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+--- Thread: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe (/showthread.php?tid=211)
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - LeJimster - 23-06-2012 07:31 PM
(22-06-2012 04:34 PM)Alrik Wrote: ...I vowed never to use Ebay again after the massive pain in the arse it was last time I got screwed over with a faulty/wrong item, but unfortunately it seems to be my only option for an affordable HG612.
Thats the risk you take using ebay, but if you do your research on the seller you can usually avoid the bad ones.
I've been using ebay since 2001 and never had an issue personally, my mom however had a few problems, but that was her fault for not vetting the seller.
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - mirdragon - 23-06-2012 10:14 PM
yeh when i got mine i disputed why i hadn't got it after a week and the seller made it sound like it was my fault the courier had delivered to someone in another street and not left me a note - i only knew the person by 1st name and rarely saw them so would never have thought to check with them either - so based on that i probably wont use that seller again
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - Alrik - 27-06-2012 12:17 AM
In short, my problem was that the item bought and the item I got wasn't what was advertised and I had to send it back at my own expense before I would be given a refund. After almost a month of back and forth emails and jumping through hoops I had nothing to show for it, I was £5 out of pocket for the return delivery and all this was from a seller who had 100% positive feedback in the thousands.
I'll get over my issue with Ebay, since there seems to be no cheaper alternative to get a HG612.
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - asbokid - 27-07-2012 08:04 PM
Hello!
Be gentle! Newbie alert!
There are several (already unlocked) alternatives to the Huawei/Cellpipe available on the Chinese retail sites alibaba and taobao. However, only bulk-buying is economical after adding the international freight charges, Customs Duty, Excise Duty, Import VAT, Clearance Fee, etc., etc.
There are surprisingly few VDSL2 chipsets available today; just a handful of commercially-available chipset choices for CPE:
- Broadcom's market-leading VDSL2 SoC, the ubiquitous BCM6368. This solution is found in the Huawei HG612, the Alcatel Cellpipe 7130, the ZTE ZXDSL931CII and the ZyXEL P-2812HNU-51c, to name a few. [1]
- Lantiq, the Munich-based fabless chipmaker, produces the VR9 (VRX200) family of VDSL2 SoC. [2] Taiwanese CPE maker, Arcadyan, powers several models of modem-router by the VRX288 from this SoC family. The VRX268, another VR9 SoC, drives the ECI B-FoCuS, the alternative VDSL2 CPE used by BT Openreach, The VR9 SoC is also used in newer models of the AVM FRITZ!Box, e.g. the 3370.
- Ikanos (was Conexant) offers the Accelity, its VDSL2 CPE chipset. The Accelity is a two IC solution, comprising the DA87781 VDSL2 analog front end (AFE) / line driver (LD), coupled to a BA6-7779 for digital signal processing. The Accelity is found in the 2Wire/Pace VDSL2 Residential Gateways, e.g. the 3600HGV and 3800HGV [3]
- Ikanos has another VDSL2 CPE chipset series: the Fusiv Vx180/185. This is a single chip solution. The Vx180 is found in the latest models of FRITZ!Box, e.g. the 7390. [4]
- PMC-Sierra, the Malaysian chipmaker, launched its own VDSL2 offering, the PM4380, an AFE/LD. This IC is found in newer VDSL2 CPE supplied by AT&T and other N.American carriers (e.g. the Uverse 3801HGV). [5]
- Metanoia Comms, a Taiwanese tiddler, launched Jan 2012 its two chip VDSL2 PHY solution, the Merlin VDSL2 chipset. [6] Comprising an AFE (MT3301) and a DSP (MT2301), it is reportedly already in use in the latest Draytek VDSL2 models, e.g. the Vigor 2850n [7]
-
Mediatek (was Ralink, who swallowed up TrendChip in 2010) was on the brink of launching its own VDSL2 CPE chipset - the RT65168. However, Mediatek seems to have scuttled those plans. [8]
cheers, a
[1] http://pdf.eccn.com/pdfs/Datasheets/Broadcom/CM6368.pdf
[2] http://www.lantiq.com/products/broadband-customer-premises-equipment/vdsl/xwaytm-vrx200/
[3] http://www.ikanos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Accelity_DA87781_pb_Final_V21.pdf
[4] http://www.ikanos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/vx180-IFE-6-pb_Final_v112.pdf
[5] http://hackingbtbusinesshub.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/2060187_pm4380_prod_brief_p3_014738.pdf
[6] http://www.metanoia-comm.com/include/download.php?dl=L3Vzci9sb
[7] http://forum.2-com.de/welcher-vdsl-chipsatz-wird-verwendet-t9607.html
[8] http://www.ralinktech.com/en/05_press-center/news.php?sn=1028
EDIT: Added one more chipset, the Ikanos Fusiv VX180/185 family
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - alexatkin - 28-07-2012 11:57 PM
Very interesting, thanks.
In fact the owner of this very site was looking into the possibility of obtaining a Chinese router based off the same chipset as the HG612 but with the full 4 ethernet ports, etc. However as you noticed, its just not practical unless at least 10 of commit to it.
For now at least I am perfectly happy with the HG612. It would be nice if it had 4 ports, that way people could use it for VoIP and IPTV without losing the GUI, but as the chinese routers are an unknown, its a big ask.
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - asbokid - 30-07-2012 12:34 AM
We had a look a few months back and found the DareTech DB120-B2+ router (based also on the Broadcom 6368) for sale for about £20 a unit in China:
http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,9707.msg196200.html#msg196200
However, almost the whole GUI of that device is in Chinese. It would take ages to translate it all (and then rebuild a f/w from the English version) .And it would be very difficult without the help of someone who can read Chinese. The action buttons in the GUI, for example, have labels in Chinese. But as that Chinese writing is contained in images rather than in text, Google Translate couldn't be used. It's a nice modem - it's the standard CPE shipped by ChinaTel, much more loaded than the HG612. But not worth all that trouble. Or, at least, that's what we reckoned in the end!
cheers, a
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - tekmobile - 30-07-2012 12:40 AM
(30-07-2012 12:34 AM)asbokid Wrote: We had a look a few months back and found the DareTech DB120-B2+ router (based also on the Broadcom 6368) for sale for about £20 a unit in China:
http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,9707.msg196200.html#msg196200
However, almost the whole GUI of that device is in Chinese. It would take ages to translate it all (and then rebuild a f/w from the English version) .And it would be very difficult without the help of someone who can read Chinese. The action buttons in the GUI, for example, have labels in Chinese. But as that Chinese writing is contained in images rather than in text, Google Translate couldn't be used. It's a nice modem - it's the standard CPE shipped by ChinaTel, much more loaded than the HG612. But not worth all that trouble. Or, at least, that's what we reckoned in the end!
cheers, a
Google Goggles can read and translate Chinese images fairly well
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - asbokid - 30-07-2012 12:59 AM
(30-07-2012 12:40 AM)tekmobile Wrote: Google Goggles can read and translate Chinese images fairly well
Ahh thanks. Maybe not so hard after all then. Though it doesn't stop there. There is more Chinese text embedded in the f/w binaries, e.g. within the web server and the web scripting engine, etc. That would be quite hard to translate and replace. Also there's no guarantee that a modified f/w can be flashed back into the device. There don't seem to be any signs that it has been done in China, and some of the newer broadcom bootloaders check for a digital signature in the file system, etc., etc.
cheers, a
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - alexatkin - 31-07-2012 07:54 PM
Indeed.
I would like to compile a custom firmware for the HG612 but it seems really fiddly even when keeping the base english UI. I can only imagine the hassle doing a whole translation.
Although the biggest thing stopping me trying that is that I am actually using the HG612, if I had a spare or the chinese router (assuming we have access to the source code) then I would certainly give it a try.
RE: Using the Huawei HG612 on Digital Region instead of the Cellpipe - asbokid - 31-07-2012 10:17 PM
(31-07-2012 07:54 PM)alexatkin Wrote: Indeed.
I would like to compile a custom firmware for the HG612 but it seems really fiddly even when keeping the base english UI. I can only imagine the hassle doing a whole translation.
Although the biggest thing stopping me trying that is that I am actually using the HG612, if I had a spare or the chinese router (assuming we have access to the source code) then I would certainly give it a try.
If you need any pointers to re-building the f/w, just shout
For months now, I've been trying to buy some Chinese routers. Still no luck! So far, every single deal has fallen through. Only after the money is wired does the seller announces there's no stock after all, or that the (agreed) price is not $10 but $50! Another ruse is to insist that shipping must be through a specific (expensive) carrier rather than el-cheapo ChinaPost. The sellers must get kickbacks from the carriers.
There was a really helpful Taobao agent who negotiated with the seller, inspected and photographed the goods. Only if satisfactory would he purchase, consolidate the items into one parcel, and then ship. But he's refusing now to buy any electronic stuff. He said it's too difficult as a non-techie to know what you're buying and he gets the blame when it goes wrong. He's had sellers claiming that a device is f/w revision X or definitely contains chipset Y when in fact it does not, etc.. Chinese vendors also seem to advertise things that they just don't have to sell. It's a mind game trying to work out if the seller is bluffing!
E.g. this deal fell through yesterday. Reason, yet again, "No stock", but he's still listing the items for sale!:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14844741730
120yuan (£12) for the ZTE DSL931WII VDSL2 modem-router. It would have been an excellent price for another 6368-device but with a lot more DRAM than the HG612, extra eth ports, 802.11n, etc. The 931WII is the unit supplied as CPE for VDSL2 subscribers in Finland, Sweden and Russia. It would have been okay for us here in the UK since there's an international f/w version that will unlock. It was not to be though
cheers, a