Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 - SHG3060 Review 3/2023

[Kiriakos GR]

Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 - SHG3060
This is latest revision of ( Power Station Wi-Fi 6 ) router that Vodafone Greece deliver to their subscribers in the last five months.

SHG3060 this is most powerful in hardware version of a router.
Connectivity options:
1) SFP port 
2) Wan port
3) DSL port

Wi-Fi 6: This translates to internal CPU chip this able to handle bandwidth of 2.5GbE 

Ports
LAN ports    4   1000 Mbps
USB ports    2    USB 2.0
Phone ports    2
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The modem LEDs show different settings and events.

When the "POWER" LED is stable, your modem is turned on.
When the "POWER" LED is blinking  =  DSL sync in progress
 
When the "INTERNET" LED is blinking white, a connection is being established.
When the "INTERNET" LED is blinking red, there's a connection error.
When the "INTERNET" LED is stable, an internet connection is established.

When the "PHONE" LED is blinking red, there's a connection error to the phone.
When the "PHONE" LED is stable white , a connection to the phone is established.
When the "PHONE"-LED is blinking white, you have an ongoing call.

When the "MOBILE" LED is stable, you have a 3G or 4G connection. (relative dongle must be plugged-in at specific USB port)   

When the "WIFI" LED is stable, you have a Wi-Fi connection
When the "WIFI" LED is blinking white, a connection via WPS is being established.
When the "WIFI" LED is off = WiFi inactive
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Firmware version        XS6_4.0.00.13
Bootloader Version                 0.5.0.0
Hardware Type & Version              V1

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WiFi 6 (5GHz)  2401,5  Mbps
WiFi 2.4G         573,5    Mbps 
Security: OFF, WPA , WPA2, WPA3 (and combinations)

Remarks:
You are unable to adjust WiFi transmitted power output
WiFi in hardware button (top side), this it does enable / disable WiFi
WiFi & WPS in hardware button's (top side), they can both be enabled or disabled due the router in software configuration.
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Vodafone Power Station and  (4P4C) telephone output's controls
Phone--> Phone numbers -->
Incoming : Here you share your single telephone number and with Line 2
outgoing : Here you share  your single telephone number and with Line 2

Outcome:
Both telephone devices acts as one at incoming calls
When using Line 1 or Line 2 so to dial your own telephone number, the port not-in-use this accepts incoming call = intercom

Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6, this constantly records calls log.
Dialed, Received, Missed, 

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SHG3060  LAN ports - Switch hub 1GbE  RJ45
This hub does not automatically support all LAN cable wiring protocols.

The supplied LAN cable this is 2m long, with printed specification of CAT5-E  ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-B 26 AWG (brand eJe) = (Shenzhen Eternity Ju Electronic Co., Ltd. China). 

Cables configured as  ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-A they will not work.


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Status & Support --> Diagnostic Utility

1)  Automated Diagnosis  (This diagnosis should take up to 2 minutes and cannot be cancelled once it has been started.) Router self test
2)  Ping Test  Please enter a valid hostname or IP address to execute the Ping test.
3) Tracing Tool Please choose the connection type and location where you would like to save the tracing. The tracing will then begin automatically in a separate popup window.

Tracing tool: This is packets IP activity recorder, the outcome this is a saved file -->  ip_packet.pcap  --->  in order to review this file you will need special software as is The Wireshark network analyzer .
TIP: When installing Wireshark at your PC, do not install additional  Wireshark software capture engine, just use it as viewer for the files captured by your own router. 

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OTHER:
DNS configuration = disabled
VPN Settings         = Enabled

IPv4 Address
IPv6 Address = disabled

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Conclusion: Vodafone Power Station WiFi 6
This is one tremendously advanced version of router in comparison to the much older Vodafone H 300S.
The description "power station" this translates at several things:
VDSL2+  50 or 100 or 200 lines of bandwidth,  this router will handle them faster than any other router.

Vodafone Power Station WiFi 6 router stability this is fantastic too.
The router this is overloaded regarding software with huge amount of configured settings and tools.
The downside this is a very slow reboot time.

In the positive side of things, according to connectivity to internet option.
For  VDSL2+ you may disable loading of unnecessary protocols --- Load of ADSL protocol ---   SFP port activation -- WiFi Guest account support -- Turn OFF the Firewall.
These settings will decrease reboot time by several seconds.

By Vodafone design?
Sercomm SHG 3000 series this is known all ready (Italy, Ireland), SHG3060 this appears as mirror version that supports WiFi 6 too.
But as newer model, the information that we still  do not have, this is maximum supported incoming bandwidth.
Is it limited at 2.5GbE or this can support any higher than that? 5GbE over fiber ?
 

LED lights these are a partial illusion, what we see as lights this is reflection of a light beam, the real LED diodes are placed within router and not at the base.
There is no LAN led activity lights per port.
Vodafone design this aimed to cut costs at sectors that Vodafone alone thinks as not-important.
The outcome this is a bulky brown brick that at least, it is a very good performer as internet router.

With 16 Celsius indoor, the router gets warm as 26C at it top side = 10C on top of your indoor temperature.
My measurement this was taken at night = no sunlight within the room.

The power supply by RST Technology Taiwan
WY-30A12FG  or  Asian Power Taiwan WY-30A12FG-CAAA  ADP 100~240VAC 12VDC/2.5A EU, this is quality item.
With 16 Celsius indoor, warmer side this is 24C  = 8C on top of your indoor temperature.

Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 this is offered in Greece free of charge to subscribers, that have 200 Mbps and above contracts,
or in cases that ZTE H268Q this shown as incompatible to operate with specific VDSL cards = unable to load VOIP telephony,
and or when H 300S this is unable to operate stable when there significant length of copper until the fiber to cabinet (outdoor box).

So far there is no user complains about SHG3060.   
 

[Kiriakos GR]

Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 - Event Log

This time I wish to mention few details about SHG3060 Event Log.
Any text in BLACK this is in theory a normal event, and anything in RED this might be a warning or error.

At the example bellow all added options, this is DHCP v4 Option Code's
With a bit of internet research, you will discover that Huawei , Cisco , Windows , Linux, and other vendors out there, they have differently adopt  DHCP server and connectivity parameters, and due this fact, at every reboot, SHG3060 this loading several  DHCP Option Code's in a attempt to create a layer of backwards or extended compatibility.

Example:   

DHCP discover has been sent from WAN8  = WAN
adding option 0x39  = LAN = Huawei
adding option 0x3c  = LAN
adding option 0x0c  = LAN
adding option 0x3d  = LAN
adding option 0x35  = LAN

Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 -  Internet Security systems
SHG3060 this is primarily a router and then this is combined with DSL modem, and also with an WiFi sharing device.
As a such, it has several Internet Security systems

a) Basic firewall = in control of communication ports for regular applications as is email , gaming , internet navigation.
This can be turned as OFF and ON.

b) Denial of Service - DoS = This is a more complex in a way Internet Security system.
The sort explanation, it helps the router to be protected from attackers whom trying to find a way so them to gain access at our local network and to our workstation computer (  computer's ).
= Local ports sniffing.
 
Additionally when we navigate at one evil webpage, our internet browser accepts all sort of commands so this to open additional connections with tracking-web-sites or other systems.
SHG3060 this is capable to block any request from our web browser, when this is requiring opening of Dynamic/Private : 49152 through 65535  range of ports.

At such example you might see:
SRC=192.168.2.4 DST=104.122.203.67 PROTO=TCP SPT=50894 DPT=443 MARK=0x3 DROP 
SRC = my PC   --->  tried to contact -->DST = destination server  ---> ISP Akamai Technologies --> communication port :  50894, and this communication was not allowed due the router.

So here comes the first conclusion   Internet Security system log in RED, its does not translate always to an ERROR, but rather to a warning of internet activity that was considered as insecure and was blocked.

[wifi-doctor] RED Messages
[wifi-doctor][poll] read acl data = LAN
[wifi-doctor][fhc] Failed sending stats object = LAN
[wifi-doctor][fhc_common] Trying to publish MQTT message when fhc state is CONNECTING  = LAN
[wifi-doctor][main] Failed dispatching update done  = LAN

My general advice this is you to ignore entirely all relative Wi-Fi alerts, simply because they might be messages caused due a router firmware bug?
Firmware version   XS6_4.0.00.13 this is the current version, and it might needs further tweaking.

At my Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 , I have disable the feature of  Wi-Fi-Guest, and I am unaware if  [wifi-doctor] logs has anything to do with my current choice.   

[Kiriakos GR]

Vodafone Power Station Wi-Fi 6 - LAN cable test Fail with INTEL NIC

Here I am going to mention an interesting wiring configuration bug.
The supplied LAN cable for the SHG3060 this is 2m long, of CAT5-E  ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-B.
This cable connects my SHG3060 with my Intel Ethernet Controller I210, and the connection activates.
But when I tried to run INTEL ProSet driver, LAN cable test,  this failed ... no cable attached.

Now when I am using instead EIA 568-A cable and my five ports 1GbE switch hub, the test it is executed and I have a Pass with flying colors. 

SHG3060 this is unable to operate by the use of EIA 568-A cable.

We usually accuse  Vodafone - Sercomm, but in this case it is the INTEL NIC which is unable to support both 568-B & 568-A wiring ( at due INTEL driver cable test).
Otherwise the INTEL NIC does not have any issues to establish connectivity by the use of 568-B or 568-A cable

[Andrew-88]

Interesting pack of findings !! 

Vodafone this started as mobile phones network, as internet access provider in Greece they are still not the best.
While they did install fibers and cabinets, they did not invest much so to upgrade servers which interconnect Greek users with Athens and even Europe.
Common complain they have higher ping  at benchmarks.
 

[Kiriakos GR]

And now it will become more interesting.   

I did discover a hardware issue at their new VOX ( SHG3060), unjustified high ping 900ms or worst at upload task.
And I will receive replacement my own and  new H268Q in a few days.

Two of these new VOX ( SHG3060) they were delivered at the same day to me and to a close friend of my, both shown high-ping issue at the upload measurement of Ookla.
Both demonstrating identical behavior,  stable operation but high upload ping.
Vodafone tech support it did take seriously my report and tests, they were alerted and even requested from me to return this VOX for quality inspection.


Basically I do worth getting paid for the job that I did as beta tester 
Confirmed Proof:

 

[overvolt]

It makes you wonder if Vodafone this is familiar with QC evaluation?
Especially their tech department in Germany.