What did my ISP do to my router

[Preacher]

Hello:


I thought I'd see what you guys think my ISP did at install before I contact them. Here is the story for your perusal.

I have been wanting to login to my router settings and look around. However, I've exhausted every single password/username combo I could think of, even looking at the list of default logins for my router (TP Link Archer AX10) which would just be admin/admin. My ISP must have changed the password upon install. I would simply just reset the router but they installed it weird and am unsure if I could safely reset it without needing their help.

On the day of install, they installed their own modem connecting to the fiber optic. I already had the ethernet cable set up and was going to set up the router myself, but they went ahead. They powered the modem through the ethernet cable, somehow. To make it easy to visualize, this is the setup:

Modem -(ethernet cable)- box that plugs into the wall outlet -(ethernet cable)- router's OUTPUT ethernet port.

They plugged into the OUTPUT port and taped off the input. Why? This is the only thing putting me off from resetting the router. What did they do weird? Did they change any settings in the router to make this work?

TLDR: ISP purposely installed connection from modem into output port, and can I reset the router safely without outside help.

Anyway, thanks for any advice/knowledge.

[Electric Cupcake]

By box that plugs into wall outlet, you mean AC adapter? You probably want a surge protector for network gear.

Modem should be plugged into input. Why they would tape it, I don't know.

They shouldn't care if you factory reset anything, unless you have DSL login credentials or something.

Or you're in the UK and they want to make sure you pay the BBC licence.

[_I_]

most routers do not use admin/admin as login anymore, some even require a password change on first login

look for a sticker on the router with its login info, i often put a sticky note on it with correct login info

worst case, hold its reset button for 30 sec, to reset it to defaults

if its an isp issued modem+router combo, then they can force updates and changes to it


if when they set it up, they may have disabled its dhcp, and set it up as a switch/ap, not a router

the isp can then log into it and spy on your network from the modem

reset it to defaults and plug the modem into the internet port, and configure it as you need


is anything on the cable or modem labeled POE? thats power over ethernet, do not plug those into your modem/router
they may have used a poe injector, to put power to the cable for the modem

[skOsH♥]

I like how the one I bought doesn't have any password on it, yet I looked up the default gateway to the router and typed it in and it doesn't get me anywhere. My ISP gave me some sort of card with the router address and password....except I think I firewalled myself out of it with the rest of my network settings. I can't remember what I changed. Good times

Maybe I need to use another browser...

[Vince ✟]

Password should be the wifi passkey?

[_I_]

no, they are never the same as the ssid pass

[Agenda 2025]

Same, on a fiber optic line. Think box is locked down because they adjust your speed on your end by how much you pay. They push update to change speed.

[Vince ✟]

Originally posted by _I_:

no, they are never the same as the ssid pass

Funny, thats how they set them up in my area on Arris boards.

You can easily google it also.

Taken from - https://fccid.io/UIDTR4400/User-Manual/User-Manual-3519922

TR4400 802.11ac Wireless Router User Manual User Guide ARRIS …
By default, the router is shipped with a default Wi-Fi network name and Wi-Fi password for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, as well as WPA2 security. You can find this network name and password …

And that is some random board on a random link I found in 5 seconds of searching.

[Preacher]

Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:

By box that plugs into wall outlet, you mean AC adapter? You probably want a surge protector for network gear.

Modem should be plugged into input. Why they would tape it, I don't know.

They shouldn't care if you factory reset anything, unless you have DSL login credentials or something.

Or you're in the UK and they want to make sure you pay the BBC licence.

Yeah, I should have mentioned it goes to surge protector (probably 2 decades out of date XD) then the wall.

Originally posted by _I_:

is anything on the cable or modem labeled POE? thats power over ethernet, do not plug those into your modem/router
they may have used a poe injector, to put power to the cable for the modem

They did use POE but nothing is labeled such. It's getting power from the ethernet cable that comes from a box connected to the wall outlet (via surge protector), which also connects to my router.

[Preacher]

Originally posted by MD:

Password should be the wifi passkey?

already tried that, no luck

btw i am not in the uk, but the usa with a local ISP, so no bigwigs like verizon

[_I_]

take pics of what you have, and how its connected

if you do change things, make sure never to plug poe powered stuff into non poe ports it can damage them

[Electric Cupcake]

When trying to log on, are you entering the numeric address in the browser bar, or a text url?

DNS settings can mess with that.

[_I_]

that depends on the routers config too
some use a local domain name to log in, other use web page from routers ip

[76561199389059995]

Originally posted by Preacher:

Originally posted by MD:

Password should be the wifi passkey?

already tried that, no luck

btw i am not in the uk, but the usa with a local ISP, so no bigwigs like verizon

Hmm, well ISP may block access to your router may prevent wrong configuration or troubleshooting but it wasn't normal your case. You may ask them write down administrator password from router for you could access when necessary.

Originally posted by Preacher:

Modem -(ethernet cable)- box that plugs into the wall outlet -(ethernet cable)- router's OUTPUT ethernet port.

They plugged into the OUTPUT port and taped off the input. Why? This is the only thing putting me off from resetting the router. What did they do weird? Did they change any settings in the router to make this work?

Hmm, it seemed they used PoE to connected to your router WAN port. What was your network configuration before? What did you request to them for move to this situation? Most cases your private router better NO TOUCHING/NO CHANGES/NO CHARGE FEE.

[Pocahawtness]

Originally posted by Preacher:

Hello:


I thought I'd see what you guys think my ISP did at install before I contact them. Here is the story for your perusal.

I have been wanting to login to my router settings and look around. However, I've exhausted every single password/username combo I could think of, even looking at the list of default logins for my router (TP Link Archer AX10) which would just be admin/admin. My ISP must have changed the password upon install. I would simply just reset the router but they installed it weird and am unsure if I could safely reset it without needing their help.

On the day of install, they installed their own modem connecting to the fiber optic. I already had the ethernet cable set up and was going to set up the router myself, but they went ahead. They powered the modem through the ethernet cable, somehow. To make it easy to visualize, this is the setup:

Modem -(ethernet cable)- box that plugs into the wall outlet -(ethernet cable)- router's OUTPUT ethernet port.

They plugged into the OUTPUT port and taped off the input. Why? This is the only thing putting me off from resetting the router. What did they do weird? Did they change any settings in the router to make this work?

TLDR: ISP purposely installed connection from modem into output port, and can I reset the router safely without outside help.

Anyway, thanks for any advice/knowledge.

What do you mean, Input Port and Output Port? There is a Wan and four LAN ports on the router. The Wan is blue, the others are yellow. Surely they didn't tape over four ports? Are you sure it is an AX10?

I remember one ISP I had and it had a special router that had an unused port on the router that was sometimes taped over to stop customers getting confused! Is it possible that is what you have?

I would not reset the router if I were you. It is very possible that that it has your account username and password in it. If you reset it, then you might have to phone up the ISP to get that info.

Some ISP's don't like you to fiddle with the settings and may refuse to tell you. Insisting rather to come out and do the work for you.

[_I_]

the poe ports on the poe switch/injector may have them labeled as input/output
but most just say poe

do not plug a non poe device into a poe powered port, or it will damage the non poe device