below is the procedure sent to me by freetalk explaining how to make the adapter work with blueyonder.

There is a procedure called MAC Cloning which will let you get around
the block that Telewest puts up. Here are the instructions so that you can
enable Mac Cloning:

1. a) Open up the Windows Start Menu
b) Click on Run
c) Type in cmd and press enter
d) Type ipconfig(space)/all
e) Look for "PHYSICAL ADDRESS". Next to that will be a 12 digit number made
up of letters and numbers that will look something like
00-08-ED-29-F5-69. This is your PC's Mac address. Write this number down, but
leave the dashes out.
2. a) Now you need to obtain the IP Address of the freetalk BPG
b) Open up the Start Menu
c) Click on Run
d) Type in cmd and press enter
e) Type in arp(space)-a
f) The "PHYSICAL ADDRESS" of the freetalk adapter will start 00-11-F5. Next
to this physical address, you will see an "INTERNET ADDRESS" (something like
192.168.88.1) Write these series of numbers down. If you cannot get any
information to come up with the arp command, there is another way to get the IP
address. I will detail that below.*
3. a) Bring up Internet Explorer and enter the freetalk BPG IP address (step 2f:
192.168.88.1) in the address bar. No www. or http is necessary, just the IP
address as written.
b) The following screen will say: "The Unit Is Password Protected"
c) The password is: admin
d) Click on "AUTHENTICATE"
5. a) Select "WAN" on the left side of the screen
b) Select Mac Cloning on the far right of the upper menu
c) In the provided box, enter the PC's MAC address that you wrote down
d) Click on "Save MAC Cloning Settings"
Now after you set that up. It is good to perform a Network Power Cycle so all
your devices can be re-synced.
Here are the steps for a Network Power Cycle.
1. a) Unplug the POWER and ALL connecting cables from ALL network devices
(modem, router, Freetalk, etc) and wait aproximately 30 seconds.
2. a) Turn on ONLY the modem and wait aproximately 30 seconds
(If you have a router, switch, or a hub, connect it at this time)
b) Now connect the PC to the modem (or router) and begin browsing various
web pages for just a few minutes
c) Finally connect the freetalk BPG to the proper connection as shown in the
installation instructions, and continue viewing various web pages
5. a) Check the lights on the freetalk BPG: Power, Service, flickering WAN (LAN
if this port is connected) should all be illuminated.
6. a) MAC Cloning is now completed and you can proceed to use your service.
___________________________________________________________________________

* Alternate way to get the IP address of the freetalk device:

First, get a paperclip or a toothpick. Then, pick up the phone that's connected
to the freetalk device. Next to where the power supply connects to the freetalk
device in the back, you will see a small recessed area marked RESET. While
listening to the phone, tap the reset button with the paperclip. The phone will
read off a series of numbers, which you will need to write down. These numbers
are read very quickly, so you may need to repeat the procedure more than once to
get the whole sequence. Once you have the complete sequence of numbers, proceed
to step 3 in the above instructions.

If you need any more help or have any more questions, please feel free to reply
to this message or contact us via phone.

Kind regards,

Rob Strangman
freetalk Support Team

MAC cloning isn't required, BY don't put any blocks up.


I have MAC cloning switched of on my router.

At one time several years back yes, now no.

well, i have no idea what i was doing, but it worked! so thats why i posted it. before i did what freetalk told me nothing seemed to work.

i don't have a router. just the blueyonder modem and the freetalk adapter.

just trying to help. end of thread?

But it is really a router, just a single port one with VoIP ports.

However you have got it working, thats all that matters.

And it is always good to see working solutions to problems.

Did you try powercycling the modem?

As Bextech has mentioned, BY did away with MAC address restrictions quite a while ago. However the Modem learns the MAC address of the device it's connected to on power up and throws a bit of a tantrum if it's connected to another device without being powercycled so it can learn the new MAC address.

i did indeed.... the strange thing is, when first powered up it did actually work for a few seconds, then stopped.
Now that it works, there is about a 30 second delay when the p.c is switched on before the internet connection is made. the phone connection stays constant and the services seem the same.

i have to say, if it carries on the way it is i think it's goodbye bt line rental. (it's the big advantage to having blueyonder).
My phone bill will drop from about £40 to about £22 a month INCLUDING broadband!

Yeah, dropping the landline is indeed the advantage of Blueyonder.

My phone bill has dropped to ZERO, or £20/month including BB.

Unless you have their TV but only want the basic package - in which case you get stitched up for additional fees pretty much equivilant to the cost of a phoneline...

For the last couple of years you can have BB without any extra charges for not having TV or phoneline, hence why I switched my broadband to TW and then later dropped my BT landline.

I just happen at the moment to get the TV service for free, so I am paying £19.99 a month for broadband and free TV, I could have had the broadband without the free TV, but it would have been £25/month, thought I'd be stupid not to have the TV even though Sky is my main and better service.

anyone have problems with these services? it seems great so far

Having dropped the landline how do you deal with the emergency services ?

For emergency calls other than the police I would use a mobile.

there are 3 mobiles in the house!
just out of interest when i was a lad you went to the phone box or knocked on the neighbours door.

just a wee question here, how do you pay the £6.99 a month for freetalk?? is it through credit card or direct debit??

thanks

And another quick question - how much is the freetalk adapter pack?

i bought the £79.99 pack. all calls are paid for, for the next year. they did ask me for a card number when i first registered so i assume it will come off my card if i do make any chargable calls.

i would describe the quality as that of a mobile. (looses a bit of quality sometimes but generally is clear) sometimes at the very beginning of a call there is an echo which is cancelled within seconds (i assume when some clever software kicks into action)

with freetalk and www.saynoto0870.co.uk i don't pay for calls!

Id be wary, something they dont put in the t&c's is when you go to sign up they take £40 from your account as a credit check. Thats for the £19.99 pack though, not sure about the £79.99 pack.

Sod that for a joke then

I was going to pick one up today but no chance now.

Thanks for that info

Edit:- I just called freetalk customer services(based in america by the sounds of it) and they said it used to be £40 but now its only £1 just as a means of verifying the card.

So maybe i will get one today just to see what like
Last edited by neo6776 : 10-02-2006 at 08:41

Cool, let us know how you get on.

i didn't get charged anything. i just got the £79.99 pack. (by the way, the reason i bought thiswas because my friend works for currys and i got 10% off). I would have bought the monthly otherwise.

don't forget there is a 14 day money back guarantee. it's certainly worth a try. i'm still happy.

Well i took the plunge and got Freetalk today and have had it running for an hour or so so far and im very chuffed so far.

Call quality seems good so ill give it a week or so before i drop my Telewest landline.

neo6776 i notice you are on blueyonder. did you have to do the thing i did at the top of this thread (the mac clone thing) or did yours just work out of the box? (just interested)

No, just plugged it into the router restarted router and freetalk adapter and away it went

Very happy so far

Be aware that if you cancel your freetalk account within 12 months there is a £23.99 cancellation fee, I'm sure this isnt made clear when signing up as part of the reason I initally gave it a go was because there was no minimum term contract to agree to.

I was up & running in less then 10mins i had no problems.