Quick BE* Question

Westyfield2 · 24 Apr 2008 at 12:47

Be have enabled our exchange today

And I read that it comes with it's own router...... but I just want to check that you can still use your own router / modem?

My Router: Linksys WRT600N (Dual-Band Wireless-N (2.4ghz & 5ghz) Gigabit LAN, Storage Link etc.)

My Modem: Draytek Vigor 100 (ADSL, ADSL2 & ADSL2+)

csmager · 24 Apr 2008 at 13:00

You can use your own, a bit hit and miss though. If the chipset has an issue, they're not going to bother resolving it. My modem would only sync at about 3Mb.

http://www.beforum.co.uk/ has a lot of info about various routers.

FrenchTart · 24 Apr 2008 at 13:05

You could always just use the supplied BeBox in modem mode and then use your gigabit router.

gillywibble · 24 Apr 2008 at 13:44

Be doesn't require a username or password. Some routers do though by default, so they are incompatible.

FrenchTart · 24 Apr 2008 at 14:36

There aren't many routers that are incompatible for that reason... lack of adsl2+ support in the chipset is a far more likely problem.

wij · 24 Apr 2008 at 16:26

The DrayTek modem will have issues because of some funny setting Be use, although if you pester them enough you can get this fixed, there was a number floating around on the Be user forums of who to call to make this happen.

dave-lew99 · 24 Apr 2008 at 17:57

Be can be made to work with most routers which are standards complient (ADSL2+ and Annexe M for Upload+)
Connection type is RFC1483 and does not use PPPoA or PPPoE as there is no authentication.
The official Be forum has plenty of info on configuration plus is staffed by Be staff. Any time i've raised a support ticket it's usually been dealt with in less than 24hrs (even at the weekend, although i am using the Pro package so i don't know if this has any impact on support)

Like all ISPs, they don't stop you from using your own router, but they don't go out of their way to specifically support it either. But all the tech details are available.

FrenchTart · 24 Apr 2008 at 18:50

dave-lew99 said:
although i am using the Pro package so i don't know if this has any impact on support)

When I had pro the differences in support were virtually none - both the standard package and pro are pretty much the same, whatever they claim

Westyfield2 · 24 Apr 2008 at 19:51

Aekeron said:
You could always just use the supplied BeBox in modem mode and then use your gigabit router.

That sounds good, using their supplied router (in modem mode) and connect it to the WAN port on my router..... what settings would need to be done on the BeBox for that?

dave-lew99 · 24 Apr 2008 at 21:05

I think he means bridge mode, i don't know offhand how to do it but if you're going to do that pick up a linksys AM200 and use that in bridge - mine has been up since i got it in january and it's never needed to be touched since.

Lots of people have reported problems with the BeBox, i thought it was pretty dire too, but mostly due to the software (it's hardware specs are quite impressive)

As i said the official Be forum is very good for that sort of thing the people on there know the BeBox and settings etc inside out.

Westyfield2 · 25 Apr 2008 at 18:44

So in summary:

Could use the BeBox as a modem (bridging or whatever its called), but it's not all that reliable.
It's possible to enter Be's settings into your own router/modem.

And from http://www.draytek.co.uk/support/kb_vigor100_setup.html the settings for Be that should be entered on a Draytek Vigor 100 are MPoA, VPI 0 /VCI 101/1483 Bridged LLC.

That look right? So I needn't use the BeBox and my existing modem would be fine

dave-lew99 · 25 Apr 2008 at 19:57

Yup, you may not get the best out of the connection with a Draytek however due to the particular chipset they use.

Westyfield2 · 26 Apr 2008 at 13:35

dave-lew99 said:
Yup, you may not get the best out of the connection with a Draytek however due to the particular chipset they use.

Got any more details on that?

From a very quick search I found http://www.beforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7641 which says

It works with no issues with Be*. It supports Annex M and allows you to change all sorts of adsl settings, i.e. change to adsl, adsl2, adsl2+, annex A, annex M, etc.

The only minor I can see is that I sync at about 1.6mb upload where as the bebox syncs at 1.65-1.7mb a definite change which happens at anytime of the day, not just at specific times. This effectively gives a slightly lower sync speed, but I've don't notice it too much.

All in all it's a solid little box which has achieved a higher uptime that the bebox was ever able to, even on my 3db profile with fastpath.

It's been up for about 5 days now, where as I used to get daily disconnects and the bebox freezing.

(Thats all with the latest firmware from the Draytek website).

dave-lew99 · 26 Apr 2008 at 13:46

I'm just judging from reports on the official Be* forum that's all, it probably depends on the exact model and firmware.