Guide Are Tata Play and Jio Fiber Routers as locked as Airtel Fiber's?

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dash2009

Contributor
So I have been using Airtel fiber for the past 3 years and everything was fine and dandy until recently when Airtel decided to push some updates to my router and completely lock it down. I can't even touch as basic setting as changing the default DNS.

I tried contacting Airtel Customer Support, but they pretty much said it's just the way it is from now on. I don't really agree with such policies, and I am planning to switch. But unfortunately, only Airtel, Tata and Jio are available in my society.

So I am wondering if Tata and Jio are also putting similar restrictions on their routers or is it just Airtel?
 
At least on mine, Jio allows you to configure most things (I think) through the Jio Centrum panel. Only problem is the interface is so slow it can take multiple minutes to make a simple change.

I can take some screenshots once I get home if you'd like.
 
dash2009 said:
How?
Click to expand...
If you just want to change DNS settings then you can in Jio. But there are a lot of configuration settings disabled on Jio Centrum site.

Right now you can use search bar to reach but you never know in future if they remove that loophole.

You can’t enable bridge mode in jio fiber routers.

A lot of sites don’t load on Jio, works fine through my Airtel mobile data.
 
In Tata you can config your own dns.
If you could recall your last good firmware you could flashback but afaik firmware gets auto updated in jio and airtel while in tata its all manual aka firmware is never updated and you have to get your Ont changed with the latest firmware batch.
 
Typhon said:
If you just want to change DNS settings then you can in Jio. But there are a lot of configuration settings disabled on Jio Centrum site.

Right now you can use search bar to reach but you never know in future if they remove that loophole.

You can’t enable bridge mode in jio fiber routers.

A lot of sites don’t load on Jio, works fine through my Airtel mobile data.
Click to expand...
I don't want just the option to change DNS, I am looking for the ability change lan address, enable/disable wifi, change wifi name or credentials and if its not too much to ask configure the router in bridge mode whenever I want at my will, Basically I am looking for a unlocked router, The way it should be. This new policy of Airtel is just stupid.

nRiTeCh said:
In Tata you can config your own dns.
If you could recall your last good firmware you could flashback but afaik firmware gets auto updated in jio and airtel while in tata its all manual aka firmware is never updated and you have to get your Ont changed with the latest firmware batch.
Click to expand...

I have Sercomm AOT-4221SR and after the latest update option to flash firmware is also gone. Also no tool or firmware is available for this router yet.
 
dash2009 said:
I don't want just the option to change DNS, I am looking for the ability change lan address, enable/disable wifi, change wifi name or credentials and if its not too much to ask configure the router in bridge mode whenever I want at my will, Basically I am looking for a unlocked router, The way it should be. This new policy of Airtel is just stupid.
Click to expand...
Yeah then Jio is a bad choice. If any of your friends have Jio and is willing to help you check the Jio Centrum site, would recommend do that before switching over.
 
Call Airtel support and ask them to enable bridge mode. Mostly it will be lan port 4. Connect own router to Airtel router via LAN in router mode via PPPoE login. Airtel support will give you login id and password. Always use router mode to avoid dual NAT.
 
inc0d3r said:
Call Airtel support and ask them to enable bridge mode. Mostly it will be lan port 4. Connect own router to Airtel router via LAN in router mode via PPPoE login. Airtel support will give you login id and password. Always use router mode to avoid dual NAT.
Click to expand...
Trying to get it done from a week, most of the customer care employees don't know what bridge mode is and the ones who know claims you need static IP for bridge mode.

I am so fed up with Airtel but it seems Jio and Tata are no better.

I have a spare netlink v2801sg lying around somewhere, I will try set it up along with my tp link router and see if I can bypass Airtel's router.
 
dash2009 said:
Trying to get it done from a week, most of the customer care employees don't know what bridge mode is and the ones who know claims you need static IP for bridge mode.
Click to expand...
Most of the 1st like customer care person don’t know shit and these are BPO people who are first line of response. If they are not able to solve then they transfer to actual Airtel technician who are dedicated Airtel people. These Airtel technician will do it without any problem and they know it does not require static ip. You just need bridge mode and PPPoE login. With static ip there is no need of PPPoE dial up.
I threatened them to disconnect my connect if they don’t do it and then they agreed to. May be you can try the same and also drop and email. May be they will. They just try to ignore as they think the customer doesn’t know shit about networking.
You can try to bypass Airtel router if you have a GPON ONT. If your Airtel router connects to ALCL OLT you might need a VLAN scanner to find the correct VLAN ID for your area. I gave up here. May be you can give a try.
 
Yeah airtel has gone to shit. They locked everything in their routers. After a lot of emailing and phone calls they apparently enabled bridge mode, but now when i dial pppoe with airtel user/pass from my own router internet doesn't connect. But it does connect if I use the auto connect feature of my router. I have no clue whether bridge mode is actually enabled or not.

Anyway, try emailing net@airtel.com, and be ready to face extreme level of moronism.
 
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1) Things like changing SSID, password, guest mode, toggling WiFi etc should be available on Airtel Thanks app.
2) Get hold of the person who installed the connection for you. Airtel LCO. He is supposed to help you with rest of the stuff like setting up your own router, bridge mode etc. Basically, all that stuff that doesn't require buying or upgrading the plan.
 
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