Hello !
I am currently using Fritzbox 7360 (FritzOS) and Fritzbox 4020 (OpenWRT), I am going to replace FB4020 with RasPi4 with OpenWRT soon. I am considering that perhaps I should also replace FB7360 with a modem and get out of double NAT. Besides I think FB7360 is perhaps weak. I have VDSL100 from Telekom.
I was almost going to buy Draytek Vigor 130, because it looks like I'm not going to need SVDSL250 anytime soon, then discovered that it's an EOL device. I wanted to ask you if there is any technical problem with it. And also problem with Telekom: suppose there is some DSL issue, I wonder if Telekom might just say that it's my fault because Vigor 130 is EOL. Is the most updated version of Vigor 130 firmware considered viable ?
Is Vigor 165 going to be also EOL soon ? What would be a major difference between 165 and 167 ? (As I understand, 166 cannot be used for DSL16)
Aside from Draytek Vigor, is there anything I should consider getting ?
The vigor 130 only supports plain vectoring (up to 100/40 MBit/s for DTAG), while the 165/ 167 support super-vectoring (250/ 40 MBit/s). If you need super-vectoring depends on your ISP and their local vectoring hardware deployment in your street.
If you're buying new, it doesn't make much sense not to get the most current model (the price delta isn't big enough to justify buying the old model in new condition) - but if you don't need super-vectoring now/ within the next 18 months, a cheap secondhand offer may well be worth it (who knows, ftth might come sooner than one might think).
Functionally speaking, the vigor 130 works fine for DTAG connections (using one myself for another week, before finally putting my VDSL line to rest). In pure modem mode (and not using it as router), there isn't much of an impact for EOL devices (in router mode this would be a security risk).
Also check the OpenWrt wiki for lantiq vr9/ VRX2xx devices, many of them can be pretty cheap on the used markets (under 10 EUR delivered to your door) and can do a pretty good job for very little money (including some older Fritz!Box models). While these devices are borderline in terms if performance in a router capacity (and are often equipped with bad wifi hardware), but they will make a good job as modem (with OpenWrt) with a better (OpenWrt) router behind it. The keyword here is pricing, it's hard to beat a ~10 EUR device that works well enough (with current OpenWrt), if you don't need super-vectoring now (save the money until you do need something better).
I am with Takimata's deleted recommendation, try to configure the 7360 to act as PPPoE-passthrough device. If it turns out that you are unhappy you can always buy a new modem/router... On many (not all though) non-supervectoring line cards of Deutsche Telekom Broadcom modems seem to harmonize much better than lantiq/intel/maxlinear ones (for Supervectoring the lantiq devices like in the FB 7590 seem to be working well with the newer broadcom linecards). So a second hand speedport entry 2 might be a reasonably cheap way to get a modem with Broadcom SoC that can be configured as bridged modem from within the original firmware without tricks like for your FB...
Thank you very much, all, for your hints ! It's very interesting about the trick to make FB7360 into a modem ! But it got (through FB4020 OpenWRT) at least 4-5 clients constantly, I can't do something so tricky, unless I get a replacement for it while I work ! (By the way, on AVM's homepage it shows how to set FB7360 up for PPPoE-passthrough, but in reality the option is not there! At least on mine !)
Speed port entry 2 sounds good, as it offers modem mode by default. I looked at the list of lantiq vr9 devices, but with Fritzbox, I'm not sure if I can find out if they support bridge mode for each of them...
BT Home Hub 5A doesn't seem to offer a modem mode;;
As you all say, I can use a cheap old modem with better a OpenWRT router and get a good result, would that mean that for a modem, CPU/RAM etc are not very relevant for a performance ?
The router has quite a bit to do, looking into the received packets, PPPoE (rather CPU intensive), routing/ NAT and all the peripheral tasks (like keeping the WLAN busy, before even thinking about stuff like VPN, SQM, adblock, etc.). The modem can be rather stupid, packet in, packet out - the modem functionality is mostly done in hardware (well, ASIC and proprietary firmware).
AVM did offer PPPoE pass-through mode in the past, but removed it from their firmware sometime along Fritz!OS v6.32(?). afaik there still is a way to use it, on a totally unconfigured Fritz!Box (factory reset), but that's undocumented and fragile.
The BT Home Hub 5 Type A can be used as modem with OpenWrt (see https://openwrt.ebilan.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=266 for details), the same procedure can be used similarly on all lantiq vr9 devices. The OEM firmware does not offer this feature (but it would for the BT Business Hub 5 Type A, same hardware, different OEM firmware). This device is pretty much the best (OpenWrt supported) hardware you can get with integrated modem and good wlan, performance is -like for all lantiq vr9 devices- a bit marginal for 100/40 MBit/s, but if you're exusively looking for a modem, there are cheaper (shipping and post-Brexit import duties) devices available locally.
Looking at the second hand prices, the speedport entry 2 could indeed be an interesting alternative.
Thanks a lot for the explanations !! Even more reason to get out of double NAT then: with double NAT, both routers have to be good.
I just ordered speedport entry 2
