2013-06-13

The never ending hunt for CPE

So, we are trying the D-Link 320B.

It is a crap router - sorry - it is horrid. It seems to be really full of security holes, subject to DNS amplification attacks, all sorts. It tries to do lots of features (even URL blocking). So, we won't be using them as routers. They may be better with later s/w but I had to argue with my techies to even consider them, understandably.

However, some good news :-
  • Cheap
  • Annex A and M
  • Work in PPPoE bridged mode
  • Safe from external attack in PPPoE bridged mode, obviously
  • Allow 1508 PPPoE bridged, so 1500 byte MTU connections on BT, TT, and BE
  • Seem to sync better than the ZyXEL P660 which is what we used to use
So, as PPPoE bridges they are perfect. They sync well, just work, are interchangeable, and work with FireBrick routers perfectly.

So, how to solve the problem that someone could reset them in to their horridly broken mode somehow? Simple, a nice solid sticker with 3M adhesive on the back...

Longer term we'll try and get the GPL code and set them so they can only bridge.

P.S. just to clarify, what this does is handle "Ethernet Bridging" which uses LLC headers and bridges to a logical Ethernet segment on the far side where you can talk PPPoE to the BRAS.

5 comments:

  1. Have you tried the Vigor 120?

    I thought the Huawei Echolife HG612 that BT have been giving for FTTC CPE looked like a good option (if you could get them easily with standard firmware).

    Two Ethernet, so one for PPPoE to a firewall and the second for hooking into the private LAN for management. Not sure what security risks that opens as I've never looked into properly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vigor V120 is good - in that it is PPPoE one side and PPPoA the other, but it is neither cheaper not able to handle jumbo frames.

      Delete
  2. There are a few things which are *nearly* there... The HG612 supports baby jumbos with ADSL bridging, but I've yet to hear of anyone getting it to work with annex M as used in the UK. The D-Link does, though unfortunately it seems to be limited to 2Mb up (according to D-Link's website, and backed up by some old article about router sync speeds I found on adslguide..)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Erm, your Holiness....how *do* you set these darn things to PPPoE bridge mode then?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is just a setting in the web interface, did not seem to pose any problems when I tried.

      Delete

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