The Actiontec GT784WN is a pretty nice DSL modem/wireless N router. For most of you, it will work right out of the box — even auto-detecting all your settings.
If you’re on Qwest/CenturyLink, not so much. In fact, they’ll try to tell you that the modem isn’t even compatible.
Lies!
In fact, it’s not only compatible, it’s pretty easy to set up. I’m going to repeat some of the normal setup steps here. If you know what you’re doing, skip to #7.
- Just do like the Quick Start Guide says, plug it into the phone line, then into the wall, then wait for the DSL light to turn solid.
- Then connect to it via the Ethernet cable and head on over to http://192.168.0.1.
- Skip the Quick Setup and hit the Advanced Setup link. Now find WAN IP Settings on the left.
- Set the ISP Protocol to PPPoE.
- Under #3, enter your Qwest/CenturyLink username and password. (The username will be some kind of email address. I got these directly from Qwest when I signed up.)
- Mash Apply at the bottom of the screen.
- Now, find Broadband Settings on the left menu. It can be easy to pass up because it looks like a section heading more than a link.
- Change VCI to 32 and mash Apply.
- Order a pizza online. Because you should be online now. And it’s pizza.
18 comments ↓
Thank you so much!
I couldn’t find the blasted VCI settings but I admit to being giddy over finally getting the settings for the modem period. I’m like a kid on Christmas morning now. thank you
Still not connecting. Any other help?
Hi,
Does this work for Century Link VDSL connection? I was told that I am given a VDSL connection and Actiontec GT784WN will support only ADSL connections.
Also when I connect my Actiontec GT784WN to phone jack the DSL light does not stay solid but blinks. However for the Q1000 modem it becomes soolid after few seconds. (which as per Century link supports VDSL)
Is there anyway Actiontec GT784WN could be used for VDSL connections?
Thanks
Joshi
Uhhh… Can’t say that I know. I’m going to guess no, though.
Qwest/CenturyLink services sucks!! Took 2 hours & several phone line drops with the tech. service; still couldn’t connect to the internet.
With your info & 2 minutes with ActionTec’s help; problem solved.
One other change I need was change the VPI value to 0.
Thanks a lot..
mate do you have a twitter?
Thank you for sharing this. It saves me a trip to bestbuy and hours on the phone trying to call Actiontec.
Howdy,
I would like to know if the Actiontec GT784WN needs to be plugged in to a desktop computer to keep the IP address. Can it be set so that it does not need to be connected to allow the wireless to work. If there is a way could you let me know how I can fix it. Thank you for your help.
@howdy
with centurylink’s setup? I guess not. They use dynamic IP hosting for all regular customers. If you want to keep a static IP then you’ll have to rent one from them. GT784WN can work even without a hard-wired (ethernet) comuter plugged in.
could someone tell me the password? I have connect@qwest.net for the username but no password. It’s now centurylink and the dumb!@#$%^ on the phone could give it to me and just told me the router wasn’t supported. Any help would be appreciated.
It’s supposed to be a password they assign to you. One thing you might do is simply tell them you have a supported one so they’ll give you the username and password, and then put that in the ActionTec. I don’t know why they’re such pains about it–with the exception of that single VCI setting, the configuration is exactly the same as any other officially supported DSL modem.
I am a DSL tech for CenturyLink formerly Qwest. I can tell you that its not that the modem isnt compatable some tech may not know that but the main problem is WE DON”T have screen shots to the non supported modems. Non supported modems may work granted you do the steps above but many people who get these non supported modems don’t know they’re way around in them. I can tell you that the supported modems such as the PK5000 and Q1000 have in their firmware a connection software that allows us to help our non technical customers by “pushing” the credentials (username & pswd) into the modem as well as make changes in the wireless settings, with the cus having to do nothing other than call us up most of the time. So if you are technically challenged in my oppinion it is better to get a supported Centurylink modem even if its used than to purchase some modem or router we have no training on or screenshots availble to help you set it up.
Well I’ll make a comment in response to the century tech’s posting. Not a single one of the “supported” modems was available locally. In fact, most had been updated and represented older technology. It seemed that if I didn’t care to be stupid enough to lease a modem for $5.00 a month and continue paying for it over and over I could spend an eternity trying to locate the “supported” modems in a retail store or as he put it, in the used bin.
My response to that is Century link needs to update its supported modems and spend the money to train its techs so that we can have a choice whether to purchase a modern technology modem or lease if that is one’s preference. I find the whole supported modem nonsense to be nothing less than calculated on the part of Century Link, who makes a slam fortune from “leasing” modems that over the span of several years cost the customer ten or twenty times what the modem is actually worth. Leave it to corporate strategy to set things up in such a manner.
you are right!! I had hard time to figure it how to connect this devise
Interesting topic.
First I would like to thank the author of the instructions above for taking the time to post them for the rest of us to benefit from.
I spent over an hour on the phone with the Century Link tech literally doing the exact same set of steps over and over again. I finally gave up. At that point I googled “actiontec gt874 century link” on the iphone (because my DSL connection was dead) and came upon these instructions. Within 3 minutes I was back online.
My question for Steve the Century Link tech above is if I was able to find this information on the top line of a google search, why can’t the DSL support tech do the same thing? Seriously, an hour on the phone and it never occurred to the help person to try some other source for helpful information?
John makes a very good point. Paying $5 per month, $60 per year, every year for many years is foolish. Century Link is a very profitable company. I think they could spend 15″ of someone’s salary to update the info for even “non supported” but compatible modems once a year or so and make this information available to the tech support people.
By not doing so they significantly downgrade the customer experience, and by extension, downgrade the perception the customer has of the value they are getting for the money they pay for their service.
I had to call centurylink tech support to reset my password, I think they have already taken the concerns in this thread to heart. After I entered the username and password the modem wouldn’t connect, she immediately asked about the VCI setting (which took me a minute or so to find). Bingo! I would add that changing the line mode setting to ADSL2+ helped my connection reliability also (and reduced some noise I was hearing on my phone line).
The only time renting a modem (or any hardware) makes sense is when its obsolescence or failure is expected to occur before you have paid the retail cost of the product. But no one (i.e. CenturyLink) would rent equipment in such a market as it is a money losing proposition.
Can anyone tell me what settings to use for DCHP? The only instructions I can find are for PPPOE which my CenturyLink service does not use.
Century Link:
1. It does not use ISP PPoE, it’s DCHP.
2.VPI Value, not 0, it’s 8
3. VCI Value not 32, it’s 35
Also, the LAN settings are not “automatic” you must click on LAN and then let the system find your system’s settings. There is much more, but I cannot remember all. The Century Link tech was not up-to-date on this router. . . . Anyway I got it configured, but first I had to reset the router to its factory settings and then “trial and error.” I must now find complete instructions in case this router is reset. Enough!
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