christopher_a_johnson's profile

Contributor

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2 Messages

Monday, January 28th, 2013 5:27 PM

4111n Won't Operate in Bridge Mode - Firmware Upgrade

I recently upgraded from AT&T DSL to AT&T Uverse.  I currently have a 2Wire Gateway for UVerse, but it only supports wireless b/g and I want to use my old gateway, an AT&T/Pace 4111n, as a router so I can use wireless N.  Every time I try to set the 4111n as a bridge, I get an error that PPPoE doesn't work in bridge mode and it turns bridge mode off.  I have tried every possible combination to configure it in bridge mode.  I have followed the instructions on the AT&T support website, done lots of internet research, and read a lot of forums.  I think that my 4111n needs a firmware upgrade so that it will operate correctly.  How do I upgrade the firmware?  I can't find any instructions on how to do this.

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Official Solution

ACE - Expert

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34.6K Messages

11 years ago

Bridge mode, for a gateway, means that it allows the device on the LAN side to connect fairly transparently to its WAN side, without firewall, routing, etc.  However, as Gregzoll said, it's still a gateway, and its WAN port is for connecting DSL service, not Ethernet service, so you cannot connect its WAN port to an ethernet port (such as a LAN port on your RG).

 

Theoretically, it would seem logical that you could turn off DHCP on the LAN side, give it a static address out of the way because it'll be bound and determined to have an IP address, and let it be a switch/wireless access point, like you could any normal consumer wireless router.  However, the fact that it is set up to be a gateway means that it thinks things are very, very not good whenever it doesn't find someone to talk ADSL to it on its WAN port and will likely go catatonic until it does.

 

Another idea I had was that maybe you could flash the firmware in the beastie with DD-WRT and have a go.  Well, nothing doing there, DD-WRT doesn't list this device (heck, carrier-supplied gateways are not meant to have their firmware replaced by the consumer).

 

ACE - Expert

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34.6K Messages

11 years ago

U-verse HSI doesn't use PPPoE.  Modems with AT&T's U-verse firmware also don't offer a true bridge mode.  The closest you can get to it is to place your Router in the RG's DMZplus zone.

 

Please see post 2 in this thread for more information.

 

New Member

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25.7K Messages

11 years ago

Thanks Jeffer for posting that.  I was trying to find it but couldn't!!Smiley Surprised

New Member

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25.7K Messages

11 years ago

You will not be able to use the old 4111n with the service. It is a modem/gateway, not a conventional router.

ACE - Expert

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34.6K Messages

11 years ago

Oh, yeah, duh:  I shouldn't read so quickly.

 

I thought he was talking about configuring his ADSL2+ router in bridge mode.  

 

@BeeBeeSA, I have a macro for each of the two posts in that thread, I just pull them out at need.

 

 

Contributor

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2 Messages

11 years ago

Thanks, everyone, for your replies.  Unfortunately, I still don't have an answer to my problem.  AT&T has instructions on how to set the Pace 4111n in bridge mode, but they do not work for me.

 

See:  http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401538#fbid=SjhCwICYk-K

 

This is what led me to believe that it was a firmware issue.  Second, why would the 4111n have the option to operate in bridge mode if that was never intended?  Logically, there should be a way of doing this (no, I do not want to start a discussion on the logic of AT&T modem/gateway/router equipment)

 

I was able to connect an old router without any problems, but I still want the n wireless from the 4111n.  I am also confused by some of the various instructions.  Some indicate that the former gateway/modem should be set up in bridge mode in order to work as a router.  Others say that the current gateway/modem should be configured to bridge mode and then connected to a router. Can anyone offer some clarification?  Thank you.

New Member

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25.7K Messages

11 years ago

It will never work for you, because the 4111n is also a Gateway, just like the 2wire. Will never work, no matter how hard you try.

Tutor

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5 Messages

9 years ago

Its not a problem with modems firmware. The problem is that the bridging instructions put out by AT&T  (linked below): DO NOT WORK.

 

http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401538&cv=801,522

 

 

They dont work because are incomplete.    I have bridged a Pace 4111N successfully on several different occasions using the instructions as a guide but have found out that there are additional steps that need to be done for the modem to go into bridge mode.  

 

I have told AT&T this several times over the phone (even escalated to a supervisor on several occasions) and have also even used the feedback button numerous times but nobody at AT&T will listen or update their instructions and add the missing steps/screenshots.  

 

I think someone at AT&T needs to actually get a Pace 4111N and try the instructions themselves so they can see that the instructions are missing some crutial steps needed to place the modem in bridge mode.  

 

After that they should add the missing steps to their instructions so that they actually work when their customers follow them.

Tutor

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5 Messages

9 years ago

Here is some additional information that alot of people need to know about AT&T U-Verse service vs traditonal DSL

 

U-Verse uses MAC authentication, not PPPoE (they often refer to it as sticky because the modem will almost always get the same WAN IP).  U-Verse has it set up so the modem has to do the authentication. Additionally (AT&T removed the option to bridge a U-Verse modem from the GUI of all U-Verse modems), so currently briding any U-Verse modem is not even option.  The current alternatives to bridge mode for U-Verse modems are:

  • For Motorola/Arris Branded modems: IPPassthrough
  • For 2Wire/Pace Branded Modems: DMZ plus

 

Traditonal DSL uses PPPoE authentication

The Pace 4111N modem is not designed to work with U-Verse service so even if you were able to get the Pace 4111N modem bridged it would not work with U-Verse because it was intended to be used on AT&T's PPPoE network.  (Another way to put it is the Pace 4111N is not U-Verse compatible)

Tutor

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5 Messages

9 years ago


@christopher_a_johnson wrote:

I recently upgraded from AT&T DSL to AT&T Uverse.  I currently have a 2Wire Gateway for UVerse, but it only supports wireless b/g and I want to use my old gateway, an AT&T/Pace 4111n, as a router so I can use wireless N.  Every time I try to set the 4111n as a bridge, I get an error that PPPoE doesn't work in bridge mode and it turns bridge mode off.  I have tried every possible combination to configure it in bridge mode.  I have followed the instructions on the AT&T support website, done lots of internet research, and read a lot of forums.  I think that my 4111n needs a firmware upgrade so that it will operate correctly.  How do I upgrade the firmware?  I can't find any instructions on how to do this.


After further review of the original post... it is apparent that the title of this thread is misleading as to what the OP really wanted to do.

 

@christopher_a_johnson wrote:

I recently upgraded from AT&T DSL to AT&T Uverse.  I currently have a 2Wire Gateway for UVerse, but it only supports wireless b/g and I want to use my old gateway, an AT&T/Pace 4111n, as a router so I can use wireless N. 

 

 

According to the 2nd sentance he was wanting to keep the U-Verse modem in place & attach the Pace 4111N to it and make it function as a router only (i.e. disable the modem on it), so he could use the wireless N, which is the opposite of what bridge mode does....  In reality bridge mode essentially disables the routing on a modem/router combo and makes it function as a modem only.  That being said... he was using the wrong terminology, and didnt really want to bridge the Pace 4111N, so the title of the original post should really be.... How to I turn the Pace 4111N into a router only?

 

The Ideal fix for the OP's dilema would be to upgrade his Wireless G U-Verse modem to one that is Wireless N or better capable, such as the Pace 5031NV or a Motorola/Arris NVG599 which is wireless AC compatible

 

The 2nd issue he was having 

 

Every time I try to set the 4111n as a bridge, I get an error that PPPoE doesn't work in bridge mode and it turns bridge mode off.  I have tried every possible combination to configure it in bridge mode. I have followed the instructions on the AT&T support website, done lots of internet research, and read a lot of forums.  I think that my 4111n needs a firmware upgrade so that it will operate correctly.  How do I upgrade the firmware?  I can't find any instructions on how to do this.

 

was due to the instructions for bridging the Pace 4111n on AT&T's website missing essesential steps needed to place the modem in bridge mode.

 

That being said... I am currently debating whether I want to post some instructions that show how to correctly brige a Pace 4111N modem & have decided not to do so at this time for the following reasons:

  1. Its AT&T's website so they need to fix the instructions - (AT&T I have told your techs and even supervisors numerous times what is wrong with the Pace 4111N bridging instructions but they still havent fixed them)
  2. Its AT&T's modem so it should be their responsibility to put out accurate instructions in the first place - (the first step is getting someone from AT&T (who can do actually do something about it) to admit/realize that their instructions dont work & until that happens and someone decides to do something about it and fix them, they are gonna stay incomplete and continue to not work)
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