Connected without internet

[Elizabeth2]

After resetting my modem, the Google Nest network will not connect to the internet.   My internet provider has run tests and we have full signal to the modem.   All cables are secure. Please advise. 

[Elizabeth2]

Additional info - We have 3 nodes

[PatrickP_Viking]

Hey @Elizabeth2 .

When you reset the modem it took it out of bridge mode, and if you have a device that can act as a router and/or with WIfi they were also enabled again. There are steps to resolve it though.

Who is your ISP and the modem make/model?

[Juni]

Hi there,

We haven’t heard back from you, so I'll be locking this thread in 24 hours. Feel free to create a new one if you have other concerns in the future.
 

Regards,

Juni

[Josh101prf]

I'm having the same problem. My internet works fine because I bypass the router and Xbox works great wired. I've already tried a factory reset on the router. However, when I plug in the internet from the modem The nest does not recognize the internet and continues to pulse with a white light. 

[Josh101prf]

My internet provider is Comcast however I don't have issues with my internet I have issues with my nest router recognizing the internet when I plug in the ethernet cord

[PatrickP_Viking]

Hey @Josh101prf .

The same likely applies with yours as well and the modem is not automatically going into bridge mode and may also have routing & Wifi enabled, if it is capable of the latter two.

Most modems that are not router/modem combos should automatically move to bridge mode when an external router is connected. If it is a router/modem combo, you will have to disable some settings and/or bridge it manually.

[Josh101prf]

Thank you for the quick reply

I have an arris surfboard sb8200.

As far as I know it is a modem only. 

Is there any other info that will help solve the problem?

[PatrickP_Viking]

Thanks for the modem information @Josh101prf .

The Arris SB8200 will auto-negotiate the bridge mode IF Comcast hasn't locked that down. Unless you have a bad cable, everything should work fine between the two. I had the same modem on Spectrum that I bought and it worked without issue the first time.

A trick to try to see if they will auto-negotiate the bridge mode:

1. Unplug power from the modem and the Nest router.
2. With an Ethernet cable between the modem port #1 and the router, plug the modem power back in and then immediately the Nest router power cable.
3. The modem and router should negotiate the connection and put it into bridge mode.

If that still doesn't get the traffic flowing, Comcast may have locked it down so that they have to manually put the modem into bridge; some lock these automations down so you come to them for one of "their" devices.

[Josh101prf]

Thank you for the reply. 

I talked to Comcast, they told me that nothing has changed on their end. They said that it's something with the modem. What I don't understand is the Xbox is receiving information from the modem but the router is not. I even tried a different router that had the same problem. Is it possible that the modem itself is bad?

[PatrickP_Viking]

They can over time.

In simple terms, if your modem is configured correctly you should be able to connect directly to it with one device and to the internet. Since it is only that single device there's no traffic to route to any other device; essentially the modem is "routing" the traffic straight through and managing some layers of the networking stack. When you install a router, the modem passes the signal to the router to manage all traffic. If the modem doesn't bridge the connection to the router, the signal is stopped since it is detecting the router as multiple devices.

[Josh101prf]

Thank you for the reply.

I'm at a loss for what to try next. I think I'm just going to buy a new modem and see if it works. If it doesn't work I will take the new one back and troubleshoot the old one.

I can't get the admin page to open up for the SURFboard modem to check the settings. I don't have a lot of patience for networking stuff this is the second night in a row I've spent the entire evening troubleshooting.

I appreciate the help you have offered.

[PatrickP_Viking]

Hey @Josh101prf .

Networking can be complicated to troubleshoot even for the most experienced person at any given time and it is an ever-evolving technology; I could tell you some stories about my past adventures (LOL).

Here is the Support page to download  the SB8200 User Guide and page 15 has the instructions on how to log into the interface. There will likely not be a bridge mode toggle but the event logs should provide some information about any errors or issues. I used the logs when I started having issues and discovered mine was going out before it got too far gone.

If you stick with Arris, upgrading to the S33 is worth the additional price as I discovered when I replaced mine. Just make sure that regardless what you buy that you have Comcast provision the modem for their network.

Let me know how things go and if a new modem resolves it.

[Josh101prf]

Thank you. 

Is it possible to have two devices hardwired to the modem at the same time? For example, my Xbox and iMac?  

Or can only one device be hardwired...usually its a router but currently my Xbox which I use to watch tv. 

It would be nice to trouble shoot on my iMac while I have something playing on the Xbox but I haven't had luck getting both to work at the same time, via hardwire. 

[PatrickP_Viking]

Most modems will not allow multiple connections to Ethernet ports to work unless they are router/modem combos.

[Josh101prf]

After further trouble shooting I ended up buying a new router and everything now works great. So something's up with the nest router. Do you have any suggestions on how I could update the firmware without being connected to the internet? I have a feeling that's not possible. It's super unfortunate that I'm out the cost of a Google nest that's about 18 months old.

[PatrickP_Viking]

Hey @Josh101prf .

There is no way to update firmware on the Nest Wifi without being connected to the internet.

It is hard to say for sure that the Nest Wifi was the issue though. When you installed the other router, the modem appears to have went into bridge mode like it should have with the Nest Wifi. If it was the same router you had previously, then it would verify that Comcast has control over particular settings and their Support needed to unlock or configure something on their side. If it was a totally different device and Comcast Support didn't do anything then why was the modem not allowing a bridge connection?

If the Nest Wifi was factory reset before attempting to install it recently but couldn't negotiate the bridge connection with the modem, then something on the modem or Comcast end was preventing it. The negotiation between them is two-way and if either side doesn't allow it, then the negotiation isn't completed. SInce the modem wouldn't allow the bridge connection to establish but had internet connectivity directly through the modem, something on that side wasn't allowing the request to be fulfilled.

Hopefully things remain stable. If you try to install the Nest Wifi again, make sure you do a reset before attempting to install it again.

Factory reset your Wifi device 

[AbigailF]

Hey folks, 

Thanks for lending a hand, @PatrickP_Viking.
@Josh101prf and @Elizabeth2, I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,
Abi

[Josh101prf]

My nest router is on the shelf collecting dust, where it's going to stay. Not only does my internet work with a different router but it works extremely faster. Oh, and I have four ports to hard wire too instead of just one.

[AbigailF]

Hi Josh101prf,

We're sad to see you go. If ever you change your mind, we're here to help.

Best,
Abi

[AbigailF]

Hey Josh101prf,

Chiming in to see if you still need assistance with this. Hope the previous post helped. Let us know if you have additional questions ― we'd love to help.

Thanks,
Abi

[Josh101prf]

I appreciate you helping me, however, based on everything I've done I don't believe it was the modem. Why would it negotiate with a different router once it's plugged in?

For whatever reason the nest router was not accepting a signal from the modem. Once a new modem was plugged in not only does the internet work but it works much better.