Question ONT/Internet/Router issue

[McGibb]

New to the forums and have run out of ideas so I would appreciate any ideas or help.

Service provider is Century Link 1gig up/down comes to the house as fiber and goes to an ONT.

When originally installed they tested the up/down speed and connected to thier laptop to make sure they could web browse all looked good no issue.

After they left and I connected my router (Netgear Nighthawk) and it could not detect internet so I connected another router (Netgear AC1000) same issue. Plug any laptop in or desktop PC direct to the Cat5e coming from the ONT and internet works perfect.

So after trying 20 different things and a few hours with Netgear tech support I had no joy. So out of pure frustration I connected the ethernet cable (Cat5e)from the ONT to a switch I had on hand then to the router and boom the router sees the internet and works as it always did and I have internet, wifi and all is good.

So its set up currently. Fiber to the home>ONT> switch> wifi/router> PC

I have tried many times to remove the switch but no luck I want to know if anyone else has ever encountered this or why I need a switch before the router so it sees the internet...

I have beat my head against the wall and googled till my eyes were popping out of my head and no joy any ideas or information is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[JackMDS]

Hmm... what about checking with the Century Link service's support?

 

[McGibb]

Hmm... what about checking with the Century Link service's support?

Absolutely......did that also so what they do is simply send a tech and does the same thing they did at install in fact he said he was one of the last few techs that has a laptop, now they have a small device that they connect at the ONT that confirms up and download speeds then he reconnects inside to insure the cable from the ONT is ok .

Since I can connect a PC to it (he also used his laptop) and it does work the tech says adios have a nice day! Basically anything after that cable inside your house not their problem. For hi speed internet here in Mid-MO. Century link is the only game in town for now.

The only other thing I ever found that is somewhat relatable is this article

Ethernet Switch Between the ONT and the Router (FiOS)

When FiOS was first launched by Verizon it was a glorious time. The city I live in (Keller, TX) was the first city in the nation to get FiOS! It was fantastic. The fastest stuff on the block was DSL from Verizon or AT&T at 1.5Mb/s down and 128 Kb/s up and it wasn’t reliable […]

www.thegeekpub.com

 

[SamirD]

I've seen an oddball issue like this once in person. I had the same issue between a cisco cable modem and my netgear fvs114 many years ago. It worked fine with another modem, but just wouldn't play right with the cisco.

If a switch solves the problem, it's a quick $10 solution that allows you to use what you want, so I'd just run with it.

 

[Genx87]

Centurylink have line speed requirements? I know on the commercial side the electrical handoff from an optical circuit requires setting the line speed on the router unless you have a switch. But even then it is 50/50 you still need to set the line speed on the switch port.

 

[McGibb]

Centurylink have line speed requirements? I know on the commercial side the electrical handoff from an optical circuit requires setting the line speed on the router unless you have a switch. But even then it is 50/50 you still need to set the line speed on the switch port.

I am not sure if there is such a thing on the residential side, the switch I am using is just one of the low cost unmanaged switch from Netgear (GS208) and you can't set a line speed on that. Just to clarify a bit more, technically their hardware outside is a ONT/modem and since I have just internet from them it comes out of ethernet port 1 on their hardware. The other port they use if you buy phone service from them and is inactive currently since I don't use their phone service.

My Netgear nighthawk (R800) once the switch is in place before Century links ONT/modem the nighthawk will autsetup and works like a champ or I can manually setup the router and it works fine...... take that switch out and its game over. This goes the same for an AC1000 Netgear router that I also have tried.

 

[mxnerd]

It's possible Century Link's ONT equipment has some compatibility issues. Like Intel's newest 2.5Gbps onboard PHY ethernet chips got compatibility issues too.

Question - Anyone moving from AM4 platform to Z490 (Intel)? For the 2.5Gbit LAN?

I know I'm tempted. Even the $200 ASRock Extreme-whatever budget board has 2.5Gbit LAN onboard. Most Z490 boards do. Whereas, what about the X570 boards? Still very few. I don't know about B550 boards, maybe the mobo makers will have a change of heart, and add 2.5Gbit LAN to most of those...

forums.anandtech.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/gq5cm9

 

[boomerang]

My Netgear nighthawk (R800) once the switch is in place before Century links ONT/modem the nighthawk will autsetup and works like a champ or I can manually setup the router and it works fine...... take that switch out and its game over. This goes the same for an AC1000 Netgear router that I also have tried.

I'm about two steps ahead of a rank amateur so if my questions appear to be dumb, that's why.

I am confused on the bolded. Which router are you referring to? You mistakenly referred to your GS208 as a router earlier so I want to know what device you are referencing.

Are you paying for a static IP from Century Link?

If you go to whatismyip.com does what they show for your Public IP v4 match up with the WAN IP shown in your (either) router when logged into its configuration? That would tell us if Century Link is using CGNAT where you're at.

The fiber provider in my community is using CGNAT. My public IP addresses will be different when I do what I described above. If I wish to pay for a static IP, the two addresses will be the same but in order to establish an Internet connection, I must configure the first device connected after the ONT with the information my ISP provides related to the static IP. This is why I am wondering what device you are referring to especially in light of your statement that a manual setup works fine.

Have you power cycled the ONT when connecting to it? My ONT will only store 6 MAC ID's (per my ISP) and if anything beyond those is connected, it must be power cycled.

 

[McGibb]

I'm about two steps ahead of a rank amateur so if my questions appear to be dumb, that's why.

I am confused on the bolded. Which router are you referring to? You mistakenly referred to your GS208 as a router earlier so I want to know what device you are referencing.

Are you paying for a static IP from Century Link?

If you go to whatismyip.com does what they show for your Public IP v4 match up with the WAN IP shown in your (either) router when logged into its configuration? That would tell us if Century Link is using CGNAT where you're at.

The fiber provider in my community is using CGNAT. My public IP addresses will be different when I do what I described above. If I wish to pay for a static IP, the two addresses will be the same but in order to establish an Internet connection, I must configure the first device connected after the ONT with the information my ISP provides related to the static IP. This is why I am wondering what device you are referring to especially in light of your statement that a manual setup works fine.

Have you power cycled the ONT when connecting to it? My ONT will only store 6 MAC ID's (per my ISP) and if anything beyond those is connected, it must be power cycled.

You are correct on the switch and I went back and edited my post thank you, the bold I have no idea when I edited the post it's not bold so on that, not sure. Either router acts the same and by same I mean the following if I let either router use its setup wizard and get the IP address and configure itself it works fine as long as the switch is in front of it, if I manually setup the router for DHCP and obtain IP from ISP etc. it will also work so I am trying to say I cannot see it being a router issue as the two routers act and work the same but only if there is a switch in front of them

Thanks for the ideas here are some answers to your questions

No I do not have a static IP and am not paying for one at this time and I am sure only because Century Link has changed my IP enough times to cause HULU to stop working because it thought I had accessed their service more than 3 times from other devices outside of my home area which caused me to start monitoring my IP

Whatsmyip and my router have the same IP address

I have not power cycled the ONT that's a great idea!!!! I feel stupid at the moment for not thinking of that. If you are at step 2 from rank amateur then that clearly makes me at step 1 or the rankamateur lol

Thank you very much for your consideration and ideas

 

[JackMDS]

Just another variable as an example

At times, after a need to disconnect systems, when I Restart. I have to wait 20-30 minutes until FIOS assigns a new IP and the ONT with Asus Router "forging" a New connection (I do not use Verizon Modem/Router).

 

[McGibb]

Just another variable as an example

At times, after a need to disconnect systems, when I Restart. I have to wait 20-30 minutes until FIOS assigns a new IP and the ONT with Asus Router "forging" a New connection (I do not use Verizon Modem/Router).

Good tip I likely would not have been that patient or thought about it if you wouldn't have suggested it.

Thanks!

 

[McGibb]

Tried to power cycle and no change, I left the ONT off for about 30 min and had nothing connected to it. No joy same issue. I am down to either finding a GPON modem and setting it up exactly like century link does
(GPON modem in bridge mode> Router)

Appreciate everyone's help

 

[Bnbergum]

Your issue is not with your ont. CenturyLink uses pppoe authentication for their modems when they activate your service. If you are using your own modem you need to contact CenturyLink and ask for pppoe credentials. They will give you a username and password which you will need to enter in you modem. Also you need to input the vlan settings. In your modem vlan settings are usually found in lan settings or iptv. You need to enter 201. Once you enter the pppoe credentials and the vlan it should work.

 

[McGibb]

Your issue is not with your ont. CenturyLink uses pppoe authentication for their modems when they activate your service. If you are using your own modem you need to contact CenturyLink and ask for pppoe credentials. They will give you a username and password which you will need to enter in you modem. Also you need to input the vlan settings. In your modem vlan settings are usually found in lan settings or iptv. You need to enter 201. Once you enter the pppoe credentials and the vlan it should work.

Thanks very much I recently found this out also and was waiting till next weekend, I did not know about the virtual lan settings once I'm at home next weekend I plan to give it another try.

It does not really matter at this point but does it make sense to you that by using a switch it will work and that plugging a laptop directly into the ethernet connection form the ONT it also works. I have been reading everything about it I can to try and understand more. The switch I might understand in that it got an IP address and then broadcasted it out allowing my router to use that IP?

Appreciate your help

 

[McGibb]

Your issue is not with your ont. CenturyLink uses pppoe authentication for their modems when they activate your service. If you are using your own modem you need to contact CenturyLink and ask for pppoe credentials. They will give you a username and password which you will need to enter in you modem. Also you need to input the vlan settings. In your modem vlan settings are usually found in lan settings or iptv. You need to enter 201. Once you enter the pppoe credentials and the vlan it should work.

Just a follow up I called Century Link today to get my PPPoE credentials...... not all Century Link accounts are setup as PPPoE and mine happens to be one of those it is set up as IPoE.

I am back to square one