After what happened to me today, I will do my best never to do business with Telefonica (the main Spanish telecoms provider) again.
Today I went to a friend’s house to install (a) his new Telefonica ADSL wifi (wireless) router, and (b) his new Apple iMac, which, in theory, would access the internet via the wifi router’s wireless network.
After plugging in the router, a Comtrend model CT356+, all the LEDs successfully came on, but I couldn’t see the wireless network using the Apple Airport software.
I called Telefonica tech support, and explained that I have their Comtrend CT356+ router, and that the device is not broadcasting the wireless network. And this is where my bad day began.
Telefonica: Ok, sir, we first have to conduct some tests to confirm that your network is not available. Can you startup your Windows XP machine please?
Me: I’m using a Macintosh.
Telefonica: Oh, just a second please. [On hold...] Sir, I’m sorry but Telefonica doesn’t support Macintosh.
Me: This has nothing to do with the platform. I’m trying to tell you that the router is not creating a wireless network.
Telefonica: Yes, but you could have mis-configured the router.
Me: The router comes pre-configured.
Telefonica: Oh, right. Well, anyway, I’m sorry, but we don’t support Macintosh.
Me: So what are my options?
Telefonica: Either find a PC, or we can send a technician that you’ll have to pay for (if the router proves non-defective.)
Me: If I had a PC with me, what would you do?
Telefonica: We would conduct some steps to confirm that a network isn’t available.
Me: What steps would those be?
Telefonica: I can’t tell you.
Me: Can I speak to the second-line support please, or your supervisor?
Telefonica: No, there’s nobody else here.
Me: Of course there is. Please transfer me to your supervisor.
Telefonica: No, I can’t because I would first have to confirm those steps.
Me: The steps which, for some reason, you can’t tell me?
Telefonica: Yes.
Me: What is your name?
Telefonica: Bruno Castaño.
Me: Thank you, Bruno.
I can’t tell you how frustrating this kind of experience is. You know what you’re talking about, but you have no way to get past the front-line support imbecile. So, I went off and found a PC notebook that had a wireless network card, and went back to my friend’s house, and called Telefonica (and spoke to a different person, of course). I described the situation, and we began proceeding through the oh-so-mysterious steps that Bruno couldn’t discuss:
Telefonica: Can you please go to the wireless networks area of the control panel, on your Windows XP machine.
Me: I’m there.
Telefonica: Ok, are there any networks available in the box that lists the “Available Networks”?
Me: No, it’s empty. (To myself: “Of course”)
Telefonica: Thank you sir, that means the router’s not creating a wireless network. I need to pass you to our second line support.
It’s a darn good thing that at this point, I didn’t happen to see a Telefonica technician walking by on the street outside, or the poor chap would have received a quick crash-course in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s more painful holds.
Telefonica: Hello, sir, this is Miguel. I’m going to walk you through the steps to reset your router.
[...At this point, we spend the next 30 minutes in total confusion. Nothing Miguel described worked as expected, the router didn't reset like he described, and finally each of us was convinced the other was out of his mind... Then the following happened...]
Me: Look, Miguel, I happen to know how to access the router’s admin area, you know, the web page that says, “Comtrend ADSL”, and…
Miguel: Wait! Did you say “Comtrend”?
Me: Yes, why?
Miguel: CRAP! My colleagues told me you had the Zyxel router! No wonder we’ve spent the last 30 minutes in total confusion!
Me: –sigh–
Miguel: If you’ve got the Comtrend router, then I know exactly what the problem is. There is a known factory configuration mistake with that device; it’s broadcasting on channel 12, and it needs to broadcast on another channel (3 or 4). Since you know how to access the admin area, you can modify that directly .
Me: Done, and it’s now working.
All in all, this little episode cost me over three hours of my time. And to add insult to injury, most of that time spent calling a Telefonica number, to cost of which is shared by both parties. (Not to mention the fact that Telefonica is shipping a router to people that it knows is mis-configured at the factory!)
So, like I say, I will, as far as possible, never do business with them again.
Technorati Tags: spain, telefonica
If you want to get the wifi working on these modems, then you need to turn it. Then get pen or a paper clip and stick it in the reset button for 1 second and it will switch on the wifi..
You also have to fiddle with the setting on the Mac to get it to log onto the WiFi correctly..
Telefonica, yes you should have seen th install the contractor did of the cable when he installed the line.
Quality all round here in Spain! Spain 50 years behind Anglosaxon countries..
Hi, I switched routers, to er a MODERN one, as the one that was supplied with the ADSL line over 5 years ago..! AND the wireless NEVER worked, as the ONLY software that was supplied with it, was in, you guessed it, Spanish..!
So I bought the new router, and the software was in English, as well as OTHER languages, and it seem to work Ok for a while, and then it just started to cut out all the time, continuously..! So I googled it, in between cutouts, and I found these settings..: Telefónica ADSL settings are:
PPPoE, VPI/VCI 8/32, Encapsulation Mode LLC/SNAP, user name adslppp@telefonicanetpa, password adslppp, DNS [80.58.0.33] and [80.58.32.97].
Didn’t need the DNS, so don’t know personally if they are correct, as for me it was 192.168.1.1 (if that’s the same thing, but hey, I’m just a girl..!!)
I would love an Mac, but I have the only thing that is actually worse than Vista.. No you may say.. But I assure you that I have much worse, in fact a new kinda tragic..! That is a whole new operating system, ie; I went from English XP Pro, to Vista SPANISH.. The PC was bought from PC City, and they said that as a global brand it would have an MUI language pack, now way that it does..! That’s only available with Vist Ultimate, and a few other rare versions..
The Spanish, are electrically Retarded, to use one of their own words against them, as retarded in Spanish means slow, but in English it means BACKWARDS..!! Don’t get me started on this…. Gonna have some fun, now my internet still works..!!
Bye..
When I’m at a friend’s place I have tons of problems with the wifi (Xavi modem). With my previous Macbook Pro, it wouldn’t connect at all with wifi. I have a new Macbook (aluminum) and it connects, but often pages take forever to load (like a long ping symptom).
Any idea what I can do to fix this? I can get into the router using 1234/1234 and didn’t see anything that was obvious. Windows machines have no problems with speed.
Thoughts??
Cheers, Matt
Hi I work with computers and spend loads of time helping Brits with their routers, reading through all the posts I have to say that if you know what you are doing Telefonicas service is second to none, I have had experience of most of the other suppliers, and found their support and service inferior, mosytt of the others it seems to me make their extra money by resetting your internet connection on a monthly basis forcing you to spend money on their support line.
As to telefonica routers over 12 years the only time clients routers have had rto be replaced has been failure due to power surges, or them polugging in the wrong adapter. I still have about 20 in my garage ranging from the original speedstreamm to the latest models, and they all work. Router problems are easily solved if you know how to 1., reset the router, 2. configure the router by logging on via web access, & 3 telefonicas settings.
The best place for router passwords : http://www.adslayuda.com/password_router.html
Telefonica settings PPPoE 8/32 LLC/SNAP user:adslppp@telefonicanetpa Password:adslppp Primary DNS 80.58.61.250 secondary 80.58.61.254
OR…[80.58.0.33] [80.58.32.97]
So find out your router password, reset to factory defaults, and then with your computer connected to the router with a network cable, your network settings TCI/IP at auto, open up your browser and connect to the router by typing into the adddress bar of your Internet browser, either 192.168.0.1, or 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1 then just configure the router, all settings are in english, and most have a quick setup programme that lets you enter the settings I have given above!
Hello guys,
just to share with you what works for me.
USERID: adslppp@telefonicanetpa PASSWORD: adslppp
LLC/SNAP
VPI 8 VCI 32
Modem/Router IP: 192.168.1.1
DNS PRIM: 80.58.61.250 SECO: 80.58.61.254
— altra opzione — DNS PRIM: 80.58.0.33
SECO: 80.58.32.97
2hours and 15 minutes with Telefonica
Hi Guys Have tried all the tips here .. but still cannot log into my telefonica supplied router .. I have a Zyxel P660HW-D1 router and a 24″ iMac .. I’m pointing Firefox to 192.168.1.1 and have reset the router and tried all the different usernames and password here and still no success The Usernames & Passwords I’ve tried so far are:
U: 1234 P: 1234 U: admin P: admin U: admin P: 1234 U: adslppp@telefonicanetpa P: adslppp U: (blank) P: 1234 U: admin P: (blank)
..Any other suggestions or ideas gratefully appreciated. Thanks.
OMG. I hate when you call to get some help and the person on the other end know less then you. How did they even get the job!
Currently I am in the appartment of my girlfriends family in Madrid who asked me to setup a wireless network. After a quick investigation I noticed that the WLAN LED was not active on the Comtrend modem/router, but how to activate this when I was unable to logon to the box.. Convinced of the fact I should not call the Telefonica “help”desk I searched deeper for the username/password combination with my big friend Google. Apperently nothing had been configured after the pre-setup and I was able to logon with 1234/1234 (how secure this is)… Activated the WLAN, changed the boring SSID to something more exciting (after all you want to shock the neigbours)..
Thanks for the story and all the comments, I had a good laugh :)
Greetings Sander
I’m just gone though something very similar with Virgin broadband in the UK. I know exactly what the problem is but they won’t let me tell them, instead thet have to go through the whole script trying to fix things that I know are not broke then at the end of the call they tell me to contact my router company (Netgear) who then direct me back to by broadband provider and I keep going round in circles!
Was pleased to read Dave Williams comments about Telefonica, his feelings mirror my own. I wonder if he can help me? I know nowt about computing. I do know that to use the Wifi on my Zyxel router the reset button was depressed for 5 seconds(Telefonica Technician). Do you know how to “unset” the Wifi operation? regards and thanks in anticipation, JB.
When I’m at a friend’s place I have tons of problems with the wifi (Xavi modem). With my previous Macbook Pro, it wouldn’t connect at all with wifi.
so i am so glad.!!!!!
I am in the appartment of my girlfriends family in Madrid who asked me to setup a wireless network. After a quick investigation I noticed that the WLAN LED was not active on the Comtrend modem/router, but how to activate this when I was unable to logon to the box.. Convinced of the fact I should not call the Telefonica “help”desk I searched deeper for the username/password combination with my big friend Google