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r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z

mulberryhill
Aspirant

r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z

I have a new modem from CenturyLink - a C3000Z. 

 

However, my router now will not connect to the internet with that modem.  All I did was unplug the old modem and plug in the new one.

 

If I plug my old modem back in - all works well.

 

The reason for the change was that the old modem was  no longer connecting to the SMTP server for outgoing email - who knows why.

 

Thoughts?

Message 1 of 8

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z


@mulberryhill wrote:

I have a new modem from CenturyLink - a C3000Z. 

 

That is probably a modem/router. Look at the row of LAN ports on the back. Does it also do wifi?

 


However, my router now will not connect to the internet with that modem.  All I did was unplug the old modem and plug in the new one.

 

I assume that you have plugged the r7000p into the c3000z. Not sure where the "not connecting to wifi" in your subject comes into it.

 

You have put one router in front of the R7000P. That's asking for trouble.

 

Two routers on your network can cause headaches. For example, you can end up with local address problems. Among other things, the other router can misdirect addresses that the Netgear router usually handles, such as routerlogin.net or the usual IP address for a router, 192.168.1.1.

This explains some of the other drawbacks.

What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Unless you have specific reasons for using two routers it is often easier to use just one router and then to set up the second router as a wifi access point. Netgear advises this, as does just about every site you will visit.

It may be possible to put the modem/router into modem only (bridge) mode and then to use the second device as the router. Sometimes it is easier to put the second router into AP mode. But that has its own drawbacks:

Disabled Features on the Router when set to AP Mode | Answer | NETGEAR Support



The reason for the change was that the old modem was  no longer connecting to the SMTP server for outgoing email - who knows why.

 


We don't know what  that old modem was, but in most cases the modem has nothing to do with connecting to the SMTP server. That is in the hands of the router. You might have found it easier, and cheaper, to work out how to fix that problem than to replace the modem. That certainly would have been cheaper.

Message 2 of 8
mulberryhill
Aspirant

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z

Thank you.   I just realized my first response never went through.  Here it is again:

Let me explain a little more.

On our "OLD" modem (from centurylink) - Our DSL line comes into one building on our property - however we have run a line into our house and connected that line to the r7000p. The line coming into our house is connected to the WAN/LAN (I believe) port on the old modem. That setup works just fine and internet goes through the r7000p for the house. The r7000p is set up as an access point. The OLD modem could also be connected to for wifi if needed.

For some reason I could not send any email through the centurylink smtp server when connected to the wifi in the house or our other building. I could only use data on my phone or I would need to go elsewhere to connect to wifi.

Centurylink sent us the new modem c3000z. I unplugged the OLD one and plugged in the new one. When connected directly to the new c3000z I could send emails - so that device solved my email problems there. However, internet was no longer functioning on the r7000p. If I plugged the yellow line coming into the house directly into a computer - internet worked just fine. If it was plugged into the r7000p - nothing.

I'm wondering if the setting should be different on the r7000p now? Would that have anything to do with it?

Thoughts?

Thank you in advance for all of your help.

 

Message 3 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z

Your ISP Modem already has a built in router and wifi. This would be a double NAT (two router) condition which isn't recommended. This would be a double NAT condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
https://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NAT
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only 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/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the NG router gets from the modem. https://kb.netgear.com/25891/DMZ-on-NETGEAR-routers
https://kb.netgear.com/24086/How-do-I-set-up-a-default-DMZ-server-on-my-Nighthawk-router
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the NG router to the modem, LAN to LAN configure AP mode on the NG router.
https://kb.netgear.com/24104/How-do-I-change-my-Nighthawk-router-to-AP-mode-after-I-ve-already-run-s...
https://kb.netgear.com/26765/Disabled-Features-on-the-Router-when-set-to-AP-Mode

Message 4 of 8
mulberryhill
Aspirant

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z

Thank you for the answer.  I will look into all of that.

But what is just baffling me is why I can't just "plug and play" the new modem for the other one.

 

And since I can't - what is the setting - on either the NG r7000p or the modem that needs to be looked at and changed.

 

I've spent some time trying to compare the old modem vs. the new modem to see what might be different, but it look similar.  Nothing is jumping out at me.  I see the difficulties as you've described.

 

But, since the modem is in another building, we do use the wifi capability of it and I'm reluctant to shut that off.  For example, I can be in the house connected to the NG wifi - but then head out to the shop and connect to the modem wifi when needed.

 

Thank you for all your help!

 

Message 5 of 8

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z


@mulberryhill wrote:

 

But what is just baffling me is why I can't just "plug and play" the new modem for the other one.

 

 


Twice now people have explained that you cannot simply put two routers together and expect things to go smoothly. Two routers are rarely amenable to "plug and play".

 

Did you ever tell us what this "old modem" is? I can't see it.

 

In general, it is hard to follow the layout that you describe. For example, you said:

 

Our DSL line comes into one building on our property - however we have run a line into our house and connected that line to the r7000p. The line coming into our house is connected to the WAN/LAN (I believe) port on the old modem.

There are too many "lines" there for me to follow what they are.

 

I assume that the one into the house is the phone line. But what is this "line into our house" that you have connected to the R7000P? And how do you connect it to the modem?

 

If this is an Ethernet connection that runs from the modem to the R7000P, then the result depends on what this modem is.

 

This "WAN/LAN port on the old modem" again depends on what the modem is. If it is just a modem, it won't be a WAN port. It is the port that connects tour modem to the local LAN.

 

If it is the only port on the modem, then that is probably just a  modem. If it is one of a number of ports, usually four, it is probably a modem router.

 


But, since the modem is in another building, we do use the wifi capability of it and I'm reluctant to shut that off.  For example, I can be in the house connected to the NG wifi - but then head out to the shop and connect to the modem wifi when needed.

 


If your modem is modem/router – it has to be to provide wifi –  the obvious solution is to put the R7000P into wireless access point (AP) mode.

 

Do not mess around with bridge mode on the modem/router. That will just disable the wifi from the C3000Z. Sounds like you want to use that.

 

All the other stuff, like "DMZs", is equally messy, not necessary and could make your network unusable.

 

While your description isn't that clear to me, as I understand it you want to use wifi from both the C3000Z and the R7000P. If so, here's the simple solution:

  • use C3000Z to connect to Internet
  • set up R7000P as AP
  • run cable from C3000Z  to R7000P
  • turn off C3000Z and R7000P
  • turn on C3000Z
  • wait for it to get an Internet connection
  • turn on R7000P

To set up the AP thing on the R7000P, visit the support pages:

Support | NETGEAR

Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware.

Check the section in the manual Use the Router as a WiFi Access Point.

When you have got that working you can start to worry about the other things that you have thrown into the mix, like the smtp server.

 

Message 6 of 8
mulberryhill
Aspirant

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z

Thank you!!

 

The NGr7000p was already setup as an AP when using the old modem of c1100t - so that was already there.

 

However, your sequence of off's and on's is what ultimately did it when I replaced the c1100t for c3000z!   In all of the turning off and on that I did trying to get this all to work - apparently I never did that sequence.

 

The old router is a centurylink c1100t.  It has a wan/lan port on the back which our internet line was plugged into.  However on the new modem c3000z it couldn't use that port and I had to plug it into one of the ethernet ports.

 

Somehow I missed that sequencing in other posts if it was there - trying to follow all of the terminology.  I just slowed down and tried to let my frustrations get in the way this morning.

 

Again - thank you to everyone who tried to help me!!

 

 

 

Message 7 of 8

Re: r7000p - not connecting to wifi with c3000z


@mulberryhill wrote:

 

The NGr7000p was already setup as an AP when using the old modem of c1100t - so that was already there.

 


The C1100T is also a modem/router.

 

Technicolor C1100T Modem User Guide | CenturyLink

 

So, as you have discovered, the R7000P is best used as an access point.

 

The boot sequence is important. You are not the first person to get it wrong. (I have done the same thing.) It is easy to forget these things, especially when you set up the network a while ago.

 

If you find that the C3000Z lacks important router features – Armor or Parental Controls for example –  and you don't mind turning off the wifi, the R7000P may be more versatile. It should be possible to "bridge" the C3000Z and use the R7000P in router mode.

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