Time Capsule 4th Gen PPPoE disconnections

Question

Level 1

55 points

Time Capsule 4th Gen PPPoE disconnections

Hi,

I wonder if anyone here can help. I'm using a Time Capsule connected to a BT Openreach Modem. The Time Capsule is configured to connect via PPPoE but I'm having a lot of disconnections.

These connections don't occur if I connect to the modem directly through my MBP over PPPoE, just through the Time Capsule. Apple Support are clueless, suggest perhaps a hardware fault with the Time Capsule.

I see a lot of similar posts but with no answers and no response in a very long time. Just wondered if anyone else here had some ideas or had a similar setup to me,

My ISP is Plus Net

Thanks

Brandon

Time Capsule 802.11n (4th Gen)

Posted on May 27, 2015 12:05 AM

Reply

Answer 1

May 27, 2015 3:56 AM in response to brandscill

PPPOE is simply unreliable in the Apple Routers.. I find it similar to yours.. there is no hardware fault.. it is just poor firmware support of the PPPOE standard.

Apple build their routers primarily for US cable internet suppliers.. where it uses dhcp.. never pppoe.

The actual PPPOE standard has variations, Like PAP and CHAP.. but Apple release no info about what standard they use.. nor can you change between them.. sorry if it fails it cannot ever be made to work right.. nature of apple products.. !! Apple do not like you poking around in the firmware.. like all the other riff raff out there.. they have an extremely (pun intended) limited set of controls.. and zero support beyond those.. it fails on many pppoe configurations with adsl/vdsl or fibre.. !! You simply MUST use another router.. and keep the TC for what it is good at.. gigabit ports.. one fewer than average.. wireless.. and TM backup.

Reply

Answer 2

brandscill Author

Level 1

55 points

May 27, 2015 5:00 AM in response to LaPastenague

So is it likely that even the 6th gen with different firmware is equally poor?

It's a shame it's so unreliable as it means I'll need a router in between and then to put this into bridge mode.

Reply

Answer 3

May 27, 2015 5:13 AM in response to brandscill

Well we are only up to Gen5 TC.. but it is no better..

The firmware is based around NETBSD apple used on Gen 1-4.. because apple refuse to use open source like Linux.

Even if it is different CPU chip the end result is still so close to work via the special command interpreter apple uses.

It is unlikely to be any better.

Sorry at this point I have very little interest in figuring out Apple's issues.. I do have backend access to the firmware.. but without running PPPoE I see it not even listed in the shell commands.

Let me suggest you set the Airport to PPPOE and make a save of configuration.. then see if you can find pppoe in the xml keys and look at what other keys go with it.. sometimes you can learn something.. useful?? That is another thing.. and of course being able to change it.. impossible.

Reply

Answer 4

brandscill Author

Level 1

55 points

May 27, 2015 5:16 AM in response to LaPastenague

Okay well thanks for the advise 🙂

Reply

Answer 5

adert

Level 1

0 points

May 28, 2015 1:48 AM in response to brandscill

I had the same problem with Time Capsule 5th Gen. Solved using an old and cheap d-link router to manage PPPoE and DHCP. The TC is connected to the d-link router and configured in bridge mode as wi-fi access point.

Apple implementation of PPPoE is really embarrassing. They should be ashamed

Reply

Answer 6

brandscill Author

Level 1

55 points

May 28, 2015 3:38 AM in response to adert

adert wrote:

I had the same problem with Time Capsule 5th Gen. Solved using an old and cheap d-link router to manage PPPoE and DHCP. The TC is connected to the d-link router and configured in bridge mode as wi-fi access point.

Apple implementation of PPPoE is really embarrassing. They should be ashamed

Is your ISP plus net as well?

Reply