Tutorial Distributel (Bell) PPPoE passthrough/bridge without SFP, using Nokia ONT

[KevinPPOE]

Big news... Bell acquired Distributel... and likely due to the CRTC ruling, is allowing Distributel to use Bell fiber lines FTTH. Very good prices ($55/month for 1Gbit) on promotion for 2 years, get that black Friday discount, at least here in Ontario, Canada!

Not much documentation on the Nokia XS-010X-Q fibre ONT (GPON/XGS-PON), but the included Deco X50 AX3000 mesh Wifi AP pod is garbage requiring an Android app to manage _and_ a TPLink account / TP-Link ID assigned to device... Yuck!

Distributel has basic setup instructions with pictures of the hardware they give you:

The hot details you need to know:
- Distributel uses VLAN 40 for PPPoE login... whereas Bell used VLAN 35.
- Nokia ONT acts like SFP + Media Converter did to bypass the Bell Home Hub 3000 (HH3000), it performs no routing.

That means you can directly connect an Ethernet cable to the Nokia ONT and login with PPPoE credentials, using your router of choice (eg: PfSense, ASUS).
xxx@yourhomeinternet.net : password, obtained from https://ecare.distributel.ca/ -> Account Information -> Service Overview

Setup your smart switch (eg: MikroTik CSS326 or ESXi vSwitch virtualization) to Tag/Untag Vlan40.

or

Most importantly, Distributel also fixed some routing issues outside of Toronto datacenter, where Bell traffic is routed poorly, leading to bad upload speeds and latency spikes. Traceroute confirms a different path through Distributel routers, instead of Bell core switch, to get to work/friend/family houses around Ontario.

How did I find out? I used man-in-the-middle between the ONT and the Deco AP via SwOS mirror port, tcpdump and host learning

No double NAT. Easy port forwarding. Speedtest results are great:

 

[Terminated]

Any ideas how to get this to work on Asus AX-11000 Pro? I don't seem to have the VLAN tab (supposedly there is a beta firmware that has VLAN configuration). I just moved from Bell (HH4000) where I was doing PPPoE, to Distributel but PPPoE doesnt seem to be grabbing anything, likely due to the VLAN tagging you mentioned.

 

[KevinPPOE]

Try installing Merlin, it will allow Vlans either through GUI or find a script tutorial via ssh

 

[Terminated]

Try installing Merlin, it will allow clans either through GUI or find a script tutorial

Thanks for the heads up.

I should have mentioned in my first reply, I was already on the latest merlin but there was no VLAN support there (I think he only covers RC firmwares, not betas). Suffice to say, I installed the latest beta, where VLAN features are included (v9.0.0.6_102_4856) and the WAN tab now had a 802.1Q section where I could set the VLAN membership for the WAN port.

Put in 40, applied and automatically got the IP.


Thanks for the info! Will still look into clans and scripting for my own curiousity.

 

[KevinPPOE]

Thanks for the heads up.

I should have mentioned in my first reply, I was already on the latest merlin but there was no VLAN support there (I think he only covers RC firmwares, not betas). Suffice to say, I installed the latest beta, where VLAN features are included (v9.0.0.6_102_4856) and the WAN tab now had a 802.1Q section where I could set the VLAN membership for the WAN port.

Put in 40, applied and automatically got the IP.


Thanks for the info! Will still look into clans and scripting for my own curiousity.

Vlans*. Awesome to here it "just works" for you one win for the average person. Hate the Bell monopoly

 

[Makaveli]

Big news... Bell acquired Distributel... and likely due to the CRTC ruling, is allowing Distributel to use Bell fiber lines FTTH. Very good prices ($55/month for 1Gbit) on promotion for 2 years, get that black Friday discount, at least here in Ontario, Canada!

Not much documentation on the Nokia XS-010X-Q fibre ONT (GPON/XGS-PON), but the included Deco X50 AX3000 mesh Wifi AP pod is garbage requiring an Android app to manage _and_ a TPLink account / TP-Link ID assigned to device... Yuck!

Distributel has basic setup instructions with pictures of the hardware they give you:
View attachment 54456

View attachment 54457


The hot details you need to know:
- Distributel uses VLAN 40 for PPPoE login... whereas Bell used VLAN 35.
- Nokia ONT acts like SFP + Media Converter did to bypass the Bell Home Hub 3000 (HH3000), it performs no routing.

That means you can directly connect an Ethernet cable to the Nokia ONT and login with PPPoE credentials, using your router of choice (eg: PfSense, ASUS).
xxx@yourhomeinternet.net : password, obtained from https://ecare.distributel.ca/ -> Account Information -> Service Overview

Setup your smart switch (eg: MikroTik CSS326 or ESXi vSwitch virtualization) to Tag/Untag Vlan40.

View attachment 54459
or
View attachment 54458

Most importantly, Distributel also fixed some routing issues outside of Toronto datacenter, where Bell traffic is routed poorly, leading to bad upload speeds and latency spikes. Traceroute confirms a different path through Distributel routers, instead of Bell core switch, to get to work/friend/family houses around Ontario.

How did I find out? I used man-in-the-middle between the ONT and the Deco AP via SwOS mirror port, tcpdump and host learning

No double NAT. Easy port forwarding. Speedtest results are great:

View attachment 54460

You provided info I was looking for about the routing difference.

I'm on Bell 1.5 Gbps now with a media converter but there pricing on these packages are very attractive.

 

[Makaveli]

You are plugging your own router into the ONT?

Also is there a way to check the speed of the ethernet port?

It says that port supports 100 M/1 G/2.5 G/5 G/10 G Base-T

https://www.al-enterprise.com/-/media/assets/internet/documents/nokia-ont-xs-010x-q-datasheet-en.pdf

 

[Makaveli]

Right now I have the provided x50 wifi pod plugged in.

You are doing a speed test on wifi?

 

[KevinPPOE]

Right now I have the provided x50 wifi pod plugged in.

Seems a bit unrelated to pppoe bypass. I suggest starting your own troubleshooting thread plz...

 

[somed00d]

Seems a bit unrelated to pppoe bypass. I suggest starting your own troubleshooting thread plz...

Sorry was trying to get my connection working then go PPPOE

 

[RMerlin]

Any ideas how to get this to work on Asus AX-11000 Pro? I don't seem to have the VLAN tab (supposedly there is a beta firmware that has VLAN configuration). I just moved from Bell (HH4000) where I was doing PPPoE, to Distributel but PPPoE doesnt seem to be grabbing anything, likely due to the VLAN tagging you mentioned.

The VLAN settings are on the IPTV Page. Set it to Manual, then ser WAN VLAN to 40.

The setting is also available on the stock firmware.

 

[Uruzu5]

I tried to set my Linksys MR7350 with VLAN 40, but I can't access the internet.
I can do the speed test on my router setup page, but there is no internet.

 

[KevinPPOE]

I tried to set my Linksys MR7350 with VLAN 40, but I can't access the internet.
I can do the speed test on my router setup page, but there is no internet.

Did the user authentication pass? Did you get a DHCP IP on WAN? Your Linksys WAN port is wired to Nokia ONT directly?

 

[Uruzu5]

Did the user authentication pass? Did you get a DHCP IP on WAN? Your Linksys WAN port is wired to Nokia ONT directly?

Linksys makes the firmware less modifiable.
How do I know the user authentication pass?
Yes. The Linksys is directly wired to Nokia ONT.

 

[RMerlin]

Bell uses PPPoE. You need to configure the PPPoE login credentials.

 

[Uruzu5]

Bell uses PPPoE. You need to configure the PPPoE login credentials.

Finally, I made it. Reset the router and set up again.
I can access the internet with my router.

 

[sandiegoboy]

Hi anybody here using ASUS + distributel (sans deco). Does the asus app work remotely?
It doesn't work for me. It used to work when on Fido / cable modem.

 

[Makaveli]

Hi anybody here using ASUS + distributel (sans deco). Does the asus app work remotely?
It doesn't work for me. It used to work when on Fido / cable modem.

Doesn't using the asus app remotely mean you have to Enable Web Access from WAN?

Which isn't the best thing to do for security.

 

[sandiegoboy]

Doesn't using the asus app remotely mean you have to Enable Web Access from WAN?

Which isn't the best thing to do for security.

Yes

 

[pcoude]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking into an issue with my internet speed after getting fiber optic internet installed recently, and I haven't been able to find a solution online, so I'm reaching out for help.

A few days ago, I had fiber optic internet installed by Bell, with Distributel as my internet service provider. I signed up for their 1000Mbps plan. I have Bell's Nokia XS-010X-Q ONT, and I'm using my Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi system (WHW03) directly connected to the ONT (not using the Deco router provided by Distributel).

When I test the connection speed between the router and the ONT, the maximum speed I get is around 500Mbps, never reaching the expected 1000Mbps.

I've contacted Distributel, who then contacted Bell, and they confirmed that everything is working correctly on their end.

I'm wondering if anyone has any insights into what could be causing this limitation and preventing me from getting the full 1000Mbps speed that I'm paying for. Any suggestions or troubleshooting tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help!