Connect Vodafone NBI Fiber directly to pfsense as PPPoE connection (vfieftth.ie).

chrismc76 · 28-09-2022 10:06AM #1

I recently upgraded a business premises to Fiber through the NBI plan. I spent almost 6 weeks trying to get the PPPoE credentials to connect directly to pfsense router. After all that time, the best support could do was to bridge the gigabox & and connect gigabox LAN to pfsense WAN. I want to bypass the Gigabox. On my Fiber at home, (I have SIRO) I was able to directly connect the LAN from the fiber box to the WAN on my router and configure direct connection bypassing the gigabox.

The only settings I required were:

PPPoE Username: [ModemSerialNumber]@vfieftth.ie

PPPoE Password: [**@V+***!***] (Password was very random and secure)

VLAN ID: 10

The settings I got from vodafone for this new business connection were:

PPPoE Username: [ModemSerialNumber]@vfieftth.ie

PPPoE Password: broadband

No mention of tagging incoming traffic.

When I pressed vodafone further for the necessary credentials, they told me that they do not support 3rd party routers, this is pretty annoying as I dont want support on a 3rd party router, I want PPPoE settings that only vodafone can supply.

Has anyone got advice or solved this issue?

Glaceon · 03-10-2022 04:14PM

vodafone@vodafone.ie and broadband are all you need. I've never needed the specific vfieftth.ie username.

codar · 12-01-2023 11:58AM

I have replaced the vodafone gigabox router on fiber NBI connection (Nokia ONT) with Tp-link deco m5 mesh system.

The settings I used were:

Internet connection Type: PPPoE

Username: [ModemSerialNumber]@vfieftth.ie

Password: broadband

Operation mode: Wi-fi router

ISP Profile: Custom

Internet Vlan ID: 10

Internet Vlan Priority: 0 (was defaulting to 7 which prevented it from working)

802.1Q Tag: Enabled/selected

MAC Clone: enabled

Use custom MAC Address (Mac of gigabox router)

Hope it helps.

02-06-2023 06:06PM

I recently signed up for vodafone fibre but have had to cancel the contract because they do not support third party routers. They refused point blank to offer me my pppoe credentials. The bridge mode on the router is none functional and they don't seem to offer to enable it despite me asking a few times. Their option to bypass their DNS servers is not working and the essential secure DNS switch is now removed and they do not offer to enable it. They do not seem to support multicast on their router which means that SATIP will not work for me.

All in all their Gigerbit router is not fit for purpose for anyone who has anything but basic windows based web browsing and streaming.

I am shortly moving house back into town and the choice is between Eir and Sky and I think I will be going back to Eir when I do.

Been a terrible experience dealing with Vodafone and their crappy routers (two broke within a day of installation).

Glaceon · 02-06-2023 06:39PM

vodafone@vodafone.ie and broadband should work on anything. The VLAN tag is the hardest bit but most routers should support it.

emilrasyad · 05-06-2023 09:15PM

This is what I have in my Juniper SRX on VDSL (FTTC) with DSL cable directly to the router VDSL module:

--- JUNOS 12.3X48-D105.4 built 2020-07-29 00:24:05 UTC

jupiter> show configuration interfaces pt-2/0/0 | display set

set interfaces pt-2/0/0 description VODAFONE-VDSL2

set interfaces pt-2/0/0 vlan-tagging

set interfaces pt-2/0/0 vdsl-options vdsl-profile auto

set interfaces pt-2/0/0 unit 0 encapsulation ppp-over-ether

set interfaces pt-2/0/0 unit 0 vlan-id 10

jupiter> show configuration interfaces pp0 | display set

set interfaces pp0 description VODAFONE-PPPoE

set interfaces pp0 traceoptions flag all

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 ppp-options chap default-chap-secret "<encrypted>"

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 ppp-options chap local-name "E2004CMxxxxxxxxx@vfiefttc.ie"

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 ppp-options chap no-rfc2486

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 ppp-options chap passive

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 pppoe-options underlying-interface pt-2/0/0.0

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 pppoe-options idle-timeout 0

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 pppoe-options auto-reconnect 10

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 pppoe-options client

set interfaces pp0 unit 0 family inet negotiate-address

davo2001 · 23-07-2023 08:50PM

You can 100% use a non Vodafone router for FTTH, I'm using my Unifi UDMP without vodafone router and no issues.

As stated above, use the pppoe details (vodafone@vodafone.ie/broadband) and tag VLAN10 on the WAN side on the 3rd party router and it works without issue.

pukeko · 22-02-2024 12:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120098022#Comment_120098022

Just wanted to say thanks for this - worked perfectly 👌

drabisan · 10-05-2024 09:52AM

Came back to boards.ie to give credits to chrismc76!

I switched to Vodafone and for some reasons I thought it's a good idea to change their Gigabox to bridge more. It all went south and now in retrospect - that was a bad idea!

Since their presentation is ethernet (unlike VM), the right thing is to plug the link to my Asus router.

I tried for a while and nothing made sense - I was getting some 10.x private IP and nothing was working.

Eventually I found chrismc76's post

PPPoE username: [ModemSerialNumber]@vfieftth.ie. Serial number is on the botom of Gigabox

PPPoE Password: broadband, small caps

Internet traffic is on vlan10.

Job done! 2 less gadgets that needs plugging vs VM. At least in my area Vodafone offers 100mbps upload and that's important to me! VM, no matter what, keeps the 50mbps upload for reasons only they understand.

foxxbl · 01-06-2024 05:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120098022#Comment_120098022

Just wanted to say, thanks a lot!

These settings work perfectly with my Deco M4! I tried to switch the Gigabox to the bridge mode and somehow that bricked the router (wouldn't work even after reset). I found this post and managed to connect my router directly to ONT, all worked like a charm, happy days! Vodafone replaced my router, but it's already serving as a backup, collecting the dust on the shelf ;)

PH0NER · 18-01-2025 06:21PM

Does anyone have a Ubiquiti Dream Wall and Vodafone 2 gig? Curious to hear if you can get the full 2 gig download on PPPoE without the Gigabox router involved.

Glaceon · 18-01-2025 08:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123070661#Comment_123070661

I’ve heard that Ubiquiti firewalls can’t really handle 1 gig over PPPoE, it put me off getting one even though I have their access points and switches.

PH0NER · 19-01-2025 10:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123071226#Comment_123071226

I ended up giving it a try anyway. I have a Dream Wall and just had Vodafone 2 gig installed. I was able to get rid of the Vodafone Gigabox using PPPoE and connecting directly from ONT to the UDW. I was worried it wouldn’t be full speed, but it is! Not sure about how the firewall performs. I have mine set to the basic “recommended” settings.

Explosive_Cornflake · 20-01-2025 05:37PM

I'm considering going to vodafone with Siro.

For the 1GB package, what upload speed are people getting?
Is it an an external IPv4 address?

Glaceon · 20-01-2025 05:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123077744#Comment_123077744

Upload on the SIRO gigabit packages is around 102 Mb/s. I haven’t been on Vodafone since 2022 (been with Digiweb since) but they gave a public IPv4 back then.

TimmyTrumpet · 07-02-2025 10:00PM

Hi I found this thread and like you I was thinking of swapping my Vodafone Gigabox for an Unifi modem. Two questions. Is it easy done? And is it worth it?

Glaceon · 07-02-2025 10:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123146501#Comment_123146501

I just did it yesterday on Digiweb with a UXG-Max. Works a treat, just needed to set the PPPoE credentials and VLAN 10 tag.

TimmyTrumpet · 10-02-2025 11:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123146672#Comment_123146672

Well how's it going with new modem. Is speeds noticeably better? did you add other ubiquiti devices to your system like access points etc?

Glaceon · 11-02-2025 08:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123157451#Comment_123157451

Speeds are pretty much identical to the router I had before, a Fritz 7530. My main reason for doing it was that I wanted to have a separate guest network. While I could have done that on the Fritz, it doesn't support VLAN tagging so I would have had to use up extra (untagged) ports on the switch, which just felt sloppy. I already have a UniFi switch and access points so it made sense for me.

TimmyTrumpet · 11-02-2025 11:04AM

Yes that makes sense. Nice to have all the same brand of equipment in the same network system I guess. I'm going to replace my Vodafone Gigabox modem with a unfi one. Question, is it as simple as connecting to the ONT box and plugging into a lan port on the unfi modem with say laptop and configuring setup with Vodafone credentials as you previously stated.

Glaceon · 11-02-2025 11:07AM

Yep, plug the cable from the ONT into the WAN port on the UniFi router. This is my config, you can ignore the Dynamic DNS config, that's only something you'd use if you need it. Just change the Digiweb credentials to Vodafone's.

TimmyTrumpet · 11-02-2025 10:40PM

Thanks for sharing, that will help me when I eventually set things up! Its refreshing to know that the ISP modem/router can be changed for something better!

fat-tony · 29-09-2025 12:55PM

Great thread - thanks. Just had Vodafone install done today (500Mb) carried on Virgin fibre. Installer used Nokia-xs-010x ONT into the VF gigabox. I checked that the internet connection was working over wifi to my mobile before he left. Once he departed I disconnected the gigabox and plugged straight into my GL-MT6000 and set up user and password and VLAN10 as advised earlier in the thread. No initial issues - got 500+Mb speedtest.net connections. I got a dropout on the connection after 90 minutes up, though. Connection re-established and dropped several times over about a three minute period. Hope it's not a sign of things to come!

fat-tony · 06-10-2025 08:45PM

Update on this. Continuous dropouts over the date of Mon 29th after the install - using my own router. I got 9 hours running on my own router from 2am until 11am on Tue 30th. Then it went down for an hour and then back up for an hour. I rang Vodafone and the call centre support person said it was probably an issue with the Gigabox or the cable as the fibre network LEDs on the ONT were solid green. She could see that the internet connection was breaking at regular intervals. When I suggested that it might be a config issue in the network (seeing as this was a new VF connection over the Virgin infrastucture) she was quite dismissive and insisted that it was a hardware issue and that I would be issued with a new Gigabox or WAN patch cable. I was told that I would be contacted within 48 hours by the tech to install a replacement Gigabox. I decided to revert back to the supplied Gigabox in case it was an issue with my router. Still no joy - no connection or else 5 minutes uptime followed by an hour's downtime. Morning of Wed 1st October I could see that my service had been restored at 2.30am and had stayed working since then. Worked all day Wednesday and into Thursday when it switched IP addresses at 3.40 but recovered within one minute and was ok afterwards.

I got my call on Thursday 2nd October just before the 48 hour deadline from the Vodafone booking service to tell me that a tech would visit me on October 10th to swap the Gigabox!!! My first instinct was to tell them to F right off for such lousy customer service, but a couple of questions established that this wasn't actually Vodafone contacting me but rather a third party booking system who's sole purpose is to schedule tech visits. They have no access to the original problem report and have no connection with Vodafone proper. I said that I thought the issue was actually within Vodafone's network config and to maybe defer the booking of the tech for a couple of days until I determined that I now had stable service.

Long story short - I swapped back from the Gigabox to my own router on Sunday 5th and it has been ok since. It seems to me that VF borked the initial network config and fixed it after over 24 hours, but never communicated that fact to me.

Now, my one remaining slight issue is that the installer insisted on putting the ONT on the wall where it is covered by a curtain and the box is running at 50 degrees C according to my infrared thermometer! I'm tempted to move the thing myself, providing there is enough slack in the fibre.

Connect Vodafone NBI Fiber directly to pfsense as PPPoE connection (vfieftth.ie).

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