Draytek v120 rip off pricing and censorship

After a reply on an earlier post, I had a quick look at the Draytek forums and found my posts regarding Draytek ripping off UK customers have been deleted.

So they are ripping people off, and then censoring any dissent. That is DISGUSTING.

So, here's my latest forum post for posterity. Lets' see how long it lasts.

http://forum.draytek.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20365

FYI v120 and Draytek forum censorship

Just a FYI because people should know.

A while back I asked posted a question here (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=19490 - now deleted/censored) as to why their model v120 sold in the UK is NOT the same as the model v120 sold in Australia and New Zealand, and quite possibly Germany too.

The UK model is just a basic barebones ADSL modem.

The version sold elsewhere is actually a proper router - similar to say a 2820, but with just a single network port. All the router functionality is there.

But the better quality one sold in the rest of the world seems to be sold for the same price or cheaper than the basic, barebones, UK model.

So the UK model is seriously inferior hardware and a higher price. Draytek eventually admitted as such. And yet they still continue with their policy of profiteering in the UK. (I can't say 'rip off' as they got unhappy about it before). You figure it out.

As pointed out above, I had written about this topic before, but the post was deleted. One thing I really hate is censorship. If they don't like people criticising their unjustifiable sales policies then they should change the policy, not try and shut up the dissenters.

Fortunately I kept the link on my blog page and there it will remain for posterity and to demonstrate how companies are making fools of UK purchasers every day and then trying to cover their tracks. I'll add this post as well and lets see how long before it is 'censored' and removed. This time I will add the this text to the blog post as well.

http://computers-linux-other-nonsense.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/draytek-vigor-120-modemrouter-uk-rip-off.html

Enjoy.

Draytek Vigor 120 UK and international differences

Well, my goat is got.

Draytek are ripping off UK customers BIG time.

In my earlier post I noted that I discovered that not all Draytek models are equal.

Particularly the Vigor 120. The UK version is basically just a dumb modem. Holds the line and passes everything to whatever is behind it.

But the New Zealand (and Australian, and possibly others) are a massively more powerful device - they are effectively a cut down 2820/2830 with just 1 x WAN and 1 x LAN port. But a full blown router. Nice bit of kit.......

Lets have a look at the manuals and compare the details.

UK model :

Here is the UK Vigor 120 manual :

http://www.reetspetit.com/Dox/QS-Vigor120-V1_3U.pdf


Typical cost :

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/products/7898-draytek-v120/

Price : GBP 56 inc VAT and shipping



NZD Model :

Here is the New Zealand Vigor 120 manual :

http://www.reetspetit.com/Dox/UG-Vigor120-V1.3.pdf


And a typical price :

http://nicegear.co.nz/routers/draytek-vigor-120-adsl2-modemrouter-with-bridge/

Price : NZD 97 in Tax & shipping


Current rate GBP - NZD : 1.98



So I can buy an infinitely superior piece of kit in NZ for the same price as a dumb modem in the UK.

The first question is why ? I know that a lot of companies think that the UK is low hanging fruit with rich pickings. I know that there are lots of rip offs with pricing in the UK. So my guess is that is the simple answer - because they can.

The second is what else are they doing it on ?

 I have written and complained after they removed two posts on their forums as they didn't like my 'tone' i.e. telling people they are being ripped off.  They have admitted that the models are different. I have asked for an official response and will post it here if I get it.

Either way, I always rated Draytek pretty highly for both equipment and support. I have used and recommended little else for a long time, and have an awful lot of their gear. I'm afraid to say that those days are behind me now.

Yes, the kit is pretty good for the price, but the company behind it have dropped their standards massively as they have grown. Times change. Things move on. I am going to vote with my feet.

 I have written and complained after they removed two posts on their forums as they didn't like my 'tone' i.e. telling people they are being ripped off.  They have admitted that the models are different. I have asked for an official response and will post it here if I get it.

Asterisk, FreePBX, and Draytel/Draytek accounts

Lord this has been fun to set up.

Had it working before with Asterisk/SARK/SAIL but trying it with FreePBX on my trusty SME Server

First remember that calls go like this :

PSTN > Trunk > Inbound Route > Extension > Outbound Route > Trunk > PSTN

1. Devices

Secret : a password
Device ID : a number e.g start from 9001
Device type : adhoc
This is better as users have to log in and out using *11 and *12 giving you a 2 layer security

2. Users

User Extension : a number e.g. start from 5001
User password : a multi digit PIN
Display Name : username

3. Ring Groups (if required)

Ring-Group Number : pick a number e.g. 600
Description : Draytel Ring all
Extension list : add your extensions


4. Trunk

I have had various settings. This works but I get 'Unmonitored' in Asterisk info and I'm sure it wasn't when I first did it - I thought it said 'OK'. Such is life.

Name : Draytel
Outbound CID : <Your PSTN number>
CID Options : Allow Any CID
Max Channels - Set currently at 2 but I think it can be 5

Outgoing Settings :

Name : Draytel
Peer Details :
type=friend
username=your customer/account number
fromuser=your customer/account number
secret=your customer/account password
host=draytel.org
fromdomain=draytel.org
qualify=yes
context=from-pstn
dtmfmode=rfc2833
insecure=very
disallow=all
allow=ulaw
Incoming Settings : are empty


Registration string :

In the following form

accountnumber:password@draytel.org/your incoming number

e.g. :

6548975:pass@draytel.org/02091234567

5. Outbound Route

Name : Draytel Outbound

Some Dial patterns

Trunk Sequence for Matched : Draytel

6. Inbound Route

Desctiption : Draytel Inbound
DID number : your PSTN Drayel Number
Destination : Pick an extension or a Ring Group




That should be it.

For issues with no sound look carefully at your NAT settings (after you have checked your Mic is working !) I think that 99% of all sound problems are due to incorrect NAT settings, so check, check, and check again.

SIP Phones settings :

Qutecom :

Username : The device name from above e.g. 9001
Password : from the Device password

SIP Domain/Realm : IP or Domain name of server
Displayname : Your name :-)

If necessary

Server : IP or Domain name of server
Proxy: IP or Domain name of server

 Enjoy :-)

IPsec VPN to Draytek 2820 routers

I had a terrible fight getting my Linux box to connect and talk to my Draytek routers using a IPSec VPN.

There was little information about, and nothing concrete.

So I am recording here how I did it.

I wanted to use IPSec VPN tunnels in my routers as it is built in, and I had a number of VPN tunnels between routers that were already running with this method

I was running CentOS 5 with my favourite distro contribs.org on a VPS server and wanted to create a IPSec VPN tunnel to the Draytek.

I tried various different implementations of IPsec but at the end of the day I used Openswan.

my ipsec.conf looked like this :

# basic configuration
config setup
    # Debug-logging controls:  "none" for (almost) none, "all" for lots.
    # This is enabled currently
    klipsdebug=all
    plutodebug="control parsing"
    interfaces=%defaultroute
    oe=no
    protostack=netkey
    syslog=syslog.debug
    # These are the two local nets I am tunelling
    virtual_private=%v4:10.1.0.0/24,%v4:192.168.88.0/24

conn net-to-net
    type=tunnel
    authby=secret
    auto=start
    ikelifetime=28800s
    keylife=3600s
    left=%defaultroute
   # This is the VPS Server
    leftsourceip=192.168.88.1
    leftsubnet=192.168.88.0/24
    pfs=yes
    dpdaction=restart
    #This is the Draytek forward facing IP address
    right=123.128.243.69
    rightsubnet=10.1.0.0/24

Put your PSK password in ipsec.secrets :

# /etc/ipsec.secrets - strongSwan IPsec secrets file
#The IP is the forward facing IP of the VPS
5.99.23.43 %any : PSK "SomeStrongPassword#"

I was advised to set the advanced IPSec conf of the Draytek as follows :

"use aes256,sha1,group14 and you also enable pfs in the advanced setting"

 Last is you need to set your iptables up correctly. My server is set in what is known as 'Server and Gateway' mode. It is meant to have two network cards, one for the outside world and the other for the internal/local network and it routes across as required. Masquerading is enabled.

I *believe* you need the following. I am no iptables guru. I think you need port 500 for ipsec.

/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -i $OUTERIF -p udp --sport 500 --dport 500 -j ACCEPT
/sbin/iptables -t mangle -A PREROUTING -i $OUTERIF -p 50 -j MARK --set-mark 1
/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -i $OUTERIF -m mark --mark 1 -j ACCEPT
/sbin/iptables -A FORWARD -i $OUTERIF -m mark --mark 1 -j ACCEPT
/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -i $OUTERIF -m mark --mark 2 -j ACCEPT
/sbin/iptables -A FORWARD -i $OUTERIF -m mark --mark 2 -j ACCEPT

# Not sure if this should go here but it works.
iptables -t nat -I POSTROUTING -m policy --dir out --pol ipsec -j ACCEPT

The last was the final bit of the jigsaw - without it I could ping from the Draytek end to the server, but not the server to the Draytek.



Fire up the last line and it all worked.

Thanks to the people on the OpenSwan list for help and guidance  and I hope this helps someone.