Hello,
Please bear with me as this back story is needed to fully explain my current issue:
When I first got internet at my home, the setup was simply a wireless modem with 4 wired slots. One day, the wireless quit working completely. Upon calling my provider, they simply told me that they 'no longer offer the wireless modem service' directly, and I would have to purchase my own router. No big deal. Bought, installed, and no problems for many months.
Lately, the modem's 'Online' light has been going out. No real pattern to it. Sometimes it would die every hour, some times it'd be just fine for several days. Finally, I called for a tech to come out. This is when the trouble started.
He informed me that the wireless service did in fact work through the modem, and was active when he got there. I call BS at this point, because I should have had two separate wireless access points if this was the case: one for the router, and one for the modem.
Unfortunately, my girlfriend was home when he was there, so I didn't get a chance to challenge the tech's line of thinking. In his opinion, the two wireless networks were conflicting, and that was causing the modem to go offline. Again, I call BS. If this were true, wouldn't it stand to reason that the conflict would have started almost immediately, not months after?
Here's a layout of the setup we had previously:
Modem>
Wired port 1 - This connection always has a connection to it for my PC
Wired port 2 - Runs to the wireless router in the center of the house
Wired port 3 - Hooks to the jack in the kitchen wall. Typically not used, but there for when she's doing banking and such online. (She's iffy about wireless and personal info like that)
Wired port 4 - Guest bedroom. Again, usually not used, but there if needed
The tech's solution was to bridge the modem and router, and install a booster on the coax line. This made my girlfriend happy enough. As for the wifi has worked fine since, with no problems.
However, when I got home, none of the other directly wired ports on the modem work. All computers say 'Limited or no connectivity' and the modem will not assign an ip address to any of the wired computers.
Back on the phone I went, and talked to a tech a bit ago. He informed me that I now *have to* connect any wired devices to the router, as the modem can 'only assign one ip address, and that's to the router.' Total crap right? I told him, if that's so, why put 4 hooks in the modem at all? Further, why did this setup work just fine for months? He told me it must have been a fluke, and the ips could have been cycling just right and now they're conflicting. Again, calling BS.
I went around and around with this guy, to no end. I finally told him I'd call back, because the convo was getting nowhere.
My question:
What's causing the directly wired ports to no longer work? I'd assume it's how they have the modem configured to work with the bridge. I'm savvy enough with this stuff, but I have zero experience with use of bridges.
Really, all I want is for the wireless on the modem to be turned off. It's useless. The modem is located in a wiring hub in the far corner of the house, in a metal box in the wall. We never got very good signal as it was, and all I really need is the router to work as it did before. I see no reason to have a bridge at all. Just turn it off at the modem, and that would fix any conflict in the wifis. Personally, I think the booster fixed the on/off problem, not the bridge.
I'm looking for some better info on the way this tech set up the current configuration, so when I call back I have a better understanding of the problem.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Please bear with me as this back story is needed to fully explain my current issue:
When I first got internet at my home, the setup was simply a wireless modem with 4 wired slots. One day, the wireless quit working completely. Upon calling my provider, they simply told me that they 'no longer offer the wireless modem service' directly, and I would have to purchase my own router. No big deal. Bought, installed, and no problems for many months.
Lately, the modem's 'Online' light has been going out. No real pattern to it. Sometimes it would die every hour, some times it'd be just fine for several days. Finally, I called for a tech to come out. This is when the trouble started.
He informed me that the wireless service did in fact work through the modem, and was active when he got there. I call BS at this point, because I should have had two separate wireless access points if this was the case: one for the router, and one for the modem.
Unfortunately, my girlfriend was home when he was there, so I didn't get a chance to challenge the tech's line of thinking. In his opinion, the two wireless networks were conflicting, and that was causing the modem to go offline. Again, I call BS. If this were true, wouldn't it stand to reason that the conflict would have started almost immediately, not months after?
Here's a layout of the setup we had previously:
Modem>
Wired port 1 - This connection always has a connection to it for my PC
Wired port 2 - Runs to the wireless router in the center of the house
Wired port 3 - Hooks to the jack in the kitchen wall. Typically not used, but there for when she's doing banking and such online. (She's iffy about wireless and personal info like that)
Wired port 4 - Guest bedroom. Again, usually not used, but there if needed
The tech's solution was to bridge the modem and router, and install a booster on the coax line. This made my girlfriend happy enough. As for the wifi has worked fine since, with no problems.
However, when I got home, none of the other directly wired ports on the modem work. All computers say 'Limited or no connectivity' and the modem will not assign an ip address to any of the wired computers.
Back on the phone I went, and talked to a tech a bit ago. He informed me that I now *have to* connect any wired devices to the router, as the modem can 'only assign one ip address, and that's to the router.' Total crap right? I told him, if that's so, why put 4 hooks in the modem at all? Further, why did this setup work just fine for months? He told me it must have been a fluke, and the ips could have been cycling just right and now they're conflicting. Again, calling BS.
I went around and around with this guy, to no end. I finally told him I'd call back, because the convo was getting nowhere.
My question:
What's causing the directly wired ports to no longer work? I'd assume it's how they have the modem configured to work with the bridge. I'm savvy enough with this stuff, but I have zero experience with use of bridges.
Really, all I want is for the wireless on the modem to be turned off. It's useless. The modem is located in a wiring hub in the far corner of the house, in a metal box in the wall. We never got very good signal as it was, and all I really need is the router to work as it did before. I see no reason to have a bridge at all. Just turn it off at the modem, and that would fix any conflict in the wifis. Personally, I think the booster fixed the on/off problem, not the bridge.
I'm looking for some better info on the way this tech set up the current configuration, so when I call back I have a better understanding of the problem.
Thank you in advance for your help!
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