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Intermittent internet connection using a Netgear R7800 and Comcast Business router in Bridge Mode
Hi All, I have a small office with 3 workstations and a network printer. I have Comcast Business with a Cisco DPC3941B (supplied by Comcast) in bridge mode, connected to a NightHawk R7800 with al...
You can disable the modems Firewall. Just put the IP address the R7800 gets from the modem into the modems DMZ. The R7800's firewall will handle it from there.
When I lose connection, there is no change in lights on either the Cisco or the Nighthawk. Everything appears as connected. The Nighthawk even has a white internet led that slightly flickers as if data is being sent. It stays white, never amber, and never blinks in any pattern. Power, Data, and Internet lights stay illuminated solid on the Cisco indicating the connecting is still there coming from Comcast.
I have swapped out the ethernet cable from the Cisco to the Nighthawk and the problem continues.
I am using the Nighthawk with factory settings. The issue isn't wifi, devices on both wifi and ethernet stay connected locally when this happens, I just lose internet. I can still see connected devices in NetGear genie, and access shared network folders, printers, etc.
There is no other settings, access controls, or Armor enabled.
I noticed the when the internet connection kicks out, I can no longer access to the Cisco.
I can restore internet by power cycling either the Cisco or the Nighthawk, doesn't have to be both. Or I can restore by logging into NetGear Genie on the NightHawk. Release, and the Renew the lease on the internet connection.
However in a 5 to 10 min time span, internet will cut out again.
I will attempt to test at home, although I have Verizon Fios, so I may have different results. I really can't see this being anything else at this point other than the NightHawk is defective. Very disappointing considering it is maybe a year old, if not less.
Update: I disabled bridge mode on the Cisco router, disabled wifi, and the firewall, with the NightHawk in router mode, as it has been configured from the start, and my internet connection seems to be stable.
I suppose I can operate like this, but I still don't understand why true bridge mode causes an issue.
Is there any disadvantages to this, or would I be better off in full bridge mode?
Possible that something is happening between the modem/router and the R7800 when the ISP modem is bridged fully. It should work just as good as when thats disabled. Could be someting on the line or some odd mis-handling between the modem and R7800.
Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/24231/How-do-I-back-up-the-router-configuration-settings-on-my-Nighthawk-router
Enjoy. 📡Fortunately this connection is still using the older Cisco router, because I may buy a NetGear stand alone cable model and eliminate Comcast's equipment all together. From my understanding for speeds over 300mbps Comcast requires the use of their newest generation router and you are not able to use a non-Comcast modem, but in my situation that is not the case.
If it works as-is now, without being in full bridge mode, is there is any advantage to keeping the Comcast firewall enabled, or will that create a redundancy with the firewall on the R7800?
You can disable the modems Firewall. Just put the IP address the R7800 gets from the modem into the modems DMZ. The R7800's firewall will handle it from there.