Getting VOIP to work with NBN HFC and iiNet (TPG)

So finally got the NBN…  bitter sweet, took way too long but it’s finally here.

There is a nuance with VOIP supplied over NBN HFC.  If you’re not aware of the different types of technology available, then take a look here.

What I needed to fix was the VOIP service I previously had and that had worked with my FritzBox 7390 ADSL Modem/Router now does not work.  So TPG who own the VOIP service for iiNet won’t disclose the login/password credentials.  As a result you have to use their supplied Huawei HG659 router/modem to use the VOIP service.  This is talked about in a whole lot of threads like this one , another one and this one on Whirlpool.

I was originally using my Fritzbox and its DECT capability with a couple of Uniden handsets for years.  This worked fine with my previous setup via ADSL and the Fritzbox.  However with the new NBN setup the phone currently needs to connect to the Huawei device as it has the credentials embedded in it.

So the quickest and painless fix is shown below.   Basically a back-end Dlink 8-port switch connects the Fritzbox’s LAN1 port, the NBN Modem and the Huawei HG659’s blue WAN port all together.  The phone goes into the phone port in the Huawei, and LAN2 of the Fritzbox goes into another DLink 16-port switch that everything else hangs off.

The greatest advantage with this arrangement is that I now get VOIP of course, and all the ‘Port-Sharings’ and ‘Permit-Access’ settings  work as before without having to re-configure much of anything else on the Fritz…

The settings for the Fritzbox as shown below.  To get it to connect to the NBN you will need the VLAN ID setting to 2.

..and so the great thing about this setup is that you don’t need to re-configure anything.  The Huawei sits on it’s own, and TPG/iiNet can login whenever they like and check it…