Telstra smart modem gen 2 anomaly

[PaulR99]

Just set up Smartmodem Gen 2. Phone is in another room, modem and PC in a separate room. Installed as instructed, internet is working, wifi to phone and ipad is working. However, modem has blue light on front, and on rear panel, both 'online' and 'mobile mode' are green, and mobile signal is red. Seems contradictory to me. I have no txt from Telstra saying I am on 4g. Please explain (if possible).

Also, after initially being able to log on to modem, this now does not work. Tried all addresses.

[Yastiandrie]

Smart Modem is working in backup mode, hence why the light on the front is blue and the mobile mode light is on.

You would have not gotten a text because its never connected to your fixed line service so doesn't know who you are in a sense.

You could try a factory reset of the modem and see if that at least lets you access the GUI (192.168.0.1).

What type of internet connection do you have to the house?

[PaulR99]

Standard ADSL connection. Have had previous Telstra modems for many years. I thought that if the modem is running on mobile, then the 'online' light (fixed line) on the back should be a lesser colour than green.
Any idea why it would not connect to the ADSL line? Will try the reset.

[Yastiandrie]

Yeah they changed it up with this version and the mobile mode light is the backup indicator now (as well as blue on front. It should be green if connected to fixed line)

Did you put your internet username/password into the modem? If you hopefully gain access to the GUI after the reset, go to the broadband menu and it should be in PPPoE settings

What is the WAN/DSL light doing?

[PaulR99]

Ok, reset allowed me to log in. Good. WAN/DSL light is off.
I note that when logged in to modem, advanced setting/internet/internet access, current connection mode is 'LTE routed mode', which, I guess confirms using 4G fallback mode.
I have not used my telstra password to log in to modem details, just standard existing process. Seems to provide everything. Should I be using my login details?

[Yastiandrie]

WAN/DSL light off will be the first hurdle

Have you got your phone cable plugged from the wall socket to the grey DSL port on the back of the modem? If you are using the supplied filter, get rid of that and just run a standard phone cable from the wall to the port and see if you get any activity on the dsl light

[PaulR99]

I had the supplied filter plugged in to modem and wall socket. Unplugged that, used another phone cable from wall to grey adsl port; no difference, no WAN light. Turned modem off from power for a few minutes, turned back on but no difference, still blue light on front and green lights for online and mobile mode. Should I try another reset?

[cf4]

Try the modem using phone socket in other room. If still not working then there is a fault between that ADSL port in the exchange and your property.

[Yastiandrie]

No i don't think that will do much. Modem physically isn't able to see the DSLAM

Is this a new connection?
You were saying the phone is in another room, is the socket its plugged into got a filter?
Do you have dial tone in the room the phone is in? If you move the phone and plug it into the same socket the modem is normally plugged into, do it have a dial tone?

^EDIT, and also try cf4's suggestion of plugging the modem into the socket the phone is currently in to see if you get any activity on the WAN/DSL light

[PaulR99]

I can try the phone swap idea . . . but thing is the old modem, TV799vac Technicolor, was working faultlessly on this port.

[cf4]

Does the TG799 still work connected to that port?

[PaulR99]

1. Phone moved to this PC room works fine when connected. Made and received calls.
2. Smart Modem moved to outside phone room shows same connection as in PC room, eg, blue light on external face, online and mobile mode lights green on back panel.
3. Old Technicolor TG799 modem does now NOT connect to internet although wifi lights are blue but WAN and internet red.
More contradictions it would seem. We did have a bad storm and line down about a week ago. I though the Smart Modem was working adsl prior to that, but I may not have understood the lights because I only just installed it.

[Yastiandrie]

Check outages.telstra.com first and report it if there's no listing for you area (133 933)

A lot of people fall into the same boat to be honest. Especially on ADSL where the speed of the mobile backup is comparable to their ADSL speed in a lot of cases so they don't realise their fixed line is down

[PaulR99]

Ok, will check for an outage. Just a question though. Can the phone work okay on the same adsl line as the internet fails? If so, did not know that. Thanks for your help in any case.

[PaulR99 · Accepted solution]

Yes, internet outage at my address. Not for home phone though. That explains it. Will remember that confluence of circumstances.

[PaulR99]

Having that rear modem 'online' light green makes it all a little confusing.