Cable modem question

grumpywilson

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Does the speed of the cable modem matter when you have it in bridge mode? I have been having interweb issues on and off for a few weeks now and just narrowed it down to the cable modem I think. Well, that's what it was today. I have a Netgear ac1750 c6300 in bridge mode connected to a Asus Ac68u with Comcast
 

mikeynags

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Not a lot of info to go on here grumpy. What issues are you having?


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biggen

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Cable modem only matters if you are traversing the WAN. If you are having issues locally (LAN) then the cable modem internet speed is irrelevant.
 

grumpywilson

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Intermittent no internet issue over the past few weeks starting at the cable modem. I was able to get logged in to the router an saw the internet was down. I am just looking to see if I can replace the modem with what I think may be a lower speed rated cable modem that will be in bridge mode and hopefully not affect the internet speed going to the asus router.
 

grumpywilson

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Cable modem only matters if you are traversing the WAN. If you are having issues locally (LAN) then the cable modem internet speed is irrelevant.
So when in bridge mode, the internet just goes through at the speed it is sent to my residence until it hits the router to get distributed via WiFi and LAN? Am I understanding that correctly? I am just trying to prepare for the inevitable moment when the cable modem bites the dust.
 

wittaj

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It is a cable modem he bought and replaced it with.

Many people do that, especially if the modem is a lease agreement with the ISP as a couple months of lease payments could buy a modem.
 

grumpywilson

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I already have my own self owned cable modem and separate router. I thought he meant he connected the cable right to the rt68u. I had to take a second look at mine to check.
 

sebastiantombs

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Yes, you still need a modem to go from coax to 10base, but you sure don't need their crap router after it.
 

Flintstone61

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Bought this modem router a couple of months ago. Had to constantly power cycle it to make it work. Speed varied from 150mbps to 1.5 mbps on the down and 2 to 5 on the up. This is the worst modem/router I have ever purchased. The XFINITY tech that came to our house said that there is a firmware issue that Netgear will not take ownership of. This thing has wasted more of my family’s time than any other electronic device in our home.
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Dirk Williams

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It first started after 3 weeks of usage. It would take 10 or more minutes for the device to respond when I log in via Windows 10. Then I see a Cable Connection status of 'In Progress'. When I click any link or icon, it take 10 minutes or more to respond, if ever. I have tried a reboot and a reset. That works for about a week. Then when my wireless devices fail to connect I have to do this all again.

Then came the time when the device was not accessible via Windows, either IP or name. This was an issue since I could not make any changes to the router. This persisted even after a reboot.

When I called support they had me run through their test scripts but the last one was to hard reset the router. Then all my wireless devices could not connect because the SSID and PW was now different and I still could not connect to the router to identify or change them.

Their last solution was to have me call my ISP and have them bounce the router. They said after that step if it still was not working they would give me a RMA. I called and the issue was not resolved.
 
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Flintstone61

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grumpywilson

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I had a one that looked just like that one made by Motorola I think. It lasted about six months before it started giving me issues. Wound up taking it out back and shooting it. Now a piece of it is on my shelf as a reminder to all my other electronics that if they act up, they too will be taken out back and dealt with. ;) Lol! So far it's been seven years and all I have had to deal with is my current intermittent loss of internet.
 

biggen

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So when in bridge mode, the internet just goes through at the speed it is sent to my residence until it hits the router to get distributed via WiFi and LAN? Am I understanding that correctly? I am just trying to prepare for the inevitable moment when the cable modem bites the dust.
Yes. Whatever speed you pay for is the speed you get. So if you pay for 100Mbps download, that is the max speed you will get coming into your modem from the WAN (Internet).
 

pete_c

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What is the brand and model number of the box you have your coaxial cable plugged in to that connects to the internet?

Are you leasing this equipment or do you own it?

You mention above you are bridging an interface from this box to another box. What is this other box model number?

Wondering is you can look at the diagnostic page for your modem? (download / upload streams data?)

Best support and help with your XFinity connection is via the XFinity forum or DSL Reports XFinity forum and not a phone call.

Here have used Motorola purchased Surfboard Modems for over 20 years now. Currently using an Arris SB6190 for last 5 years.

Arris is owned by Commscope today. Commscope used to be owned by the Carlyle Group. Commscope owns Arris, Ruckus, Avaya.

I worked with ARINC (air to ground traffic) a few years back which was also purchased by the Carlyle group.

Since the beginning here have never leased any equipment from Comcast / XFinity. Currently on a no contract grandfathered account with XFinity.

Same with Direct TV except that AT&T tried to slam my account when they purchased DTV. AT&T has been on my S-List now since the late 1990's.

I have had XFinity issues. My coax line runs directly to modem here as I do not use TV service. XFinity replaced the coax here and it was better.

I went outside with the tech last time to see that my signals were the same at the outside box and at the house. I want to go to Gb but will not until I have a clean signal / line with XFinity.

Tested a new Arris SB8200 (now discontinued) and had issues so returned it.

BTW XFinity shares your wireless on their leased equipment today. That is how they have built out wireless footprint.

Here base infrastructure has always been:

Internet coax ==> Modem (always Surfboard) ==> Firewall (PFSense) (Years ago it was Smoothwall)

==> managed Gb switches
==> Ruckus WAP(s)

Today the PFSense box has multiple interfaces. I use a T-Mobile LTE modem as a failover to the XFinity modem. (2 WAN links) and 4 internal LAN connections. (separate networks or VLANs)

As mentioned above you pay for a speed tier with Comcast / XFinity.

Docis 3.0 modems are different than Docis 3.1 modems relating to speeds and number of download / upload "channels".

When your modem boots up it does a TFTP to an XFInity server and looks up your MAC address / serial number. It then downloads the configuration for your modem which includes your speed tier. The modem itself is a router but you cannot see the configuration of it.
 
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grumpywilson

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Well, the cable modem took a poop and I am looking for a new option. No more Netgear equipment. I am currently looking into three options which are the Arris SB8200, Motorola MB8611 and Arris S33. What does everybody think of these three options? Oh, for internet I have the Xfinity 400Mbps plan if that helps.
 

Timokreon

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Well, the cable modem took a poop and I am looking for a new option. No more Netgear equipment. I am currently looking into three options which are the Arris SB8200, Motorola MB8611 and Arris S33. What does everybody think of these three options? Oh, for internet I have the Xfinity 400Mbps plan if that helps.
I have the Motorola 8600 that I've been using for 5 years, zero problems with it. The 8611 is the newer version with the 2.5gbs interface.
 
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