This tutorial was created due to the fact that I was having (as almost everyone else) some stability problems with my MEO's router. I couldn't play almost any of my games because the router constantly lost its connection.
After hours and hours of trying to solve the problem through MEO's technical support (which didn't happened...) I ended up buying a new router (WITH a wan port) to handle the Internet connection. MEO's router would, then, only serve to manage the set-top boxes and telephones, which ended up solving my issues.
(This configuration is easy enough to follow and should work with the majority of the routers. However take into consideration that the following instructions and images are mainly targeted at MEO, Sapo Fiber and Sapo Adsl services.)
Example - Asus RT-N16
1 - First we need to change the default IP address of the new router from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.2.1. (Failing to do this will cause in incompatibilities between the two
routers).
To do that connect the router directly to the computer (using
ports 1,2,3 or 4 and NEVER the WAN port). Then, enter the router's
configuration page using its default address, which, in this case, is
192.168.1.1 (if this address doesn't work for you please refer to the
router's quick start guide. After that click in "LAN" and change the IP
address from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.2.1.
It should look something like this:
Resuming:
- Connect the router directly to the computer using one of the 4 LAN ports (and not the WAN).
- You shouldn't try to connect both routers between themselves before changing the IP address of one of them, as an address conflict will happen between them.
- After changing the IP address (and saving such change) it's recommended to unplug and plug the cable back in order to allow the computer's network card to adopt the new IP address.
The IP address of the new router is now 192.168.1.2 (which will also be the new address to its configuration page).
2 - Configuring MEO's (the one provided by the ISP) router:
Connect
to MEO's router configuration page using its IP address (in our case
192.168.1.254). Enter as administrator using the following credentials:
Username: 'Administrator' Password: '3!play'
In the homescreen click in "Disconnect" in order to disable the
broadband connection, which should result in the following screen:
3 - Connect all the devices as illustrated by the following figure:
4 - In this step we shall configure the new router so that it can be able to connect to the internet. The following steps are specific to the Asus RT-N16 but they should be similar to anyother router that has a WAN port).
- Enter the router configuration page through its IP address (which was changed in the 1st step and is now 192.168.1.2).
- Click in 'WAN' and in 'Wan Connection Type' select PPPOE mode.
- In account setting introduce the login data that you use for your ISP connection.
And that's it!
5 - (Optional: Tested only on the Asus RT-n16 carrying firmware 3.0.0.0.108).
Connect
MEO's set-top boxes to the Asus router. Up to two set-top boxes may be
used without causing noticeable losses in the internet service
performance.
- Go to the LAN/IPTV, enable everything and then click 'Apply';
Go to the WAN menu and, at the bottom of the page, configure the "Special Requirement from ISP" as follows:
- ISP Profile: 'none'
- IPTV STB Port: select the port number in which the set-top box is connected
- Host Name: empty
- MAC Address: empty;
- Apply (and make sure that the set-top box is connected to the selected port.
And that's it!
Important notes:
- If your Internet package has an 100+Mbps connection make sure that the router you want to buy has gigabit ports (10/100/1000).
-
Asus RT-N15, RT-N16 e RT-N66u support such speeds (Asus RT-N56U is also
capable but requires a modified firmware -
http://code.google.com/p/rt-n56u/"]RT-N56U_1.1.1.8e-b4)
DD-WRT Firmware:
Some
of the routers being sold currently seem to be highly unstable when
leading with high speeds and throughputs of data (which is most
noticeable when playing videogames, where latency has to be quite
small). Fortunaly there are some custom firmwares available (such as
DD-WRT or Tomato) that seem to solve the problem. This Asus RT-N16
presented some of these stability problems which were ccompletly solved
thorugh the installation of DD-WRT.
Keep in mind, however, that
the process of installing these custom firmwares is not an easy task and
may require some prior knowledge on the theme.
