What Hardware have PlusNet sent? AR502 (long)

Hi,

I signed my mum and dad up for PlusNet a while ago. Their exchange has
finally been enabled, and a hardware package delivered. We were expecting a
Solwise SAR110 router, but a strange grey box arrived instead, despite the
despatch note and the box saying "Solwise 110" on them!!

Anyway, the mystery box (labelled underneath as AR502) syncs to the ADSL
line (it has a light that stops flashing and lights steady anyway!) and it
assigns an IP to an attached PC, so the ethernet side of things works OK.

In the box was a slip of paper that said the default address is 192.168.1.1
and the username is 'root' with password 'root'.

So, I point the browser at it, and type those in... Wrong username and
password combo...

I phoned PlusNet, they say they sent an SAR110, so I tell them they didn't.
So they tell me they sent a USB modem, which is closer as this mystery box
has a USB connection on the back. I ask them how to log in to configure it,
but they tell me you don't need to with USB. So I explain that I'm
connecting through the ethernet interface.... At this point, the guy loses
the plot a bit, and raises a ticket that says "USB modem supplied" and
asking for an RMA so we can return it.

We'd rather avoid the hassle of returning this box, if we can get it to
work. I have previous experience of returning hardware to PlusNet, and it
cost me a lot in postage, 2 months of downtime and the might of trading
standards was required to get my postage fees back!

So, does anyone have any idea what the username and password might be for
this mystery "AR-502" device. I did find a web page that implied this is a
globespan router, but it looks nothing like the pictures on that page. Does
anyone know if thing will actually route to several machines, or is it just
an ADSL modem with ethernet interface? Would you keep it, or return it and
pray to the gods you get something like a working Solwise router within your
lifetime from PlusNet/Insight?

Thanks,
Dan.

P.S. In case PlusNet read this. Yes, I did phone. Yes I did raise a
ticket... I'm waiting for someone to get back. Thanks!

On Sat, 9 Aug 2003 18:51:46 +0100 and in article <BAaZa.664$z7.179209
@wards.force9.net>, Dan Wood said...
: So, does anyone have any idea what the username and password might be for
: this mystery "AR-502" device.
:
http://www.plus.net/supportpages.html?2UKrUz0931I%3D

Is it any of them?
--
CB

On Sat, 9 Aug 2003 19:03:15 +0100 and in article <mLaZa.668$z7.179839
@wards.force9.net>, Dan Wood said...
: > : So, does anyone have any idea what the username and password might be
: for
: > : this mystery "AR-502" device.
: > :
: > http://www.plus.net/supportpages.html?2UKrUz0931I%3D
: >
: > Is it any of them?
:
: Thanks, but no. One of the first places I'd looked for info

Might be a conexant device, have e-mailed you the default l/p.
--
CB

> : So, does anyone have any idea what the username and password might be
for
> : this mystery "AR-502" device.
> :
> http://www.plus.net/supportpages.html?2UKrUz0931I%3D
>
> Is it any of them?

Thanks, but no. One of the first places I'd looked for info

Cheers.

"Dan Wood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:BAaZa.664$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> I signed my mum and dad up for PlusNet a while ago. Their exchange has
> finally been enabled, and a hardware package delivered. We were expecting
a
> Solwise SAR110 router, but a strange grey box arrived instead, despite the
> despatch note and the box saying "Solwise 110" on them!!
>
> Anyway, the mystery box (labelled underneath as AR502) syncs to the ADSL
> line (it has a light that stops flashing and lights steady anyway!) and it
> assigns an IP to an attached PC, so the ethernet side of things works OK.

Figure out if it's better than the solwise, if it isn't push to get the
thing swapped...

>
> Does it look like this?
>
> http://www.castlenet.com.tw/ar501.htm

Indeed it does

Except that this one doesn't have a console port on the back, like the one
on the web page seems to.

At least it looks like it's a 'full blown' router then. If only I can work
out how to log in to it....


Thanks.

Dan.

On Sat, 9 Aug 2003 20:09:47 +0100 and in article <0LbZa.682$z7.185422
@wards.force9.net>, Josey said...
:
: "Dan Wood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
: news:BAaZa.664$(E-Mail Removed)...
: > Hi,
: >
: > I signed my mum and dad up for PlusNet a while ago. Their exchange has
: > finally been enabled, and a hardware package delivered. We were expecting
: a
: > Solwise SAR110 router, but a strange grey box arrived instead, despite the
: > despatch note and the box saying "Solwise 110" on them!!
: >
: > Anyway, the mystery box (labelled underneath as AR502) syncs to the ADSL
: > line (it has a light that stops flashing and lights steady anyway!) and it
: > assigns an IP to an attached PC, so the ethernet side of things works OK.
:
:
: Does it look like this?
:
: http://www.castlenet.com.tw/ar501.htm
:
:
:
From the manual for this:

From: http://makeashorterlink.com/?J37023B85

Address: http://198.168.1.2

Default User Name: root
Default Password: root

Incidentally, plus.net *might* have changed the password on this. If
this is the case simply hard reset the router to original defaults.

'
WARNING Do not reboot the device using the Reset button on the back
panel of the SOHOSpeed to activate new changes. This button resets the
device settings to the manufacturer's default values. Any custom
settings will be lost.'

Guess that's what you'll have to do

HTH
--
CB

> Address: http://198.168.1.2
>
> Default User Name: root
> Default Password: root
>
> Incidentally, plus.net *might* have changed the password on this. If
> this is the case simply hard reset the router to original defaults.
>
> '
> WARNING Do not reboot the device using the Reset button on the back
> panel of the SOHOSpeed to activate new changes. This button resets the
> device settings to the manufacturer's default values. Any custom
> settings will be lost.'
>
> Guess that's what you'll have to do
>
> HTH


Trouble is, I'd already played with the reset button in the hope that 'root'
and 'root' would start to work.

I can't get access to the box for a couple of days now, but I'll try telnet
next and see if I can get in that way.
I had been trying 192.168.1.1 though, I wonder if 192.168.1.2 will also give
a reply?

Actually, it seems strange that there was a note in the box saying
192.168.1.1 with a combination of root/root as well, and that's almost what
the manual says. Perhaps the PC is playing up....
Does anyone know of any 'feature' of windows XP and its default browser that
would 'mangle' anything typed into a prompt box that popped up? I'm not too
familiar with that OS.

Thanks for all your detective work so far!

Dan.

Dan Wood wrote:
> We'd rather avoid the hassle of returning this box, if we can get it
> to work. I have previous experience of returning hardware to PlusNet,
> and it cost me a lot in postage, 2 months of downtime and the might
> of trading standards was required to get my postage fees back!

Plusnet wont give us back the postage fees back either when we had to return
a faulty router they sent us.
Can anyone shed any light on this?
I'd rather not get trading standards onto this.
TIA!

--

Thanks,
Danny Jones.
=========

"Danny Jones" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:EahZa.778$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Dan Wood wrote:
> > We'd rather avoid the hassle of returning this box, if we can get it
> > to work. I have previous experience of returning hardware to PlusNet,
> > and it cost me a lot in postage, 2 months of downtime and the might
> > of trading standards was required to get my postage fees back!
>
> Plusnet wont give us back the postage fees back either when we had to
return
> a faulty router they sent us.
> Can anyone shed any light on this?
> I'd rather not get trading standards onto this.
> TIA!
>

According to the law, they have a statutory duty to reimburse your costs.
They didn't believe me for a while, but with help from my local trading
standards, they gave in eventually. You will need to be able to send them
the receipts for the postage though.

More annoying is the way they take your monthly subscription for two months
while you still wait for working hardware. Paying for something you can't
use! The law wasn't much help here, because the 'service' is ADSL, which
*is* being provided, even though you can't use it.

Beginning to wonder if every PlusNet customer gets wrong or faulty hardware
while they take a few months subscription! Perhaps that's how they charge
21.99 while BT etc charge more. PlusNet probably just absorb the difference
into these first few months where they take money, but don't deliver
broadband!

Keep pushing for your postage. It will look very bad if they offer one
customer a refund and not another!

HTH,
Dan.