Third party router stopped connecting to the internet after working for 4 months

[radiohe4d21]

Summary

We got 500mb FTTP broadband installed about 4 months ago and from day one I had set it up to use OPNSense running on our home server virtualised under Proxmox. (Never even opened the brand new EE router).

It has been working flawlessly up until last Thursday, when the connection dropped and from then, I have been unable to get to connect using any third party devices.

Steps Taken

I have tried the following:

• Connecting original unboxed EE router.
• Connecting TP-LINK Archer VR2600 modem router (dedicated WAN port).
• Direct to a Windows laptop using PPPoE connection.
• Direct to a Linux laptop using PPPoE connection.
• Restoring to a VM backup for OPNSense from a month previous.
  • OPNSense nor the hypervisor Proxmox had had any updates or changes within two weeks of the outage.
    
    
• Trying multiple different ethernet cables.
• Rebooting ONT & Routers (letting them stay off for 5 mins and also tried keeping both off overnight).
• Hard resetting:
  • ONT (using a pin on the reset hole).
  • TP-LINK router.
  • EE router.

EE Support

I've had around 4 different phone calls with EE support.
They initially sent out a Home Engineer and he replaced the EE router with another new one and was then able to connect to the internet.
But trying to connect using any of the steps mentioned above to anything other than the new new EE router has failed.

Another call and they said they would book an Openreach engineer to come out today, i received text messages confirming direct from Openreach.

They never arrived.

Another call with them, it turned out that one wasn't booked at all and somehow the system never actually made the booking even though it was confirmed over the phone and through text.
They ran some tests against the EE router (first time doing this) and after speaking to managers told me they would not be sending out an Openreach engineer as the EE router was shown to be working and they have no obligation to restore service for third party equipment.

I told them I would have to cancel the contract and try another provider if I cant get this working again.
They said it was going to cost £265 to cancel and then redirected me to the sales team.

So this is my last ditch attempt to try and find a proper resolution and to save myself from paying £265 to cancel.

Current State & Setup Details

ONT:

• NOKIA-ONT
  • Model: G-010G-R
  • MRev: 02
  • Month/Year: 01/2024
• Showing all green lights (Pwr, PON & LAN).
• LOS light has remained off.
• Rebooted & Reset multiple times.
• Works with the new new EE router.

OPNSense Router:

• Custom built server, with an Intel CPU and a single onboard 2.5gbps dedicated ethernet port.
• Running Proxmox virtualisation as the OS.
• OPNSense running within a container on Proxmox.
• A single ethernet cable links the server and the ONT, with no joins or switches between.
• Has worked flawlessly for 4 months.

TP-LINK Router:

• Archer VR2600
• Hard reset to factory settings
• Has a dedicated WAN port for PPPoE connections.
• Basic setup wizard lets you input your PPPoE credentials.
• Worked previously when we had FTTC using the ADSL modem.

Windows Laptop:

• Windows 10
• Setup PPPoE connection using the wizard under the 'Dial up' section.
• This worked when I tried it on installation day.

Linux Laptop:

• Arch Linux
• Setup PPPoE using nmcli.

All broadband credentials used throughout all tests have been:

USERNAME:  bthomehub@btbroadband.com
PASSWORD:  BT

All testing of the routers and laptops has been with a single straight ethernet connection between the ONT and router/computer.
Used the GUI's on the routers to check if a connection has been established. (checked over wifi with one of the laptops)

Conclusion

I'm really disappointed that EE refuse to help any further as I have read multiple other forum posts were others have been in a similar situation and had an engineer sent out or an ONT box replaced.

I just want to get my system back to were it was only a few days ago.

I'd really appreciate any help or advise with this.

Thanks for reading 🙂

[Mustrum]

Thanks @radiohe4d21   nothing special that I can see there. They do seem to get more faulty routers than I would have expected.

This was another thread with similar issues, some bedtime reading that may help with some ideas as I am out of them for now.  https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Broadband-Landline/PPPOE-Ont-Credentials-Not-Working/td-p/1445898 

[JimM11]

@radiohe4d21 The only real confusing issue is 1. The EE Router connects 100% fine, and you can get online with no issues.

That suggests that the ONT is good, accepting the user name, password and connecting the EE Router with no problem.

2. Cannot see why your pppoe on the laptop will not connect, try dropping the BT out off the password field, see if that allows it to connect.

[radiohe4d21 · Accepted solution]

@Mustrum  & @JimM11 

I have finally made some progress and I believe I have proof that the ISP/Exchange/Broadband Servers are preventing any other device from connecting to the internet!

My custom OPNSense router (the original setup I had that was working), has the option to spoof the MAC address of the WAN interface that connects over PPPoE.

I connected up like this:
    EE Router (WAN Port)  ->  Laptop (USB Ethernet Port)

I then installed Wireshark on my laptop and started to capture traffic coming in through the USB Ethernet port from the WAN port on the EE router.

 From this capture, I inspected the PADI request the EE router was transmitting and was able to find the EE routers, WAN port MAC address, under the "Ethernet -> Source" section.

I then put this MAC address into OPNSense WAN interface setup page in the "MAC Address" field:

 It immediately received a gateway IP and a public IP but took a few minutes for OPNSense to setup the routing, so initially there was no internet, but after that wait, it kicked in and I'm back online!

 

 The speed isn't quite up at 500mb but I expect that with all the downtime.

I'm absolutely amazed that its worked but at the same time completely confused as to why the system will only let this very specific EE routers MAC address join the network. 

I'm not sure what to do now, I guess even if I do bring this information back to EE support they still aren't going to get Openreach involved?

It feels like a ticking time bomb for it to fail again. 

Any suggestions what I should do next?

[JimM11]

@radiohe4d21 You should be able to prove also with the TP-Link, clone the mac address, should ideally be the same as the router card, or marked on label bottom of the router.

[Mustrum]

@radiohe4d21  Well done for your perseverance, hopefully not a ticking time-bomb, but a config error somewhere.

Copying @bobpullen  who hopefully will be able to help.

[radiohe4d21]

@Mustrum @JimM11 @XRaySpeX @Chris_B 

Just want to say thanks for all your help this evening, your time really is appreciated. Having some knowledgable people to bounce ideas off really helps.

Ill give both TP-Link routers a go in the morning, worth checkimg so I know for next time they can work for debugging too.

Definitely learnt a lot through this whole experience 😄

[JimM11]

@radiohe4d21 We have gleamed something also, have suspicions to what may be going on, but you are the lead control on this one for sure.

[radiohe4d21]

The link Mustrum shared earlier was one of the posts i had read yesterday and was what sparked me to get EE to send out an Openreach engineer.

Its possible if that user had tried the spoofing as well, it would have resolved.

It could be coincidence, but it does seem likely that our two problems are the same cause.

[Mustrum]

@radiohe4d21  I have a vested interest in this, I too run a third party router, no full fibre for me yet though.

Will save my thoughts for now though.

Edit, your speeds may also improve once you have ip6 up and running.

[XRaySpeX]

@JimM11 : You are using a 3rd-party router, an ASUS I believe, but you are not cloning its MAC to some EE SH's MAC, are you?