Kitz Forum

Broadband Related => Broadband Hardware => Topic started by: machare on August 02, 2018, 12:13:11 PM

Title: Zyxel VMG8924-B10A problems
Post by: machare on August 02, 2018, 12:13:11 PM
My VMG8924-B10A running version 21 firmware has developed problems.  Sometimes when it is powered on it does not start up properly. It responds to pings, does not respond to telnet I can log into the web interface but after that the web interface does not respond.  All I can do is power it off and hope it works the next time.

This started happening after I added a 'Bridge' broadband connection which has worked but is normally set as inactive as I use a VDSL connection. I don't know if doing this is the cause of my problem. I have also found that I can not restore any of the configuration files that I have saved. I get an error message saying that there is an error in the file.

Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Zyxel VMG8924-B10A problems
Post by: johnson on August 02, 2018, 02:19:02 PM
This started happening after I added a 'Bridge' broadband connection which has worked but is normally set as inactive as I use a VDSL connection.

Could you clarify what you mean by this? If you are using the modem in bridge mode, i.e with another router handling the connection with just the VLAN stuff set in the zyxel, then you would need this 'bridge' connection in the 'Broadband' section set to active. If you are not using it like this then there is no need for adding a bridge connection in that section at all.

If you are using it in bridge mode, how are you accessing the modem? A second ethernet cable going to your LAN side of the router? Have you set up the interface groups to make sure that works on as per:
https://kitz.co.uk/routers/zyxel_VMG8324-B10A_bridge.htm

Other than that I'd say the first course of action would be a fully reset, maybe flash the ver 24 firmware and also ensure TR069 remote updates are disabled, its unlikely that your ISP would push an update to this model, but best to be sure.

If you have the patience though and a suitable replacement may I suggest trying a different power supply? I know it sounds unlikely, but given no changes (other that the bridge connection thing) on the software side, and the intermittent nature of the fault, it could be a flaky PSU?
Title: Re: Zyxel VMG8924-B10A problems
Post by: machare on August 02, 2018, 04:45:51 PM
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. To clarify, on this router if you use the web interface and select Network Settings/Broadband you can WAN interfaces. I have defined two of them. The normal one has a mode of routing and then uses VDSL, but I added a second which has a mode of bridge. In this mode the box acts like a modem and a second router with an ethernet Wan port can be connected to it using PPPoE.  I added this definition for testing. I only have one of the definitions active at any one time. One reason for keeping the definition is that the bridge mode can be used for testing routers with DD-WRT etc presumably without upsetting the DLM because the end equipment has changed. 

I have wondered about the PSU and as it happens I do have a collection of 12v ones, I need to check the plugs are compatible with the right polarity.

I have not created an interface group but when in bridge mode I was able to connect to the web interface using Wifi. I think V21 is the latest firmware.
Title: Re: Zyxel VMG8924-B10A problems
Post by: johnson on August 02, 2018, 05:13:56 PM
Ok then, well if you have the bridge connection set to inactive when you're not using a separate router then it should have no influence, but given you mention your issues starting after adding it I would delete it and remake when you want to use it. A bridge connection is just a drop down box tick the vlan thing at put the two values in, its not like you have to re-enter all your login details, so very little hassle.

So have you successfully changed from the Zyxel doing the PPPoE connection to another router without it dropping sync? Should be possible in theory but I'd wager when you mark the Routed connection to inactive it drops the connection all together.

If you have a couple of 12V bricks its very likely one has the right barrel size.


How odd, Zyxel still only have V21 in the 8924 directory even thought the 8924 & 8324 share the same firmware:

ftp://ftp2.zyxel.com/VMG8924-B10A/firmware/

ftp://ftp2.zyxel.com/VMG8324-B10A/firmware/

No idea why. Take this PDF of the V24 release note entitled:

Quote
VMG8924-B10A
Standard Version
Firmware Release Note
V1.00(AAKL.24) C0

ftp://ftp2.zyxel.com/VMG8324-B10A/firmware/VMG8324-B10A_1.00(AAKL.24)C0_2.pdf
Title: Re: Zyxel VMG8924-B10A problems
Post by: machare on August 02, 2018, 07:06:01 PM
I had not thought to check whether or not the DSL connection actually stays active when swapping modes I just thought that the DLM would be happier just seeing the same equipment. However I have just run a quick test and as it happens as far as I can tell the DSL stays actve. The modem web pages and dslstats both show this to be the case.

The lack of V24 firmware in the ..924 directories is a pity.  I wonder about using the version in the  ...324 directory. Reading the notes I don't see much that is urgent and there is something about the supervisor password.  I have a 2nd ..924 normally kept at a different location. By downloading the configuration from one box and then loading it on the other I have ended up with both boxes having the same supervisor password.  I have of course forgotten which way round I did this!   
Title: Re: Zyxel VMG8924-B10A problems
Post by: johnson on August 02, 2018, 07:26:16 PM
Well its neat you can swap from the zyxel being the PPP endpoint to another router, good to know!

Yeah there is no strong reason to update to V24, the security updates mostly seem to be about old IE browsers and the randomising of the supervisor password is a downgrade if anything.