I'll turning to the community today because my attempts to get support from Verizon have proven fruitless.
I called Verizon technical support with a VERY specific question about how my DHCP service works on their CPE router. I have read the Westell router user guide cover to cover, attempted to use the graphical interface, and attempted to understand the configuration file syntax. The Verizon tech, who was very polite, after an hour on the phone trying to find me any documentation, gave me the Westell customer service line: 888-839-5791 knowing full well that I would be asked for my Verizon employee ID as soon as a tech picked up the call. When I called on another line and asked him to wait with me so he could give Westell his ID, his supervisor in the background told him to get off the call immediately. Amazing..
My question is VERY simple. In my home I have devices which require the use of an internal TFTP server to boot. These devices get the TFTP server's address through DHCP option 150 (standard TFTP Servers option). This is a VERY common thing in the VoIP world. In my Westell A90-9100-EM15-10 router there is no place in the GUI I could find to put in additional DHCP options besides the stand gateway, DNS server, etc. I did not want to stop using the DHCP service on Verizon's device because they have DHCP option 60 set to enforce quality of service for my FIOS TV STBs. I'm trying not to screw up my Verizon TV service and at the same time do something VERY standard in my home. I have attempted a couple different syntax in the route configuration file without success.
If you are a Westell employee.. shame on you for your horrible lack of documentation for your product.
If you are a Verizon employee... shame on you for willfully taking a customer who knew your CPE equipment better than you did and purposely sending them to 1-800-WE-DONT-CARE-ABOUT-YOU.
If you are someone who understands the Westell router config file syntax enough to let me know what to do.. Please respond..
Under the dhcps section I've tried:
(option150
(0
(start_ip(192.168.0.12))
(end_ip(192.168.0.12))
)
)
and
(option150
(0
(192.168.0.12)
)
)
both of which load fine.. but the DHCP response does not contain option 150.
Thanks,
John
I'm sorry you are having difficulty. An agent with access to your account will reach out to you directly by email, private message in the Forums and/or the billing telephone number on your Verizon account for more information or to help you resolve your issue.
Have you identified the type of DHCP server being ran in the Westell? I'm familiar with the DNSMasq DHCP Server for consumer routers, but I'm unsure of what the Westell 9100EM would be using. Knowing what it uses may help me help you directly edit the configuration file for it.
I do also want to verify that your specific configuration is doing DHCP Option 150 points to the correct IP address, correct?
Thanks for your reply.. I'm used to running dnsmasq as well. I tried the quotes (") around the IP, like you use there.. Nothing worked. It's something they have done. Westell guy, after waiting for 15 mins for him to answer, littler said "Verizon ID number please" and when I told him Verzion forwarded me, he said "I won't help you sir". I understand why they won't take calls from consumer, but document your stuff if you don't want calls. Not a fan.
When was this supposed to happen... no email, not messages in forum, not phone call...Just letting the world know.
Please post the the link to the complete syntax guide for the Westell configuration file. I spent "HOURS" trying to get the Verizon tech to understand what a DHCP option was.
Please understand that I am trying not to break my STBs QoS the way you set it up (DHCP option60 with distinct IP address range). I can setup my own DHCP server which can do what I want it to, but if the Westel router supports it, I would rather not.
Getting tired of looking at my beautiful Cisco phone showing 'Unprovisioned'....
John
maybe westell is like actiontec. Actiontec wouldn't talk to me over the phone without a rep, but I used their web contact form, and they were more than helpful, and gave me very explicit detail for a reasonably complicated issue.
Try doing the same for westell
http://westell.com/support/ultraline-series3/a90-9100em15-10
Has some good details at that page too - so it might have your answer.
Documentation Datasheet User Guide Current Firmware Available Open Source Core 0 Core 1 Linux Tool Chain Build Script Build Script Read Me Read Me
Thanks,
I had read the user guide and googled everything I could on the Westell A90-9100EM router before I called Verizon originally. I ran into those links myself. Good to have the forum, so thanks!
I will say if you Google 'Westell router tftp" this forum post is the first link in Google. Which is cool. Maybe either Westell or Verizon will do something to get it go away!
If they contact me an let me know the solution (or better yet a syntax guide for the router!) I will post it to the forum for the next poor fellow with the same problem.
Thanks again for the links,
John
Still fighting the good fight without Verizon or Westell responding...
If you download the opensource link on the Westell site for this modem, in the core0 archive, they have udhcp which is the DHCP server which comes with busybox. (Before everyone says 'Wow westell is cool.. no you have to post the open source per the license.. I'm sure they would not if they didn't have to) The configuration for busybox udhcpd (server part) supports DHCP option 66 (TFTP server)... which I would take! In udhcpd config you would configure that with:
opt tftp xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
I've tried several different syntax in the Westell router configuration file without success... I'll keep looking through the source code Westell publishes and see if I can see where they read the config file and then write out their udhcpd config....
What a pain!
John
I agree.. I finally am demanding a **bleep** Actiontec router so I can setup DHCP Reservation! **bleep** unhelpful **bleep** you we don't care about you attitude! Hope I get a survey I will be filling it out BADLY!
So I'll let Verizon off the hook sorta.. They did send me two private messages and did ask Westell how to add DHCP options.
Westell said that I would have to purchase a higher end router to make that work. Sha..right. The whole point was to try and use the Westell so Verizon would feel comfortable supporing my FIOS STBs. I guess Verizon looses on that one. If I was going to buy a higher end router, Westell is deaming to think it would come from them.
I moved my DHCP and DNS to a server in my home. I'm back to being in control of the network. I have the QoS setup with an address range for the STBs .. Oh well. I just love the 'can't be done' response.
Westell = Won't tell. Steal from tech from the opensource world and close off your customers.
Thanks everyone.. I'm punting...
John
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
