Orange LiveBox issues - would Airport Express work?

[kirky29]

Hello!

Firstly, my parents use Orange and have an Orange Livebox... Randomly at random hours it'll just stop working, so you have to power it off for a few mins or sometimes hours then turn it back on. Then sometimes it'll actually reset it to factory settings so you have to type your info in manually.

They're getting sick and tired of it, Orange say there isn't an issue and they've had a few different ones and the same problem for about 3 years now..!

Can you buy a different brand of router, like the Apple Airport Express and somehow type our Orange broadband details in and make it work...?

Or even better, does anybody know how we can make the junk work!? - They only stick with Orange because my Dad has his phone contract with them and works on a complicated bundle that'll raise the phone price if he quits....!

Thanks all
K.

 

[NogbadTheBad]

I have a Timecapsule with a Draytek 120, but I don't use Orange to provide me an ADSL connection :-

http://www.draytek.co.uk/products/vigor120.html

http://www.draytek.co.uk/support/kb_vigor100_setup.html

 

[cjmillsnun]

TBH an AirPort of any kind with a LiveBox would be no better.

The reason for this is that the LiveBox would still crash and you'd still lose the internet connection.

You couldn't use an AirPort on its own as it is just a router, not an ADSL Modem Router (which is what the LiveBox is).

You could get a good quality Modem Router (Netgear is a good brand), putting your settings in, and you should be OK.

The settings you'll need for the Router are here

 

[ncacace]

Orange Livebox with Apple Airport

I've recently set up my Network using Netgear dm111p
(basically the dumbest, featureless, ADSL modem I could find)
and Apple Extreme Airport.

1. I set the modem in Bridging Mode - RFC2684 bridging mode
This will basically reduce your modem to a simple translator so that Airport can use its ADSL RJ11 connection direct to Orange.
Note. When you turn bridging mode on you will no longer be able to access the admin console for your modem unless you reset it so don't worry you haven't broken it.

2. Connect your phone line to your modem - DO NOT CONNECT TO AIRPORT YET

3. Start up your Airport, Select Airport when it appears in your list of available WiFi connections and just follow the Apple instructions adding your LiveBox Username and Password and connecting your modem when prompted to do so.

4. ...And that was pretty much it - The Airport Router talks directly to the Orange Network and Orange provides the IP address to your network.... Too easy!

5. Grab your LiveBox and place it in a Microwave Oven..... Just kidding. Return it back to Orange so that you don't have to pay 3 Euros every month (That's a months wages to some web developers ... and coincidentally some developing countries)