Google Nest Router won't connect to my Arris S33

[Cam7]

I have just gotten a new modem and set it up with Xfinity. I plug the Ethernet cable into the Google nest and follow setup in the Google home app, and it won't connect. The modems Ethernet port lights also don't turn on. What do I do to fix this. My new modem is an Arris S33.

[PatrickP_Viking · Accepted solution]

Hey @Cam7 .

This is common sometimes when moving to a new modem. I've had Spectrum for longer than I can remember and have the S33 myself. The below should get you sorted out:

• Perform a factory reset on the Nest Wifi: Factory reset your Wifi device 
• Remove all cables from the modem and Nest Wifi, including any connections between them; you can leave the coaxial connected to the modem.
• Plug the power cable into the modem and let it fully boot.
• Connect your computer to the 2.5Gbps port via Ethernet and try to access a website. This should bring up a self-install page so you can provision the modem to work with Xfinity. If it doesn't come up, you may have to contact them to push the provisioning.
• Once provisioning is complete, remove the power and Ethernet cables from the modem.
• Connect an Ethernet cable from the 2.5Gbps port on the modem to the WAN port on the Nest Wifi.
• Connect the power cable to the modem and then immediately connect the power cable to the Nest Wifi and wait for both to fully boot; this should put the modem into bridge mode.
• Once stable, follow the Google Home app to complete setup.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

[PatrickP_Viking · Accepted solution]

Hey @Cam7 .

This is common sometimes when moving to a new modem. I've had Spectrum for longer than I can remember and have the S33 myself. The below should get you sorted out:

• Perform a factory reset on the Nest Wifi: Factory reset your Wifi device 
• Remove all cables from the modem and Nest Wifi, including any connections between them; you can leave the coaxial connected to the modem.
• Plug the power cable into the modem and let it fully boot.
• Connect your computer to the 2.5Gbps port via Ethernet and try to access a website. This should bring up a self-install page so you can provision the modem to work with Xfinity. If it doesn't come up, you may have to contact them to push the provisioning.
• Once provisioning is complete, remove the power and Ethernet cables from the modem.
• Connect an Ethernet cable from the 2.5Gbps port on the modem to the WAN port on the Nest Wifi.
• Connect the power cable to the modem and then immediately connect the power cable to the Nest Wifi and wait for both to fully boot; this should put the modem into bridge mode.
• Once stable, follow the Google Home app to complete setup.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

[Cam7]

Thanks for the reply! We got a new refurbished Nest off of Amazon, and thats working well. Our house had been struck by lighting and thats what fried our old modem, and our old nest, as well as the ethernet port in my computer. Thanks again for helping out!

[PatrickP_Viking]

No problem; glad you got things working!

Let us know if you need any further assistance.

[Bully5]

I’m having a similar issue (see my post from earlier this week). From what I understand the S33 has no “bridge mode” to enable since it’s just a modem (not a router). Your steps above haven’t worked for me and the Nest still doesn’t connect. Any thoughts?

[PatrickP_Viking · Accepted solution]

Hey @Bully5 . Sorry for the delayed response; I've been dealing with some personal matters.

Bridge Mode is not just a router mode and is a function of all modems so you can connect external routers to them so traffic will flow past the modem for router management. If this connection isn't established, the modem will not allow the router to manage traffic or receive the data.

The first priority is to confirm that your modem is provisioned by connecting a computer directly to the modem and navigate to several sites. If you get errors, then you will have to go to the Xfinity Self-Help site to provision it or contact their support.

If the modem is provisioned and you have performed the previously advised steps including the resets, then please provide a little more detail as to steps, connections, where it fails, etc. so I can better understand what could be the issue.

[Bully5]

Thank you for the response. It wasn’t working for a long time but then I switched the outgoing port on the S33 from the 2.5 mbps to the 1mbps and it seems to work now. There’s no reason that should have fixed it, but it did!

[PatrickP_Viking]

Great to hear @Bully5 ! 

I agree that it shouldn't have worked. I suspect it could be an Xfinity control included in the provisioning by someone that didn't understand or follow Arris' recommendations.

Let me know if you need any additional help.