| [Northeast] Configuration Help with Actiontec, User router and N Hi all,
I am having some issues with my FIOS based home network and need some help changing the configuration of the routers. For a while now, Internet connection fails for several minutes a day, a router reboot (MI424WR) fixes it all the time without waiting, but I've had enough reboots and time spent fixing this... I even had my Actiontec replaced by VZ, and still it has issues.
Here is how my network is currently setup (in the image):
- Actiontec router is primary router, with Wifi enabled (Wifi2) and connected to the ONT via Coax
- User router (DDWRT) is secondary router, connected to the LAN via NIM100. Currently Wifi1 in user router is disabled
- 3 computers wired directly to the Actiontec via CAT5
- several devices/phones connected on wireless to the Actiontec (Wifi2)
- 1 computer wired directly to the user router (DDWRT) via CAT5
I tend to believe the Actiontec is the problem, maybe the NAT issues (although I have a revision E?), for the intermittent Internet connection since reboot always fixes it...
So here is what I am trying to do, please let me know if this is even doable and any help with the routers/NIM100 configuration would be great:
- Make DDWRT the primary router to get the WAN IP from the ONT through the NIM100
- Make the Actiontec secondary as a MoCa bridge only
- Additional - bridge Wifi1 and Wifi2 wireless networks to boost Wifi signal across the house ? But this is not as important as making DDWRT primary router.
Due to the layout of my home and component positions, the wiring cannot be changed, this is the only way I can physically connect the devices through COAX and MoCA from one floor to the other. CAT5 to ONT won't work either, as the house is not wired and is a pain to wire this old home...
Thanks for any suggestions! |
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 More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | Re: [Northeast] Configuration Help with Actiontec, User router a said by danny2k12 :I tend to believe the Actiontec is the problem, maybe the NAT issues (although I have a revision E?), for the intermittent Internet connection since reboot always fixes it... No idea why you would be dropping your internet connection periodically.
I would suspect the NAT table in the rev. E only if you're running torrents and haven't limited the number of connections.
Are you able to catch this when it happens and are your able to access the Actiontec? What does the status of the Broadband Connection (coax) show?
said by danny2k12 :Make DDWRT the primary router to get the WAN IP from the ONT through the NIM100
Won't work. The NIM-100 does not support the MOCA WAN channel used by the ONT. See this FAQ:
»Verizon Online FiOS FAQ »How to use a MOCA WAN bridge?
You might find some other workable options here:
»Verizon Online FiOS FAQ »What are the tradeoffs between the various router configurations
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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| said by More Fiber:I would suspect the NAT table in the rev. E only if you're running torrents and haven't limited the number of connections.
No, I'm not, usually when this happens and I notice it is when I'm browsing the Internet on my main machine with no other traffic, or on my iPad. When suddenly pages stop loading, then I know to do a router reboot if I don't want to wait 10-15 minutes for it to come back...
said by More Fiber:Are you able to catch this when it happens and are your able to access the Actiontec? What does the status of the Broadband Connection (coax) show?
Broadband connection is always Connected when this happens, and router lights are the same as when everything is working fine. I even installed a Syslog server to capture the router logs, these are the errors I see but don't know much what these mean:
09/22/2012 4:11:51 PM [825] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:11:37 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:13:44 PM [826] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:6 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:13:31 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router estream_connect_done 36: connection failed
09/22/2012 4:13:44 PM [827] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:6 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:13:31 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router estream_connect_done 41: connection failed
09/22/2012 4:13:44 PM [828] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:6 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:13:31 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router estream_connect_done 41: connection failed
09/22/2012 4:17:23 PM [833] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:17:10 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:17:23 PM [832] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:17:10 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:18:36 PM [834] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:18:22 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:18:38 PM [835] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:18:24 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:18:38 PM [836] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:18:24 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:18:39 PM [837] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:18:25 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
09/22/2012 4:18:39 PM [838] From:Wireless_Broadband_Router.home (192.168.1.1) Fac:1 Sev:4 Msg >>> Sep 22 16:18:25 2012 Wireless_Broadband_Router Too many forwarded messages
The ones above usually happen when the connection breaks, but the ones below plague the entire syslog, there are thousands of them and I filtered them out from the log above, they show all the time regardless if connection is working or not. I verified the MACs listed in there and they are ALL from my network devices (mostly iPhones), so no outside hacking my wireless network is taking place:
Sep 22 20:31:36 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:xx:xx:xx ret=-1
Sep 22 20:31:06 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:yy:yy:yy ret=-1
Sep 22 20:31:06 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:xx:xx:xx ret=-1
Sep 22 20:30:36 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:yy:yy:yy ret=-1
Sep 22 20:30:36 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:xx:xx:xx ret=-1
Sep 22 20:30:06 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:yy:yy:yy ret=-1
Sep 22 20:30:06 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:xx:xx:xx ret=-1
Sep 22 20:29:36 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:yy:yy:yy ret=-1
Sep 22 20:09:06 2012 System Log Message Cannot find cache entry for mac 7c:c5:37:xx:xx:xx ret=-1
[repeated 42 times, last time on Sep 22 20:29:36 2012]
Hmm, too bad this does not work, not sure what else to try... |
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 birdfeedrPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
kudos:8
1 edit | said by danny2k12 :Hmm, too bad this does not work, not sure what else to try... said by »Verizon Online FiOS FAQ »How to use a MOCA WAN bridge? :
Two MOCA bridges that MOCA WAN are available from various sources (eBay, Newegg, Amazon, etc.
• Netgear MCAB1001 * - available only in pairs.
• D-Link DXN-221 * - Pair or DXN-220 single.
Note that the Motorola NIM-100 and Actiontec ECB2200 are not suitable as they do not support the MOCA WAN channel.
Since you cannot re-wire for ethernet out of ONT, your only other choice is to use a MoCA WAN-capable device. Since you're having problems using the Actiontec as primary, find a Netgear or D-Link device mentioned above, make your dd-wrt primary, and hang the Actiontec off it as secondary for any needed TV support, but remember TV features like CallerID and Remote DVR access will not work.
For basic guide data and VOD, the Actiontec can be set up either LAN-to-LAN or LAN-to-WAN. I would ensure the Netgear/dd-wrt router works first before connecting the Actiontec ethernet to the dd-wrt router. To avoid a MoCA controller conflict, configure the Actiontec coax as mentioned in the FAQ before connecting the coax to the Actiontec. If you don't already have an existing available tap on the coax splitter, you'll need to locate a additional 1GHz rated splitter so you have a coax connection for both Netgear and Actiontec devices.
[edit to add]Oops. Re-read your original post and see the physical layout already supports coax connection. Replace the NIM-100 with a Netgear device.
For improved wireless support, configure both routers to same SSID, but different channels. If you were thinking of wireless bridging, aka WDS or Wireless Distribution System, Actiontec does not support that, so don't waste your time on it. |
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More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | said by birdfeedr:find a Netgear or D-Link device mentioned above The Netgear MCAB1001 is NOT recommended.
From the FAQ:
quote:
Note: Although the MCAB1001 is certified for the MOCA C4 channel, this unit is not recommended as it causes interference on other channels. See the notes posted here:
»Verizon Online FiOS FAQ »How to use a MOCA WAN bridge?
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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| reply to danny2k12
There's another option as well, if you don't mind obtaining a second Actiontec (they're cheap on ebay; cheaper than dedicated MoCA bridges) and double-NATting. The additional Actiontec and the dd-wrt router need to be in close physical proximity so you can connect them via Ethernet. You will also need a high-quality two-way splitter.
1) Obtain another Actiontec. Set it up as the primary router, which will handle WAN connectivity to the ONT via coax.
2) Disable MoCA LAN on this Actiontec. This is critical.
3) Connect this Actiontec to one connector on the splitter. It should be able to get its WAN address via coax to the ONT as usual.
4) Create a static DHCP entry in the Actiontec for the dd-wrt router's WAN interface. Set this address as the DMZ host under the Actiontec's firewall settings.
5) Configure the LAN settings on the dd-wrt router to use an address range other than 192.168.1.x. 192.168.2.0/24 would work fine.
6) Connect the WAN port of the dd-wrt router to a LAN port on the primary Actiontec. It should obtain the IP address you configured in step 4.
7) Connect the NIM-100 to the other connector on the coax splitter, and its Ethernet interface to a LAN port on the dd-wrt.
8) Now configure the original Actiontec as a MoCA bridge and Wireless Access Point.
As I say, you'll be double-NATted in this configuration, but that's generally not an issue. You'll also lose remote DVR and Caller ID on STB's, if you have any.
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More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | said by claibourne:1) Obtain another Actiontec. Set it up as the primary router, which will handle WAN connectivity to the ONT via coax. The OP's issue is with the Actiontec as primary. Why would he want to obtain a second Actiontec, just to use that as primary? He wants his DD-WRT router as primary.
I previously pointed the OP to the trade-offs FAQ, although I didn't specifically point him to option #4 or #5 which would use his existing Actiontec as a MOCA bridge and allow the DD-WRT to be primary.
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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hubrisnxs
join:2009-12-30
Fountain Valley, CA
kudos:1 | reply to danny2k12
in case it matters, the router entry with the mac address, in fact belongs to an apple device.
Company Apple, Inc.
Prefix 7C:C5:37
In case that sets off any idea's or is helpful. |
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| Thank you all for your suggestions. I checked the tradeoffs page and option #4 would work for me, I don't have STBs and I don't use VOD. But I assume in the current configuration it still won't work, because of the NIM100 WAN limitation, correct?
So back to the drawing board... Please let me know if the new configuration shown in the image would work with option #4, or this would be again an issue with the NIM100 as the Actiontec is not primary anymore? Maybe purchase another router/hub to put after NIM100 as I might need more LAN ports in that room?
Thanks again! |
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More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | This will work, but you'll have to use option #5 even though you don't have STBs. The NIM-100 is a MOCA LAN device like STBs. Option #5 will provide the MOCA LAN bridge needed for the NIM-100.
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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| said by More Fiber:This will work, but you'll have to use option #5 even though you don't have STBs. The NIM-100 is a MOCA LAN device like STBs. Option #5 will provide the MOCA LAN bridge needed for the NIM-100.
Thanks More Fiber for the explanation. I'll try this configuration, although it seems that I'm running out of wired ports in the room with the ActionTec, as it requires 2 ports on each of the routers used for the bridge only... Will the ActionTec LAN ports still work with option #5? If they work, will they be on the same subnet or different? What about the subnet of the device after the NIM100? |
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More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | said by danny2k12 :I'll try this configuration, although it seems that I'm running out of wired ports in the room with the ActionTec, as it requires 2 ports on each of the routers used for the bridge only With option #5, only one LAN port is required on each router. Actiontec "LAN" to DDWRT WAN port. DDWRT LAN port to Actiontec WAN port.
said by danny2k12 : Will the ActionTec LAN ports still work with option #5? No. There providing WAN connectivity for the DDWRT router.
said by danny2k12 :What about the subnet of the device after the NIM100?
The NIM100 is a bridge, not a router so any devices connected to it will be on the DDWRT LAN subnet.
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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