UniFi USG with TalkTalk Router

AG209

AG209

AG209

Associate
Joined
20 Apr 2022
Posts
3
Location
London
Hi all

Newbie here.

I have setup a UniFi Cloud Key Gen2, 2 x UAP-AC-PRO and UniFi PoE switch all at the same site and everything seems to be working ok. The router being used is the ISPs router (TalkTalk).

Now at the same site, I need to also install a USG but I simply cannot manage to do it. I must be doing something wrong. Is it the case that I cannot use the TalkTalk router amd instead go for something like a Draytek?

UniFi online chat reps have been next to useless.

The reason why I posted on this forum is because after having done a few google searches, I see there are some UnFi experts on here.

Hoping someone can help. @WJA96 maybe you can help?

Many thanks.
 
iamtheoneneo said:
but that doesn't remove double-NAT which seems like what the OP is experiencing here.
Which is why most people just chuck an old modem in between to fix it.
Click to expand...
I re-read, you're right.

OP needs an Openreach modem, plug that into the phone line and USG into that, then it should work (pending adoption and correct WAN config of course).
 
iamtheoneneo said:
but that doesn't remove double-NAT which seems like what the OP is experiencing here.
Which is why most people just chuck an old modem in between to fix it.
Click to expand...

We don't know what internet connection the OP has, if it's FTTP then there's no modem needed. That's why I asked what sort of internet connection they had.

There was no mention of double NAT.
 
I assume you’re on ADSL or VDSL? If you’re on FTTP you can dispense with the TalkTalk router just so long as you have the login credentials.

The most likely problem is that the router is in the same IP address range as the USG. The USG defaults to 192.168.1.x

On the TalkTalk router you need to change the DHCP range to something other than 1 in the third range - so 192.168.2.x or 192.168.0.x so it’s not in conflict with the USG. Then, on the USG just set it to DHCP and it will pass traffic.

As the TalkTalk router has no modem mode you will always have double Network address translation (NAT) but that’s not a huge issue.

In a perfect world you would buy a modem eg. Draytek Vigor 130 or Openreach Huawei HG610 but it will work just fine with the TalkTalk router in between.
 
Hi all thanks for the responses.

Agreed, I should have put more information into the original post.

-Incoming internet type: Its coming through the master telephone socket so I'm guessing that's ADSL/VDSL. It's definitely not FFTC, that would have been obvious. If it was FTTH then I guess there would be a little modem present but there isn't so it can't be FTTH either.

-Specific error: Firstly it has been around 6 weeks since my last visit to site and my memory is slightly hazy, I do remember that a message came up saying that the USG cannot connect to the internet. I did at that point know that there would be an IP address conflict (both the talktalk router and the USG have the same default IP address and range (192.168.1.x) so I tried changing this (local IP and IP range) in both the talktalk router settings and also in the USG and vice versa. I also tried adopting the USG via the cloudkey, but I believe the adoption failed. After several hard resets of the USG and trying different things, after a couple of hours later I gave up. @WJA96 I believe I did try putting the router and the USG on to different IP address ranges but I don't think it made any difference.

I think what's best here is that I go to site again and try again. I'm hoping one of you might be available for support if I run into issues - PAID FOR OF COURSE - can any of you let me know via DM if you'd be up for this?

I'll let the site owner know that if I do manage to get it working with the current equipment then they will have double NAT and the easiest way around this would be to get a modem (openreach / draytek) as suggested in the replies above.

Thanks.
 
You definitely don’t need to pay.

1. Plug in the TalkTalk router and disable WiFi and change the DHCP range to 192.168.0.1-182.168.0.254. Check that the TalkTalk router is connected to the internet and you can browse websites from it.
2. Reset the USG by pushing a paper clip into the little hole until it flashes white.
3. Reboot the USG and connect it to your network. The TalkTalk router goes into the WAN port and the lan port then connects to the rest of the network (probably a UniFi PoE switch).
4. In a web browser, go to 192.168.1.1 and you should get the USG direct interface. If it’s not already set, select DHCP and it should get an internet connection from the TalkTalk router.
5. Connect to your controller and when it shows the USG, adopt it.
6. In your network tab, set up any reserved IP addresses and your DHCP range and that’s basically it.

If you do decide to go down the separate modem route, at step 4 (above) select PPPoE and enter your TalkTalk username and password and press enter. AND THEN LEAVE IT ALONE WHILE IT CONNECTS. I can pretty much guarantee it will not connect immediately. But have faith, make a cup of tea and a biscuit and then maybe another cup of tea just to be sure and when you come back it will have connected. And once it has connected it will reconnect immediately in future if the line goes down or there is a power cut.
 
Just to clarify -

FTTH - Fibre to the home
FTTC - Fibre to the cabinet - This is the most likely what you have here using vDSL and PPPoE

If you can't use the TalkTalk router in a 'Bridge' mode (some ISP routers do have the option for it in the UI), then you have a choice:

1. Get a vDSL modem such as Openreach HG612 or Draytek Vigor 130 (or just a router that supports being a bridge if you have one already).
2. Use the TalkTalk router on a separate IP range (but you will have double NAT - network address translation, which is how the router changes your local IP into the ISP-assigned IP that websites and others on the wider internet see). Double NAT can cause issues with devices, things like port forwarding for gaming, secure connections etc.

I think this is basically a summary of what WJA96 is saying. I would actually say buying a modem is the cleanest solution personally and probably best for any concerns you may have about ongoing support and configuration issues with the client.

Wondering why you're actually deploying the USG, given the existing setup was working - what did you need to do that the ISP router couldn't? I'm sure the existing router is terrible and has limited features, but just curious.

Maybe another option:
3. Return USG and buy a different router that has a built-in vDSL modem. Based on my question above about why you need the USG then this may or may not be feasible.

I have UniFi APs in my house and honestly I'm not sure if I'd want to use their software for routing, switching etc. as it can be pretty flaky. If I was professionally supporting it I'd probably not deploy that, but of course that's a very personal opinion from my own experience.
 
Last edited:
Just for the record, if this is TalkTalk as opposed to TalkTalk Business then there is no PPPoE - you plug the USG into an Openreach modem or DrayTek Vigor 130 and it will pull an address using DHCP.
 
alex24 said:
I have UniFi APs in my house and honestly I'm not sure if I'd want to use their software for routing, switching etc. as it can be pretty flaky. If I was professionally supporting it I'd probably not deploy that, but of course that's a very personal opinion from my own experience.
Click to expand...

Our entire business was basically built on reselling UniFi to rich people with big houses. Mainly professional sports people.

The key is to stick on one of the many stable software releases and to not play about systems that don’t need to be upgraded.

The USG line is effectively dead now as it hasn’t had anything except security patches since 2019 but it’s a solid router otherwise. The Dream Machines on the other hand are just excrement and I wouldn’t wish them on my worst enemy.

The switches and access points are generally excellent for reliability and software robustness. It’s the UDMs and the controller software that can be flaky.

If it was me, I would always put in Untangle or pfSense as the router but there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the USG range of routers in UK deployments where even the most basic USG will run VDSL (80/20) at full line speed with all the security features enabled.
 
Caged said:
I've never been impressed with MikroTik's Wi-Fi offerings, maybe they are improving with ROS7.
Click to expand...

Yes, and maybe. ROS7 finally gets you MuMiMo on AC access points (very few 4x4 AC devices can use it though).

The thing about Mikrotik WLAN is it’s not that fast but currently it is utterly stable and it delivers consistent, if slow, performance. Unless a customer was literally holding a gun to my head I would always install a UniFi access point before almost anything else.
 
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