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Problem with port forwarding not working on my CAX80 connected to Xfinity.
I was having the same problem with port forwarding not working on my CAX80 connected to Xfinity. After double and triple checking for errors on my part I checked the web for a solution and found your post.
Sure enough, after reverting to FW 2.1.5.2 port forwarding works, and Xfinity breaks it again overnight. It looks like nobody is interested in actually fixing the problem.
19 Replies
How is PF configured on the gateway?
Is uPnP disabled on the gateway before setting any up any PF configurations.
After v5 FW is applied, have you performed a factory reset and setup from scratch to check this?
I'll pass this along to NG along with any and all troubleshooting details you have.
after reverting to FW 2.1.5.2 port forwarding works, and Xfinity breaks it again overnight
What port are you forwarding? It is possible that Xfinity has policy to block that particular port.
Have you tried putting the receiving device in the DMZ (just as a test), to see if the packets get through?
UPnP is disabled from the start. I am forwarding port 32400 to my Plex server. Xfinity does not block the port with FW 2.1.5.2.
For troubleshooting FW 5.1.1.8 I tried forwarding several ports, including port 80. I tested the ports from https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/. Every port was closed.
Loading FW 2.1.5.2 with identical settings port 32400 is open and I can direct connect to my Plex server and yougetsignal shows any port I forward as open.
The only thing that is different between PF working and not working is FW 2.1.5.2 vs FW 5.1.1.8
The only thing that is different between PF working and not working is FW 2.1.5.2 vs FW 5.1.1.8
But it stops working after a while?
Whenever I am going to host a game of UT99, or Ghost Reckon (joke intended), I revert back to the older firmware and it works. Every morning at 4 AM, Netgear pushes the 5x firmware and port forwarding is screwed.
DMZ doesn't work either. I tried that before ever posting here.
I spent hours on the phone, per Netgear support, telling Comcast, to stop pushing firmware updates, but without success. The fellow above is 100% correct- no one cares but us.at 4 AM, Netgear pushes
telling Comcast, to stop pushing
Probably one or the other, but not both.
How long have you had this CAX80? (i.e. is it within the hardware warranty period? Was it purchased from a vendor with a liberal return policy?)
I meant to say Comcast pushes the new Netgear firmware at 4 AM.
And no, I called and spent more than an hour on the phone with Comcast and as of right now, they won't stop pushing the 5x firmware.
I have tried using DHCP, and static IPs, I tried DMZ. The modem is out if it's warranty period, and I know for sure it's the 5x firmware. Runs fine on the 2.1.5.2 firmware.
This is on Netgear- they need to update the firmware to allow port forwarding and send it to Comcast.It's Comcast pushing the firmware- Netgear support says it's the ISP pushing the modem's firmware, not Netgear- Comcast admits they are pushing the firmware.
Go info back from NG:
"V5.1.1.8 has stricter checks for port forwarding, requiring that the internal IP must be within the DHCP range
(port triggering doesn't have this limitation). Therefore, the current solution for end users is to adjust the DHCP range and reboot the DUT."
So Netgear admits that a disabled function (DHCP) can break an enabled function (PF). Even if I enable DHCP I cannot change the 192.168.1 part of the range, only the last octet. I am not going to change my network to 192.168.1.# to accommodate this flaw. I will continue daily rollback of FW until Netgear fixes this. If the next FW release has this same flaw I will have a CAX80 for sale. I am through jumping through hoops over this.
They admitted nothing. Read what I posted. Seems like how you have the configuration set isn't working for what the new FW is now designed to do. Not a flaw. May have exposed an incompatibility between the new FW and your configuration that ya worked on older FW however new FW doesn't allow for that. Highly doubt NG is changing that design as maybe a security reason behind it.
So instead of jumping thru hoops, change the CAX80 to modem only mode and use it for it's modem abilities and then connect up a router that works for you for your port forwarding needs.
Or sell it and find something that does.
Good Luck.
