Unable to use own router with HH2000 Since January 3rd, 2023

[ChrisU]

I have used various D-Link Routers with various Bell Modems over the years with no issues.  I currently have a Home Hub 2000 and a D-Link DIR-3040 with mesh extenders.  Everything had been working fine until January 3rd, 2023.  No devices on my network (wired or wireless) had internet access.  I checked both my D-Link DIR-3040, and it could not log in with the PPPoE credentials.

I plugged my laptop into my HH2000, and verified my credentials on it, and was able to access the internet off the HH2000 directly.

I thought my D-Link router was having a problem, so I went out and bought a new D-Link DIR-X3260.  I entered my PPPoE credentials, with the same effect.  Unable to login.

I contacted Bell, and was informed by the tech on the phone that my HH2000's FW had been updated, and she had other calls that day with the same problem.  She passed the call to a managing tech (??), who informed me that NOTHING had been done to my modem, and that we were not allowed to have our own network equipment connected to Bell's equipment, and that multiple PPPoE connections (1 for the HH2000 and 1 for my D-Link router) was not allowed and caused grief on Bell's network.

I asked for my modem to be put in Bridge mode, and was informed that they could only do that for Business Accts., not home accounts.

Has anyone else experienced this problem, and does anyone know of a work around?  I have been with Bell since they first came out with ADSL connections for home, and in those days, they did not have networking modems, so you needed to create your own network.  I did.. and have had this running for decades... and now I'm told this never worked???

Any help would be Greatly Appreciated.

[BellPatricia · Accepted solution]

Hey there @ChrisU, thanks for your post and welcome to the Bell Community.

When trying to login are you getting a specific error message that you can share with the Community?

Have you tried resetting your password? Check out Manage Bell usernames and passwords for more information

We think you may find this thread helpful as well  When will Bell add 'Bridge Mode' feature to HH4000

Let the Community know how everything is going.

- Patricia

[GJJB]

A better answer would at least clarify if and what changes were made by Bell, and even better, how people could use their own router rather than a forced (limited) Bell HW approach.

It's not too late, so could you expand on how to do this (for LTE WHI I understand there's a VPN35 approach).  I just want control of my network into my home so can access things remotely - a very common desire in a global and mobile world.

When I spent hours with Bell on putting my HH2000 in bridge mode, it ended up that WHI clients don't have a b1 password to put in the PPPOE credential, so it was dead.  But I understand there's a way.

Anybody out these ha e better luck?