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murrayphd
join:2013-07-02
Soquel, CA

murrayphd

Member

Networking problems: Netgear router w/ Xfinity modem/router

I have an Xfinity Technicolor TC8305C telephony modem/router, and want to use a separate dual band router, Netgear N900-R4500, for wifi. I understand I must have the Xfinity modem/router in bridge mode in order for the other router to work properly. (I assume that will turn off the Technicolor wifi so it will not interfere with the Netgear router.) The Comcast tech who came today could not figure out how to get the Netgear router working, and when we tried to set it up, an invalid IP address would come up (on both my computers). Also, neither wifi lights (on the Netgear) came on to suggest a wifi signal. Please advise what specific steps I can take to get my dual band router up and running.
I hope someone out there knows more than the Comcast tech!
Please help!

dj12midnit
Tag You'R It
Premium Member
join:2000-07-28
98284-9568

dj12midnit

Premium Member

what ip address were you getting? Is the dhcp set up on the netgear?

Wayne99021
Premium Member
join:2004-12-28
Mead, WA

Wayne99021 to murrayphd

Premium Member

to murrayphd
Did the tech call in and have the modem/router put in the bridged mode? If not, it's not going to work.
If he did, the internet settings in the router (Netgear WNDR4500) should be.
Internet IP address....Get dynamically from ISP
DNS Address.............Get from ISP
Router MAC address...Use default Address.
Other than this I guess all you can do is push the reset button on the router and put it back to default.
I think that router uses Netgear Genie so you could use that and it will pretty much set the internet side up for you.
Wayne99021

Wayne99021

Premium Member

I forgot to say that you can't put the router in bridged mode from your end, you have to call Comcast support and have them do it.
murrayphd
join:2013-07-02
Soquel, CA

murrayphd

Member

said by Wayne99021:

I forgot to say that you can't put the router in bridged mode from your end, you have to call Comcast support and have them do it.

The Tech did NOT call to change to bridged mode. Thanks for making it clear that THEY have to do it, and I can't on my end. I did call Comcast and ask that it be put in bridged mode after the tech left and I'd done some reading. Just as the Comcast guy was trying to do that, we got disconnected (Comcast ALWAYS disconnects when a call reaches 25 minutes!). Momentarily it looked like the wifi light had gone out on the comcast modem, and I was hopeful. But I had to unplug and plug back in the modem, and now it again showed the wifi light. Is it possible that the bridge mode had been connected momentarily, but was lost when the modem was unplugged? Would that mean that every time I must reset the modem, I'd have to call in to Comcast? Since it usually takes at least 10 minutes to get connected to a tech who does not know what to do, and another 10 or 15 minutes for them to do something, this does not bode well for me!!
One other (new) question: I went to the Comcast site and was reviewing info about my settings. They showed a wifi connection (2.4), as I am presumably getting now. It is my hope that I will not be limited to that bandwidth, assuming I can somehow get the Netgear up and running. Actually, I have another router, tried out by another tech, who could not get it going, but he, also, did not contact Comcast to change the setting to bridged mode. I got convinced that router did not work, so I bought a new router. Is it possible that the first modem is just fine... assuming I can get the Comcast modem in bridged mode??
Is there any way to keep the modem in bridged mode??
Thanks for your help already! Hope you have more!

owlyn
MVM
join:2004-06-05
Newtown, PA
Netgear CM2050V
Netgear RBRE960
Netgear RBSE960

owlyn to murrayphd

MVM

to murrayphd
Can't answer about the bridged mode, but once you get that part working properly, you may need to turn the modem and router on in a specific order. In my case, I have an Arris 722G modem and a Netgear WNDR3400 router. I need to turn them on in the order opposite of what Comcast suggests or else I don't get a signal to the router. I forget which is first, but you get the idea. IIRC, Comcast insists that the modem be turned on first, then the router, but in my case, it's the other way around. Or I stated this backwards...

flwpwr
@comcast.net

flwpwr to murrayphd

Anon

to murrayphd
I wonder why he even touched YOUR equipment , we're not supposed to. First many new routers now come with a stupid CD that MUST BE RUN FROM YOUR COMPUTER, no way around it, they unlock the router some how. There is step one, hook net gear up to technicolor, hook computer up by WIRE, and run CD. Make sure you PAY attention to what you set the username and password up to be as well as the wireless network.

I have seen mainly Belkin doing this but recently have seen an asus, 2 netgears and one linksys/cisco that required this idiotic design.

Wayne if the technicolor stays in router mode all that will happen is he gets wireless interference, and double nat but ti will still work, especially if he is using the 5ghz band which will bypasses the wireless interference issue, but no matter what it will work wired and surf the web the double nat issue only comes in play with special apps like games and servers. The bridge mode is not his current issue with getting windows default IP's.

it is also not 100% true that we have to call, if he can run grand slam over VPN on his comapny laptop/iphone/symbol/whatever computer device he has, then he can do it there without a call so long as he has the account number, mac address, or other account info to kloook up your account, assuming he had a job for this and was not doing it on the side, it is available to him.
medbuyer
join:2003-11-20
Memphis, TN

2 recommendations

medbuyer

Member

said by flwpwr :

First many new routers now come with a stupid CD that MUST BE RUN FROM YOUR COMPUTER, no way around it, they unlock the router some how.

clearly shows your technical ability is limited...

I have installed so many retail / consumer routers, wired or wireless and never had to use the CD that came with it...

All it does is that it brings up a very user friendly GUI of configuring settings and installing bloatware....