vodafone data SIM: APN and user / password required

I've just set up a Fritzbox 5G router (the 6850) with a Vodafone UK pay monthly data SIM.

It would be nice if you could insert the SIM, connect to the wifi, and you are on the internet.  That didn't happen.  The "power / mobile" LED did go solid green, indicating the router thought it had mobile data, but it didn't.  And why are those two things sharing an LED?

So I connected to the management interface, and went through the setup wizard.  I had bought the router in Switzerland.  I selected UK.  It didn't have networks listed, so just chose "other" or something.  Didn't set APN or network username / password.  Some reboots and more config wizard until it was finished.

Got no internet, so looked up vodafone info, found that APN should be wap.vodafone.co.uk, username "wap" and password "wap".  Set these.  Then I had internet.  In 2025.

This is config that shouldn't exist.  There is no point to any of these settings.  It should be insert working SIM and you get internet.  Instead, there are all these magic strings that have to be "right" in order for it to work.  Just run the protocols without requiring these fields.  They are not meaningful, so don't make it broken without them.  Ideally, move on to protocols where these fields and the tunneling assumptions with pretend PAP credentials don't apply.  And is access point name just for WAP?  That existed for around 2 years in 2001.  It should look more like ethernet or some other sensible layer 2 item, not PPP.

I haven't checked, but I also suspect the 2 Gbps router at the office is running PPPoA to the ONT from Sure, Guernsey.  Can ISPs move on from this?

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