Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
FiosUser757
Enthusiast - Level 2

I have been trying to using my R8500 as my main router without the use of the G1100 provided by verizon but there seems to  be a lack of communication between the two as when I connect ethernet from the ONT to the WAN port of the R8500 there is no link or activity light on either device. 

I have followed the steps on the verizon forums to release the dhcp from the g1100 and then disconnect so the g1100 so it doesn't have a chance to grab another ip. When I connect the ethernet from the ont to the WAN port of the R8500 nothing happens. The R8500 says no ethernet is connected. I have even called up verzion and they remotely rebooted my ont and told me it takes time which time didn't help. When I follow this process I have left the router for over 2 hours at a time to grab a new ip due to the dhcp lease time. I have followed this process about 3 times with no avail. Everytime I restart this process I plug the ethernet from ont into the g1100 and the router is up with internet within 5 minutes. Link and activity lights blinking from both. 

I know the WAN port on the R8500 works as I had it connected to the g1100 LAN port and used it as a secondary router with no issue. I know the ethernet cable is good as I have tested that. I have also reset the R8500 / cleared NVRAM every time I restart this process.  

I'm not really willing to buy another router and I am very happy with this router as I use the trunking capabilities on it and I know the router works (have also tested it on a neighbors COX modem with no issue) lol 

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated!!

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Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

The DHCP release when switching routers is no longer needed.  Verizon's system will give out two IPs at the same time to avoid this issue.  You don't need to muck around with DHCP releases and two hour waits anymore.

Is the Ethernet link established on your router?  If it has a link status light near the WAN port, that's an easy way to check.  If not, it should have something in it's UI.  The ONT should also have a link status light, depending on the model.  Check the link status and report back.

Were your ONT and G1100 using Ethernet for WAN?  If you're on an older, slower package it may have been configured for coax WAN.  Was there an Ethernet cable plugged into the ONT's WAN port and the router's WAN port before you tried switching?  Did it have an active link light on the Ethernet port?  Is your speed 100Mbps or slower?

Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
FiosUser757
Enthusiast - Level 2

gs0b thanks for the response.

The ethernet link is not established on my router. The ont link and activity light are not lit when my router is connected and neither is the link light on the r8500. When I have the G1100 connected to the ont I see the link light solid and activity blinking but when my r8500 is connected(wan port) there is nothing from either side. 

I was set up to use the ethernet from the ont and I have gigabit speeds. 

Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

I'm not overly familiar with Netgear products.

Does the unit have the ability to connect OTA (like a repeater) in addition to the traditional ethernet connection?

If it does, is that how it is presently configured? 🤔

Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

Hmm... something is clearly wrong with the Ethernet link between the ONT and the Netgear.  It's not talking at all, which is why it's not pulling an IP address.

Can you try re-installing the G1100, then plug the Netgear's WAN port into one of the G1100's LAN ports?  This will test if the Netgear's WAN port is working at all.  If it does establish a link and pulls an IP address from the G1100's LAN, then we'll know there is an issue with the ONT to Netgear connection.  If it doesn't establish a link, that points to the Netgear's WAN port having some type of issue.  It could be a config issue as dexman suggested.

Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
FiosUser757
Enthusiast - Level 2

The netgear r8500 is a 6 port wireless router with a wan port. It is not possible to connect a OTA connection to the router. Sorry im a little confused by the question. I could set it up as a repeater but that would be through the netgear ui as bridge, or wireless repeater bridge(depending on firmware) but im trying to get rid of the G1100 and clean up my birds nest of cabling . The main issue is the the ont and the netgear are not communicating but I have full communication when the netgear is connected to the G1100. And the G1100 has no problem communicating with the ONT

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Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
FiosUser757
Enthusiast - Level 2

Yes the netgear will pull an ip address from the G1100 when i plug the r8500 wan to a lan of the g1100. I thought it was the router as well but I have been using the r8500 plugged into the G1100 without issue prior to this. This even sparked me to bring my router to my neighbors and connect it to his COX cable modem which it was able to to pull an ip from them as well... 

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Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
FiosUser757
Enthusiast - Level 2

I will try configuration of the wan port after I get off, or I'll try to configure a lan port as a wan port and see if I get any change later on this evening. I appreciate both of your help. 

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Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

That's what I wanted to verify...that the router could be configured as a bridge and that it isn't at this point.

Re: Netgear Nighthawk R8500 not communicating with ONT (using own router vs G1100)
FiosUser757
Enthusiast - Level 2

Dexman,

I have reset / cleared nvram so that the router would act as new out of the box in AP mode. 

I will also note that I will by trying to connect from the ont to an unmanaged switch and then to the netgear router as I have read that is a fix for this issue. I can't comprehend how that will fix the issue but I am whiling to try anything haha.