BT HH5 + Apple Time Capsule

Question

Level 1

19 points

BT HH5 + Apple Time Capsule

Really hoping someone can help with this as it's driving me crazy!

Background first... I had fibre broadband from Plusnet coming into their 'technicolor' router with my TC attached via cable. Home network ran wirelessly from the TC, Sky+ worked perfectly (wired and wireless) from TC, Mac Mini worked perfectly (wired and wireless) from TC and MacBook Air, iPhones and iPads all worked perfectly from TC. TC backed up Mac Mini and MacBook Air via Time Machine. All of this worked perfectly for years, since set-up. Then...

Seduced by a great deal from BT and indifference (unusual) from Plusnet I changed to BT Infinity earlier this year and became the proud (?) owner of their 'state of the art' HomeHub 5. Thinking all I had to do was swap HH5 and Technicolor router over was naive in the extreme! I have searched online and found many people with similar issues and have tried every suggested solution but I still can't get everything working properly. BT won't/can't help as HH5 is working and TC has 'nowt to do with us'! So, where am I at?

Using only HH5, everything works perfectly. Once I introduce TC everything can work perfectly for about 15 minutes then I lose internet connection. Despite being cabled to the Mini, the TC 'is not available' for Time Machine. I've honestly tried every piece of advice out there re order of connections, resets, bridge mode etc but I am just so frustrated by all of this. What I want to get back to is TC providing the wi-fi network for the house and TC providing TM backups for the Mini (wired) and the Air (wirelessly). If I really can't get that then I'll reluctantly settle for HH5 providing the wi-fi and TC providing only the backup functions.

On the Mini and Air I'm running 10.11.6 and I have updated the TC firmware.

Can anybody please help me out with this? Thanks.

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 7:07 AM

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Answer 1

Bob Timmons

Level 10

186,128 points

Aug 15, 2016 9:27 AM in response to SaorAlba

Thinking all I had to do was swap HH5 and Technicolor router over was naive in the extreme! I have searched online and found many people with similar issues and have tried every suggested solution but I still can't get everything working properly.

Unfortunately, if you have tried every suggested solution, as you note.......(we have no idea what these were)......it is not likely that we will be able to offer anything new.

But, just in case.....because we do not want to ask you to repeat things that you have already done.....could you provide a list of the things that you have already tried?

Sometimes.....although the HH5 is a good modem/router and the TC is a good router as well.....products just don't work well together. That might be the case here.

After all, when things are working fine, and you make a change on your network , and then things don't work correctly.......ask yourself "what changed?". I think you know the answer.

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Answer 2

SaorAlba Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 15, 2016 9:27 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks. I guess I was worried about making the initial post overlong and was probably hoping that someone may have recognised the symptoms and been able to say "just do x".

First up, I simply swapped the Plusnet modem for the HH5 and kept all other connections as they were. This was several months ago and, unfortunately, I forget the precise details of every fix I tried. I did attempt several resets and power-downs, renamed the TC etc but the best I was ever able to accomplish was, like earlier today, to get everything working perfectly... for about 10 or 15 minutes. Then I would lose internet connectivity, go through a reset etc, then everything would go back to normal... for 10/15 minutes. My workaround was to change all my wired connections to the HH5, with one connection from HH5 to TC. That way the network 'works' but keeps 'losing' the TC - Airport Utility currently tells me my TC was 'previously part of my network' hence, no doubt, the reason TM isn't working as it can't 'see' the TC. I really don't get why it can all work perfectly for this 10/15 minute period then just stop?

As you say, I know what changed and that's why I think the HH5 is the problem, or at least some setting with it. I tried reconnecting the old Plusnet modem (as I had read elsewhere that this should also work) but didn't have any success that way either. (There are conflicting reports online as to whether that replacement should be possible.)

I'm at a loss and I don't want to waste anyone's time but if there is something obvious you think I should try then I'd be very grateful.

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Answer 3

SaorAlba Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 18, 2016 4:08 AM in response to SaorAlba

OK, here's the latest tale of woe in the hope someone knows what's going wrong...

Reverted to Openreach modem + TC. Reset modem and TC. All connections as advised. 3 solid green lights on Openreach modem. AirPort Utility shows 'internet' with amber dot and 'connection - disconnected, router address - 10.0.1.1, DNS servers - blank'. Also shows 'AirPort TC' with flashing amber dot and 'status': No DNS Servers, Internet Connection and PPoE Server all with amber dot. Overall effect is that the wi-fi network was 'working', just without internet! I've resorted to HH5 to post this.

What I really don't get now is the 'no internet connection' bit given that the modem is solid green. Any ideas?

Your time and expertise is greatly appreciated, thanks.

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Answer 4

Bob Timmons

Level 10

186,128 points

Aug 18, 2016 6:21 AM in response to SaorAlba

I'm sorry, but this is quite confusing. In one post you mention that you tried a Plusnet modem and yet in another you mention an Openreach modem.

If you are using an Openreach modem, could you please provide the exact model number of the product?

As a test, if you connect your Mac directly to the Openreach modem using a wired Ethernet cable connection, can the Mac get a good Internet connection that way?

If it does, do you want to try to configure the TC to work with the Openreach modem? Or, were you planning to keep the HH5 and try to connect the TC to the HH5?

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Answer 5

SaorAlba Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 18, 2016 7:47 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob

Thanks again for your interest and input, and humble apologies for the confusion. I do know the difference between the Openreach modem and the Plusnet router, but I think I confused myself by writing the post with the Plusnet router in view! Anyway, all now appears to be solved - from another forum I received this specific advice: "Connect Lan port1 of the modem to the Wan port of the TC. The settings you need for the Wan port are PPPoE, VLAN id 101, username bthomehub@btbroadband.com, password BT." Although I couldn't see where the 'VLAN id 101' should go, after resetting both the Openreach modem and the TC (hard reset), this configuration appears to work. My network has now been working normally for the last couple of hours and a routine Time Machine backup to the TC has been completed.

So, all's well etc, and grateful thanks again for your advice.

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