I upgraded my wireless home network this weekend from an old Netgear 802.11b router to a shiny new Linksys WRT120N router sporting the latest 802.11n technology, and a much sleeker design.
The network speed difference is very noticeable and significantly faster on the newer router, and the units were on sale for only $39 at Fry's so it seemed like a steal of a deal... until I tried to install it.
I have Comcast internet at home with a standard-issue Motorola cable modem, and it turns out that Linksys routers don't naturally connect directly with these modems.
The Network Magic software that comes with Linksys routers failed on the first setup screen with an "Error 321", claiming it could not detect my ethernet network adapter. Apparently the Linksys routers require you to connect through a separate router that sits between the Comcast modem and the Linksys router (or at least that's what I found hidden somewhere in the documentation) - and in fact, it worked fine if I connected through my old Netgear router to the Comcast modem.
I was also able to connect directly from my computer to the Linksys router, which I was able to verify by running ipconfig and seeing the IP address assigned by the router. I was also able to log into the router's admin console screens by opening a web browser and entering the IP address of the router - http://192.168.1.1 using admin/admin for the username/password.
So the culprit was the connection between the Linksys router and the Comcast modem, and the solution was to make the Linksys router clone my computer's MAC address (which made the Comcast modem think it was connecting directly to my computer instead of to a Linksys router).
Here are the steps to take to get a Linksys router to connect to a Comcast modem:
1. Unplug your computer from the cable modem and power down the cable modem (I even took the battery out from the backside, to make sure it was completely off).
2. Connect your computer with the Linksys router using the network cord, leaving the router unplugged from the cable modem.
3. Open a command prompt and enter "ipconfig /release" and then "ipconfig /renew" to get an IP address from the router.
4. Enter the router's admin console by pointing your web browser to http://192.168.1.1 (default IP address for Linksys routers).
5. Instruct the router to Clone your Mac Address, which is under the main "Setup" tab.
6. Connect the Linksys router to the Comcast cable modem.
7. In the Linksys router's admin console, request a new IP address from the cable modem. (This is the "Renew IP Address" button in the "Status" tab of the admin console)
The Comcast cable modem should now think it's connecting directly to your PC and your Linksys router should now be working.
As for the Network Magic software that came with the Linksys router - I tossed it.
As for Linksys technical support - also worthless. I spent about 15 minutes on hold, only to be disconnected.
I also read stories online about Linksys tech support requiring customers to pay 10 bucks for remote connection software so they could log in and perform the same steps that I just described above, that you can easily do yourself.
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kyanring (not verified) Says: Sat, 2009-12-05 08:13
I have dealt with the same issue a few times setting up a wireless router for some friends, and used the same solution you have described.
The interesting thing is that it was not Linksys that pointed me in the right direction, but Comcast's technical support. Let it be known that I am no fan of Comcast, and stay away from them as much as possible. But they helpede solve this problem more than once.
Ricky Says: Mon, 2009-12-07 08:41
Ryan, did the Comcast tech charge you anything for an application that would allow him to remotely access your computer?
I saw a few threads on google where that had happened.
the plasticgraduate (not verified) Says: Sun, 2009-12-06 18:53
Let me just say, this post was just the piece of awesome sauce I have been needing for the past seven hours. Today has been one of the most frustrating computer troubleshooting days ever - and I've had a number of them.
It began at 10:30 in the morning when my standard-issue Comcast, Motorola cable modem suddenly stopped communicating with my trusty Linksys WRT54G router. No changes to the settings, no power outages, no explanations, just no connectivity from the router. Modem still had internet, but once I connected it to the wrt54g OR my old (hacked) Vonage/Linksys 31P2 router - nothing. Tried renewing DHCP - no results, could not get an IP address from the modem.
I went to my folks house down the street and tried my router on their Comcast modem - same results. But, then, I put connected my router to theirs (Comcast-->parent's router-->my Linksys) and "presto," everything worked just fine.
What ensued was an afternoon of Googling, fiddling, changing all sorts of settings, upgrading firmware, and finally, the dreaded customer support call to Comcast.
If I could throttle somebody, I would have. "Not our problem. Call Linksys. You must have done something." Yeah, right, like all of a sudden, BOTH my routers go bad?! They claim that there hasn't been a firmware upgrade on those modems in a year.
I had just about given up and was ready to cancel Comcast altogether - which is a dream of mine - when I happened to search Twitter and found the link to this post.
Never thought of cloning the MAC address of my computer. (I actually tried cloning the MAC address Comcast router to no avail). Not sure why it works, but it does. Don't know why it decided to crap out today, but it did.
Seven long hours later, my router is humming along, again.
Thank you!
Ricky Says: Mon, 2009-12-07 08:49
I'm really glad this worked for you.
At first I was convinced it was a faulty Linksys router, because I could get wifi from my old Netgear router just fine - connected to the Comcast modem. On a whim I tried daisy-chaining the Comcast modem to the Netgear router, and then finally to the Linksys router. When THAT worked, then I knew the Linksys router was working fine and that something was wonky with the Comcast modem.
And just to be sure, I plugged my computer directly into the Comcast modem and that worked fine... so then it made sense to try the MAC address cloning to make the Comcast modem think it was still talking to my computer directly.
Thanks for posting the detailed steps you went through. Hopefully this article and your comments will help many others as well! :-)
Dave (not verified) Says: Sun, 2010-06-06 05:04
I too also was doing a home network upgrade and purchased a DOCSIS 3.0 Comcast cable modem at a local Bestbuy.
I already have a direct debit payment cable package with them and am registered at their site. so I "assumed" that all will be a breeze. WELL, to make matters short I hade trouble entering my new data online so I had to called a Comcast agent for help.
He was very pleasant and he to had to enter all the data as the web page would not accept it. Anywhos since I had him online I asked about piggy-backing my wireless Linksys (WRT160NV1....actually DD-WRT upgraded as with the original formware I could mnot get a local HOMEGROUP network to form; WIN7, X64, Ultimate))on to the system and was informed to just run the linksys install disk as it was a breeze (breeze...I believe he was...LOL).
So needless to sat it did not work and after 2 hours went to bed. This AM I was searching on this problem and came across your blog. Ten minutes, done, on line and thanking you from my laptop, drinking my Sunday coffee from my easy chair.
The only thing I may add was I had to config my IPV4 address to ststic to get to routers web site). After following the remaining steps a nd rebooting the modem, router, PC in that order I am surfing....
Thanks, appreciate....(whew)!
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