Alternative to Draytek vigor 120 Ethernet modem in Ireland

[riciad]

We currently are using a Vodafone.ie supplied router which is having
intermittent faults.
It helped some when I bypassed its wireless network facility and used
Our time capsule for our wireless network but it is still not working 100%
After reading many good reviews of the Draytek Vigor 120 working with time capsules I
thought that would be our best solution. What I didn't realise was that
all those reviews were from the UK where it seemingly it is plug and play
with most ISPs. But we are had no success getting it working with
Vodafone.ie. In Ireland.
I contacted Draytek support and discovered that the Vigor 120, which I had purchased from a German eBay seller, is an Annex B model and UK and Ireland both require an Annex A model.
To make matters worse, I had already left positive feedback for the seller after I had checked it was working and we were able to access its' web configuration page.
I contacted the seller and asked could I return it and they said yes as long as all the contents were returned in the original packaging.
I did this but on checking the tracking for the return it showed up as the delivery being refused. I contacted seller to find out what was going on and am waiting to hear back.
In the meantime could anyone suggest an alternative solution to connect our adsl telephone line to the Time Capsule as the Vodafone router is definitely on its' last legs.
I can't decide whether to purchase another vigor 120 here in Ireland, (presumably it would be an Annex A model) or would there be a better solution which would still enable us to use the TimeCapsule and not have to purchase a separate wireless router?

 

[riciad]

Well, at least the eBay problem is sorted.
The seller cancelled the transaction and has refunded the payment!
Search for an alternative goes on.

 

[acous]

Hi riciad, did you manage to source an annex A Vigor 120? I see dabs.ie have it for €60, wondering if you found anywhere cheaper. I'm in the same boat as you, vodafone router (HG556a?) is being a pain... assuming a better modem would help.

 

[cromdubh]

Hi riciad, did you manage to source an annex A Vigor 120? I see dabs.ie have it for €60, wondering if you found anywhere cheaper. I'm in the same boat as you, vodafone router (HG556a?) is being a pain... assuming a better modem would help.

Even with careful configuration i couldn't get the Draytek to work seamlessly with my Apple Time Capsule.
It certainly didn't accept the Apple Utility settings used without a problem with an old Netopia and a recent Zyxel from eircom (when the speed didn't drop to the floor). Wireless disabled in both of those
Using every possible combination I did manage to get it up and going, but without Internet Access for my AppleTV (a mortaller)and a wifi Internet radio.
I find these "funny peculiar" things tiresome, especially as I have a feeling that there is someone somewhere who knows exactly how to set up a router for use with a Draytek in Ireland.
Until then back to the Netopia with an occasional stab at the Draytek when inspiration hits.

 

[EmpyreanUK]

I have a Vigor 120 paired with an Airport Extreme. I live in the UK, but my ISP (O2) require different settings to other ISPs. Instead of using PPPoE they used something else (the acronyms LLU and PPPoA spring to mind, but to be honest I don't remember if it was one, the other, both or neither), which necessitated that the Vigor 120 was set up following a different configuration. Could it be that that Vodafone in Ireland also use this peculiar arrangement, and therefore a Vigor 120 needs some alternative configuration to work properly?

The best thing to do would be to plug the Vigor 120 directly into your computer (if possible), and confirm that it is able to establish a connection to the Internet before trying to pair it with a router. I do remember that, when setting up the Airport Extreme, I had to choose DHCP instead of PPPoE as my access method.

 

[cromdubh]

I have a Vigor 120 paired with an Airport Extreme. I live in the UK, but my ISP (O2) require different settings to other ISPs. Instead of using PPPoE they used something else (the acronyms LLU and PPPoA spring to mind, but to be honest I don't remember if it was one, the other, both or neither), which necessitated that the Vigor 120 was set up following a different configuration. Could it be that that Vodafone in Ireland also use this peculiar arrangement, and therefore a Vigor 120 needs some alternative configuration to work properly?

The best thing to do would be to plug the Vigor 120 directly into your computer (if possible), and confirm that it is able to establish a connection to the Internet before trying to pair it with a router. I do remember that, when setting up the Airport Extreme, I had to choose DHCP instead of PPPoE as my access method.

The only thing I could bring up by direct connection to my Mac was the web interface (Basic Configuration only).Would that suggest giving the coronary arteries a rest and the Draytek back in it's box?
I purchased mine from the UK (by the back door).
They are supplied by default preconfigured for the UK customer for whom their ISPs are mostly PPPoA, presumably for the better.
I think it's this "bridging" (which is a concept that I have difficulty with) that causes problems for those with PPPoE ISPs.
Some say that getting the basic configuration right is enough, others get even more scientific, but it would appear that the Draytek may be OK on the offshore island, but we'll have to await a change to PPPoA (extremely unlikely) to install Draytek modems seamlessly here in Ireland.