3tTG789

You sir, shall be bought many beers if we ever meet!

lotas

thesteve wrote: »

You sir, shall be bought many beers if we ever meet!

Wahoo! free beer!

Also, incase your really stuck, check out the third post here url]http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1881460[/url which mentions Root Access... you basically kill the admin and create a new "guru" account, which has all access... I did this and got a few extras on the screen... telnet is still needed for some bits, but its a start...

thesteve

Thanks again!

Murtinho

that new password is great but i still cant set up opendns on mine, had it on my previous modem and it was great for family filtering but i cant get it on the thomson. Anyone been able to do it?

iPhone.

Don't know anything about magnet modems, but now that you have some access to the settings can you put it in bridge mode and just use the previous modem you mentioned to do your opendns filtering for you then?

Murtinho

right, son got a gaming computer, network card wouldnt fit due to the graphics card so rather than buy a new one, i tried a belkin wireless n usb adapter but this will not find the thomson signal,

so im trying to bridge a zyxel 660hw (old one from perlico) dsl router,.

I have the zyxel connected via an ethernet wire to the Thomson, the belkin gets the signal from the zyxel but no internet, i've been into the zyxel and set it for bridging as far as i can see but i cant seem to be able to do it in the thomson,

any ideas??

thesteve

Murtinho wrote: »

right, son got a gaming computer, network card wouldnt fit due to the graphics card so rather than buy a new one, i tried a belkin wireless n usb adapter but this will not find the thomson signal,

so im trying to bridge a zyxel 660hw (old one from perlico) dsl router,.

I have the zyxel connected via an ethernet wire to the Thomson, the belkin gets the signal from the zyxel but no internet, i've been into the zyxel and set it for bridging as far as i can see but i cant seem to be able to do it in the thomson,

any ideas??

Make sure you're connecting the LAN cable to one of the 4 ethernet ports on the Thomson (not the WAN port)

Murtinho

yeah, i have the yellow ethernet wire in the yellow port(nr2), i can see it on the thomson page, ie on port nr2 i can see the zyxel is plugged in and branching from that is the new gaming computrer.
Up in the gaming computer im connected to the zyxel, but also no internet connection

thesteve

Murtinho wrote: »

yeah, i have the yellow ethernet wire in the yellow port(nr2), i can see it on the thomson page, ie on port nr2 i can see the zyxel is plugged in and branching from that is the new gaming computrer.
Up in the gaming computer im connected to the zyxel, but also no internet connection

Sounds like a configuration problem on the Zyxel (they're a POS tbh). You should start a new topic on this subject for more specific help.

Freddy Smelly

daffy_duc wrote: »

So I'm having some frustration with a modem I recently received with a new service from an ISP.

They supplied me with a login to the router. Well, supplied makes it sound like it was offered straight up. I had to ask a few times before they would give it to me)
The login they gave me, lets me configure port forwards. That is all.

I cannot change the Wireless SSID.
I cannot change the Wirekess Key.
I cannot disable the Wireless.
I cannot change the LAN IP range
I cannot disable the DHCP Server.

No I know I'm not your average home user, but is it really too much to ask to have access to change the basics?
I already have devices on my network that have static IPs configured, I don't want to go around changing them all so they fit in the range of the router from the ISP.
I'd like to rename my Wireless SSID and set my Wireless Key to the same as my old router, so I don't need to reconfigure all my devices.

The ISP in question, won't even allow me to use my own router with their service. (And lie about the reasons why I can't, but thats a story for another day)

Where do I draw the line?
I'm paying for an Internet connection. I'm not paying an ISP to dictate how I can and cannot run my home LAN.

Why do ISPs think they can do this? Why don't users complain more?

magnet modem? i hated the way did have their modems completely locked down... buy a decent modem and use it instead.

use these settings

In 'Connection Type', where it says PPPoe, PPPoA, Dynamic IP etc...I clicked Dynamic IP.

In VPI/ VCI, I put 0 35, and encapsulation as LLC.

iPhone.

Check that only the zyxel modem is set as a dhcp server and set the thomson (only) up in bridge mode, also make sure the ethernet cable runs from the thomsom to the LAN port on the Zyxel. Also enable NAT on the zyxel.

dazdrog

lotas wrote: »

admin and m4gn3tTG789

any joy for the TG589vn v3? ive tried change it to m4gn3tTG589 - m4gn3tTG589vn - m4gn3tTG589vn v3