Hello all,

As documented elsewhere on this forum, I have recently tried and failed to get Sky Broadband at home. Instead I negotiated a better deal with my current ISP (Demon), who have given me nothing but great service since the day I joined them 12 years ago (so why did I ever consider leaving?).

 Now the thing is that during the process of trying to cut over to Sky, they supplied their router, and have never asked for it back. As my existing router is getting a bit long in the tooth, I was wondering if I can get into the Sky supplied one and change its configuration so I can use it with Demon?

 Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks,

Nigel.

 

Hmm,

I'm not sure if it would work in this instance, but when I was with AOHell, I didn't use their connections at all, I just TCP/IP'd through by Telewest connection.

Unfortunately I'm not that 'technical' anymore, despite going on to further education in computing!! I'm not sure if this can be done here.

Any broadband geeks shed some light?

Hi Nigel

My guess is probably not but you never know....

Try Skyuser.co.uk they should help

Cheers

jason

---

Jason Lloyd
moneysupermarket.com
0800 298 5770

" We're here to help you find the best deal and avoid the pitfalls through sharing knowledge and experiences."

Hi Nigel,

If you have the Netgear Router connected to your PC, try the following

Click Start then Run and type

cmd /k; ipconfig /all

Click OK and a black DOS window will appear with Windows IP Configuration with data below followed by

Ethernet adaptor Local Area Connection and info beneath it

Make a note of the Default Gateway IP address, it will be something like 192.168.92.64

You can now close down the dos window with X

Open your browser and enter the IP address you made a note of, eg 192.168.92.64

If everything is going to plan a log in box should appear asking for a username and password, typically this is "admin" and "admin", but it could be blank and blank, admin and blank or combination. If you have no joy try visiting Netgear site and looking in the manuals of their routers.

 If you get into the admin of the router you should be able to change the configuration ie username and password for your new ISP, but its not guaranteed. BT locks you out of their routers but there are hacks on the web that can unlock them, there maybe something out there for Sky/Netgear routers.

Good luck

Roger

 

rogezuk:

Hi Nigel,

If you have the Netgear Router connected to your PC, try the following

Click Start then Run and type

cmd /k; ipconfig /all

Click OK and a black DOS window will appear with Windows IP Configuration with data below followed by

Ethernet adaptor Local Area Connection and info beneath it

Make a note of the Default Gateway IP address, it will be something like 192.168.92.64

You can now close down the dos window with X

Open your browser and enter the IP address you made a note of, eg 192.168.92.64

If everything is going to plan a log in box should appear asking for a username and password, this is "admin" and "sky".

 If you get into the admin of the router you should be able to change the configuration ie username and password for your new ISP, but its not guaranteed. BT locks you out of their routers but there are hacks on the web that can unlock them, there maybe something out there for Sky/Netgear routers.

Good luck

Roger

 

Hi all, thanks for your replies.

 I think it is possible - I've flashed the firmware with the latest Netgear version, to get rid of any Sky specific settings, and configured it ready to replace my existing router.

 Now just need to find a time when no one else is on the network so I can cut over to the new router, and test it out properly!

 

Thanks,

Nigel.

Hi -

 

Just to confirm -

If we are talking about the "netgear dg834g" modem router that sky issue- then you WILL need to "flash" the firmware .

This is because the SKY version does not allow you (amongst other things) to enter the ADSL password.

  I understand that this information was embedded into the SKY firmware along with the adsl username, so that the modem/router was in effect rendered "plug and play"  - and indeed prevented you from either using it elsewhere (which you want to do) - AND also prevented you - in the case of a SKY user - from using any other equipment with SKY broadband connection  (becuase you weren't able to "find" your adsl password -as it was embedded into the firmware - great huh !)   ...SO ....

You need to flash the DG834G with the CORRECT version of firmware  (version 3 ?) - and then you will need to set up the usual ADSL username , password, and VC mux settings to : 0, 38. - note these will probably be set incorrectly to 5 ,37 after a factory reset (see "brand new" below)  (firmware upgrades available on netgear website)

It is a good idea also after this i.e - after succesfully rebooting the router - to do a factory reset. (via the small tactile button at the rear of the unit) - this ensures that EVERYTHING is reset as it would be if the unit was "brand new"

I have flashed many of these routers , particularly ex AOL ones, and found that even after upgrading firmware -they still refuse to connect for some reason unless you "factory reset" them  - I'm sure if I looked hard enough I'd find the reason why - but a reset is easier - and just makes SURE everything is at "ground zero!)

You will also need to set the Wireless network settings "region" to "europe", and set up WEP encryption, and , if you want to be really safe, also set up "access list " by entering the MAC (media access control) codes of any PC / laptop etc that is likely to use the wireless access.  (MAC codes can be found by going  to the DOS command prompt on the machine in question and typing ipconfig /all - this will reveal the mac codes of all the communcating devices present - so make sure you look at the one for the wireless adaptor - and not the one for the LAN port(s)

MAC codes look like: 00 0C 77 E7 A6 12 (ie 6 pairs of hexadecimal digits 0 to 9, and A to F)

And DO change the  SSID to something only YOU recognise AND DO change the access password to the router !!

THAT stops "informed" users logging into the netgear (don't forget that "someone" can connect via the ethernet ports to gain access !! - (even if the wireless is protected as suggested)  and causing havoc at best, and at worst "making it so " they have enabled "future access" to your wireless network + data etc 

(And finally - if you don't want to use the wireless -  DO disable the wirelss access point !!)  

And more FINALLY - CHECK your SKY TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Nothing in the above implies that you are LEGALLY ABLE TO DO what has been suggested.  Obviously any advice given assumes that you are aware of your responsibilites regarding the ownership and title to the goods

Regards

 

Eric-ISP

 

I have just set up my BT Broadband and have been supplied with a non wireless router.  So I have been trying to find a way to connect to BT Broadband using my Sky Wireless router which I no longer need.  It does not surprise me at all that SKY have deliberately locked a box that you effectively pay for in order to prevent you using it again.  The above post seems to explain perfectly how I can get round this but unfortunately I have no idea how to "flash firmware" and set up the ADSL settings.  Could you possibly give me a step by step guide on how to do everything from start to finish?  I really don't want to be beaten by Sky as I am sick to the back teeth of them as a company.

Thanks in advance for your help

Well I found this page skyuser.co.uk/forum/view-flash and got as far as selecting my network card and failed at the next hurdle as I have no devices showing in the window.  I think it's time to abandon the quest and purchase another wireless adapter which means that SKY have beaten me agghhh!

How did you manage to do this?  I have failed!?

Hi again -

I'm sorry to see you all having problems with the Netgear product. 

Discovering MAC (Media Access Control codes), Flashing the firmware, doing factory resets,  entering in the requisite ADSL detail such as username, password, VC mux setting, and finally setting up the wireless access correctly are not difficult things to do. - but they are involved - and inevitably you will always come up against the unexpected - and then what ?

So then  - if you're not sure, who do you ask - where do you go? - and it has to be said - if you've been to another low cost provider - who are renown for poor techncial quality of service - then you can't really expect another provider to help you out!   

Now I've said this before, and I'll say it again - you get what you pay for. 

If you got to the larger providers, who cannot provide real technical support - (there are far too many customers out there serviced by each major broadband provider - and - if  say SKY has say 600,000 customers, and 10% of them say have a problem at any one time - then that is 60,000 people needing help - so how on earth can you have an army of technically knowledgable poeple large enough to deal with help calls of that sort of magnitude ?

Now in the case of smaller providers like us - who provide all sorts of other products like web hosting, webdesign, data backup, hardware installation, server hosting, and of course broadband, we do not set out to have a large number of broadband accounts, as our income stream comes from a number of complementary sources.
This means that we have a relatively much smaller number of customers, mainly business users, and so we can devote much more time to each customers needs, and provide very high quality of service, help and advice.

Down side is - it doesn't come cheap!

Now someone here is asking me how to "flash the Netgear" DG834G.
I can tell you that I would be most happy to talk to that person directly - but to sit here typing all the detail to do that operation on this forum  just isn't realistic - and - inevitably when someone tries to do something like this "remotelly" for the first time - there will be problems.  Better to do it in "real time" so that each step can be taken correctly before the next. That is - either in person, or on the phone - (which is what we do for all of our customers   -who can call me on a local phone number - or I'll visit them.)

So Finally - I feel very sorry for all you guys having problems as reported. What you really need is to look for a smaller provider , ideally local, who will have the technical expertise to guide you through all these issues, thus giving you a reliable and enjoyable broadband experience.

Regards

 Eric ISP

I have finally cracked how to solve the DG834GT Sky problem!  Sky install their own version of the firmware and make it as difficult as possible for anyone to use it with any other ISP. However it is possible if you flash the latest firmware onto the router. They try to prevent this but it is possible if you use the software for sorting out the problem if your router gets disconnected during a firmware upgrade. I did the following and it works fine.

 
1) dowload the newest firmware from the followiing website:

http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/DG834GT.asp



2) Dowload the recovery utility from:

http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/DG834GT.asp



3) After you unzip the recovery utility make sure the latest firmware img file is in the same directory.



4) Turn your router off, hold the reset button IN, re-connect power until the two left-most symbols flash alternately.



5) Double-click UpgradeWizard.exe file on your computer. Click Next

6) A screen with "Adapter Card Lists" appears so choose the card that connects to the machine you are using and click Next

7)There should be one and only one item in the Device List. Click Next.
(if it doesn't appear first time cancel and go back to (5) mine worked
the second time) Click Next

8) Click Upgrade. Wait - it takes a while before the dotted line begins and a message tells you are successful.

9) Click Close to complete the recovery.

10) Turn the router off and after 10 secs restart.

11) Log-in at 192.168.0.1 with admin and sky (if not try password).

12) You now have to set up all the data supplied by your ISP.

 
Hope this helps someone - it took me ages to work out!
 

Hi.

There is nothing new in this !!

There are many , many posts regarding the "hi-jacking" of the Netgear router firmware by SKY.  It is no secret, and you can always "flash" the Netgear with the latest version of firmware - nothing new in that.

HOWEVER - The reason why SKY have put their own firmware in the the netgear is becuase:

1. They want to make it "plug and play"  - that is to say - all usernames, passwords etc are embedded in the firmware - and all you need to do is plug it in. - AND - as such - you don't know what these are - so you can't use any other Modem / modem router etc.on a SKY connection - (see 2)

2. They are forcing you to use their equipment - as you do not have access to the SKY ADSL details (username -password etc.   In any event -it is in SKY's Terms and conditions that you use their kit!

Since it is said that the Netgear's MAC (media access control) code is used within the adsl sign on detail - then it can be said that IF you attempt to use anything else - (which can be done by cracking the code within the SKY firmware - see earlier posts from others..) then it is said that such use is detectable because a different MAC code will be visible on an ADSL session.

In any event - I believe that attempting to "flash" the SKY router may be in breach of their Terms and conditions - that is - "who has ultimate title to the SKY netgear DG834G in question ?" - that is - are you effectively "stealing" it by knowingly changing its operating software ??

And yes -once you've flashed it - it becomes a "standard" unit - and can be used anywhere other than SKY - but like I say: - nothing new in that !!!

 

The answer to all this is - use an ISP that doesn't tie you down. gives you all the details you need to use any kit you like (as long as you accept responsibility for any deficiiencies in kit you've chosen) .

We supply many DG384G's - not the best router in the world - but we regularly update firmware where appropriate - and never have any problems.

Regards

Eric-isp 

 

 

 

Yes, as the OP, I can confirm that this is doable,a nd in fact is pretty straight forward. Just flash the firmware with the latest version and then enter your configuration supplied by your ISP. Nothing to it.

Have done mine and it's been working great for the last few months.

Nigel. 

 

Dear Eric-isp 

Although the flashing of the router is nothing new in itself, I found the previous post very clear because it pointed out the process in steps. I think most people come to these forums to look for answers when providers try and make it impossible for the consumers to go anywhere else. So this is consumer revenge (and the feeling is somewhat being spoiled by you trying to sell us your services, if you ask me! - but yet again, it is a free world...) and as far as I'm concerned the Netgear Router is mine and not Sky's. It was mine since the moment I paid for it and I've brought it with me to my new home and if everyone'll excuse me, I just want to freaking plug it and use it with whatever provider I want. Now, if Sky wants to prevent me from doing this (and I swear to Satan, I'm never EVER coming back to Sky) then let them try.

Sky's Terms and Conditions are part of a contract and technically the owner of the Router is not bound to these if the contract is either cancelled or has ended. After that period the owner is entitled to do pretty much anything they want to with the router.

That said,

 Anyone want to buy a Sky Router DG384G still with Sky's firmware??? I can't be *** to flash anything....