Superhub : Superhub Business Modem Mode Issue

[alexsource]

We're a Virgin Business Broadband customer with a Superhub VMDG480 and an Apple AirPort Extreme.

This morning I got bored of the flashing orange light on the AirPort (double NAT) and decided to put the shub into Modem Mode. Factory reset both devices, AirPort got an external IP and DNS via DHCP but clients couldn't connect to the internet.

Found a netbook lying around and connected this to the correct port on the shub, same issue. External IP and DNS via DHCP but no access to websites (Chrome sticks on 'Resolving Host' then redirects to failosaur ("Unable to connect to the Internet")).

As far as I can see I'm doing everything right: I'm even waiting for the top LED on the shub to go solid blue before connecting the netbook.

Rang Virgin support and flummoxed first line guy who says that from their end it looks like we're connected. Waiting for second line guy to get back to me; will update when I have some news.

Meanwhile, I'd be interested if any of you guys have any advice or have had similar experiences?

[qasdfdsaq]

The business service does not support modem mode.

[alexsource]

Ah well that answers that question then. Surely first line guy should have known that but whatever.

So, is there any workaround? NAT issues are occasionally confusing the AirPort and forcing a reboot. Some days it's fine, other days it needs continual rebooting.

Guess i'll have a play putting the AirPort on a DMZ and disabling NAT/Firewall/Wireless on the shub.

[qasdfdsaq]

Turn off NAT on the Airport? Get a routed (non-NAT) IP subnet from VM? Get your own static IP from elsewhere?

[alexsource]

Yeah, just tried turning off NAT on the AirPort, but couldn't get it to work.

Interesting development: I've now gone back to square one; factory reset the shub and plugged a netbook into it, no internet connection, exact same symptoms. So there must be some other issue.

Utterly stumped.

[rhyds]

We use a superhub without NAT, but via the Route Subnet/5 static IP option. Setting that up kills Wireless, DHCP and NAT on the superhub, and allows you to manually config public IPs on your internal router(s)

[alexsource]

Presumably there's a cost attached to that?

Brief update: no call from VM yet, and the connection is still completely down.

Had a look at the error log on the shub after the latest reboot. I don't know how to read this; is "No PPP session active" normal? Are we supposed to enter some details in the PPP section of the router config?

09/12/2014 14:02:01 2436694088 No PPP session active
09/12/2014 14:01:54 2436694090 Starting L2tp session
09/12/2014 14:01:54 2436694092 L2tp session down
09/12/2014 13:50:27 2436694078 TOD established
Time Not Established Time Not Established 68000300 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response ;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:32:40:04;CMTS-MAC=00:30:b8:d1:8f:16;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Time Not Established Time Not Established 82000200 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:32:40:04;CMTS-MAC=00:30:b8:d1:8f:16;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;

---------- Post added at 14:31 ---------- Previous post was at 14:07 ----------

Found the PPP details. Entered them, gonna keep playing

[rhyds]

If you have a static IP then you need to input an username and password for it to work.

IIRC the 5 static IPs cost us an extra £5 a month or so more than a single static IP. In our opinion its well worth the extra.

[alexsource]

Okay so it seems that got it working in router mode at least.

Now, I've switched the shub back into modem mode, and i'm trying to set up PPP on the AirPort since it supports it. Long shot I know, I'll keep hammering at it.

[rhyds]

That should work in theory but in my expeience the shub business firmware does have some strange foibles.

[alexsource]

Nah, the AirPort isn't having any of it.

SO:

- Switched shub back to router mode
- Disabled NAT on the AirPort
- Disabled DHCP on the shub
- Disabled wireless on the shub
- Gave the AirPort static IP 192.168.0.2
- Set the AirPort as DMZ on the shub
- Set AirPort to Google's DNS Servers

All seems to work. Predictions of what will go wrong next?

[qasdfdsaq]

Superhub performing NAT but no DHCP? Airport performing DHCP but no NAT? That's not going to end well...

[alexsource]

I'm amazed it works at all. Dream ticket is still modem mode. Let's hope I can sort something out with VM when they eventually call me back.

Meanwhile there's one less blinking orange LED in the world.

---------- Post added at 15:51 ---------- Previous post was at 15:29 ----------

AirPort went down repeatedly since last message. Worse than it was before.

Changed it to bridge mode and am allowing the shub to deal with NAT and DHCP now. Working for now. Still waiting for VM's call.

---------- Post added at 17:42 ---------- Previous post was at 15:51 ----------

VM 2nd line guy called, basically just confirmed everything above.

Working fine in bridge mode at the moment, we'll see how it pans out.

5x IP subnet in reserve as backup plan.

[alexsource]

An update! The shub continued to reboot, some days repeatedly, some days not at all.

VM eventually agreed to upgrade us to a Shub 2, which doesn't support static IPs but DOES support modem mode.

Was installed yesterday, so far no issues.

Thanks for all your help, folks.