Few notes on UPC/Virgin Media Ireland's Technicolor TC7200

Update 2015/10/03: It’s Virgin Media now? Alrighty then. updates title

Update 2015/01/03: You are probably here for one reason: how to use SNMP to switch this router to bridge mode? As this is unsupported by UPC Ireland, let’s hope they don’t spoil the fun for us. (After posting the main body of the post, I actually got a proper DD-WRT friendly router and have started using this.) So here’s what you’re interested in.

To switch the device into pure modem, non-routing mode, you use:

snmpset -v2c -c public 192.168.100.1 1.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.7.1.1.0 i 1

Additionally, concerning IPv6, at no later time have I observed receiving an IPv6 globally routable address, so I guess that was a lucky hiccup.


Based on this thread which I ran into here. These are just notes; if you can learn something from them, do so; but please be careful and fully aware that these are not instructions — merely notes for my own personal use in the future. I do not recommend you follow the notes; quite the opposite.

Despite (according to their reps on Twitter) telnet being unsupported by UPC, you can easily telnet 192.168.100.1 and use username: webstar, password: webstar to log into the console. There isn’t much to do there, sadly. Apparently you may be able to use the set command to control SNMP settings.

Some configuration of hidden features can be done via SNMP. I highly advise you not to do that. This is unsupported by UPC, and you might be unable to restore settings to the previous state.

To switch the device into pure modem, non-routing mode, supposedly you use:

snmpset -v2c -c public 192.168.100.1 1.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.7.1.1.0 i 1

This didn’t work for me immediately. It seems to work immediately after reboot. Also worth noting is the snmpwalk command:

snmpwalk -v2c -c public 192.168.0.1 1.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.7.1.1.0

Note that the value of “1” means “modem mode” (also known as “bridge mode”), while “2” means “ordinary NAT+routing mode”.

Be very careful. Turning on “modem mode” breaks Wi-Fi. You may need to bring up a separate access point for Wi-Fi. You may have trouble restoring the setting. PUBLISHING OF THESE NOTES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT TO ACTUALLY USE THEM.

Also, I was unable to restore the setting to “2” using SNMP. Hard reset by holding the reset button for 30 seconds worked. Unless you use it strictly as a modem, with another device that performs NAT and IPv6 routing, it isn’t worth switching to NAT mode. So please don’t do this unless you’re fully prepared for breakage of service and possibly annoying UPC (since they obviously don’t want people to play with this).

It’s interesting that UPC does assign a public, fully routable IPv6 /64 prefix. Too bad that it’s not exposed to regular users locked behind a NAT who cannot get direct access to the public Internet, and who have been locked out of it by a firmware that is seemingly arbitrarily restricted compared to the one used in Netherlands. UPDATE: Two sources have told me that they did not receive an IPv6 prefix or address. As I am not keeping my device in bridge mode, and I do not advise readers to do so either (unless they have very good reasons), I cannot and won’t verify this. You can opt to leave a comment on your success, but I want to be clear that neither my text, nor any comments below, represent any advice on my part.

It’s also interesting that the setting seems to have survived a factory reset through the web interface. Factory reset through web interface has, however, restored WiFi functionality, and it seems that WiFi and LAN are getting separate IP addresses. Factory reset by holding the reset button for 30 seconds is the actual hard reset and cleans up the setting for “modem mode”.


via blog.vucica.net

26 thoughts on “Few notes on UPC/Virgin Media Ireland's Technicolor TC7200

  1. Russell Davies

    Since this page comes up fairly high in search results, I'll add additional steps that need to be done to get this to work. Tested on software version STD6.01.27.

    1. Power off the device.
    2. Unplug the coax cable and start up.
    3. Run the snmp-set command:
    $ snmpset -v2c -c public 192.168.0.1 1.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.7.1.1.0 i 1
    SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.4413.2.2.2.1.7.1.1.0 = INTEGER: 1
    (check you're using the correct IP address if you get a permission denied or timeout error).
    4. Power off device.
    5. Reconnect coax and power up. The device should be in bridge mode.

    I found that WiFi still somehow works when in bridge mode so probably best to disable it. Also the device will no longer be reachable on 192.168.0.1, rather you should use 192.168.100.1

    Reply
    1. Max

      Whatever UPC have done, if you try that now on the TC7200, after you restart it with the cable connected again, it will reboot two or 3 times, and then it comes up again not in bridge mode. So this no longer works.

      Reply
      1. Ivan Vučica Post author

        Could the fact that you've posted the comment from an IPv6 address in UPC's range be relevant?

        Remember: UPC are (disappointingly) implementing DualStack-Lite when they happen to give their customers an IPv6 address.

        Reply
        1. Max

          Hi Ivan,

          Yup, I think you are correct – I forgot about that – as I had an older UPC service before, where I was able to bridge the TC7200. I guess they are moving all new subscribers to DS-Lite, and leaving the old ones alone, since only new subscribers use new IPs.

          Reply
          1. Ivan Vučica Post author

            If you have no use for IPv6, I've heard that you can ask UPC to disable it. More specifically, ask them to provide you with a public IPv4 address. If they give you both a routable IPv6 /64, and a public IPv4 address, that'll give you best of both worlds.

            While IPv6 is certainly the future, my opinion is that implementing it as DS-Lite is flawed and harmful to customers who /do/ need a public IPv4 address. My position is that NATed Internet access is barely Internet access at all.

            Reply
  2. Adam Starikiewicz

    Thanks for clarifying Russel, following your steps worked for me (also on STD6.01.27).

    Reply
  3. John

    Hi Russell,
    I was using WEP wifi security on my TC7200 because I use a mobile what works best with that. However while trouble-shooting a problem on the phone with a UPC support guy, he got me to restore factory settings, a bad mistake as it turned out. It seems UPC put through an update a few months ago to all TC7200s which prevents selection of WEP.
    I have two configuration backup files, but these will not "restore". I did a test of backup/restore and it does not work. I dont know if it ever worked, or if UPC have disabled that too!

    I'm thinking of investigating the possibility of using telnet to attempt restoring my settings using my backup configuration file. I'm wondering what you think. I have a feeling I might be wasting my time.

    Reply
  4. Manuel H.

    Hello,

    I also have the new firmware STD06.01.27 and I am from Austria. I tried your how-to the snmp command was sent but after I turned off and reconnect the coax and turned on, the modem was not in bridge mode, but in router mode again.

    I was so happy that I found an howto which will be working, but it doens't for me.

    Best Regards,
    Manuel

    Reply
    1. Nasenbaer

      I've got the same problem with KabelBW in Germany, Technicolor, same firmware version which is mentioned above. Unfortunately the snmpset command changed only the IP but not the switch mode.
      Would be very happy if someone could help 🙂

      Reply
      1. Nasenbaer

        Update: no need to switch to the bridge mode any more… I found out that I had an ipv6 address and this was the source of all the issues I had. Luckily my provider switched me back to ipv4 now 🙂

        Reply
  5. Nameless Voice

    For anyone who wants to actually use the above to set their UPC modem into bridging mode, here are two clarifications to the above article:

    1) While you can connect to the modem via telnet, this is just an interesting piece of information. It is not related to enabling bridging mode.

    2) The snmpset commands need to be run from a PC connected to the router. It's easiest if you have a PC running Linux, as snmpset is a standard Linux terminal command and should be available on any Linux distro,.
    If you don't have a PC with Linux installed, you can either download a Window version, or boot from a Linux Live disc.

    Reply
  6. TCP/IP

    Great thread and worked perfectly for me. Funny thing was could not get it to work using a PC or Linux boot cd but worked using terminal with an iMac.

    Reply
    1. Ivan Vučica Post author

      I assume that neither the PC nor the Linux live CD had snmpset tool installed?

      Ubuntu package is called 'snmp'.
      Windows GUI tool is called 'SnmpB'. (If I remember correctly, it's slightly harder to use.)

      Reply
    1. Ivan Vučica Post author

      Anecdotally, I've heard that the fixed IP address 192.168.100.1 is more certain to work than the configurable address (which you have set to 192.168.0.1).

      I'm reluctant to document this approach as I have not needed it and don't feel like bothering to try it out.

      Reply
  7. Nasenbaer

    Update: no need to switch to the bridge mode any more… I found out that I had an ipv6 address and this was the source of all the issues I had. Luckily my provider switched me back to ipv4 now 🙂

    Reply
    1. Ivan Vučica Post author

      I assume what you actually mean is that your provider has given you DS-Lite (DualStack Lite) service, meaning you received a private range IPv4 address and a publicly routable IPv6 address?

      I doubt your problems actually have to do with having an IPv6 address; the problem is probably that you have private range IPv4 address. That is, you probably experienced carrier-grade NAT when it comes to IPv4 traffic.

      Is this correct?

      Because I, for one, sure wouldn't mind having an /64 IPv6 range, as long as it didn't mean losing the public IPv4 address.

      Reply
      1. Nasenbaer

        I can only guess what my provider is really doing, they're telling me different stories each time I call them…
        What I wanted to do: open port 80 so that I can connect to something at home from outside.
        First they told me that it does not work because of the Technicolor and with different hardware it would work. So I had the idea to switch the Technicolor to bridge mode and use an own router behind it instead and open port 80 on this router. Since I couldn't switch to the bridge mode I called them again to ask for options to replace the Technicolor completely. During this call they told me that this was not possible and would not help anyway because I have IPV6 and then they finally switched me to IPV4 and now I can open ports even with the Technicolor.
        To be honest I don't know exactly why opening ports is not possible with IPV6. I assume I had to share one IPV4 address with others who all had IPV6 in the background like me? When I checked my ip on the Internet an IPV4 was displayed and no IPV6 but in my router configuration I saw only an IPV6. Would be interesting to have more background knowledge on how that works.
        Anyway, I'm happy with my IPV4 address and open port now 🙂 That's what I wanted to have!

        Reply
  8. Nasenbaer

    I can only guess what my provider is really doing, they're telling me different stories each time I call them…
    What I wanted to do: open port 80 so that I can connect to something at home from outside.
    First they told me that it does not work because of the Technicolor and with different hardware it would work. So I had the idea to switch the Technicolor to bridge mode and use an own router behind it instead and open port 80 on this router. Since I couldn't switch to the bridge mode I called them again to ask for options to replace the Technicolor completely. During this call they told me that this was not possible and would not help anyway because I have IPV6 and then they finally switched me to IPV4 and now I can open ports even with the Technicolor.
    To be honest I don't know exactly why opening ports is not possible with IPV6. I assume I had to share one IPV4 address with others who all had IPV6 in the background like me? When I checked my ip on the Internet an IPV4 was displayed and no IPV6 but in my router configuration I saw only an IPV6. Would be interesting to have more background knowledge on how that works.
    Anyway, I'm happy with my IPV4 address and open port now 🙂 That's what I wanted to have!

    Reply
  9. Konrad

    Technicolor TC7200, Software Version STD6.01.27
    Ubuntu 14.04 64bit
    "Timeout: No Response from 192.168.0.1"
    "Timeout: No Response from 192.168.100.1"
    – Please help me understand what I am doing wrong?
    Regards.

    Reply
  10. Airbag888

    Does anyone know how to access the telnet interface? I for one am not with UPC but my ISP has changed the default Admin/admin or admin/admin telnet password.
    Is there a way via SNMPset to obtain/reset this or any other method.
    Is there a way via SNMPset to set a new DNS for the lan/wan and set a static route or block 2 IP addresses?

    Thanks

    Reply
    1. Ivan Vučica Post author

      Like Max earlier, I can see that you have also posted this from an IPv6 address. Did you try giving your ISP (probably UPC) and asking them to either provide you full DualStack IPv6 or to downgrade you to IPv4-only connection? The second variant will, I suspect, be far easier to accomplish.

      Reply
  11. Tihomir Kit

    I'm experiencing being redirected from google.com to google.at. Then I did a "what is my IP" lookup and found out that I have a public IPv6 address. Any clues if that's anyhow connected? It happened just recently and I'm being redirected from all my devices when they go through my router.

    Reply
    1. Ivan Vučica Post author

      Yes, it is possible that Google believes your IP address is in a netblock assigned to an Austrian ISP.

      You can test this by disabling IPv6 or at least IPv6 SLAAC in your OS. For example, under Linux, assuming your network device is eth1:

      /sbin/sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.eth1.accept_ra=0

      If you are no longer redirected, at that point the issue could be with your public IPv6 address.

      Reply

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