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We recently purchased a Motorola SURFboard SB6121 modem and activated it with Comcast. After the technician activated the modem, she instructed me to connect a computer to it and try to go online. This failed, so she gave me a number for Motorola and told me to call back if I had any more problems. It turns out that the computer I was using (my mom's) never had Ethernet adapter drivers installed, go figure. How she manages to live without Ethernet drivers is an entirely different subject. I connected the modem to my computer and performed a power cycle. This worked, now I have internet (1 Gbps!). When I connected the modem to our router, an SMC SMCWBR15S-3N and performed a power cycle, the router never connected to the modem. I have reset my router to factory defaults, power cycled, and tried to connected again. I have tried setting a static IP for the router (the modem says it allocates IP addresses using DHCP, but it was worth a try). I have logged on to the modem's settings page, but there's really nothing there to change. I have tried everything I know but I still can't get internet through my modem. I have even tried a different router (old Linksys, I can get the model if you think that might help) to no avail. Please help me, preferably soon before my dad comes home and decides to fix it himself (he's largely computer illiterate, with the exception of excellent spreadsheet skills, so this would be a bad thing).
EDIT: Light flashes blue when connected successfully to computer. Light flashes amber when connected unsuccessfully to modem, but documentation states that this is an indication of a slower connection, not an error.
I am now going to try updating my router firmware. In addition, I will see if changing the power cycle order (router on first, then modem) will help.
I'm a little bit confused as to what you are trying to achieve. Why don't you get the router to be the DHCP server instead of the modem? Simply use the modem as a gateway to the internet, but let the router handle the load. Is the modem being plugged into the router via wan? Is it lan cable to wan port? Please explain your setup. Sorry if I have simply misunderstood. – Sam – 2013-01-04T23:26:17.107
The modem says that it uses DHCP, if that confuses you then, well, join the club. But yes, I am connecting the Ethernet cable from the modem to the WAN port of the router. – Void Star – 2013-01-04T23:28:42.313
Also, there appears to be no firmware upgrade for my router, so that isn't an option any more. – Void Star – 2013-01-04T23:29:32.953
Right, so you need to find the setting to disable DHCP on the modem and enable it on the router. Make sure the router and the modem have two different ip addresses and are on the same subnet ie ( 192.168.1.xxx) – Sam – 2013-01-04T23:31:00.437
Also, the router won't be able to work with the modem unless you have setup the connection credentials under the setup tab. – Sam – 2013-01-04T23:31:59.687
I couldn't find a way to disable DHCP on the modem. Since I have it working now, this is a moot point, but for curiosity's sake I'd like to know which setup tab you are referring to, the modem's or the router's? – Void Star – 2013-01-04T23:39:43.373
I am referring to the routers. You need to add all of the connection credentials so it can communicate with your ISP. That is unless your modem automatically does this and is simply forwarding the connection. It could be the reason that you can't disable DHCP. You have it going now so that is all that really matters. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" – Sam – 2013-01-04T23:42:44.343