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Comcast can suck my Cable Modem, Wireless Router

SquashuaSquashua __BANNED USERS regular
edited September 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
So I get home Wednesday and my internet isn't working.

It was working perfectly the night before. I turned everything off like I do normally, and next day - boom - no workie.

My internet is provided by Comcast Cable.
It goes to a Comcast Cable Modem to my Linksys Wireless Router, to my computer (which is hooked to the wireless router in a wired fashion: via an ethernet cable).

ATTEMPT ONE:
I take the ethernet cable out of the wireless router and plug it into the cable modem, so I have a direct connection from PC to Cable Modem.

Nothing.

Maintaining the set-up (no wireless router), I call Comcast and wait on hold for 20 minutes. I get someone and he walks me through and ipconfig reset, ipconfig renew, and then power everything down for 45 seconds (disconnect hte power cable to the cable modem!!!!!! POWER CYCLE!!!!!!!!11!!one)

He tells me that he "reset my modem from his end" (whatever that means) and "cleared the line".

Turn the PC back on, and I'm good to go.

I hang up. Then I figure I can use the wireless router, so I plug my PC ethernet cable back into one of the four ethernet slots on the back of the router, plug the router ethernet into the Comcast cable modem, reboot everything and... nope.

no connection.

So I put it back the way it was.

And it's fine... Hmm.

So... how do I get my Linksys Wireless-G router back into the mix? It's updated to the latest firmware - I did it over a month ago when I wanted to get my Wii all up on the internet, and I've completely powered everything down MULTIPLE times since - so I know it's not the router.

Squashua on

Posts

  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    often the modems will have only the memory or settings to have one MAC address in place and need to wait a while or have it reset to allow for a new MAC.

    that is you cant just hotswap whats plugged into them. You router has a different MAC from your PC's NIC.

    So call back and do what you just did, but have the router plugged in this time, so that IT'S MAC gets held in the modem.

    Try logging into your router (192.168.1.1 pass: "admin") and see if it has an ip address assigned from the modem after this. (Or look before and note how it does not)

    Deusfaux on
  • TrippyDKTrippyDK Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I have this same set up, and like you, it goes down for no real reason. Heres what some Comcast person told me, and it seems to work.

    Turn off the computer wired to the router (if any)
    Unplug the routers power adapter
    Unplug the modems power adapter
    Wait a few minutes
    Plug the modem adapter back in
    Plug the router adapter back in
    Turn that computer back on

    Now I know you did this without the router in the mix, but I would suggest trying this to get your router back into it.

    TrippyDK on
  • DrFrylockDrFrylock Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    What Trippy said.

    Basically, whenever you change what's connected to the cable modem directly, you need to turn everything off, and then turn it on again, starting with the cable modem. It's something to do with DHCP or MACs in the cable modem if I had to guess. So, if you're plugging in a wireless router and PC, turn off (unplug, don't just put the cable modem in standby mode) everything, and then turn on the cable modem and wait for it to sync, plug in the router, and then boot the PC. That way, the modem phones home to the cable company, the router does the DHCP request to the cable company's DHCP server, and your PC does its DHCP request to the router.

    Fried gold, bob's your uncle, yadda yadda you're good to go.

    DrFrylock on
  • ZifnabZifnab Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Just to add to what's been said, if you have the Digital Voice modem, you need to pull the battery out of it as well. It's on the left edge of the modem. Also, make sure you wait for the modem to finish making the connection before you plug the router back in.

    Zifnab on
  • SquashuaSquashua __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    I'll try Trippy's procedure later today and let you all know how it worked.

    Thanks, gang.

    Squashua on
  • Mmmm... Cocks...Mmmm... Cocks... Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Zifnab wrote: »
    Just to add to what's been said, if you have the Digital Voice modem, you need to pull the battery out of it as well. It's on the left edge of the modem. Also, make sure you wait for the modem to finish making the connection before you plug the router back in.
    If you can't find the battery(I had this problem, it was build in) there should also be one of those tiny pin hole reset buttons somewhere, typically the back.

    Mmmm... Cocks... on
  • SquashuaSquashua __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    Zifnab wrote: »
    Just to add to what's been said, if you have the Digital Voice modem, you need to pull the battery out of it as well. It's on the left edge of the modem. Also, make sure you wait for the modem to finish making the connection before you plug the router back in.
    If you can't find the battery(I had this problem, it was build in) there should also be one of those tiny pin hole reset buttons somewhere, typically the back.

    I don't have this, so it's not a problem.

    Squashua on
  • EtelmikEtelmik Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I have a LinkSys router as well. Comcast does the same thing. I have a notepad file named "When Comcast works only on one comp" on my desktop so I don't forget. It says:


    1. Unplug all ethernet + electrical cords, even from computer. Nothing connected to anything.
    2. After 2 minutes, plug in the modem and router to electrical outlets.
    3. Plug in the cords to the computers.
    4. Plug in the modem to the router.
    5. Plug in the computers to router.

    This is the only thing that always works for me.

    Etelmik on
  • KMFurDMKMFurDM Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2007
    If your Linksys router is capable of using third party firmware I would recommend using it. When I was using Comcast I would run into these sorts of problems all the time. Rather than buy a new router, I tried different firmware. This one to be exact...

    http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/ddwrt.php

    After doing that I rarely had these sort of disconnects again. Then after moving to FiOS, well, I never have these problems. Ever. But if that isn't an option, give this firmware a shot. You can find step by step instructions for installing such a thing all over the net...

    http://scorpiontek.org/portal/content/view/27/36/

    But double check, nay, triple check that your router version is compatible before doing such a thing and follow the instructions to the letter.

    I think it might be worth a shot. Especially if the warranty on your router has run out.

    KMFurDM on
  • SquashuaSquashua __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    TrippyDK wrote: »
    I have this same set up, and like you, it goes down for no real reason. Heres what some Comcast person told me, and it seems to work.

    Turn off the computer wired to the router (if any)
    Unplug the routers power adapter
    Unplug the modems power adapter
    Wait a few minutes
    Plug the modem adapter back in
    Plug the router adapter back in
    Turn that computer back on

    Now I know you did this without the router in the mix, but I would suggest trying this to get your router back into it.

    OK, so I did the above and it failed. Here are my observations:

    1 - Turned off all three devices and pulled the plugs and the network cables and waited five minutes.

    2 - Plugged in the ethernet cable from the wireless router to the cable modem and vice-versa.

    3 - Plugged in power and turned on the Cable Modem. It connected to the internet per the lights.

    4 - Plugged in power and turned on the Wireless Router. It connected; I could see the internet light blinking.

    5 - Plugged in the ethernet cable from the PC to the wireless router and vice-versa.

    6 - Pluged in power and turned on the PC. I could see the green lights blinking away on the ethernet card, and saw on the Wireless Router that tthe number associated with the PC's ethernet cable lit up.

    7 - The Computer turned on. It did not register that it was connected to the internet at all.

    9 - I could access the Wireless Router by going to the appropriate web address for it's administration console.

    So I know the PC can communicate to the wireless router, and it seems the wireless router can communicate with the cable modem... but the PC can't receive the internet signal.

    10 - I also tried to connect my Wii to the Wireless Router wirelessly (it used to work), but the Wii could not detect an internet connection.

    - - - -

    I turned off and unplugged everything again.
    I plugged the ethernet directly from the Cable Modem to the PC, turned on the Cable Modem, then when it came up, turned on the PC.

    It worked fine.

    - - - -

    So the problem is that I can't seem to get the PC to recognize the internet signal when it comes from the wireless router. How do I solve this? Do I have to run an "ipconfig /renew" or something in a command prompt?

    Keep in mind that this all used to work JUST FINE until one fateful day when Comcast "reset something on their end".

    I'd like to get my Wireless Router working before Super Smash Bros. Brawl comes out.

    Squashua on
  • Nova_CNova_C I have the need The need for speedRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Does your ISP expect a certain MAC address? With my DSL connection only two MAC addresses can be hooked up to the modem at any given time. I have to manually change them if I change devices. In other words, my ISP is expecting a certain MAC address.

    Is your router getting a DHCP assigned IP on its WAN port?

    Try having your router clone your PC's MAC address.

    Nova_C on
  • SquashuaSquashua __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    Nova_C wrote: »
    Does your ISP expect a certain MAC address? With my DSL connection only two MAC addresses can be hooked up to the modem at any given time. I have to manually change them if I change devices. In other words, my ISP is expecting a certain MAC address.

    Is your router getting a DHCP assigned IP on its WAN port?

    Try having your router clone your PC's MAC address.

    English please, for my sake.

    Squashua on
  • CharmyCharmy Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Squashua wrote: »
    He tells me that he "reset my modem from his end" (whatever that means) and "cleared the line".

    I worked at a Comcast call center troubleshooting Wireless Internet for awhile. Usually when we said "reset the modem from our end", it meant there was a rate code problem in our system where the modem wasn't getting the right information to get connected. We'd have to change the codes, which would then cause the modem to reset and work.

    However, "cleared the line" is just total bullshit. So in this case I think the guy was screwing with you. In fact, I think I might know the guy.

    As for your current problem; since you can log into the router, and your connection works over the cable modem, it may be a communication problem between the two. We usually solved this by pushing the reset button on the back of the router (I think all we ever did was reset stuff). Depending on the model of your router, though, this may cause it to lose your network name and security settings, so you'd have to set that all back up.

    Beyond that, we were told that it was the manufacturer's problem and to tell them to call Linksys. I wasn't there long enough to bother finding out what to do to actually fix it.

    Clearly, we did not pride ourselves on quality.

    As for what Nova_C said; Comcast generally doesn't have MAC address restrictions so long as you're using our modem, so that shouldn't be a problem. Don't worry about it. The DHCP thing basically means the information the modem gives the router should be automatic; the fact that the router isn't connecting suggests it doesn't have the right information. Again, reseting the router usually fixes that.

    Charmy on
    I have a twitter.
  • X5X5 Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Depending on the ISP, the modem can identify and remember a certain mac address when they helped you reset it all.

    In the past, I've had to clone the mac address of the modem in my router. Deusfaux post is what i've had to do in the past.

    Either do the powercycling.reset bit with the router in the mix. Or log in and manually change it to the correct mac address.

    FYI, Every time i've called linksys with any questions about routers, They've been awesome about helping me out.

    X5 on
    TheX5.png
  • DrFrylockDrFrylock Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    You have a linksys router. When you've set everything up like up above and it's not working but you can still talk from the PC->Router, go to the router's status page (should look something like this and tell us all what it says there. Just copy and paste it in here or take a screenshot or whatever.

    DrFrylock on
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    DrFrylock wrote: »
    You have a linksys router. When you've set everything up like up above and it's not working but you can still talk from the PC->Router, go to the router's status page (should look something like this and tell us all what it says there. Just copy and paste it in here or take a screenshot or whatever.

    Before you do that, with the PC still connected straight to the modem, do a ipconfig (by itself) and grab the IP address. After you hook up the router/powercycle everything, the IP address on the router status page should be similar, if not exactly the same.

    Tomanta on
  • SquashuaSquashua __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    See, those are the types of helpful posts I'm looking for. I'll get the data tonight. No DOS attacks, pls. :-)

    Squashua on
  • JobastionJobastion Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Tomanta wrote: »
    DrFrylock wrote: »
    You have a linksys router. When you've set everything up like up above and it's not working but you can still talk from the PC->Router, go to the router's status page (should look something like this and tell us all what it says there. Just copy and paste it in here or take a screenshot or whatever.

    Before you do that, with the PC still connected straight to the modem, do a ipconfig (by itself) and grab the IP address. After you hook up the router/powercycle everything, the IP address on the router status page should be similar, if not exactly the same.

    While it is likely that the first two xxx.xxx.'s of the IP address will match, there's no guarentee, due to the extremely large range of available IP addresses a single comcast node has access to, the IP address might not even start with the same number. The router could get assigned a 69.x.x.x ip address, while the PC may have a 76.x.x.x IP range. The PC and the router will definately not have the exact same IP.
    Charmy wrote: »
    Squashua wrote: »
    He tells me that he "reset my modem from his end" (whatever that means) and "cleared the line".

    I worked at a Comcast call center troubleshooting Wireless Internet for awhile. Usually when we said "reset the modem from our end", it meant there was a rate code problem in our system where the modem wasn't getting the right information to get connected. We'd have to change the codes, which would then cause the modem to reset and work.

    There is actually a reset modem button on the diagnostic page they use... and it does indeed reset the modem from their end. And since it was a DCHP conflict, as the modem was only authorized to provide one IP per session, you could say it "cleared" the line. Not perhaps the most accurate description, but good enough.

    Jobastion on
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  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Jobastion wrote: »
    Tomanta wrote: »
    DrFrylock wrote: »
    You have a linksys router. When you've set everything up like up above and it's not working but you can still talk from the PC->Router, go to the router's status page (should look something like this and tell us all what it says there. Just copy and paste it in here or take a screenshot or whatever.

    Before you do that, with the PC still connected straight to the modem, do a ipconfig (by itself) and grab the IP address. After you hook up the router/powercycle everything, the IP address on the router status page should be similar, if not exactly the same.

    While it is likely that the first two xxx.xxx.'s of the IP address will match, there's no guarentee, due to the extremely large range of available IP addresses a single comcast node has access to, the IP address might not even start with the same number. The router could get assigned a 69.x.x.x ip address, while the PC may have a 76.x.x.x IP range. The PC and the router will definately not have the exact same IP.

    I was basing that off of what I see at work (a different ISP). Provided the modem is just being powercycld (not left off for a period of time), a given customer's router and PC will usually get the same IP from the DHCP server (if there is a reason for me to change what the modem is connected to, anyway).

    Tomanta on
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