Airtel forcing to take static ip in order to enable bridge mode in UP(E) circle

[sahilkr24]

Hello,
I recently mailed [email protected] to enable bridge mode for my router for which they replied that I will have to opt for static IP in order for it to work. Is it actually a policy form Airtel now, or are they trying to upsell static ips? Honestly I don't want static ip since I mostly have ipv6 configured. I would also like to mention that I am using airtel in bridge mode with a vlan100 tag, it's this vlan tagging that is what I'm looking forward to remove so that I can hook it directly to my Deco. Please advice if I should demand for bridge mode without static ip or just leave it as it's a gone cause.

 

[Rickysin]

lot of users are using TP-Link ont g7 or g3 and it just bypass airtel ont and you can directly connect your router with tplink ont and dial pppoe. No need to buy static ip

 

[rohitks]

It has been my categorical observation that you have to explain the things technically to each and every one in the chain when it comes to Airtel.
Following responses are common
1. We will enable bridge mode but then you won't get Internet
2. We are sorry bridge mode can not be enabled on your connection
3. We will enable Bridge but it won't work unless you go for a static IP
and a few more ridiculously meaningless statements

Also try writing to [email protected] but looks like now they have even taken down this email id

 

[sahilkr24]

Thanks for the response @Rickysin and @rohitks.
I emailed back asking for proof the link between bridge mode and static ip. If not they should connect with me with a senior technical person. They called me in the morning and told me that a senior tech engg will call me. I got the call and I talked to him explaining what my use case was. He said he understood but mostly he had been configuring IPoE with static ips. He thought my use case was doing port forwarding related tasks. He said will contact NOC and let me know if this can be done for PPPoE. He called me back after 30 mins and said that NOC has done the changes, i.e. enable bridge mode on LAN4 and I should check so I tried but it didn't work, but then I remembered that we should restart the airtel router and post which it connected directly without the vlan tagging requirement.
Brother @tr1k0N4, no more vlan tagging required for me now, I can retire that open-wrt machine for now. xD

TLDR; airtel enabled bridge and I can use my TP-Link archer ax10 to dial pppoe

 

[Rudra123]

Hi @sahilkr24 , what changes did you do your second router? Did you just enter PPPOE mode and enter username/pswd? Or something else?
I have a Asus router where I did the same, but it just won't work, even though Airtel router is in bridge mode.

 

[sahilkr24]

@Rudra123 hello, yes I only set the pppoe name and password and it worked fine. I didn't put any extra details like AC Name or BRAS, if airtel has enabled bridge for you then vlan tagging also isn't required anymore. FYI, I have used openwrt and oem TP-Link software and both have been able to dial up pppoe without any issue.

I loked up your router and in merlin forums and I found some leads:

Solved - PPPoE failing with "Timeout waiting for PADO packets"

Hi All, I've just completed the switch to a new FTTH provider here in my country (Italy). Unfortunately, after the switch I'm not able anymore to establish a PPPoE connection with my Asus RT-AC86U due to the error "Timeout waiting for PADO packets". I've made the tries with both the latest Asus...

www.snbforums.com

RT-AC68u pppoe issues

Hi all, I've got a problem with the router, the pppoe connection fails, the router does not send the PADR back to the isp after the PADO, does anyone know what is going on? The issue started happening after a restart. Right now I am running the merlin fw, I did do a hard reset, and formatted the...

www.snbforums.com

you can try this and let me know. afaik this is mostly a region issue with different isps

NOTE: JUST FOR FUN, TRY SETTING THE VLAN to 100 BEFORE YOU JUMP INTO THE DETAILS BELOW. <3

Looks like an issue with PPPoE Host-Uniq value that is required. Not sure if I have ever seen one in airtel, might have to do packet snooping but this is the common cause of pppoe woes on the asuswrt-merlin firmware, that much I could infer.

You would need to get this value somehow, which is in binary but might I suggest first to get the access concentrator name from your ONT config and adding this to your pppoe config on asus. It can be either of these

braschen6,braschen7,braschen8,braschen9,Brascbe,brascbe1,brasblr3,brasblr4,brasblr7,brasblr8,brashyd5,brashyd6,BRASKOL-1,brasdel10,BRASLKO-2,mxbrasmoh-2,brasnoi-2,brasnoi-3,brasdel-2,brasdel-4,brasdel-5,brasdel-6,BRASDEL-7,brasdel-8,brasdel14,BRASMUM4,MUMBRAS-5,brasmp6,brasmp7,brasmp8,BRASAMD-1,AIR_BRAS_IDR-1,AIR_BRAS_JPR-1,AIR_BRAS_PUN-1

I do see a host-uniq value in my logs but that might be for my local region, attaching the logs for futher reference.

2024-04-21 22:04:40 PPP INFO [14159] ppp receive IPV6CP ACK
2024-04-21 22:04:40 PPP INFO [14159] ppp receive IPCP ACK
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp send IPCP Req options(addr=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx;dns1=202.56.215.6;dns2=59.144.144.100
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp receive IPCP NAK options(addr=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx;dns1=202.56.215.6;dns2=59.144.144.100
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp send IPV6CP Req options(ifaceid=4cc7:fe80:8eb4:b66f
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp send IPCP Req options(addr=0.0.0.0;dns1=0.0.0.0;dns2=0.0.0.0
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp receive PAP AuthAck <null>
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp send PAP AuthReq user=([email protected])
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp receive LCP ACK
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp send LCP ACK
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp receive LCP Request options(mru=1492;authtype=PPP_PAP;magic=0xe85aa5d
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] ppp send LCP Request options(mru=1480;magic=0xe37bdb63
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] pppoe receive PADS sess-id(14298)
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] pppoe send PADR Host-Uniq(374f)
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] pppoe receive PADO form AC-MAC(84:c1:c1:xx:xx:xx)
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] pppoe receive PADO AC-Name(BRASLKO-2)
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] pppoe send PADI Host-Uniq(374f)
2024-04-21 22:04:39 PPP INFO [14159] pppoe send PADT due to(resending PADI)

 

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[Chip]

@sahilkr24 no static IP is required for bridge mode to work. Once the NOC switches teh ONT to bridge mode (normally LAN port 4) just connect that port to your router's WAN port. Dial in using PPPoE after inputting the username and password. If you want IPv6 set the IPv6 config to DHCP6. That should do the trick. There's no need to enter VLAN IDs etc in your personal router It is very straightforward.

I have used this config on pfSense and on my Asus router. Both work flawlessly.

Also when you get your static IP, in place of the PPPoE config change the connection over to static IP with a /24 CIDR value. Make sure you get the correct gateway IP address from Airtel and enter that in the appropriate box.

 

[sahilkr24]

@Chip Thanks for the response. I did get airtel to enable bridge mode without the static ip. IPv6 is sharing the same session as v4 and i'm running a SLAAC+RDNSS config with cloudflare's ipv6 dns. I could get a static ip but all of my devices like 20+ of them get ipv6 and that works well. For devices that are ipv4 only, mostly IoT stuff, I usually don't care as they connect to a different AP that is isolated from the main network.

I saw in your ISP tag, there is bsnl ftth with IPv6, are you using the modem given by bsnl or a diff one. I tried but failed to get IPv6 here, tho I suspect BSNL hasn't rolled it out yet in my area.

 

[Chip]

@sahilkr24 I am using the ONT purchased from the BSNL LCO it's a Syrotech GPON 2010.

Yes, I get IPv6 on BSNL FTTH see here but then you need to remember the roll out is not yet complete. They're probably doing it in phases throughout the country. You may want to refer to the thread on BSNL IPv6 roll out for more info on how things are progressing.

It is in different stages in parts of the country. I am in Pune and I know for sure Mumbai and Pune are covered under v6 but other towns and cities especially Tier 2 may have to wait a while longer for the roll out and implementation.