OpenWrt Forum Archive

Topic: Zyxel VMG8324, VMG8924, F1000

The content of this topic has been archived on 11 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

I've just begun using this integrated VDSL2 modem and router with 5x Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n and 802.11ac wireless, 2x VoIP ports, 2x USB2 ports with optional USB2 cellular modem WAN backup integrated access device. The F1000 is a VMG8324 branded with custom firmware for the Irish ISP Eircom's eFibre (VDSL) service.

It is based on a Broadcom BCM63168 dual-core MIPS32 chip-set. There are two DSL model variations: the model suffix "-B10A" is for PSTN and "-B30A" is for ISDN. The VMG8324 is single-band WiFi 802.11n with 2x2 MIMO. The VMG8924 is dual-band with the addition of 802.11ac 3x3 MIMO.

The firmware uses Broadcom CFE, Linux 2.6.30, and many popular F/OSS applications.

I'm exploring whether it is/will be possible to port OpenWRT to the device or whether there is a more appropriate project.

I obtained an F1000 and replaced the firmware with the stock Zyxel firmware. I've detailed my initial findings about the device on my wiki.

If working towards an OpenWrt firmware is possible I'll begin the process of putting the device details into wikidevi and figuring out the OpenWrt workflow. Tips and suggestions welcome.

(Last edited by iam_TJ on 18 Nov 2013, 18:04)

Hi TJ.

I recentlyadquired this router but I think it has a lot of issues and problems to solve.

For example, memory usage over 85% with no load, just one PC to access to internet.

The mayor issue is I can't make VoIP work. I made a configuration that works fine in other zyxel P-2812HNU-F1 router, but VMG8924 does not work. I receive calls, but just ringing, no answer (absolute silence), and I can't make any call. Registration to SIP server is ok.

Did you experienced similar issues?

On the other hand, GPL source code you have in your website is not available and shows a message like this

You don't have permission to access /projects/BCM63268/Zyxel_VMG8924-B10A/V100AAKL0_.L._consumer_release.tar.gz on this server.

when you try to download it.

Thanks in advance.

(Last edited by asmartin on 31 Jan 2014, 00:37)

Just got a VMG8324. Noticed it has 4 default users, besides admin, with passwords that get reset to the defaults each time it reboots.

Supervisor: don't know the password.
user: password user. Seems to have no access to CLI or Web.
zyuser: password 1234. Has access to a number of CLI command
support: password support. Has access to more CLI commands.

Also noted the NAT Masquerading rule is specific to the LAN interfaces subnet. If you have routers on your LAN, you can add routes to their subnets, but these subnets wont have internet access unless you manually change the IP tables through a shell.

i.e.
ssh to box and get a shell with
echo && bash

#Check the existing rule state with
iptables -t nat -L POSTROUTING --line-numbers

#Change the rule so internal subnets work with
iptables -t nat -D POSTROUTING 2
iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o ppp2.1 -j MASQUERADE

This only needs to be done after a reboot. I have a ruby script polling to check and fix the NAT rules.

Also noted ifconfig shows 0 bytes sent and recieved on all interfaces, and the web interface seems to be reporting values that make no sense, showing lots of traffic, after the box had just been turned on and no one was using the internet. SNMP doesn't show interfaces at all, just a summary of the fields on the web page.

The uptime in SNMP was also silly, it said up for over a year and I had just turned it on, and this didn't match the 'uptime' executed from the shell, which was sensible.


Tried to get the source from your download site TJ, to fix some of these issues, but it said permission denied.

Oh, and I would turn off external web access too.

The first time I connected to the web interface, I didn't need to log in. I found I had a cookie from a different router (not even the same manufacturer) saved away in my browser, which used the same cookie for authentication. Not a very secure system.

asmartin wrote:

Hi TJ.

I recentlyadquired this router but I think it has a lot of issues and problems to solve.

For example, memory usage over 85% with no load, just one PC to access to internet.

The mayor issue is I can't make VoIP work. I made a configuration that works fine in other zyxel P-2812HNU-F1 router, but VMG8924 does not work. I receive calls, but just ringing, no answer (absolute silence), and I can't make any call. Registration to SIP server is ok.

Did you experienced similar issues?

On the other hand, GPL source code you have in your website is not available and shows a message like this

You don't have permission to access /projects/BCM63268/Zyxel_VMG8924-B10A/V100AAKL0_.L._consumer_release.tar.gz on this server.

when you try to download it.

Thanks in advance.


I recently bought one of these puppies too, very good device, I used it for ADSL2+ until VDSL rolls out in my area (the device falls back to ADSL)

I can confirm the 85% memory usage problem as well but it doesn't seem to have any impact on the performance.

VOIP works for me, I tried with two providers.

Hi zyo, and thanks for your information.

I configured other zyxel (P-2812HNU-F1) and works fine with my VoIP provider (Vodafone-Spain), but I can't get it work with VMG8924-B10A. Same codecs (711a) and SIP providers (ims.vodafone.es) with same port (5095) and outgoing proxy server (217.130.174.132), as well as remaining parameters like Registration Expire Timeout, Registration Retry Interval, ...

One (P-2812HNU-F1) works, but the other (VMG8924-B10A) does not work.

Which VoIp providers you tested?

I reported this issue to ZyXEL Support Uk and Spain, and I attached configuration files (P-2812HNU-F1.rom and VMG8924-B10A.conf, first based on Lantiq and second on Broadcom SoC) for both routers. But no answer received yet. Both with original firmware, purchased in shops not comming for any ISP.

Regarding memory usage, probably that is why router is so slow when accessing to it.

(Last edited by asmartin on 3 Feb 2014, 09:02)

I tested with my ISP's VOIP service as well as a free one.
Knowing Vodafone it's entirely possible they might have locked down the service to only "authorised" devices (5095 is not the default SIP port so they might have already done this to stop people from BYOD)

Again this is just my speculation, you should try registering a free 3rd party VOIP service (e.g. pbxes.com) and see if that works before RMA the device etc.

I dont think you can specify different DNS for different VLANs, haven't tried myself but that shouldn't have anything to do with Voip issues.

Again I would recommend trying out a free pbx/sip provider first and maybe contact Vodafone call center to clarify the settings.

hello, ask a question.

from the source code archive, is safe to flash a factory cfe on the f1000 hardware ?

uploaded today cfe from the source code to f1000.

all things went fine, now can do firmware upgrade from web, before not worked.

cfe version that i uploaded is cfe63268nand128_Release.bin

after cfe update:

FW       Version       : V1.00(AAKL.0)
Bootbase Version       : V1.60 | 05/10/2013 10:23:51
Vendor Name            : ZyXEL Communications Corp.
Product Model          : VMG8324-B10A
Serial Number          : xxxxxxxxxxx
First MAC Address      : xxxxxxxxxxx
Last MAC Address       : xxxxxxxxxxx
MAC Address Quantity   : 12
Default Country Code   : 01
Boot Module Debug Flag : 01
RootFS      Checksum   : 9a6c81f3
ImageDefaultChecksum   : 011e4a14
Main Feature Bits      : 00
Other Feature Bits     :
                4d 53 60 06 00 30 41 00-00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
                00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00-00 00 00 00 00 0

before cfe:

FW       Version       : 1.00(AAKL.5)
External Version       : 1.00(AAKL.5)
Bootbase Version       : V1.59 | 02/01/2013 17:48:02
Vendor Name            : MitraStar Technology Corp.
Product Model          : VMG8324-B10A
Serial Number          : xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
WPA-PSK                : xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
First MAC Address      : xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Last MAC Address       : xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
MAC Address Quantity   : 12
Default Country Code   : EB
Boot Module Debug Flag : 00
RootFS      Checksum   : ae3bc848 
ImageDefaultChecksum   : a2095f79 
Main Feature Bits      : 00
Other Feature Bits     :
4d 53 60 09 00 00 00 00-00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00-00 00 00 00 00 00
cornelus2009 wrote:

uploaded today cfe from the source code to f1000.

cfe version that i uploaded is cfe63268nand128_Release.bin

Good work!

Perhaps you can put a link to the cfe you built and the cfe commands to flash it. Nice to be able to upgrade from the web interface.

Hi I'm trying to unbrand Eircom efiber modem ie, Zyxel F1000. I opened the modem and found the connection.
1. Is it possible to use normal mobile usb cable for connection?
2. If yes then could you please tell me the connection. (Green, White, Red, Black)
3. Does it need any driver? then please

I tried to connect but it is detecting as unknown device may be the connection/driver  is wrong
Hope someone can help me regarding this. Thanks in advance.

anyone know what this command mean on bootbase?

ATTE ---------> Restore to TE configuration

(Last edited by cornelus2009 on 15 Sep 2014, 11:59)

anukilimanoor wrote:

Hi I'm trying to unbrand Eircom efiber modem ie, Zyxel F1000. I opened the modem and found the connection.
1. Is it possible to use normal mobile usb cable for connection?
2. If yes then could you please tell me the connection. (Green, White, Red, Black)
3. Does it need any driver? then please

See photos http://tjworld.net/wiki/Zyxel/VDSL_IAD
See this post for the USB-TTL cable you need http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=13939.15

cornelus2009 wrote:

anyone know what this command mean on bootbase?

ATTE ---------> Restore to TE configuration


Sadly not. TE = Terminal Equipment??

cornelus2009 wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rdt1cpc15br0c … e.bin?dl=0

Moved file last night in another folder.

Would you mind uploading it again. Link 404ed.
Or maybe some info where to get newest version.

(Last edited by MorganBlack on 15 Feb 2015, 18:53)

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