Frontier Communications → Bridging Westell 7500

Greetings!

After months of using the Westell 7500 with no problems, I couldn't connect to my PS3 game Modnation Racers.

I tried anything I could, but to no avail.
I moved on.

Now I have an even greater problem: I cannot submit my school work via Online.

So I purchased a Linksys WRT54GL Router, in hope to bridge my Westell 7500 to it.

Here's what I got:

Disabled Wireless, Disabled DHCP, set Vc 1 to Bridge - Bridge
Ethernet from port 1-4 from Westell to Internet on Linksys
Power on Linksys, Power, WLAN, and Internet lights are green.

The problem is the Westell, in Bridge mode, still cannot get an IP or any connection.

I need the Westell to solely work as a Modem and supply the DSL connection to the Linksys.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Verizon should be using DHCP connections there in IN. so try cloning the MAC of the Westell into the Linksys MAC cloning feature.If it doesn't work right away, leaving it all powered off for a about four hours (to break the DHCP lease) may be necessary.
In bridge mode, (Protocol=bridge, Bridge Mode=bridge, DHCP server off) the Westell will be a simple modem and shouldn't get an IP, and it's Internet light shouldn't light. The Linksys should get the public WAN IP from Verizon and it's Internet light should light up.

Yes, here Verizon uses DHCP, well technically it's Frontier now but the integration isn't complete yet.

Thank you for the reply, I'll try that.
I would imagine that would why I couldn't get it to work.

Better to clone the MAC Address or let DHCP lease?

I'd clone the MAC first, that should work.
They bind the IP to the first MAC on the circuit that asks for it, then their server will only give your public IP to that MAC for the duration of that lease, typically 2 or 4 hours. Wouldn't hurt anything to leave it cloned either.

Thanks, I'll try cloning the MAC Address.

I still cannot get an Internet connection.

Tried everything I stated above, but I may have messed up on the MAC cloning.
What exactly do I need to do for that?

Currently my modem does not have a wired connection to any computer, if that information is needed.

Tried again, still doesn't work.

Westell 7500:
Disabled Wi-fi
Vc 1 set Bridge - Bridge
Disabled DHCP

Linksys WRT54GL
Cloned Westell 7500 MAC Address
Ethernet from Westell port to Linksys Internet port

I have the Linksys Wi-fi working, but it says "No Internet Access" so the network doesn't have Internet.

Do I have the wrong MAC Address?
I'm using what's labeled on the modem itself.

Can you revert the westell to the configuration where it can obtain a public ip address........

If you do that then you'll be able to find out what type of internet connection method is used by the westell and then you can configure the linksys to use the same internet connection type

The problem doesn't seem to be the Linksys, it works fine from what I can see.

The problem is with the Westell 7500.
Even if I plug my computer directly into the Westell while in Bridge mode, I cannot access the Internet.

If the Westell was successfully bridged and was functioning only as a modem, I should be able to have a wired connection to it, which I don't.

Iyashii - I am having just about the exact same issue and have spent countless hours troubleshooting with no success. I recently had to replace my 327W modem with the 7500 and I too am not able to get it to successfully bridge, and I've tried with 2 routers too, one of which I had bridged with the 327. I've followed the process as closely as I can (turn of wireless, change from Routed Bridge to Bridge, disable DHCP) and my PC still reads "No Internet Access" so there must be something in the Westell that's blocking the traffic. I live in the Seattle area and here Frontier uses DHCP, not PPP. Here's the peculiar thing: both routers that I have tried appear to be bridging correctly because they both show the Frontier WAN IP as well as the 1st and 2nd DNS servers from Frontier. When I try to go to a website, I just get the standard 'cannot display webpage' message in IE.

So, anyone have any thoughts? I'm starting to think the modem should be replaced.

Sounds as if you need to disable the walled garden.
Give this a try...
Access Westell GUI 192.168.1.1
At address bar enter 192.168.1.1/frontier/redirect.htm
You should see page with "restricted" and a radio button with "disable"
Click the "disable"
You should have internet access after that.

Regards, treehugger

You'll also have to release the ip address in the Westell if you're dhcp. If the mac address is bound to the modem it won't work immediately, releasing the ip address should fix that, either that or call tech support and have them release it. If that's the problem their test will reveal something like error 0002, modem not responding to ping. They should have a "Clear DHCP" button in they can click. Also, DHCP should auto renew after around 2-4 hours if that is the problem, so leaving it plugged in (if everything else is set up correctly) will fix it as well, but I'd start with verifying it yourself, then calling support.

You might also want to check and make sure you pc is set to dhcp automatic, with no ip address manually put in there.

@treehugger: 192.168.1.1.frontier/redirect.htm actually redirects me to »192.168.1.1/frontier/red ··· rect.asp
Which says Restricted, but the button asks if I want to enable.

@drewmamma: Here Frontier also uses DHCP, and I also get the same error messages as you.

@vzguy: I thought that cloning the MAC address of the modem wouldn't require the need to release the IP and/or let the DHCP lease.

But if you want me to release the IP from the Westell, that function is only available in Routed Bridge mode, so once it's Bridged I cannot use that feature, are you suggesting I do it before hand?

So far, my only options would be to set it up as previously, and just wait 2-4 hours or call Tech and have them release the DHCP?

If the westell's vc 1 has the protocol is set to bridge and the bridge mode set to bridge
Connect a computer to the westell and run the ipconfig command and check for a public ip address

If you are seeing an "enable" button the walled garden is already disabled and this is not the issue causing you to not connect. You may want to give support a call at this point. Sorry I could not have been more help. Good luck!

Regards, treehugger

I tried giving support a call a couple days ago, and told them the issue I was having, and all they did was walk me through the same steps for putting the modem in bridge mode. Then they were like, "Well, that's as far as we can support, the issue must be on your end. You need to contact the manufacturer of your 3rd party router..." Yeah... thanks for the tip, Sherlock!! LOL

I don't want to get into a rant about their support level because technically I can see their point, but I would have hoped for a little more troubleshooting on their end (ping my modem, etc.) so after that experience I turned to this forum. I'm just trying to figure out my issue to get my service up as I want it.

Try inputting a DNS server address in the router.

If you are getting an IP address, I bet you can surf the internet inputing IP addresses instead of website names.

Adding a DNS server address should allow for you to enter website names once again.

Thanks for all the suggestions in here. I'll give them a try and post back with my results.

Second time talking with Frontier Communications Technical Support since my last post.

Firstly I will say I am very impressed with their Tech support and the knowledge of the 2 different Technicians.

Secondly, I have verified that the Modem, while in Bridge mode as I mentioned above, is in working order and there is nothing wrong with it's setup.

I was even able to get some minor Tech support for the Linksys router from the Frontier tech.
After trying to release and/or renew the DHCP from the Router, nothing was resolving this matter.

I spent a brief time with a Linksys Technician, which was absolutely horrible.
I could not understand the accent nor could I get a decent phone connection to them.

Back with the second Frontier tech, after trying to resolve this issue for over 20 minutes, he had gotten back to me with information that the surrounding area of where I live is having problems with Routers pulling the IP address from Modems.

From what he was told, it looks like any Router in my area of this state cannot pull the IP address from any Modem.

At the end of it, they are sending out Technician to investigate the cause of this problem to the affected area, and they will contact me sometime in the next 48-72 hours regarding this matter.

I guess now I will solely have to wait and hear back from what could be the cause of this problem.

Just providing an update. I also have the "Enable" button available when I go to the Frontier redirect page in my modem so I don't think the walled garden is my issue either. Last night I set the modem to bridge, then turned it off, then plugged my router into the modem, turned the modem back on, let it fully synch (gave it a good 10 minutes just for good measure) then turned the router on and gave it a good 10 minutes before logging in to it to verify that the Frontier IP and DNS info shows up in it and it did. I was still getting the 'No Internet Access' message so I thought maybe if I leave it overnight (the DHCP 2-4 hour window) and check it in the morning I might have internet but when I got up this morning and checked it (after 8 hours of being set up) nothing seems to have changed. I did release the DHCP in the router before I left for work and will renew the DHCP tonight when I get home. If nothing changes, I'll probably call tech support and give that another go, hoping I get someone as good as Iyashii got.

Iyashii - I know it hasn't been 48 hours yet, but any word from the techs on your end?

said by drewmama:

Last night I set the modem to bridge, then turned it off, then plugged my router into the modem, turned the modem back on, let it fully synch (gave it a good 10 minutes just for good measure) then turned the router on and gave it a good 10 minutes before logging in to it to verify that the Frontier IP and DNS info shows up in it and it did. I was still getting the 'No Internet Access' message so I thought maybe if I leave it overnight (the DHCP 2-4 hour window) and check it in the morning

Did the router's log have any messages about the internet connection
What device displays the "'No Internet Access" message

I'll check the logs when I get home, although the log interface in my router stinks (quite painful trying to read them, makes you go crosseyed), and the message is displayed on either machine that I try the connection with (both Win7 machines), shows up in the taskbar - the network icon.

You can take a screenshot of the log page or copy paste the text

In a prior post it sounds like you had a internet connection with a router or a computer make me think you may have been a computer reboot away from the internet

Ok, good suggestion. I'll post them when I get home tonight.

Regarding the past internet connection, you probably are thinking of my connection that I used to have through the 327W modem, but now I've got the 7500. However, if I reset the 7500 and plug directly into the modem with my PC, internet works fine, so I've at least got that as a workaround. In the meantime, it's just a lot of cable shifting until I can get the bridging to work. Regarding the PC reboot, every time I get a new connection in my troubleshooting attempts, I've disabled/enabled the LAN adapter, so it's a virtual reboot as far as the networking is considered.

said by drewmama:

I've disabled/enabled the LAN adapter, so it's a virtual reboot as far as the networking is considered

I would still use the ipconfig command to comfirm the tcp/ip info after making changes

If you still have the 327w it can be converted to a ethernet router

Not yet.

Though when I talked to the Tech regarding bridging the Westell 7500, he said that it will not allow for a wired connection to the modem.

But I still cannot get it to properly bridge to the Linksys router.

Wait, wait... do you mean that he basically said that the 7500 does not allow for wired bridging? Or what exactly do you mean by "not allow for a wired connection to the modem"?

said by Iyashii:

But I still cannot get it to properly bridge to the Linksys router

I don't think enough is known about the problem yet to blame the 7500
If the isp has changed the way the public ip is obtained that would give the appearance of "broken bridge mode"

If one of you would revert the 7500 to a working configuration then have a look at it's log and other connection related info there may be info of interest

Sorry I should clarify, he said that while in Bridge mode, the Modem would not allow a wired connection to a PC, only the Router.

But aside from what he was told about my area unable to allow routers to pull IPs from modems, he checked and found nothing wrong with the Modem while in Bridge mode.

Here are my router and modem logs. They should be from when the modem was started in bridge mode. The file was created in OpenOffice Writer.

When the modem is in bridge mode the log will have no internet connection related information