• Heights Telecom Hub?

    From Richard Treen@21:1/5 to All on Sun Apr 23 11:33:36 2023
    I've been using a Draytek lac router with a data SIM for a few years.

    Now moved to a local fibre ISP who issued a Heights Telecom Hub
    that provides WiFi 6, 802.11ax, which my current Draytek router
    doesn't have.

    The Heights Telecom Hub comes with no configuration information, no
    useful info on that subject from the ISP and very little of any use
    found online so far.

    Before I'm nudged into buying a new 802.11ax router that I can
    configure, is there anyone who can give me a link to access and
    configuration details relating to the Heights Telecom Hub?
    --

    Ric_Treen

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  • From Theo@21:1/5 to Richard Treen on Sun Apr 23 12:29:51 2023
    Richard Treen <treenoakio@home.com> wrote:
    I've been using a Draytek lac router with a data SIM for a few years.

    Now moved to a local fibre ISP who issued a Heights Telecom Hub
    that provides WiFi 6, 802.11ax, which my current Draytek router
    doesn't have.

    The Heights Telecom Hub comes with no configuration information, no
    useful info on that subject from the ISP and very little of any use
    found online so far.

    Before I'm nudged into buying a new 802.11ax router that I can
    configure, is there anyone who can give me a link to access and
    configuration details relating to the Heights Telecom Hub?

    I asuume it's something like the HT-360? https://www.heights-t.com/products/ht-360axg
    - ie it's your fibre ONT as well as router?

    It looks like they are using a Broadcom platform, but it's not clear whether they're mostly using a Broadcom reference design or doing their own software stack.

    The only lead I can find is digging around Israeli forums where they seem to
    be used:
    https://htmag.co.il/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=367574&start=165#p3220981+

    According to this video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck4DbTKGanI
    there's a hidden config mode which is accessible if
    you configure your PC with ethernet IP 10.0.0.1 gateway 10.0.0.138 and visit http://10.0.0.138/
    although the presention style is a recording of them silently typing Hebrew words into Notepad, which neither I nor Youtube can read. And I don't even know if it's for the right model.

    Is there a 'modem mode' setting? If so, I think you're left with putting it
    in modem mode and then using an external router. But if it won't do modem
    mode you're likely limited in what that second router is able to do, since it'll be behind NAT from the HT hub.

    Theo

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  • From Theo@21:1/5 to Richard Treen on Sun Apr 23 14:39:13 2023
    Richard Treen <treenoakio@home.com> wrote:
    Thanks for the reply Theo.
    There's a fibre modem now on the wall that can go straight into the
    WAN socket on my Draytek router with as yet unknown potential.
    But that's going to provide for WiFi 6 even if the rest works.

    Or, From the modem via one of the Hubs LAN socket to the router.
    I'll try these possible options but I'm hoping to find a little more
    helpful documentation to ease the process.

    If you have a separate fibre modem/ONT, then I think ~80% your chances are going to be better using your own router rather than theirs, just because theirs is probably locked down. If you don't get anywhere with theirs, I'd focus on getting a third party router working.

    It may be you can just have your router do DHCP on its WAN port which is plugged into the ONT and it'll get an IP address. Otherwise you might have
    to ask your ISP for how to use your own router.

    Who are your ISP? Do they offer any support information?

    One wrinkle may be if you have a landline phone service from your ISP - that may not work with a third party router.

    Theo

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  • From Richard Treen@21:1/5 to theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk on Sun Apr 23 14:25:53 2023
    On 23 Apr 2023 12:29:51 +0100 (BST), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    Richard Treen <treenoakio@home.com> wrote:
    I've been using a Draytek lac router with a data SIM for a few years.

    Now moved to a local fibre ISP who issued a Heights Telecom Hub
    that provides WiFi 6, 802.11ax, which my current Draytek router
    doesn't have.

    The Heights Telecom Hub comes with no configuration information, no
    useful info on that subject from the ISP and very little of any use
    found online so far.

    Before I'm nudged into buying a new 802.11ax router that I can
    configure, is there anyone who can give me a link to access and
    configuration details relating to the Heights Telecom Hub?

    I asuume it's something like the HT-360? >https://www.heights-t.com/products/ht-360axg
    - ie it's your fibre ONT as well as router?

    It's very much like that, on the outside at least.

    It looks like they are using a Broadcom platform, but it's not clear whether >they're mostly using a Broadcom reference design or doing their own software >stack.

    I don't know enough about the technicalities but from what I've read,
    it seems to be structured to allow the service provider to add many
    value added services., which is a new one on me. This makes me think
    there's maybe not going to be easy access.


    The only lead I can find is digging around Israeli forums where they seem to >be used:
    https://htmag.co.il/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=367574&start=165#p3220981+

    I struggle with the tech at the best of times. This adds an extra
    level.

    According to this video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck4DbTKGanI

    I did already find a couple of vids like this but they presented too
    much of a learning curve.

    there's a hidden config mode which is accessible if
    you configure your PC with ethernet IP 10.0.0.1 gateway 10.0.0.138 and visit >http://10.0.0.138/

    That might be worth a go.

    although the presention style is a recording of them silently typing Hebrew >words into Notepad, which neither I nor Youtube can read. And I don't even >know if it's for the right model.

    What a tease!

    Is there a 'modem mode' setting? If so, I think you're left with putting it >in modem mode and then using an external router. But if it won't do modem >mode you're likely limited in what that second router is able to do, since >it'll be behind NAT from the HT hub.

    Theo
    Thanks for the reply Theo.
    There's a fibre modem now on the wall that can go straight into the
    WAN socket on my Draytek router with as yet unknown potential.
    But that's going to provide for WiFi 6 even if the rest works.

    Or, From the modem via one of the Hubs LAN socket to the router.
    I'll try these possible options but I'm hoping to find a little more
    helpful documentation to ease the process.
    --

    Ric_Treen

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From David@21:1/5 to Richard Treen on Sun Apr 23 15:11:23 2023
    XPost: uk.telecom.broadband

    On Sun, 23 Apr 2023 11:33:36 +0100, Richard Treen wrote:

    I've been using a Draytek lac router with a data SIM for a few years.

    Now moved to a local fibre ISP who issued a Heights Telecom Hub that
    provides WiFi 6, 802.11ax, which my current Draytek router doesn't have.

    The Heights Telecom Hub comes with no configuration information, no
    useful info on that subject from the ISP and very little of any use
    found online so far.

    Before I'm nudged into buying a new 802.11ax router that I can
    configure, is there anyone who can give me a link to access and
    configuration details relating to the Heights Telecom Hub?

    Cross posted this to uk.telecom.broadband as it is more their thing.


    Cheers



    Dave R


    --
    AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Richard Treen on Sun Apr 23 15:48:26 2023
    Richard Treen wrote:

    I don't know enough about the technicalities but from what I've read,
    it seems to be structured to allow the service provider to add many
    value added services., which is a new one on me. This makes me think
    there's maybe not going to be easy access.

    It says it uses linux containers (LXC) these bolt-on services may be for
    "them" more than you ...

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Richard Treen@21:1/5 to All on Mon Apr 24 07:02:44 2023
    On Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:48:26 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
    wrote:

    Richard Treen wrote:

    I don't know enough about the technicalities but from what I've read,
    it seems to be structured to allow the service provider to add many
    value added services., which is a new one on me. This makes me think
    there's maybe not going to be easy access.

    It says it uses linux containers (LXC) these bolt-on services may be for >"them" more than you ...

    That wouldn't be a big surprise.
    --

    Ric_Treen

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Richard Treen@21:1/5 to theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk on Mon Apr 24 07:00:50 2023
    On 23 Apr 2023 14:39:13 +0100 (BST), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    Richard Treen <treenoakio@home.com> wrote:
    Thanks for the reply Theo.
    There's a fibre modem now on the wall that can go straight into the
    WAN socket on my Draytek router with as yet unknown potential.
    But that's going to provide for WiFi 6 even if the rest works.

    Or, From the modem via one of the Hubs LAN socket to the router.
    I'll try these possible options but I'm hoping to find a little more
    helpful documentation to ease the process.

    If you have a separate fibre modem/ONT, then I think ~80% your chances are >going to be better using your own router rather than theirs, just because >theirs is probably locked down. If you don't get anywhere with theirs, I'd >focus on getting a third party router working.

    Looking on the Draytek forum it seems there is a good chance of this
    working, although there are, as yet, unknown tweaks involved.
    Also there's the lack of WiFi6 on my current Draytek router, which
    might not be a big thing initially.

    It may be you can just have your router do DHCP on its WAN port which is >plugged into the ONT and it'll get an IP address. Otherwise you might have >to ask your ISP for how to use your own router.

    That will add to the experience.


    Who are your ISP?

    WightFibre

    Do they offer any support information?

    Not a lot. They have quite a good rep generally but they're not keen
    on custom variations. Maybe for obvious reasons.

    One wrinkle may be if you have a landline phone service from your ISP - that >may not work with a third party router.

    I'm keen on keeping such things separate and simple, which is already
    well complicated enough for me.

    Theo
    --

    Ric_Treen

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Theo@21:1/5 to Richard Treen on Mon Apr 24 12:25:05 2023
    Richard Treen <treenoakio@home.com> wrote:
    On 23 Apr 2023 14:39:13 +0100 (BST), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    Who are your ISP?

    WightFibre

    Ah, ok: https://www.wightfibre.com/help/broadband/troubleshooting-connection-issues/using-your-own-gateway-router-and-other-equipment/

    So seems like using your own router plugged into their modem is permitted,
    if not supported. Since there's no special config there, I suspect the
    Draytek WAN ethernet port plugged in where the HT Hub plugs in should work - just set it up for DHCP on the Draytek's WAN port.

    If that works, you can then think about replacing the Draytek with something with better wifi. In which case pretty much any non-DSL router should
    suffice.

    Theo

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Richard Treen@21:1/5 to theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk on Mon Apr 24 14:18:18 2023
    On 24 Apr 2023 12:25:05 +0100 (BST), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    Richard Treen <treenoakio@home.com> wrote:
    On 23 Apr 2023 14:39:13 +0100 (BST), Theo
    <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

    Who are your ISP?

    WightFibre

    Ah, ok: >https://www.wightfibre.com/help/broadband/troubleshooting-connection-issues/using-your-own-gateway-router-and-other-equipment/

    So seems like using your own router plugged into their modem is permitted,
    if not supported. Since there's no special config there, I suspect the >Draytek WAN ethernet port plugged in where the HT Hub plugs in should work - >just set it up for DHCP on the Draytek's WAN port.

    If that works, you can then think about replacing the Draytek with something >with better wifi. In which case pretty much any non-DSL router should >suffice.

    Theo

    That's a great help Theo, thank you.
    I'll go ahead and do as you suggest.
    --

    Ric_Treen

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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