Home Networking / Router / & WiFi Gateway Help

[John_in_Bethel]

I just received an Amped High Power range extender. After nearly an hour on the phone with their customer service, the tech learned that no extenders are known to work with Comcastt's Gateway. Comcast customer service suggested what previous folks have said - add on a separate wireless router and try again.

[bnaughty]

The Amped extender doesn't actually boost the original network, it creates it's own SSID, and your devices may be seeing both networks and becoming confused as to which to connect to, or connecting to each back and forth...

Is your goal just to get those 3 devices online?  Return the Amped, get an EA series Cisco router, and a Cisco WES610N Wireless Bridge...

If it's to boost the signal of ONE network, the Cisco RE1000 will work, just make sure you get all the same brand equipment if its wireless boosting you need...

[ModMaster]

You can also grab a old router and install the DD-WRT firmware on it which will allow you to create your own wireless bridge or extender. Here is the supported devices list http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices Edit: I may have jumped the gun for I didnt read that no extenders work with Comcast's Wireless Gateway. I guess it could be worth the try.

[John_in_Bethel]

Thanks for the tips. I am "simply" trying to get wireless internet connection outside of my house so that I can work/watch streaming video in a detached garage (about 200 feet from base unit). Two attempts with two different range extenders have failed. (Oddly, the home network "disappeares" from view.) I previously had DSL via AT&T and that wireless gateway had no problem connecting and rebroadcasting via a netgear signal extender. I am still eager to try a signal extender (does the bridge do the same?) as I've had internet access in the garage for years now. Thanks. John

[bnaughty]

I think your best bet it to have the gateway placed into bridge mode by calling 1 800 363 2416, and run your own decent router that will broadcast far enough...

[ModMaster]

Here's a pic on how a wireless bridge works. http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Image:Standard_bridge_large.jpg

[bnaughty]

I can vouch for the DD-WRT route if you feel like getting advanced with everything, but you'll need the gateway in bridge mode, and two seperate routers, one being supported by dd-wrt f/w...

If you want to keep things simplified, get a router, but be sure to have same brand router and extender...  bring the amped back...

[ModMaster]

Hey, I have a question about that. Will the wireless bridge still work with the Xfinity router? I haven't had the need for this lately but I am curious. Thanks.

[bnaughty]

U mean the Cisco WES610N wireless bridge?  You know I'm not real sure, but I would imagine that it will, even though extenders do not...  It's not repeating or boosting the network at all...  It connects just like a computer would, and broadcasts through four ethernet slots on the back...  Mine's in bridge mode, so I wouldn't be able to confirm it for you...  During the initial setup, I hardwired my laptop to it to access it's interface...  it has a default ip of 169.xxx.xxx.xxx I can't remember the rest...  In it's interface, which is very similar to a Cisco router interface, you can scan for networks, and connect to them...  Once youre connected, you will need to use the routers DHCP lease list to get its true IP address and login to it...

Here are some screenshots of its interface...

Wireless Site Survey

Status

WMM Settings

Advanced Settings

If you notices in the status page, it was only connected at 13.5 Mbps, but only because I'm not actively using anything connected from it...  If I were to be streaming an HS movie, and check its Status, it would report either 270Mbps or 300Mbps...

It's a fine device in my opinion...  It just works...

[bnaughty]

Someone with a little deeper network knowledge is going to have to determine will it work with the gateway's network or not....  It works fine with my Cisco EA4500 but of course it would...

[John_in_Bethel]

I have temporarily put my quest for the range extender on hold until I resolve what may be part of the problem. Latest configuration - i too have the Cisco EA4500 router connected via bridge to my Xfinity SAC gateway. I keep getting dropped internet connection even though it seems to stay connected to the router. Comcast techs say their signal is fine - which then pushes the problem back to Cicso. Am going to let it all rest for the holiday! Still - I have tried to use the Amped range extender and an older Netgear wall box (that I used for years when I had DSL). Neither worked well for more than 10 mnins before lots of these problems magnified - stumping everyone, frankly. The last comcast tech suggested i ask Comcast for a basic cable modem vs. the gateway device to try all this from the start. Any thoughts? Thanks

[PeteC2]

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John_in_Bethel wrote: The last comcast tech suggested i ask Comcast for a basic cable modem vs. the gateway device to try all this from the start. Any thoughts? Thanks

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Yes John...most wireless gateways, and certainly Comcast supplied models due to their limited settings due to firmware, are the Devil's tool!

Well...maybe a small exaggeration, but...

If you are not using an eMTA (voice and internet), then yes, either have Comcast swap you a basic D3 cable modem, or buy your own (recommend the Zoom 5341J) and quit paying rent.  Then use a quality router and you should have no issues with the range extender.

***Although I am partial to the Linksys EA series routers, do beware that they have changed their firmware to run it from the cloud, which has garnered a lot of angst from some users... personally I have no problem at all with that,and you can run their "classic" firmware to bypass that.***

[bnaughty]

Just because the signal may look fine while youre talking with that particular agent, doesnt mean the modem doesnt lose sync from the cable network...  the smc gateway is trash, the arris is a decent device in bridged mode as emta only...  you're gonna have to base whats wrong by what fixes it...  when the connection drops are all the modem lights still solid?  then the modems online...  powercycle the router...  did it bring the connection back with no work to the modem?  i sometimes have to powercycle only my ea4500, whereas in the past, with a cheaper router, and an older arris emta i never had to do that...   i'm not sure what the deal it with these gateways...  maybe once a week ill lose internet, phone still works, and ill remotely reboot the router or pull the power cord...   if it's any worse than that, i would recommend getting a new piece of equipment, i dont see how its your router...

[John_in_Bethel]

Do you think I should try the cable modem that Comcast may offer first? Or go right for the Zoom device? thanks

[bnaughty]

Do you have comcast phone service?  If so, you have to stay with their Gateway or EMTA....  If not, try a modem offered by them, it's free to swap...  Then you'll know is it the service or the equipment...  Then go for the Zoom...

[John_in_Bethel]

ah yes I have triple play. Is the EMT device separate from the modem? Does it sit in same location or is it somewhere else in the house (perhaps the basement with the main wiring)? John

[PeteC2]

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John_in_Bethel wrote:
Do you think I should try the cable modem that Comcast may offer first? Or go right for the Zoom device? thanks

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I have no squabbles with the D3 cable modems that Comcast provides, but for around $80 you can buy your own modem and save the $7 a month rent.  The Zoom 5341J (make sure it is the "J" model) is well recommended by many Comcast customers.

[PeteC2]

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John_in_Bethel wrote:
ah yes I have triple play. Is the EMT device separate from the modem? Does it sit in same location or is it somewhere else in the house (perhaps the basement with the main wiring)? John

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Yikes!  I just saw your last reply.  Since you are using an eMTA gateway (voice as well as internet), let me retract that!  The ability to self-own an eMTA that works with Comcast is pretty restricted, and I would not bother going that route.

Your gateway is an eMTA modem, as well as router.  The only Comcast self-owned eMTA currently is the Arris TM722G, and only through selected Best Buy stores that have a Comcast center...and there are fewer of those than ever.

[bnaughty]

You have the SMC gateway, and it's trash in ALL respects...  it can't be remote logged into (possibly now, i don't work for comcast anymore), in several spots it says the letters SMC, and yours is potentially causing you issues....   A tech has to swap that, to get the phone working correctly...  My personal recommendation is to do what I did...  I scheduled an APPT and told them everything works great, but maybe once a day, sometimes twice, my EMTA would reboot itself (a lie of course, but it was a 402G, like 5yrs old, and I wanted a D3 device, so from experience, and the desire to not argue with an agent while I was currently an agent, it was best to say what I did), and I'd like to have my equipment changed out because it resets itself...  And when it does that, sometimes I have to powercycle my router, blah blah blah, I'm sure you can handle it...

These gateways are pretty much what they're gonna have on the truck....  I even asked the tech for a TM722G but he didn't have one, so I said as long as the gateway is Arris I'll take it....  It's in bridged mode, with the same router you have, EA4500, and I really can't complain...

I hope you get your issue fixed...

[bnaughty]

I'd also like to add that the SMC gateway has a bug in its FW where when the power goes out, and the device is in acFail status, when power is restored, the WiFi sometimes will not come back on, requiring a factory reset, and that doesn't always fix it...  doesn't pertain to you, because its bridged, but just more evidence that it's trash...

[EG]

FWIW here, my understanding is that if an SMC gateway device has been put in to bridge mode by them that a "reset to factory defaults" operation will remove it from being in bridge mode, so one would need to call in again to have it re-bridged by them.

[tunjoku]

Range extender that is compatible with Comcast router.

[bnaughty]

Yup...