Time Capsule PPPoE discovery problem

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Time Capsule PPPoE discovery problem

Hello,

I'm running a small local ISP, and one of my customers has just asked me to help connect their new Time Capsule router to the Internet using my service. The network is Ethernet-based (some wired, mostly wireless) and I run PPPoE using MikroTik routers as PPPoE servers; they handle all kinds of different PPPoE clients (mostly cheap SOHO routers, and even some older Apple AirPorts) just fine. But not this one TC (configured with proper PPPoE username/password, and empty Service Name) - it just won't connect, doesn't even go past the PPPoE discovery stage. I have tried to see what is going on with WireShark reading a packet capture sniffed from a MikroTik bridge port to which the TC has a direct wired connection. All I can see is the TC sends a PADI broadcast, to which my PPPoE servers respond with PADO replies. This repeats about every second, there is no PADR from the TC to the PPPoE server. A cheap TP-Link router connects just fine at the same location, using the same PPPoE settings. I've searched this forum and have read similar stories people had in the past, but haven't found a definitive solution. If someone from Apple wants to look at the packet captures and debug their PPPoE client implementation, I can send them (but they are as simple as described above - just PADI and PADO repeating, nothing more).

null-OTHER, Time Capsule

Posted on Oct 17, 2018 11:54 AM

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Answer 1

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marekm72 Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 19, 2018 5:58 AM in response to LaPastenague

Hello, that's me again - the issue is resolved now. According to the customer, what helped was to first connect the TC to a LAN port of the old router. It got a local IP by DHCP and could access the Internet, then downloaded and installed some firmware update that apparently fixed it. After that, it was connected to replace the old router and had no problem connecting by PPPoE anymore. The customer is happy now. It is possible that the firmware originally shipped was some very old version, as that TC was some "new old stock" on sale. One thing we haven't tested yet is IPv6 support, as I'm still preparing to deploy that (waiting for either MikroTik implementing Delegated-IPv6-Prefix in PPPoE server, or me having enough time to replace MikroTik with accel-ppp which already supports it) - right now each customer gets a single static public IPv4 only. Hope this helps someone.

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Answer 2

Oct 19, 2018 5:59 AM in response to marekm72

You will need to get the user to ring Apple support.. and raise the issue to higher levels.

My guess is that absolutely nothing will happen.. Apple do not respond in these discussions .. this is purely user to user.

I certainly have posted over and over again the issues with the PPPOE on Apple routers.. It is unfortunately something they have very little interest in fixing when they sold them.. worse now as Apple no longer make airport routers.. (selling only the remaining stock).

The user will have no choice but to use a different brand router. I have done this since forever with all sorts of ADSL routers.. and just use the TC in bridge or better setup with static IP and running DHCP server.. a bit more complicated setup but it does work more reliably in my experience than simple bridge.

See No DNS error, Airport roaming network

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Answer 3

Oct 19, 2018 12:50 PM in response to marekm72

Well I am surprised..

I have never had PPPOE issue fixed by firmware upgrades.. nor do I see any indication later firmware had any changes.. but from customers point of view that is good news.

Sounds like a great project.. all the best with it.

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Time Capsule PPPoE discovery problem

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