7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

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sfitzp4573
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 4:05 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by sfitzp4573 »

Hello, I've just received my new 7800N and have upgraded to the latest SKY compatible firmware. I know that this my be asking a bit much, but, are there any screenshots or explicit notes somewhere that show/tell me how to make the necessary changes to the config settings & also which ports on the back to use? I'm confident of making the required changes (been doing it for years on old ADSL) but the comments in this forum seem rather vague to the uninitiated. A couple of screenshots, with the username/password obfuscated would be really appreciated. And also a screenshot of the cable setup at the back of the 7800N would be good too.
thanks in anticipation.
sfitzp4573
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 4:05 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by sfitzp4573 »

Somehow I've fixed it! It all works perfectly - well it's only been on for 10 mins but I'm happy so far.
But, if anyone else need screenshots of the config details for a Sky Fibre & 7800N setup then I'm happy to attach them in this forum (assuming the connection stays up ok overnight)

thanks
wantage42
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 8:23 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by wantage42 »

sfitzp4573 wrote:Somehow I've fixed it! It all works perfectly - well it's only been on for 10 mins but I'm happy so far.
But, if anyone else need screenshots of the config details for a Sky Fibre & 7800N setup then I'm happy to attach them in this forum (assuming the connection stays up ok overnight)

thanks
I would find it very handy if you would be so kind as to put some screenshots up. I'm booked into to have my sky fibre installed next Friday (am), so all info would be much appreciated.
Best Regards, Will
bignick8t3
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:15 am

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by bignick8t3 »

I agree, the more info the better! :D

Nick
sfitzp4573
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 4:05 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by sfitzp4573 »

ok, will do. I'll do it by tomorrow evening, rather than tonight, in the hope that I'll have had a good connection for a 24hr period by then.
sfitzp4573
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 4:05 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by sfitzp4573 »

Folks

I created some detailed notes, with screenshots, in the form of an MS Word doc, but there's a slight technical hitch in that I can't add them here due to the forum's security. In the meantime I'll ask the admin staff if I can send it to them & then they might post it on my behalf. But, until then, here are the words without the screenshots.

Before I go any further, I need to acknowledge the help of, amongst others, billion_fan and admin. They rose to the challenge, came up with the goods, and answered my questions. Other folks have helped too. And Billion have now gained a new happy customer. OK, on with the details ...

It's actually pretty straightforward (looking back after the event) and my 7800N has survived overnight with no problems at all.

Notes for how to set up a Billion BiPAC 7800N for use with Sky Broadband Fibre

1 Get the username & password out of the sky router by using the Sky router password generator which can be found at https://www.cm9.net/skypass/generate.cgi

disconnect the sky router. Don’t throw it away, but do keep it boxed-up and put it in the cupboard. You’ll need it to hand just in case you need to call Sky about any broadband issues (using your own router is against their terms & conditions).
connect up the 7800N

2 Connect up the 7800N in place of the Sky router

This is the back of the 7800N. I apologise for the poor quality shot, but the grey cable is connected to the EWAN port and the other end of it is connected to the BT modem. The red cable connects the 7800N to my PC (my PC is wired, but my laptops etc are wireless).

Incidentally, nothing to do with the 7800N, but might be helpful for new Sky Fibre users, this is the 1st time that I have started to use the homeplug-type devices. These connect, via the household mains, the BT modem, which is downstairs in the living room (where the BT master socket is), with my “office” which is an upstairs bedroom.

I bought the homeplugs separately, after the event. They cost about £70.

In the old ADSL days this wasn’t an issue, but in the default new Sky Fibre installation I would have ended up having to drill holes in walls and run long lengths of Ethernet cable around the house. My wife suggested that that drilling holes etc “was not a Good Idea”. The homeplugs work very well and I’m impressed.

OK…

3 The address for the 7800N, by default, is http://192.168.1.254/

At the Basic screen, select the WAN tab to configure the WAN port.
Change the Main Port from ADSL to EWAN
Ensure that the Protocol is set to Obtain An IP Address Automatically
Leave the other 3 boxes blank
Click the Apply button
(I think that the router reboots at that point (I’ve forgotten), but there’ll be a few reboots to be done along the way, each 1 taking about 60 secs!)

4 On left hand side, select Basic, then Quick Start and you should see the WAN Port screen

We then need to enter the details for the Sky username & password …
Maybe someone else can explain this better, but this is what I had to do.
Ensure that the Connect Mode is set to ADSL, then press the Continue button.
Set the Protocol to be MPoA, leaving the other values as they are except for the Client ID field.
The Client ID field in the screenshot below is where you enter the Sky username and password. Enter them both but separate them with the “pipe” symbol. The pipe symbol, on my keyboard, is the shifted one to the left of the Z key. Your keyboard may be different, but that symbol is the one to use.
E.g.
if your Sky username is xxx@skydsl
And your password is yyy
Then the value to enter for the Client ID is xxx@skydsl|yyy
The length of the 2 values exceeds what you can see on the screen (it’s maybe 35 chrs or so), but just enter it as described

When you have done that the router might reboot, and will appear to fail to connect to the internet.
Well, it will fail – because it is trying to connect by ADSL.
So, go back to the WAN port config screen (seen 2 screenshots ago) and change the Connect Mode from ADSL to EWAN, the press Continue twice and the router will reboot again.

5 You should see a good result like this. Notice that ADSL has failed (because we are not using ADSL any more) and that EWAN and Ethernet and Wireless have good connections.

6 Looks good to me  ….

--END
sfitzp4573
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 4:05 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by sfitzp4573 »

Admin Staff / Mods

I've created some notes & screenshots in the form of an MS Word doc that show how to do this. But the forum's security will not allow me to attach it. Please can I send it to you so that you can vet it and, if you approve, then you could publish it for the benefit of others? If so, then please let me have the your details.

thanks

Simon
sfitzp4573
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 4:05 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by sfitzp4573 »

Here, as promised, is my doc that will show you how I managed to setup the 7800N to work with Sky Fibre Broadband.
My 7800N has now been up for about 48hrs with no problems whatsoever.

Please feel free to comment on it or ask me questions about the doc if required (I might have missed out the odd explanation in my excitement!)

Many thanks to the mods for allowing me to attach the doc.

Many thanks to billion_fan and the mods, and others, for getting the firmware sorted out.

Simon.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
MartynSimm
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 7:13 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by MartynSimm »

Just purcashed BIllion Bipac 7800n and updated to Firmware 1.06g.dc1 and setup was easy once calculated sky username and password using orginal sky router (F@sat2504) Mac address and oroginal wifi key and entering info into https://www.cm9.net/skypass/generate.cgi

then just entering username and password the sites generates with | inbetween them in the Client ID whe you select ewan connection instead of ADSL.

great work Billion i now have a much better wifi experience using the 7800n instead of Sky's default router.

thanks
:D
jook3d
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 6:08 pm

Re: 7800N Sky FTTC test firmware now working (UPDATED 16/5)

Post by jook3d »

Hi, I had a go at this yesterday and it didn't work for me. I did do a factory reset settings, but then re-imported my previous config as I didn't want to have to re-assign all my firewall rules etc. Would this actually cause a problem? If so I will try again without re-importing my settings.

I noticed that in the screenshot in the document a few posts back the VPI/VCI is 0/38 and not 0/40 as mentioned in the other thread? Is this correct? I also changed my WPA key but the one I put into the sky password generator is my original password that is on the sky card that came with the router. I presume this is correct as it wouldn't let me enter a larger password than the default one.

I did only leave it a few minutes trying to connect to the DCHP server so perhaps I should have left it longer. I did have to reboot the sky router before it would re-connect after giving up.
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