NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
cm400 modem sees router, won't provide internet connectivity
Modem: CM400 (also CMD31T)
Routers: Airport Extreme, Netgear RP614, Linksys BEFSR41
Mac: MacbookPro 10.10.5
While using a CMD31T modem, a firmware upgrade failure on a DLink DSR-250 left it unbootable. To cover the RMA processing time, I tried using an old Linksys router. The modem could see the router (internet light flashing amber), but the router did not receive an IP address or connectivity. I tried an old Netgear router and an Apple Airport Extreme, same result in all cases. I switched to a brand new CM400 modem that I'd bought as a backup back in March. Same thing -- it would provide connectivity to a directly connected computer, but not to a router. (All this is wired, not wireless).
I called Netgear support, and was told the 90 days was up, even though I'd just taken the CM400 out of its bag this morning, and I'd have to pay $90 to get started. I was also told it had to be a router problem, even though it was common to all three of my backup routers. Finally it was agreed to put a conference call through to Linksys so the two sides could talk. But that would require a $50 charge. I can't afford either of those -- replacement hardware is cheaper, and these are just to get past the RMA period. The Netgear person still maintained it was a router problem and said she'd send me the RP614 settings. She didn't.
Not thrilled with Netgear support, but what is, is. I'm trying to figure out how to permit more than one user at a time to access the internet, and even after the RMA router comes back, it isn't clear it will work with this modem. Any ideas? Thanks.
This afternoon I finally found the answer. I'd power cycled everything many times, and factory-reset and firware-upgraded all three of the routers being tried. However, for what it's worth to anyone else who runs into this kind of hassle, here are the considerations that just this afternoon resolved the situation:
1. A modem (cable modem, at least) requires that every time a different device is connected to its internet port, it must be rebooted. I didn't do that when I was trying to debug the situation by first connecting the computer and then switching to the router. The modem rebooting that I DID do apparently didn't coincide exactly with the switching I was doing.
2. The Apple Thunderbolt/Ethernet adapter has its own device address and is seen as a different device from the modem's point of view, which explains why when I tried to share the connection with another machine, by plugging first one and then the other into the modem, the other machine wouldn't connect unless I also transferred the adapter, making me think the second adapter was faulty (and prompting an expensive order of an extra one from Amazon, which won't be needed now).
3. Probably also necessary was a complete connection reset of the modem by disconnecting it from the coax cable and powering it off for 20 minutes. That seemed to be the magic bullet in this case, though #1 above may have been sufficient (I didn't try it before taking this step). I remember arguing with a Time-Warner representative a while back when he told me to disconnect the cable -- I didn't see how it would make any difference. It turns out a modem looks different to the Time-Warner server when it's simply powered off and when it's totally disconnected. In the latter case, when shows up again to T-W, the whole T-W/modem connection relationship is reset, and it DOES make a difference.
FWIW, these insights resolved ALL the endless little crazinesses I've been dealing with for the past four days.
2 Replies
Hello Datlee
Have you tried to factory reset the router?
DarrenM
This afternoon I finally found the answer. I'd power cycled everything many times, and factory-reset and firware-upgraded all three of the routers being tried. However, for what it's worth to anyone else who runs into this kind of hassle, here are the considerations that just this afternoon resolved the situation:
1. A modem (cable modem, at least) requires that every time a different device is connected to its internet port, it must be rebooted. I didn't do that when I was trying to debug the situation by first connecting the computer and then switching to the router. The modem rebooting that I DID do apparently didn't coincide exactly with the switching I was doing.
2. The Apple Thunderbolt/Ethernet adapter has its own device address and is seen as a different device from the modem's point of view, which explains why when I tried to share the connection with another machine, by plugging first one and then the other into the modem, the other machine wouldn't connect unless I also transferred the adapter, making me think the second adapter was faulty (and prompting an expensive order of an extra one from Amazon, which won't be needed now).
3. Probably also necessary was a complete connection reset of the modem by disconnecting it from the coax cable and powering it off for 20 minutes. That seemed to be the magic bullet in this case, though #1 above may have been sufficient (I didn't try it before taking this step). I remember arguing with a Time-Warner representative a while back when he told me to disconnect the cable -- I didn't see how it would make any difference. It turns out a modem looks different to the Time-Warner server when it's simply powered off and when it's totally disconnected. In the latter case, when shows up again to T-W, the whole T-W/modem connection relationship is reset, and it DOES make a difference.
FWIW, these insights resolved ALL the endless little crazinesses I've been dealing with for the past four days.
