*Old* Verizon DSL Modem and the Router: A Not-So-Love Story

[Jschmuck2]

Here is a head scratcher, fellers. My knowledge of DSL is limited because, well, I don't run into a lot of people who still use it. Typically it's cable or fiber or what have you, so this was (and continues to be) a noodle scratcher for me.

I agreed to help a friend set up his new wireless G router (yes, we all have that friend) and here's what I ran into:

• He has an OLD Westell B90 DSL modem from 2004, connected via USB. When connected via USB, WinXP recognizes the modem (the drivers must have been installed already) and connects to the internet directly, nothing else required.
  
• When connecting the modem directly to the NIC on the PC via ethernet (sans USB, of course) the computer cannot obtain an IP. I verified that the NIC was set to get its IP automatically and power cycled the modem several times and rebooted the PC more times than I care to count.
  
• This is all before the router. The router (a Netgear something or other) works just fine. Unfortunately, it can't obtain an IP from the modem either.

Now, searching around the web, I found a couple of things:

• This particular modem has no GUI access for the end user. At least, that's what I read. I may be (and hope I am) wrong.
  
• You'd need admin access to the modem to set it to Ethernet Bridge mode because whoever designed that stupid thing also made it a router. Which isn't super useful with just the single Ethernet port on the rear (unless it acts as a firewall, too - in which case /headaslpode)
  
• The modem may or may not operate on an IP of 192.168.1.1 which would create a conflict on the LAN with the router. I tried changing the router's IP assignment range to 192.168.2.1 and so forth but to no effect.
  
• I also tried cloning the PC's MAC on the router but no dice.

I haven't the faintest idea whether or not they use PPPOE or MAC authentication but at the very least, I'm thinking a new router might be in order.

JackMDS, I read your PPPOE guide and while very informative, I don't think it's applicable here. Whaddya think?

EDIT: I should also mention, that when the PC is behind the router and the modem is plugged into that, the PC can communicate and ping the router just fine, as well as access admin pages and the like.

I feel like I'd be further ahead even if I just knew whether or not Verizon uses PPPOE or MAC auth.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You might get better responses at the Verizon DSL subforum on dslreports.com.

At least in the northeast, Verizon uses PPPOE for DSL authentication. Newer modems store the UN/PW in the modem/router combo unit, and present an always-on ethernet connection. Some of the really older, larger DSL modems, required a PPPOE dialer app, and the user had to double-click a connectoid icon to login and obtain an IP.
Can you give us the full model number of the DSL modem? I think B90 is a suffix. Also the approximate size of the DSL modem.

If you know the UN/PW of the user's DSL account, then you could always buy a newer modem, check craigslist.org . I picked up a backup Westell 327W for $15. (It's a DSL modem/router/wireless combo).

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I think Larry is on the right track, if the modem is really old you need a piece of software configured to "dial" your dsl connection. If I'm not mistaken, verizon used to give you updated modems if you would call and ask, if not buy your own pppoe capable modem/router and be done

 

[RadiclDreamer]

here is a head scratcher, fellers. My knowledge of dsl is limited because, well, i don't run into a lot of people who still use it. Typically it's cable or fiber or what have you, so this was (and continues to be) a noodle scratcher for me.

I agreed to help a friend set up his new wireless g router (yes, we all have that friend) and here's what i ran into:

• he has an old westell b90 dsl modem from 2004, connected via usb. When connected via usb, winxp recognizes the modem (the drivers must have been installed already) and connects to the internet directly, nothing else required.
  
• when connecting the modem directly to the nic on the pc via ethernet (sans usb, of course) the computer cannot obtain an ip. I verified that the nic was set to get its ip automatically and power cycled the modem several times and rebooted the pc more times than i care to count.
  
• this is all before the router. The router (a netgear something or other) works just fine. Unfortunately, it can't obtain an ip from the modem either.

now, searching around the web, i found a couple of things:

• this particular modem has no gui access for the end user. At least, that's what i read. I may be (and hope i am) wrong.
  
• you'd need admin access to the modem to set it to ethernet bridge mode because whoever designed that stupid thing also made it a router. Which isn't super useful with just the single ethernet port on the rear (unless it acts as a firewall, too - in which case /headaslpode)
  
• the modem may or may not operate on an ip of 192.168.1.1 which would create a conflict on the lan with the router. I tried changing the router's ip assignment range to 192.168.2.1 and so forth but to no effect.
  
• i also tried cloning the pc's mac on the router but no dice.

i haven't the faintest idea whether or not they use pppoe or mac authentication but at the very least, i'm thinking a new router might be in order.

Jackmds, i read your pppoe guide and while very informative, i don't think it's applicable here. Whaddya think?

Edit: I should also mention, that when the pc is behind the router and the modem is plugged into that, the pc can communicate and ping the router just fine, as well as access admin pages and the like.

I feel like i'd be further ahead even if i just knew whether or not verizon uses pppoe or mac auth.

pppoe

 

[Jschmuck2]

I'm 99% sure they don't use a dialer. They just use IE - yuck - straight through. No input required from them.

The full model number of the modem is b90-210015-04, rev F.

 

[SirGeeO]

Modem just needs to be bridged

 

[Jschmuck2]

According to the guys over at DSLReports, that particular ancient modem is bridge-only, fwiw.

 

[drebo]

According to the guys over at DSLReports, that particular ancient modem is bridge-only, fwiw.

That means you will need to configure the router you have to supply the PPPoE authentication. Virtually all routers from the past 5 years will be capable of doing that for you.

This setup is extremely common.

 

[JackMDS]

If the modem is connected to the WAN port of the Router how it gets LAN IP (198.168.xx.xx).

Did you checked with Verizon what type of authentication they use with your account?

 

[Jschmuck2]

Thanks to all for their input in this thread, its been really helpful.

There was no pppoe at work here. It was all MAC bindings on Verizon's end. When I cloned the MAC address from the PC onto the router, I cloned the ethernet port's MAC instead of the USB port's MAC, which is how they had been connecting all this time.

So there ya have it, that particular model of modem definitely uses MAC binding

 

[kevnich2]

I don't know if you were able to get your friend's router setup or not but if the modem is back from 2004 - you'll most likely need to setup pppoe on the router in order to connect. Call up Verizon's DSL department and just ask them if it's pppoe or DHCP for their account. They didn't start implementing DHCP (meaning the PC would automatically get an IP address when they connected the NIC to the modem) until around 2006 and it's still only in the non-new england area. New England states are still on PPPOE.

On a modem that old - there is no bridge mode because that modem is JUST a modem, not a modem/router combo

If the PC doesn't automatically get an IP address when you connect it to the LAN port of the modem - it's needs PPPOE setup on the router in order to connect. The PPPOE is the primary verizon email address and password.