I’m an end user working with my ISP. I have a Linksys BEFSR41 Vers. 2 router which currently works with my SM, but which has been steadily degrading, most noticeably on large downloads.
When attempting a router replacement, we are unable to connect. I’ve tried a Linksys BEFSR41 Vers. 4.3, Netgear FVS318, and a D-Link WBR-1310, all with no success. The LAN side of the routers function fine, but we are unable to obtain any activity whatsoever on the WAN side - Static IP or DHCP.
We’ve swapped out the pigtail and the SM itself. Since the current router does work, albeit poorly, we think it unlikely it’s the cable.
We’re completely stumped. Anyone have any suggestions?
Tried setting a static IP on the WAN side of the router to verify you can access the modem’s webconfig?
We did attempt that, yes. The only way we can get into the modem’s webconfig is by plugging the pigtail directly into a laptop. We tried going modem to switch to PC and modem to hub to PC, no go. Unless we are directly connected modem to PC we cannot get into the webconfig at all.
When the modem to PC is set up the PC is set DHCP, and we can pull an address okay that way. Then we enter the modem’s IP in a browser and can get to it.
We also tried letting the routers act as bridges, running the modem directly into a LAN port instead of the WAN port. Same situation - no access to the modem at all.
We figured the odds of three different routers, from three different vendors, all being bad was pretty astronomical. These are all new routers. Just in case, I exchanged the Netgear model at the store and got another one. That means four routers won’t hook, which is beyond astronomical.
What version of the software is your modem running? Most of the 8.x firmwares had major ethernet and NAT issues, including ethernet lockup. I would have similar problems to what you are describing on anything less than 8.2.4.
Version 9.0 has been released and if your ISP is not using it, that would be the first thing to try.
The 7.x flavors of the software did not have the ethernet issues.
Another thing to make sure is that if your wireless modem is using NAT that the NAT ranges do not overlap with your wireless router. For instance, if you get a 192.168.1.x number assigned from your wireless modem when directly connected to it through the power supply (pigtail) and you get a 192.168.1.x address when connected to your router, that will create not only a double NAT scenario but will confuse the wireless router because it will not know where to route outbound packets. The solution to this would be to either disable NAT on the wireless modem (ideal solution) or to use a different NAT range on the wireless modem.
We first need to know if the Canopy SM is configured with NAT enabled.
If this is the case, you could simply connect your wireless router in bridge (if it has 4+1 ports, just connect on LAN ports, it will bridge everything in layer 2, and SM will continue to do NAT).
If it’s a bridge, you will probably need to configure PPPoE on WAN port of the router.
Am I missing something?
I would replace the power supply and re-terminate both ends of the cable.
I suspect your laptop and the old router are more tolerant of a poor connection.
I have an email in to the ISP about SM version and whether it’s set NAT or not. I suspect the NAT is at the tower and not the unit, but will find out for sure.
The modem is on our chimney, two stories up, with a very steep roof and plenty of snow and ice between us and it. Re-terminating the modem end of the cable will be highly problematic, but I can pretty easily re-terminate the end that plugs into the power supply. What the heck, we’ve tried everything else. I’ll try that tonight.
I’m assuming there’s link on the ethernet interfaces, so some MDI-I/MDI-X issue is probably ruled out.
NAT and private IP overlaps may be causing this - however the router brands you mention all use different subnets for the LAN segment. Linksys defaults to 192.168.1.1/24, DLink 192.168.0.1/24, and I think NetGear (although it may have been SMC) likes 192.168.2.1/24. At least one of those new routers should have worked if there was a subnet/IP conflict.
Also, beware when you connect your SM and PC to your router’s LAN ports that a DHCP conflict can occur. Unless the SM has its DHCP server disabled, both your router and radio would be trying to hand out an IP to your PC, and since the router is closer it would likely respond first.
One thing I don’t think you mentioned is the configuration of your old router? Is it set to static or DHCP? Also, what is the Duplex setting on the SM? If the cable run is convoluted and long enough there could be problems at certain rates and/or autonegotiation issues. Try pinging the IP of the SM when the router is connected and see if that works. HTTP packets are typically very large and therefore susceptible to framing errors caused by a duplex mismatch.
If you can get ahold of a hub (NOT a switch), maybe giving WireShark a boo will reveal something…
Tom Herrera wrote: I have an email in to the ISP about SM version and whether it's set NAT or not. I suspect the NAT is at the tower and not the unit, but will find out for sure.
The modem is on our chimney, two stories up, with a very steep roof and plenty of snow and ice between us and it. Re-terminating the modem end of the cable will be highly problematic, but I can pretty easily re-terminate the end that plugs into the power supply. What the heck, we've tried everything else. I'll try that tonight.
I have to ask:
Did your WISP install your SM for you or did you perform a self-install? If your ISP did the installation, I would say that after you have done all of the troubleshooting inside your network that the WISP needs to come out and reterminate any RJ's or replace any surge protectors or even ultimately the SM.