Howto unlock your Eircom F1000

rogercross · 31-01-2015 8:32pm

Hey Dermot,

All looks good, everything is working great, network is stable for the first time in over 2 months.

Thanks again for everything!!!!

Dermot McDonnell · 01-02-2015 11:06am

rogercross wrote: »

Hey Dermot,

All looks good, everything is working great, network is stable for the first time in over 2 months.

Thanks again for everything!!!!

Roger, great work. Nice bit of DIY

If you have any stats or tips to share, please advise.

Dermot McDonnell · 01-02-2015 11:17am

Some of you may have a SamKnows box on your network. Just to report that WiFi devices, an S4 and iPad, would connect to a newly unlocked F1000 on a LAN with a SamKnows but the devices did not get Internet connectivity. Removing the SamKnows resolved the problem although the underlying cause was not determined.

Thanks to John C for this information.

jca · 01-02-2015 5:25pm

Dermot McDonnell wrote: »

Some of you may have a SamKnows box on your network. Just to report that WiFi devices, an S4 and iPad, would connect to a newly unlocked F1000 on a LAN with a SamKnows but the devices did not get Internet connectivity. Removing the SamKnows resolved the problem although the underlying cause was not determined.

Thanks to John C for this information.

I've a bit more info on this Dermot. If you have a SamKnows box disconnect it while doing the initial setup and connect the router directly to the unlocked modem. Get your router password, wireless password etc all sorted, then connect the SamKnows and everything works perfectly. Anyone with the older external sky wireless adaptor will have to use b/g/n mixed instead of "n" only.

AngryDiMaria · 01-02-2015 5:32pm

I got it working Dermot, I selected XMODEM 1K instead and it transferred in a couple of seconds. My network has been stable for the last couple of days and I'm not getting constant complaints from the family that "the internet is broken".

Thank you

Dermot McDonnell · 01-02-2015 7:36pm

jca wrote: »

I've a bit more info on this Dermot. If you have a SamKnows box disconnect it while doing the initial setup and connect the router directly to the unlocked modem. Get your router password, wireless password etc all sorted, then connect the SamKnows and everything works perfectly. Anyone with the older external sky wireless adaptor will have to use b/g/n mixed instead of "n" only.

Great work cracking the SamKnows issue

Nice too have a working router. You mentioned in a PM that the printer server is working well too. That's cool to have it confirmed by someone who had that issue.

Eircom, please fix the F1000 and give your customers what they are paying for. It's not difficult to fix the vast range of issues with your current firmware.

Dermot McDonnell · 01-02-2015 7:38pm

AngryDiMaria wrote: »

I got it working Dermot, I selected XMODEM 1K instead and it transferred in a couple of seconds. My network has been stable for the last couple of days and I'm not getting constant complaints from the family that "the internet is broken".

Thank you

Good work, AngryDiMaria!

KeRbDoG · 01-02-2015 9:16pm

Does the latest firmware for the F1000 ZyXel improve the downstream/upstream sync rates?

jca · 01-02-2015 9:43pm

KeRbDoG wrote: »

Does the latest firmware for the F1000 ZyXel improve the downstream/upstream sync rates?

My attainable rates have gone from 74/21 to 85/25 in about 10 hours. Luckily I got it up.and running today 1st of February so it will be interesting to see what my Sam Knows results will be like for February compared to January.

wcarey1975 · 02-02-2015 3:54pm

Thanks Dermot for the very detailed post and detailed guide. I'm looking to get a 2nd F1000 to give this a go on as its something that interests me as a hobby anyway. I have a question about he link for the bootloader. I've clicked on it and it says file is not sound. Has it been moved and if so can you post another link to it. Apologies if the issue is on my end.

Thx,
Wayne

Edit never mind I completed skipped the answer in the 2nd page of the thread......thankt'll teach me to speed read...

Dermot McDonnell · 02-02-2015 6:04pm

wcarey1975 wrote: »

Thanks Dermot for the very detailed post and detailed guide. I'm looking to get a 2nd F1000 to give this a go on as its something that interests me as a hobby anyway. I have a question about he link for the bootloader. I've clicked on it and it says file is not sound. Has it been moved and if so can you post another link to it. Apologies if the issue is on my end.

Thx,
Wayne

Edit never mind I completed skipped the answer in the 2nd page of the thread......thankt'll teach me to speed read...

Yes, the original link to the bootloader is broken. I put it on google drive, chick here.

I shall try to improve my unlock guide. Any windoze users out there with screen shots of their Comms Package config and xModem transfer? I would like to include some pics in the guide and will acknowledge any contributions.

wcarey1975 · 02-02-2015 6:22pm

Dermot McDonnell wrote: »

Yes, the original link to the bootloader is broken. I put it on google drive, chick here.

I shall try to improve my unlock guide. Any windoze users out there with screen shots of their Comms Package config and xModem transfer? I would like to include some pics in the guide and will acknowledge any contributions.

I'll be doing mine through Windows so once I get the cable/modem I'll be on my way. Have modem sorted just need to agree price and getting the cable will be the easy part.

jca · 02-02-2015 7:05pm

============================================================================
VDSL Training Status: Showtime
Mode: VDSL2 Annex B
VDSL Profile: Profile 17a
Traffic Type: PTM Mode
Link Uptime: 1 day: 12 hours: 35 minutes
============================================================================
VDSL Port Details Upstream Downstream
Line Rate: 20.477 Mbps 71.678 Mbps
Actual Net Data Rate: 20.478 Mbps 71.679 Mbps
Trellis Coding: ON ON
SNR Margin: 11.8 dB 12.5 dB
Actual Delay: 0 ms 0 ms
Transmit Power: 0.9 dBm 13.4 dBm
Receive Power: -18.0 dBm -3.2 dBm
Actual INP: 29.0 symbols 30.0 symbols
Total Attenuation: 18.9 dB 16.6 dB
Attainable Net Data Rate: 25.221 Mbps 86.192 Mbps
============================================================================
VDSL Band Status U0 U1 U2 U3 D1 D2 D3
Line Attenuation(dB): 4.9 25.8 38.7 N/A 13.8 33.2 50.8
Signal Attenuation(dB): 4.9 25.2 37.6 N/A 13.6 32.9 50.8
SNR Margin(dB): 11.6 11.8 11.7 N/A 12.6 12.4 12.5
Transmit Power(dBm):-13.5 - 4.0 - 1.0 N/A 10.3 7.9 6.9
============================================================================
Attainable rates still rising!! I'm about 550m from the cabinet. Samsung TV can play files on the usb plugged into the router, all good here.

Dermot McDonnell · 03-02-2015 4:31pm

I want to thank Raymond W. in Dundalk for his unlocked F1000 numbers:

The upload has gone up attainable by 50% was always 20 now 30, down was always around 92/3 now 104.

Link Uptime: 0 day: 19 hours: 30 minutes
============================================================================
VDSL Port Details Upstream Downstream
Line Rate: 20.477 Mbps 92.155 Mbps
Actual Net Data Rate: 20.478 Mbps 92.156 Mbps
Trellis Coding: ON ON
SNR Margin: 15.1 dB 12.9 dB
Actual Delay: 0 ms 0 ms
Transmit Power: - 3.2 dBm 14.0 dBm
Receive Power: -19.7 dBm -3.3 dBm
Actual INP: 29.0 symbols 30.0 symbols
Total Attenuation: 16.5 dB 17.3 dB
Attainable Net Data Rate: 30.404 Mbps 104.037 Mbps

mass_debater · 03-02-2015 5:07pm

Dermot McDonnell wrote: »

I want to thank Raymond W. in Dundalk for his unlocked F1000 numbers:

The upload has gone up attainable by 50% was always 20 now 30, down was always around 92/3 now 104.

Link Uptime: 0 day: 19 hours: 30 minutes
============================================================================
VDSL Port Details Upstream Downstream
Line Rate: 20.477 Mbps 92.155 Mbps
Actual Net Data Rate: 20.478 Mbps 92.156 Mbps
Trellis Coding: ON ON
SNR Margin: 15.1 dB 12.9 dB
Actual Delay: 0 ms 0 ms
Transmit Power: - 3.2 dBm 14.0 dBm
Receive Power: -19.7 dBm -3.3 dBm
Actual INP: 29.0 symbols 30.0 symbols
Total Attenuation: 16.5 dB 17.3 dB
Attainable Net Data Rate: 30.404 Mbps 104.037 Mbps

That's the attainable, what you're line is capable of, your actual is still 92/20

Dermot McDonnell · 03-02-2015 10:40pm

mass_debater wrote: »

That's the attainable, what you're line is capable of, your actual is still 92/20

The point is his Attainable Up increased by 50% and Attainable Down increased by 12% via a softwarte upgrade. If Eircom lock your WAN speeds, you need to talk to them about your plans to move to any other ISP. PS: Ask them to apply the available fixes to their F1000 while you are on the phone, who knows?

mass_debater · 03-02-2015 11:07pm

Dermot McDonnell wrote: »

The point is his Attainable Up increased by 50% and Attainable Down increased by 12% via a softwarte upgrade.

The copper pair does not change so the difference in reading is a software error or miscalculation on one of the readings. The sync rate is usually rate adaptive set by the server.

Dermot McDonnell · 03-02-2015 11:44pm

mass_debater wrote: »

The copper pair does not change so the difference in reading is a software error or miscalculation on one of the readings. The sync rate is usually rate adaptive set by the server.

So, a software upgrade to the router xDSL PHY, for example, never mind numerous bug fixes cannot improve router performance in real life? I disagree.

A number of poster have already made it clear that their real life experience of upgrading their F1000 operating sytem has been very positive, there has not been a single naysayer. A number of posters have provided measurements from network devices that support the view that real life experience is much better.

jca · 03-02-2015 11:53pm

Dermot McDonnell wrote: »

So, a software upgrade to the router xDSL PHY, for example, never mind numerous bug fixes cannot improve router performance in real life? I disagree.

A number of poster have already made it clear that their real life experience of upgrading their F1000 operating sytem has been very positive, there has not been a single naysayer. A number of posters have provided measurements from network devices that support the view that real life experience is much better.

It sure is an improvement, besides internet speeds, the opening up of the standard router features is great.

mass_debater · 03-02-2015 11:53pm

Dermot McDonnell wrote: »

So, a software upgrade to the router xDSL PHY, for example, never mind numerous bug fixes cannot improve router performance in real life? I disagree.

A number of poster have already made it clear that their real life experience of upgrading their F1000 operating sytem has been very positive, there has not been a single naysayer. A number of posters have provided measurements from network devices that support the view that real life experience is much better.

What, when did I question any of that? I questioned the reported attainable figure, I'd love to put my Megger meter on it because one or both of the before/after attainable figures is wrong. Not at all knocking your achievements btw

rogercross · 04-02-2015 4:34pm

This is kind of off topic but I was wondering if there is a free service i could use to keep my ip address updated on my unlocked F1000 router.

I am using smartdnsproxy, is there anything i could run on the F1000 to keep my ip up to date with that service do you think?

KeRbDoG · 05-02-2015 12:35am

mass_debater wrote: »

What, when did I question any of that? I questioned the reported attainable figure, I'd love to put my Megger meter on it because one or both of the before/after attainable figures is wrong. Not at all knocking your achievements btw

Would the updated firmware of the modem not just do a better job of the vectoring/G.vector for the connection?

mass_debater · 05-02-2015 8:21am

KeRbDoG wrote: »

Would the updated firmware of the modem not just do a better job of the vectoring/G.vector for the connection?

I don't see how, vectoring is applied to the whole cab, not individual connections. It's the coordination of line signals to reduce crosstalk

KeRbDoG · 05-02-2015 8:35am

mass_debater wrote: »

I don't see how, vectoring is applied to the whole cab, not individual connections. It's the coordination of line signals to reduce crosstalk

While a cab has to have vectoring enabled, each line negotiates the line rate as the modem brings up the connection. Each line is different. Different lengths and different environmental factors causing cross tall etc.

wcarey1975 · 06-02-2015 11:59am

Okay I've everything bought and en route to me. I've downloaded all the necessary software and started but as I've little experience in puttytel it will be a learning curve, one which I look forward to. Just to speed things along does anyone have the setting for the putty tel other than the baud/parity that are needed. If not I can do my research and publish it here later. I have both ExtraPutty and Kitty. Anyway looking forward to it once it starts.

W

KeRbDoG · 06-02-2015 9:58pm

Just completed the unlocking of the F1000 - sync speeds look kinda the same as before, but lets give it a few days.

wcarey1975 · 08-02-2015 4:05pm

Hi Dermot, apologies in advance for what is going to be a complete noob question. Do you need the ethernet cable to upgrade the modem or can it all be done with the USB-TTL cable?

Thx,
W

Dermot McDonnell · 09-02-2015 11:06am

wcarey1975 wrote: »

Hi Dermot, apologies in advance for what is going to be a complete noob question. Do you need the ethernet cable to upgrade the modem or can it all be done with the USB-TTL cable?

Thx,
W

Hi Wayne,

strictly speaking you can use the USB-TTL cable only. That would involve sending the new ZyXel firmware, as well as the boot loader, over the USB-TTL cable. The firmware is fairly large and takes the best part of half an hour to send that way.

Therefore, once you have flashed the bootloader, I suggest plugging in a CAT5 ethernet cable and using your browser to point to 192.168.1.1. You can then send the new ZyXel firmware via your browser, it takes less than a minute at 100mbps.

My guide describes the second method. It is much faster and involves less risk.

Regards,

Dermot

wcarey1975 · 09-02-2015 1:36pm

Thanks Dermot for answering it. I'm probably over thinking it as I dont have everything yet. All materials will be here this week. Cable arrived this morning and modem has been posted so should be here later on this week. heres hoping for a successful outcome.

Wayne.

QUOTE=Dermot McDonnell;94210844]Hi Wayne,

strictly speaking you can use the USB-TTL cable only. That would involve sending the new ZyXel firmware, as well as the boot loader, over the USB-TTL cable. The firmware is fairly large and takes the best part of half an hour to send that way.

Therefore, once you have flashed the bootloader, I suggest plugging in a CAT5 ethernet cable and using your browser to point to 192.168.1.1. You can then send the new ZyXel firmware via your browser, it takes less than a minute at 100mbps.

My guide describes the second method. It is much faster and involves less risk.

Regards,

Dermot[/QUOTE]

wcarey1975 · 09-02-2015 9:24pm

Hi Internet peeps just have a couple of questions for those that have experience with extraputty and windows. I've put in the baud and parity but it won't let me open. I've stick in an IP address 192.168.1.100 and port 22 and it lets me open a window. I've got the TTL cable but modem isn't here yet. Do I need to have the modem connected to open the window and have I setup the software correctly. Finally do I need to have the Ethernet cable connected along with the serial cable from the start. Thanks in advance, W.

_Whimsical_ · 09-02-2015 11:30pm

Will unlocking increase wifi range and speeds ?

wcarey1975 · 10-02-2015 8:42am

wcarey1975 wrote: »

Hi Internet peeps just have a couple of questions for those that have experience with extraputty and windows. I've put in the baud and parity but it won't let me open. I've stick in an IP address 192.168.1.100 and port 22 and it lets me open a window. I've got the TTL cable but modem isn't here yet. Do I need to have the modem connected to open the window and have I setup the software correctly. Finally do I need to have the Ethernet cable connected along with the serial cable from the start. Thanks in advance, W.

Think its actually easier than I thought. Just looks like poor attention to detail on my part. I thought I'd selected the serial radio button as the comms choice of communication but I may have missed that. I'll double check it tonight once I'm home and I'll keep you all posted.

W

wcarey1975 · 11-02-2015 11:56pm

Just finished work for the week so sat down tonight when the misses and kids were in bed. Completed the unbranding and took as many screen grabs as I could all finished. Cant thank Dermot enough for all his initial effort. despite some pretty noobie stuff at the beginning completed the whole process without any real issues.

W

zarafiq · 12-02-2015 11:39am

Thanks for all the posts Dermot. Unlocked mine yesterday. Was able to use Raspberry Pi instead of TTL-USB cable. One issue - DSL LED is green but the Internet LED stays red so not able to connect to the internet.
Could somebody who uses Eircom and ideally uses 1.00(AAKL.5)C0 firmware backup their config, remove any sensitive info (passwords, etc) and post it here?
Many thanks!

Dermot McDonnell · 12-02-2015 1:34pm

wcarey1975 wrote: »

.. Completed the unbranding and took as many screen grabs as I could all finished...
W

Nice work, Wayne!

Dermot McDonnell · 12-02-2015 1:39pm

zarafiq wrote: »

..One issue - DSL LED is green but the Internet LED stays red so not able to connect to the internet.

Green DSL light indicates ADSL connection on an unlocked F1000. Amber (Yellow) DSL indicates VDSL sync. Can you post a screen shot of xDSL statistics report and status page? With the Eircom firmware, the DSL is green for both ADSL and VDSL.

Could somebody who uses Eircom and ideally uses 1.00(AAKL.5)C0 firmware backup their config, remove any sensitive info (passwords, etc) and post it here?
Many thanks!

I think you will find the eircom config file will be incompatible with the Zyxel firmware.

zarafiq · 13-02-2015 11:05am

Thanks Dermot,

I was able to fix the issue by changing the VLAN 802.1q value to '10' - missed this step after flashing firmware.
Would still like to see default config of Eircom provided modem (forgot to save it before flashing).
I know I won't be able to upload it to the modem but since it's a text file (XML?) I can see the values
Eircom are using. Will post the xDSL stats tonight.

captain_boycott · 15-02-2015 3:40pm

Dermot, am having issues since unlocking to the latest firmware. Device's on the LAN intermittently start losing connection to the internet, and i have to reboot the router. Always had rock solud connection before.

Also i have noticed that when i stream video thru a device connected via one of the F1000 ports from another PC on the LAN, the stream buffers and network goes slow for all users. However if i plug same device into a port on my access point, it works fine. This leads me to think the ports on the F1000 are not acting like switched ports, but instead like a passive hub. Dunno if that was always the case or if its firmware related. As v7 is only beta, is it possible to easily downgrade to the latest officially supported release?

Paul Thomas Rowland · 17-02-2015 1:10pm

captain_boycott wrote: »

... if its firmware related. As v7 is only beta, is it possible to easily downgrade to the latest officially supported release?

You can flash any Zyxel firmware you want, Kitz forum has a long list. V7 is not a beta, it is released. The Dutch ISP Tweak is shipping it and it is signed off in the Zyxel changelog. http://www.tweak.nl/consument/support/firmware.html

Dermot McDonnell · 19-02-2015 4:03pm

captain_boycott wrote: »

Dermot, am having issues since unlocking to the latest firmware. Device's on the LAN intermittently start losing connection to the internet, and i have to reboot the router. Always had rock solud connection before...

@captain_boycott, give me a call and we can swap it for another F1000 to see it is isolated to your router. Nobody else reporting lost connections, neither here nor on Kitz, and I am certainly not seeing it myself at all on a wide range of connected devices - PC, laptops, android and apple tablets and phones, TV and eVision box.

The F1000 has a BCM53115 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, same as the Huawei HG658c if I recall correctly. I see no change in internet performance on any device when the eVision box, connected by cat5 and streaming video, is removed/reconnected to the F1000.

It would be nice to replicate your issue and try to get to the bottom of it.

captain_boycott · 20-02-2015 5:15pm

hi Dermot, thanks for the offer - too busy to troubleshoot further at the moment but will try and recreate issue if I get time next week, and then might try downgrading the firmware as well.

Right now its behaving well as i only have my Asus AP connected to the F1000, and I have all my wired connections coming in thru that.

One possibility is that the 1080p traffic was just too much for the router. Would the F1000 firewall be trying to do packet inspection on the NAT side of the router? Anyways, will try a few things next week if I get some time.

Paul Thomas Rowland · 21-02-2015 1:57pm

The V7 firmware is now available from ZyXel Sweden. ftp://ftp.zyxel.se/VMG8324-B10A/firmware/

Their site it almost always up unlike Zyxel Italia

yuloni · 21-02-2015 2:13pm

This post has been deleted.

Dermot McDonnell · 23-02-2015 12:41pm

yuloni wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

You are correct, the Serial Number is in the Bootloader and as yet I have not discovered how to change it. That number can only be seen from the GUI, it is not detectable remotely. There may be a mechanism to change it from CFE but there is no documentation for the command set.

Well done, btw!

yuloni · 23-02-2015 8:54pm

This post has been deleted.

peewee3ie · 24-02-2015 7:15pm

I have read the most of this thread before doing a spare modem a friend has given me and will be trying it out later on his fiber and get his cctv working over the internet again (it was before he got fiber). I will have mine up and running next week. I will be doing this to my own modem as well.

Thank you Dermot. I had no problem following your guide and I am use to using putty as I use it to keep my own linux server up to date. I was a bit afraid when doing it that I would do something wrong but it's much easier that it look and sounds.

As I work in computer repairs I will be keeping a eye out for modems that customers are not using and doing this.

Dermot. I will also get as many screen shots as I can if they are any good to you but it could be next week. I mite try and do a windows how to and I may do a web page and host it myself on how to do it.

peewee3ie · 26-02-2015 12:23am

Hi,

How do I change the voip setting as my friend does have a voip/sip account he would like to use with a phone plugged in to the modem

Dermot McDonnell · 26-02-2015 10:00pm

peewee3ie wrote: »

.. I will also get as many screen shots as I can if they are any good to you but it could be next week. I mite try and do a windows how to and I may do a web page and host it myself on how to do it.

I greatly appreciate to your kind words and offer to provide screen shots. I can PM the source to you if it may assist your efforts.

As for VOIP, not used it myself but a neighbour does. I shall enquire. My first port of call would be VOIP settings. Do you have a user guide?

peewee3ie · 27-02-2015 12:21am

Hi Dermot,

I do but I seem to be missing a menu for voip. It could be as I do not have a phone plugged in to it yet will try it over the weekend and post back here.

Please do pm the source it maybe useful.

yuloni · 27-02-2015 2:30am

This post has been deleted.

Howto unlock your Eircom F1000

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