FTTC Modem

Related Pages on the A&A Website:

• www.aaisp.net.uk/broadband-FC.html

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With FTTC, BT will supply and install a VDSL modem (the Active NTE in BT speak), You will then need a PPPoE device (router or software) to use the service.

• PPPoE Service Name = Blank
• PPPoE username = as supplied, eg x@a.1
• PPPoE password = as supplied
• MTU = 1500 (if your equipment can handle baby jumbo frames and RFC 4638), otherwise 1492
• Auth Protocol CHAP

FTTC Modem

Here is an image of a BT supplied FTTC modem

FTTC Modem.png

The modem is supplied by BT, if it develops a fault then AAISP can contact BT and report a fault.

If the sync light flashes, then there is no sync, and will probably need to be reported as a fault.

Router Throughput

With the switch to FTTC (especially from low sync'd ADSL connections) your modem is suddenly confronted with throughput possibly 10 or even 20 times more than before!

Router	Sync Speed	Throughput	Notes
Linksys WRTU54G-TM	24Mb	~18Mb/sec	Running OpenWRT trunk from here. Disconnected PPP due to link saturation at default settings - adjust PPP options for stability
Netgear WNR854T	24Mb	24Mb	Running OpenWRT 10.03 (Backfire). Probably capable of more - have asked BT to move cabinet closer, but they seem unwilling!
FireBrick 2700	16Mb	16Mb	It should be able to handle around 350Mb/s!

Notes:

• Green throughput - not bottleneck on connection
• Red throughput - bottleneck on connection

Billion 7800 Notes

The Billion 7800 is a popular router with our customers, but take note that when configuring the WAN side, it may need a reboot when changing the WAN type (ADSL/eWAN), and then a reboot when changing the WAN Profile.

FireBrick 2700

The Firebrick 2700 is a great router for FTTC, and even bonding FTTC. See the FireBrick pages for more info

Testing and using FTTC with just a computer

You can connect a computer to the FTTC modem directly, and use PPPoE to make a connection to get online. This is good for testing the FTTC modem with a device other than your normal router.

Windows

1. Control panel, Network and Internet
2. Click Network Sharing Centre
3. Click Setup a connection or network
4. Follow the wizard
5. You should be online, you may want to check firewall settings

Remember to keep the service name blank

OSX (Apple)

1. Go to System Preferences, Network
2. Click the + icon on the bottom/right (you may need to click the unlock icon first)
3. Interface=PPPoE, Ethernet=Ethernet, Service Name=AAISP
4. Then will in the account name and password, click Connect (keep service name blank)
5. You should be online, you may want to check firewall settings