New Firmware for Fritz!Box 7390

[FritzBox]

So what's the settings for using the 7390 on FTTC without the supplied modem?

Just preparing myself in advance

[Steve]

I think they maybe on this page further down.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1690921

[mervl]

From what I can recall, you need to be running firmware on or after the 06 update, then as long as you have the correct username and login set on the provider page, you also (for a VDSL/FTTC service) need to set the VLAN as 101 and save. Without that setting if you are trying to use the Fritz! as a modem you'll get sync but no connection to your provider's service so wouldn't be able to access any part of the internet.

Everything else on set up was fine, it recognises VDSL straight away. However I waited until the training period was over, as on a longer line at 600m from the cab interleaving set in after 2 weeks, which was the only change. Nonetheless as far as I can see on my (poor) line the Fritz gives up to 5Mbps higher actual download rate than the OpenReach modem. The recent update hasn't changed performance significantly, though SNR now sits at 6 (minimum) and reported CRC errors seem to have decreased, as the cost of a reduction of about 3Mbps in the attainable rate, which was higher than the 40Mbps cap anyway. Upload has suffered by the change (though that may have more to do with the 17a profile 9Mbps>6 with a slight improvement from the latest firmware). Actual speeds can vary a bit, though I think that's due to the odd problem with crosstalk and/or exchange congestion, not IDNet's network or the modem which both seem to always run at full belt.

Latest beta update does allow setting of alternative DNS and bandwidth allowance for monitoring purposes at up to 999999, though happily it seems to run at least 10% ahead of IDNet's figures.

[FritzBox]

From what I can recall, you need to be running firmware on or after the 06 update

Running the new Beta now guessing that should be ok

Firmware-Version 84.05.06

[Ardua]

Running the new Beta now guessing that should be ok

Firmware-Version 84.05.06

Should be fine. There are a lot of posts on both the TBB and BT Community Forums about FB7390 settings. Toekneem is your man if you have any issues. The jury seems to be out as to whether it is advisable to switch to FB7390 VDSL mode within the first 10 days of service. My FTTC box is in place (with power), I am just waiting for BT to finish off the wiring.

[Ardua]

From what I can recall, you need to be running firmware on or after the 06 update, then as long as you have the correct username and login set on the provider page, you also (for a VDSL/FTTC service) need to set the VLAN as 101 and save. Without that setting if you are trying to use the Fritz! as a modem you'll get sync but no connection to your provider's service so wouldn't be able to access any part of the internet.

Everything else on set up was fine, it recognises VDSL straight away. However I waited until the training period was over, as on a longer line at 600m from the cab interleaving set in after 2 weeks, which was the only change. Nonetheless as far as I can see on my (poor) line the Fritz gives up to 5Mbps higher actual download rate than the OpenReach modem. The recent update hasn't changed performance significantly, though SNR now sits at 6 (minimum) and reported CRC errors seem to have decreased, as the cost of a reduction of about 3Mbps in the attainable rate, which was higher than the 40Mbps cap anyway. Upload has suffered by the change (though that may have more to do with the 17a profile 9Mbps>6 with a slight improvement from the latest firmware). Actual speeds can vary a bit, though I think that's due to the odd problem with crosstalk and/or exchange congestion, not IDNet's network or the modem which both seem to always run at full belt.

Latest beta update does allow setting of alternative DNS and bandwidth allowance for monitoring purposes at up to 999999, though happily it seems to run at least 10% ahead of IDNet's figures.

Further confirmation if needed that AVM has tweaked the downstream target SNR. My ADSL2+ connection now sits solidly on 6 downstream whereas before I could often see 2 in the GUI.

[mervl]

Running the new Beta now guessing that should be ok

Firmware-Version 84.05.06

That version is fine (or anything later), if you check at Internet/Account Information/Connection Settings (in Expert Mode) you'll see the tick box and place to enter VLAN number 101 but not before you use it as a VDSL modem on FTTC! And remember if you use it temporarily with the OpenReach modem to allow the VDSL to settle, you need to activate LAN1 in the Connection Settings for the Internet Connection i.e. the OR modem acts as a cable modem, and the other end of the modem output cable goes into LAN1 (not of course required if you connect the Fritz direct as a modem when the setting needs to be changed back, or left as, Internet Connection via DSL with the supplied Y-cable). If you temporarily use the OR modem the Y cable can still be part used just for the analogue phone connection temporarily.

Unless you use a direct ethernet link to a single PC for the install or have another cable (not ADSL) router the above information will be important for the OpenReach engineer to check your connection with the supplied modem, which he/she may want/need to install. (Mine didn't bother though and just left me with the modem connected). If you're interested ask the engineer (I forgot) your connection rate as measured on his equipment which you can then check against the router. Usually it seems higher than the estimate, and will reduce once settled in though mine then increased again.

I seem to recall the sequence on the install date was:
1. Engineer installed OR modem (and changed faceplate - not always necessary), would also install extension data cable for modem if ordered.
2. Engineer went to cab to activate connection, about 10-15 minutes
3. He suggested whilst he was gone I set up the cable router.

All you need now is BT to activate the Cab for customer connections, mine was a couple of weeks late last summer (though BT was less active then so delays probably less) a couple of months after the electricity was connected. Can be later if ducting needs repair. I was lucky getting from order to install in the minimum one week.

[mervl]

Further confirmation if needed that AVM has tweaked the downstream target SNR. My ADSL2+ connection now sits solidly on 6 downstream whereas before I could often see 2 in the GUI.

I've never used the Fritz! as an ADSL modem except to download the initial firmware update. But on VDSL the spectrum graph shows the quoted download margin to be the absolute lowest of that achieved over the whole of the download spectrum range, and the average is much higher. (Of course the spectrum range in use determines theoretical (attainable, on the Fritz!) speed, which is why VDSL is capable of greater speeds than ADSL, but also limits my speeds because of line quality making the highest frequencies above 8.5MHz unattainable).
From what I gather the downstream margin on ADSL can settle at 3 or less; but on the Fritz!Box (I don't know about other equipment) for VDSL connections should never be less than 6 and is recommended to be a bit higher (mine was usually 7 or 8 until the beta firmware). I'm hoping the link therefore stays up, it only re-synced when I changed settings on SNR = 7 for the first month of use.

[mervl]

Oops sorry Fritz!Box users: you'll make neither heads nor tails of my posts unless you switch to Advanced View on Settings/Expert Mode in the GUI.

I always go straight to the detail out of habit, and throw away the manuals. It makes life so much more interesting.

[FritzBox]

Oops sorry Fritz!Box users: you'll make neither heads nor tails of my posts unless you switch to Advanced View on Settings/Expert Mode in the GUI.

I always go straight to the detail out of habit, and throw away the manuals. It makes life so much more interesting.

Mine's always set on advanced

The only worry I have is that my router is on an extension upstairs in my study, the main phone socket is down in the hall and it's one of the old variety not a filtered
So I'm wondering is the engineer going to want to install the modem on the main socket or can it be where I want it? Does it have to have a new cable?

[mervl]

There was lots of discussions about this on the TBB forums. The engineer will replace the faceplate, no probs. When ordering you can ask for a data extension cable (included within the install charge) which will allow the engineer to put your router where you want away from the modem. What I suspect what you really want though (to use the Fritz!, and if you don't need to use the existing master)  is for the extension to be made the master, so ask! Might depend on a co-operative engineer on install and the quality of the existing wiring though - and possibly be a loss of speed. Certainly I have no loss of speed using a 30m (100 foot) Cat5e ethernet cable from the Fritz! at the downstairs master to the PC in a garden cabin "study", a fiver on Amazon. Only trouble is what you do with the trailing cables which annoy a lot of people.

[FritzBox]

The existing extension cable runs underneath the floor in a loft conversion so no chance of replacing that, all the boards screwed down with laminate over the top. If he has to put the modem where the existing main socket is, I would have to get another mains pass through 500mbps homeplug. How do you change the extension to the master?

[mervl]

Others may know more than I, but Google comes up with the following on other forums:

"Slightly more on-topic, I did some digging around yesterday and found that BT really can and will replace an existing extension socket with a new master, provided that the extension socket is directly wired to the original master. So if you have a long chain of extensions they can only swap with the first one. If you have several extensions directly wired to the original master socket then they will replace any one of them. The source for this was comments by BT engineers on one of their public forums."

The bit in bold seems to be the determining factor. May be CS can add this as a note to the order at the appropriate time, or you are at the mercy of the install engineer, so make life as comfortable for them as possible: tea, biccies, a poliite request and easy access!!

[FritzBox]

Others may know more than I, but Google comes up with the following on other forums:

"Slightly more on-topic, I did some digging around yesterday and found that BT really can and will replace an existing extension socket with a new master, provided that the extension socket is directly wired to the original master. So if you have a long chain of extensions they can only swap with the first one. If you have several extensions directly wired to the original master socket then they will replace any one of them. The source for this was comments by BT engineers on one of their public forums."

The bit in bold seems to be the determining factor. May be CS can add this as a note to the order at the appropriate time, or you are at the mercy of the install engineer, so make life as comfortable for them as possible: tea, biccies, a poliite request and easy access!!

I only have one extension, so I can only assume it's directly wired to the current master

[FritzBox]

Apparently I'm going to be getting FTTP, so do you guys know if the 7390 can be used as a standalone modem/router on this?

[Steve]

It needs to  have a WAN ethernet port. i.e. works as a router only.

[Ardua]

Apparently I'm going to be getting FTTP, so do you guys know if the 7390 can be used as a standalone modem/router on this?

Post the question on the Fritz Overseas thread at Whirlpool.net.au - Phillippe will know!

[Steve]

Page 45 of the manual available on the german site describes a connection to a cable modem utilising PPPOE via LAN1 which should be fine for FTTP/C.

[mervl]

Lucky you getting FTTP. You don't need to supply your own modem I think, so use the same router connection via LAN1 as you do on ADSL.

EDIT I'm fairly sure you can't use the Fritz as a modem for FTTP, not least because BT provide a new fibre connection to your house with a different termination point, not using the existing copper wiring. In any event there'd be no point as you get the full and fixed speed. On FTTC it still uses the existing copper line to be cabinet, and your existing termination point usually with just a replacement faceplate, so speeds do vary as with ADSL and different modems can perform better. (I have a similar issue on my fixed wireless service, which as with FTTP uses a different - non-DSL line - modem, and when I try to use the Fritz instead of the supplied modem it can't obtain any signal). The fibre link carries just data and not your analogue telephone service.

[Steve]

The BT termination for FTTP is an optical fibre modem I believe it may be the Huawei HG851

[mervl]

I stand to be corrected as I'm usually wrong on the technical stuff, but I think they key point is that ADSL and VDSL are both affected by the copper line conditions (noise) so the modem needs to negotiate a line speed with the exchange hence all the stuff about attenuation and noise margins. Fibre to the Premises isn't - line speed is always the maximum so no "negotiation" is required, just the router's authentication with the Provider. (Same with Fixed Wireless, though it is affected by distance unlike fibre).

[Steve]

Precisely, the optical fibre modem with FTTP just converts the optical signal to an electrical signal

[Rik]

One day, motherboards will have this built in and we'll be using optical routers...

[Glenn]

Publish you prediction 

[Rik]

After I've gone, and left you crying