SB4100 After talking to Level 2

JustTweakin · Post by **JustTweakin** » Fri Feb 15, 2002 9:13 am

I can't get my Motorola SB4100 to work. The old @HOME supplied CyberSurfer works fine, but is costing me a monthly fee. My new SurfBoard 4100 isn't. I called ComCast and they sent me to Level 2, the dude asked for a bunch of numbers off the sticker on the 4100 modem, then said I should be able to use it in 24 Hours... that was 5 days ago.

Before I call them again, does anyone know what might be up with this.

All Lights are GREEN and activity is blinking AMBER. But I'm not online.

Tried shuting down, and re-starting and shutdown the modem to reset, and I released/renewed on my router. Still Nothing...

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Fri Feb 15, 2002 9:43 am

Try removing your router to eliminate it as a problem, pull the power plug from your modem for at least a minute to reset it.

JustTweakin · Post by **JustTweakin** » Fri Feb 15, 2002 9:50 am

I'll try that, who knows might work. If it does work, what would be the problem with the router?

What is the MAC address and why does cloning it in my router matter?

Cable_Dood · Post by **Cable_Dood** » Fri Feb 15, 2002 1:01 pm

Nah....if the 'Online' light goes solid in the SB4100, then it has obtained an IP. If you can't get a CPE IP by releasing/renewing, then there's a problem. Don't ever, EVER let tech support hang up saying they will call you back....they won't.

Instead, call the local cable office and have them put your serial number and mac address onto your cable data account. Remind them to remove the modem rental rate code. It should only take the modem 10-15min to provision at this point. If it doesn't work in an hour or less, suspect a bad modem.

P.S. The SB should be assigning you a 192.165.100.xx IP if it won't issue a CPE IP. You can type 192.168.100.1 into a browser window to get to the modem setup page. Click on the configuration link and hit reset/restart.

Yet another thing: If your account produces an exception, it will be receiving a default.bin config file. If there is more than 1 modem carrier frequency in your system, the modem could be locking onto the wrong CMTS.

martialcomp · Post by **martialcomp** » Sun Feb 17, 2002 1:10 am

has a gui at http://192.168.100.1. You can check the signal if you want to. If you have 4 solid lights, then the modem has a boot file and IP as well. If your signals are fine (RX between +15 and -15) and S to N is 30 or better and TX is in the 40's, then the issue is probably that your system is either:

1. Not routing to the dhcp server. It could be that the old @Home routing is still causing problems?

2. You only have 1 IP and the dhcp server has a MAC address cached that is different than the MAC address currently cloned in the router. Or, another PC was connected directly to the modem (router bypassed) that had yet another different MAC address.

It is unlikely that there was a provisioning mistake because the modem would not get a solid online light. However, if the issue is @Home routing interfering, then a repush of the modem and cpe might do the trick.

Forgot to mention...make sure that you have a solid greenLink light on the back of the modem. The Link light is just like a PC light on a Toshiba modem.

Cable_Dood · Post by **Cable_Dood** » Sun Feb 17, 2002 8:33 am

>>It is unlikely that there was a provisioning mistake because the modem would not get a solid online light. However, if the issue is @Home routing interfering, then a repush of the modem and cpe might do the trick. <<

I'm not sure which @Home MSO your coming from...

With Comcast HSI, the modem will always go online now....even if it isn't provisioned at all. If it is not correctly provisioned, it will receive a bootfile that prohibits it from issuing a CPE IP. This is probably in preparation for future self-provisioning.

martialcomp · Post by **martialcomp** » Mon Feb 18, 2002 12:04 am

, but was not sure that any of the MSO's had gone with it yet. If it is auto provisioned, then, yes, it could get a default boot file. But, I am surprised that Comcast would allow the modem to auto provision without a boot file that allows for any CPE's. They are better off disabling this function until they are ready.

JustTweakin · Post by **JustTweakin** » Tue Feb 19, 2002 10:16 am

OK I'm up. I took the router out of line and connected the 4100 to the PC. It didn't work. So I put the router back on.

I reset the SB4100 to clear it's settings out. then shut down everything.

I turned on the Linksys Router First,
Then the SB4100,
Then the PC

Still no good...but.....

Out of frustration, got up and walked away.

about an hour later I came back and discvered that everything is working. The SB4100 was getting the signal. I am converted and all things work as they did with @home.

Now... Since I'm not a gamer, does anyone suggest that I tweak my settings to try to get a faster speed out of my connection? Will I really notice the difference if I do?

If it works good,.. tweak it till it's better, I always say.

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Tue Feb 19, 2002 10:28 am

ALWAYS tweak

, if it ain't broke.....TWEAK it

. As for your modem resetting, I've heard that it can possibly take up to an hour for it to reset, but usually not that long, maybe that's what happened with yours?

Cable_Dood · Post by **Cable_Dood** » Tue Feb 19, 2002 10:41 am

>>But, I am surprised that Comcast would allow the modem to auto provision without a boot file that allows for any CPE's. They are better off disabling this function until they are ready.<<

This is to simplify troubleshooting or cleaning up database exceptions from the @Home conversion. When the account is provisioned the old-fashioned way, it will get a new boot file from the re-push.

SG Broadband Community

SB4100 After talking to Level 2

SB4100 After talking to Level 2

..pull the plug..

The SB4100

I have heard about auto prov

UP and running