Vodafone ZTE H268Q VDSL2 router - info page 2/2023

[Kiriakos GR]

Vodafone Greece this adopted ZTE H268Q VDSL router approximately September of 2022.

Intro:
Vodafone H300s this were proven as poor hardware in many sectors:
WiFi performance issues
Frequent loss of synchronization when wiring copper distance this is long.
Vodafone Greece did a poor choice demonstrating trust at this problematic Sercomm router, and nowadays adopted ZTE H268Q.

ZTE H268Q
Personally, I have just signed a new contract with Vodafone for VDSL2-100, and I did check up front that I am going to receive the latest ZTE H268Q 
My plan this is to demonstrate product pictures, and VDSL line statistics.
ZTE H268Q date of hardware production for Vodafone Greece appears to be July 2022
PSU:  12V 2A
4x 1Gbe LAN Ports
USB Port = USB 2.0  ( USB storage device, printer or 3G / LTE Dongle connection )
User name: Admin


Cosmote Speedport Plus (data collection for future comparison).
Date/time  2023-02-26 23:34:20
DSL downstream   56319  kBit/s
DSL upstream         5639  kBit/s
System uptime  3 days, 22 hours, 29 minutes, 14 seconds
Transmission mode   VDSL2-17A Annex B
CRC errors  334
FEC errors   0
SNR (Down/Up)               30.6 / 46.0  dB
Attenuation (Down/Up)    10.0 / 7.0  dB

Below its a teaser that I did collect due internet search. 

[Kiriakos GR]

My ZXHN H268Q V 7.0 this received today and this is now partially activated    (VOIP this needs few hours so to activate).

Hardware test prior DSL connection:
Manufacturer: ZTE
ProductClass: ZXHN H268Q V7.0
IP:192.168.2.1
HWVer: V7.0.0  --- May 2022
SWVer: V7.0.0P10_VDFSON  ==> VDSL2 ====> Network upgrade ===> V7.0.0P10N5_ONE


Full access Root:
Username: root
Password: 7>q{(s:@Ev1S)$B^#a%$

Notes:  Root access code and what is this all about?
99.9% of internet users they do not have necessary skills for advanced tweaking of networking parameters.

In our case Vodafone requested from ZTE, two levels of user access.
Admin = Access at basic settings that a regular user will ever need.
Root =  Access at basic settings + advanced networking parameters.

Root Advanced settings does not translate to tweaking of synchronization speed and or hacking.
Vodafone made this choice so to limit down the wasted work-hours of their own support team, about explaining what advanced settings can do, at totally inexperienced people.
From the other hand, Cosmote in Greece, does not care to hide advanced settings, but their contract price this is always higher.

So here I will deliver a comparison screenshot: Admin vs root 
True there is more settings visible but nothing magical that it will change your own life. 
 

[Kiriakos GR]

ZXHN H268Q what is on the box:

1) Well made full 8P8C LAN cable, length 1.5m  EIA/TIA-568-B

2) PSU
PSU plate: RD1202000-C55-154OG /  Shenzhen Ruide Electronic Industry Co., Ltd.

PSU sticker:  PN: RG120200-EC6C-HH00 / DATE: 21-04-2022

(100-240V~) 12Vd.c. - 2.0A - 24.0W
Average active efficiency 86.99%
Efficiency at low load (10 %) 78.64%
No-load power consumption  0.07W

3) ZTE H268Q
It is interesting that there is no thought for wall mounting..
LAN ports activity LED at the back.
After of three hours of both router and PSU be powered up (16C indoor), none of them appear as warm !!  ZTE H268Q = excellent Passive ventilation !!

[Kiriakos GR]

ZTE H268Q Firewall settings
It is visible only with root member logon.

ZTE H268Q Port Forwarding
This setting its now under the menu: Home -> Internet -> NAT

ZTE H268Q Wi-Fi radio output specifications.
Attachment below

ZTE H268Q Reset
Press and hold this button for more than 5 seconds to reset current settings to settings factory defaults, then the system restarts automatically.

ZTE H268Q WAN port
At fiber to home installations only, WAN port this is used instead of DSL input port.
DSL port is the standard for VDSL2 (wired connection).   

[Kiriakos GR]

Vodafone tech support yesterday decided that my first ZTE H268Q this is a bad apple. 
The problem, it shown unable to receive VOIP credentials from Vodafone Greece, and telephone line was unable to be activated.

Vodafone offered solution: A new ZTE H268Q this is now on the way for me.

Kiriakos offered solution: I did activate temporarily one H300s ( this rescued from be recycled a week ago).
Firmware version:     Vodafone-H-300s-v1.2.01.06
Boot-loader Version:              1.01.1
Hardware Type & Version:          V2
(successful connection over the internet and also VOIP activation, and now it operates with 12V 1A PSU, instead 12V 2A (original PSU).   
 
At VDSL+ connection (side to side comparison) ZTE H268Q this measuring much lower SNR.
I am well aware that router measured statistics accuracy does not come close to electrical calibration standards 
With a copper wire distance no longer than 50 meters, both routers looking very similar about line statistics.
Vodafone-H-300s this worked so far 20 hours trouble free, so I am going to keep it as spare.   

 
ZTE H268Q this has at the back two slots, and accidentally I did discover that is about wall-mounting bracket that Vodafone does not supply any more.
Attachment.
   

[Andrew-88]

What will be the fate of this ZXHN H268Q with the VoIP issue?

[Kiriakos GR]

What will be the fate of this ZXHN H268Q with the VoIP issue?

Vodafone, does not care to have it back.
Vodafone tech support, does not care to further investigate either.
And I do not feel good, be the one to trash it. 

With VOIP function this constantly retrying to connect, the router this stay busy all times.
Its usable for internet browsing but not for gaming.

[Kiriakos GR]

Update more information's:

Vodafone Greece this using H268Q with two versions of software/firmware.
a) Business class clients
b) Regular Home / business 

H268Q this firstly delivered to me, it was had firmware for business class clients:  V7.0.0P10N5_ONE
I did succeed loading the regular firmware : V7.0.0P4_VDFODP
VoIP were activated and the router this is now usable.

But this is not the entire story,  I did discover a hardware issue at their new VOX ( SHG3060), unjustified high ping 900ms at upload task.
And I will receive replacement my own and  new H268Q in a few days.

There is something funny happening with my first flashed now H268Q with the regular firmware.
While it is fully activated VDSL + VOIP there is endless indication of activity at the Internet LED.
When my FRESH H268Q arrives I will have a comparison point, and in case of identical behavior then I will notify Vodafone tech support. 

The Vodafone technician who came today, he did told me that even these H268Q, some appeared with issues, and they were replaced.
In my case, if this first  H268Q were delivered with wrong firmware but even so this is defective?  The this is a double jackpot of bad luck.   
 

     

[overvolt]

Mate, I do cross my fingers so your upcoming H268Q this to be truly trouble free.

Its obvious that you did in-depth testing, and a lot of work by troubleshooting problems that Vodafone should solve first.

 

[Kiriakos GR]

Mate, I do cross my fingers so your upcoming H268Q this to be truly trouble free.

Its obvious that you did in-depth testing, and a lot of work by troubleshooting problems that Vodafone should solve first.

 

Thanks mate,  I hope too the next router to be the solution, because while I did refresh my knowledge about latest router models, I am also upset too.
I have become Vodafone beta tester with out getting paid.

[Kiriakos GR]

Neither the second H268Q this delivers any improvement at the upload ms, Ookla test.
The fresh delivered router, this has manufacturing date -> Dec 2020
My first H268Q this has manufacturing date -> May 2022

Conclusion's:
1) There is no hardware level differences from Dec 2020 up to May 2022.
2) I did succeed to load the proper firmware, even at the first unit, V7.0.0P4_VDFODP ,  now I have two fully working H268Q.

Final bug's list up to date:
a) INTERNET activity LED, this flashing with out obvious reason,  H268Q Chip (processor) appears to stay busy, but I am unable to discover what this is trying to do.
b) Ookla test,  unexplained delay at Upload timing = Upload ping ( I did mention this to ZTE Hellas office).
c) At every incoming telephone call there is System Log Management [Alert] Peer Caller ERROR[1105] while BcmCallState[5]

d)  Also System Log Management Debug level reports
[Debug] DEV.V4DP.CLIENT5 rcv EV_START on INIT
[Debug] DEV.V4DP.CLIENT5 rcv EV_SEND_TIME_OUT on SELECTING

All that I will say, this is that Vodafone + ZTE they should do their homework again.