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Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

ngearftard
Luminary

Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

Writing this to help any others out there experiencing this (you're at wits' end from attempting to fix, ready to give up on the XR500). FWIW, in my opinion there's nothing more frustrating and exhausting than having an issue like this and not knowing if or when you'll ever be able to fix it, especially when everything you've tried so far has failed.

 

This post is about an Netgear XR500 router connected to an Arris TG1682 cable modem on a Spectrum network; however, it may apply to other cable modems, routers and ISPs when the cable modem you're using is in bridge mode.

 

Scenario/Symptoms:

(a) Cable modem in bridge mode (for those who don't know what this means, WiFi on the modem is turned off so it doesn't interfere with the WiFi signal on your router and so you're not charged for what you're not using); Spectrum can put the modem in this mode with a phone call.

(b) The device you are using to communicate with the XR500 (typically a PC) is hardwired to the XR500 via ethernet cable.

(c) You've followed the quick start instructions out of the box and/or run Internet Setup from the DumaOS GUI.

(d) Everything works great at first, but then you find you're constantly losing Internet. (For me this was on the order of once an hour.)

(e) If you're logged into the DumaOS GUI when you lose the Internet, you get kicked to a browser page that begins with, "You are not connected to your Router's WiFi network. To access routerlogin.net, your device must be connected to your Router's WiFi network." Refreshing the page or clearing the cache and then trying to log back in doesn't work. You're now locked out of the DumaOS GUI.

(f) A minute or two later, the Internet comes back, but it's really slow. An hour or so later, it cuts out again for another minute or two. The cycle continues for maxium, mind-bending frustration.

(g) Factory resetting the modem doesn't help. Resetting the XR500 doesn't help. Resetting both of them doesn't help.

(h) Most importantly, when you take the XR500 out of the picture, as follows, you find the issue completely goes away:

  • Disconnect the XR500 from not only the modem but also your device
  • Disconnect everything from the modem, including the power cable and coax cable, and wait a few minutes
  • Shut your device completely down
  • Attach the coax cable to the modem (takes a lot of turns, don't let the threads catching fool you into thinking it's screwed all the way in, threads must be perfectly aligned)
  • Attach your device's ethernet cable to one of the modem's ports
  • Attach the power cable to the modem and power-up your device
  • After a few minutes for the modem to reboot, you now have steady Internet with no more disconnections
  • Based on that, it is easy to assume the problem is the XR500, but it's not; the problem has to do with how the modem and router are communicating with each other and your ISP; and this happens to be fixable

After hours upon hours of researching this issue, along with many calls to Spectrum Customer Care, it was my last call to Spectrum that finally gave me a clue on how to resolve this issue, which has to do with how the Arris modem (at least the one I have) operates in bridge mode with Spectrum (and, I believe, how they've configured their modems to operate in bridge mode). In this mode, the modem expects to see one and only one device connected to it, and that's the device that originally conected to it. That device is its "friend" and, although it doesn't perceive other devices connected to it as its enemies, when its sees that its friend is not connected it will periodically go looking for it. While it's doing that, you lose Internet. Once it's done looking for the moment, you get Internet back, but with unfriendly status (it's really slow).

 

Generally, the only way to tell the modem to look for some other friend is to power it down; however, even that won't solve this issue, with Spectrum at least, because Spectrum has assigned a public IP address to your account, and your service through that IP address is based on a specific cable modem that, in bridge mode, is expected to be connected to a certain device. That is, the device with the MAC identifier that originally connected to it. When it doesn't see that device's MAC it gets "confused." The modem's memory of that device and its MAC address is persistent. Even powering the modem off or even resetting it doesn't fix the issue, presumably because, even after you've reset and/or shut the modem down and powered it back up, Spectrum's system soon tells the modem to go looking for the original device per that device's MAC address.

 

(Off-topic but another thing I learned from Spectrum you may find informative: the only way to change a public IP address with a Spectrum residential account is by trading out the cable modem.)

 

Here's how I was able to resolve this issue. First, make sure you are communicating with the DumaOS via the device you were originally connected to the cable modem with when bridge mode was establised. Second, note that near the bottom of the DumaOS Internet Setup page, under Router MAC Address, the OS defaults to the "Use Default Address" option (I assume this means the XR500's MAC address). However, there is another option to "Use Computer MAC address." In other words, "use the MAC address of the device I originally connected to the modem in bridge mode with, which is the one I'm using now." Select this one, and then "Apply." Once you've applied it, you will lose Internet and, if I recall correctly, your connection to the DumaOS GUI. Now follow this procedure:

  1. Shut down your device.
  2. Disconnect all cables, power, coax, ethernet, everything from not only the cable modem but also the router.
  3. Wait a few minutes to clear out any residual memory.
  4. Connect the coax cable to the modem (takes a while, lots of fine threads to turn through). Finger tight, but firmly.
  5. Connect the router to the cable modem with the ethernet cable that came in the box.
  6. Connect your device to the router via ethernet cable via one of the 4 available ports on the router.
  7. Attach the power cable to the cable modem.
  8. Once the modem is done booting (no more flashing lights), power up the router and your device.

And that's it. By spoofing your device's MAC address, the XR500 has now duped the cable modem into thinking it's found its friend, so no more disconnects.

 

Hope this helps others with similar issues.

Model: XR500| Nighthawk Pro Gaming Router
Message 1 of 10

Accepted Solutions
Netduma_Jack
NetDuma Partner

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

This is an incredibly useful guide, thank you for taking the time to post your solution. I'm so glad you were able to get this sorted. I'll keep your solution on fille for any future cases like this!

 

If you have any other issues feel free to ask, we're always happy to help.

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Message 2 of 10

All Replies
Netduma_Jack
NetDuma Partner

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

This is an incredibly useful guide, thank you for taking the time to post your solution. I'm so glad you were able to get this sorted. I'll keep your solution on fille for any future cases like this!

 

If you have any other issues feel free to ask, we're always happy to help.

Message 2 of 10

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

I'm having the exact same issue, I have the same modem and am with Spectrum. I'll try this and see if it works works. This is driving me crazy.

Can you do this with a wireless device, say a tablet for instance?
Model: XR500| Nighthawk Pro Gaming Router
Message 3 of 10
ngearftard
Luminary

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

Totally feel your pain. Was out of my mind.

 

Try running internet setup on the router with it, and only it, connected to the cable modem as it was when you tried earlier or is now, and then call Spectrum. They should be able to "see" the XR500. Tell them you would like the cable modem in bridge mode (because you don't need their wireless, which would only fight with the XR500's wireless), and that you would like the device they see now to be THE device for bridge mode. They may have you reset and/or reboot both the cable modem and the router during the call.

 

Success may depend on who you get when you call. Some reps are knowledgeable, others not so much.

 

If that doesn't work, may want to change out the modem to get a fresh IP address associated with the XR500 and your account.

Message 4 of 10
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

And for users with modem./router combo units, you can also do the following:

1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the NG router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the NG router in Router mode.

 

Message 5 of 10

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

I ended up getting the tg arris router/modem replaced and have had the standard modem they gave me for about almost a week now and have had perfect connection, I think almost better connection than before. Spectrum gave me a router to go with the modem but I haven't opened it up yet, seeing as I have the XR500 connected instead.

 

I can't really say what was wrong, but I have a strong suspicion something was wrong with how the arris modem/router was handling bridge mode, all I can say now is with just a regular modem connected into the XR500, it works fine.

Model: XR500| Nighthawk Pro Gaming Router
Message 6 of 10
Netduma_Jack
NetDuma Partner

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

Great to hear it's all working for you now

Message 7 of 10
ngearftard
Luminary

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

Your suspicions were correct. The Arris modems used by Spectrum have the Intel Puma 6 chipset, which I later discovered have a serious internet latency-spike issue that was discovered in the latter part of 2016. (Lawsuits have been filed over this.) Initially it was on the order of every 2 seconds. The best they've been able to increase the time interval to is roughly every 35-40 seconds, but it's still there and it wrecks everything when it happens.

 

See 6th post in my (misnamed) thread here for details:

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-Pro-Gaming-Routers/XR500-Causing-Latency-amp-Packet-Loss/...

 

P.S. Netgear CM600 cable modem, which has a Broadcom chipset, works great with Spectrum and the XR500 

Model: XR500| Nighthawk Pro Gaming Router
Message 8 of 10
ngearftard
Luminary

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

Here is an explanation of the Puma 6 issue, and a comprehensive list of affected modems: https://approvedmodemlist.com/intel-puma-6-modem-list-chipset-defects/
Message 9 of 10
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Fix for router constantly losing connection in bridge mode

See this as well:

http://www.badmodems.com/

 

Message 10 of 10
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