Using c6300 in modem only mode

[lcasta]

I recently turned off the router on my C6300 to use it in conjunction with an eero system. I had a problem with double NAT because the C6300 was one network and the eero was another. I also had problems with devices (like iPads, for example) logging on to the wrong network depending on where I was in the house. I was trying to make them both the same network. After I turned the router function off, I lost all network connections on three of four ethernet ports on the C6300, the exception being the one that is still connected to the computer that I am now using. Is this normal for the C6300 in the modem-only mode? I can't seem to get back to the router using 192.168.0.1 or routerlogin.net. Any suggestions?

[antinode · Accepted solution]

> Short of resetting the modem-router to the factory settings, is there
> any way for me to reverse what I have done?

   Did you try "192.168.100.1" in your web browser?

> to access the modem in Bridge mode, you need to set static IP on your
> laptop in 192.168.100.x subnet and access 192.168.100.1. (this is
> standard process on all DOCSIS based devices).

   I thought that you could get away without fiddling with your
computer's IP configuration, but, if it doesn't work the easy way, then
I'd try the hard way.  (Or just do the reset.)

> I think what I needed to do [...]

   Yup.

> [...] If I disable the radios in the Netgear router, they won't
> compete with the eero wifi.

   "Compete" or "supplement"?  It's not obvious to me that having more
wireless access points would be a bad thing.

> [...] So far, I haven't found a way to go back into the Netgear setup
> screens to change the modem-only setting on the Router Mode page. [...]

   "192.168.100.1"?

> [...] I assume that, if the Netgear is set up as a router and the eero
> is set up as a bridge, the Netgear will provide the IP addresses for
> everything connected to the eero as well as anything connected to the
> Netgear directly through its ethernet ports. Is that correct?

   That's the idea.

> [...] What I'm trying to accomplish is have one network that all my
> devices can connect to and to avoid double NATs. [...]

   One router (doing NAT, DHCP, port-forwarding, ...), multiple wireless
access points -- One big (extended) LAN.  Sounds glorious, doesn't it?

[antinode]

> [...] After I turned the router function off, I lost all network
> connections on three of four ethernet ports on the C6300, the exception
> being the one that is still connected to the computer that I am now
> using. Is this normal for the C6300 in the modem-only mode? [...]

   Depending on exactly what "lost all network connections" means to
you, it probably is normal.  In modem-only mode, a C6300 stops acting as
a router, so (in almost all cases) you get only the single IP address
supplied by your ISP connection, which can't be shared among multiple
devices.

> [...] I can't seem to get back to the router using 192.168.0.1 or
> routerlogin.net.

   More router functions.  However, even in modem-only mode,
"192.168.100.1" should work on a DOCSIS-compatible gizmo (I gather).

   An alternative is to do a settings reset, which should restore
modem+router mode (at the cost of losing all your settings).

> [...] I was trying to make them both the same network. [...]

   Because the modem and router in the C6300 are permanently attached,
the only obvious way to use its router with more wireless access points
would be to keep the router in the C6300 active, and disable the router
functions in the other devices.  This may or may not be practical for
eero devices (about which I know approximately nothing).  But a quick
Web search for:
      eero as access point
found:

      https://support.eero.com/hc/en-us/articles/207621056
      "How do I set up my eero if I want to keep my existing router?"

The "bridge mode" option might be useful.

[lcasta]

I contacted eero before I tried bridging. I went into the eero app and set the eero system for bridge. That actually seemed to work. But the eero techalso told me that I should turn off the wireless to avoid double NAT. I think that I confused the router function with the wireless function. As I have researched this, it seems there are settings to enable/disable each of the radios which I now figure is not the same as disabling the router. Of course, I just thought I could go back to the same dialogue screen and turn it back on if something went awry. But, now it doesn't seem you can. Short of doing a reset, do you have any other suggestions for getting back to the router setup besides 192.168.0.1? I included a screen shot of the network settings om my Mac, if that gives any help.

[vkdelta]

in Bridge mode, there is ONLY ONE PUBLIC IP. Thats why ONLY ONE ethernet port works. 

to access the modem in Bridge mode, you need to set static IP on your laptop in 192.168.100.x subnet and access 192.168.100.1. (this is standard process on all DOCSIS based devices).

also, everytime you connect/disconnect new devices on LAN side, Please reboot the modem. Modems learn MAC-ADDRESS and use it to fill the MAX_CPE table. when you connect modem to ISP, ISP typically set MAX_CPE=1 (which means only device can be connected on the LAN side). 

[antinode]

> [...] I just thought I could go back to the same dialogue screen and
> turn it back on if something went awry. But, now it doesn't seem you
> can. [...]

   Are you talking about a "dialogue screen" on an eero or on the C6300?
What, exactly, did you try to do?  What, exactly, happened when you
tried to do it?  "it doesn't seem you can" is not a useful problem
description.

   If you configure any router as a wireless access point, then it
ceases to have separate WAN and LAN interfaces, and becomes all-LAN.  At
that point, it typically gets a new LAN IP address, which would be
specified by either the administrator or the (DHCP server on the) main
router.  That normally means that its administrative web site must be
accessed at its new LAN IP address.  If that was assigned using DHCP,
then you may need to scan some kind of Attached Devices or DHCP Clients
report on the main router to see which adderess it gave to the
router-as-WAP.

> [...] I included a screen shot of the network settings om my Mac [...]

   That "72.219.x.y" address is a public address, which suggests that
your Mac is connected to your ISP without a router in between.  If you
can reach the C6300 at "192.168.100.1", then you should be able to set
it back to modem+router mode without a settings reset.

[lcasta]

Thanks. That explains what's happening.

Short of resetting the modem-router to the factory settings, is there any way for me to reverse what I have done?

I think what I needed to do was leave the router functioning and just disable the two wifi radios on the Wireless Setup page. Eero allows you to set its equipment in the bridge mode and then I imagine putting the eero network into bridge mode will extend the Netgear network without creating a separate network. If I disable the radios in the Netgear router, they won't compete with the eero wifi. So far, I haven't found a way to go back into the Netgear setup screens to change the modem-only setting on the Router Mode page. I assume that, if the Netgear is set up as a router and the eero is set up as a bridge, the Netgear will provide the IP addresses for everything connected to the eero as well as anything connected to the Netgear directly through its ethernet ports. Is that correct? What I'm trying to accomplish is have one network that all my devices can connect to and to avoid double NATs. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks again.

[antinode · Accepted solution]

> Short of resetting the modem-router to the factory settings, is there
> any way for me to reverse what I have done?

   Did you try "192.168.100.1" in your web browser?

> to access the modem in Bridge mode, you need to set static IP on your
> laptop in 192.168.100.x subnet and access 192.168.100.1. (this is
> standard process on all DOCSIS based devices).

   I thought that you could get away without fiddling with your
computer's IP configuration, but, if it doesn't work the easy way, then
I'd try the hard way.  (Or just do the reset.)

> I think what I needed to do [...]

   Yup.

> [...] If I disable the radios in the Netgear router, they won't
> compete with the eero wifi.

   "Compete" or "supplement"?  It's not obvious to me that having more
wireless access points would be a bad thing.

> [...] So far, I haven't found a way to go back into the Netgear setup
> screens to change the modem-only setting on the Router Mode page. [...]

   "192.168.100.1"?

> [...] I assume that, if the Netgear is set up as a router and the eero
> is set up as a bridge, the Netgear will provide the IP addresses for
> everything connected to the eero as well as anything connected to the
> Netgear directly through its ethernet ports. Is that correct?

   That's the idea.

> [...] What I'm trying to accomplish is have one network that all my
> devices can connect to and to avoid double NATs. [...]

   One router (doing NAT, DHCP, port-forwarding, ...), multiple wireless
access points -- One big (extended) LAN.  Sounds glorious, doesn't it?

[lcasta]

Thanks. That seems to be the key. I kept trying 192.168.0.1 which is what I generally use to access the router-modem. I didn't notice that you and another person were suggesting 192.168.100.1. Everything is working now. And I have eero in bridge mode. Can I uncheck the boxes for Enable SSID Broadcast on the Wireless Setup page to keep some of my devices from trying to log into the Netgear router rather than the eero network which is accessible anywhere in my house? The signal strength on the Netgear is quite weak in some parts of my home bnut if I go from one part of my house to another the device such as an iPad is still logged on to the Netgear. Thanks once again.

[antinode]

> [...] I didn't notice that you and another person were suggesting
> 192.168.100.1. Everything is working now. [...]

   For my info, did "you need to set static IP on your laptop in
192.168.100.x subnet" to make that work?

> [...] Can I uncheck the boxes for Enable SSID Broadcast on the
> Wireless Setup page to keep some of my devices from trying to log into
> the Netgear router [...]?

   You can try it, but if the SSID is known to the client device, then
that may not do much.  Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your
model number, and look for Documentation.  Get the User Manual.  Look
for "Enable or Disable the Wireless Radios".  Disabling the radios
should be pretty effective.

   Are all these gizmos using the same SSID(s) or different ones?  I do
little to no wandering among access points, so my experience in
hand-offs from one to another is nil.