What is going on? Westell 6100 keeps turning on and off and now there's new software for modem?

[atomicgirl]

Recently, I've been having problems with my internet connection. No big whoop-- I would just power cycle the modem or reset it to default or whatever.

Then this morning I woke up to find that I could no longer control the modem (Westell 6100)  at all (reset the modem) and that every few minutes it will keep going through the process of turning on, then turning off. In other words, the lights will all turn on like "normal (power, ethernet, dsl, internet)", I'll have internet access for a few minutes, then the lights will all turn back off, then back on again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

I thought I was or suffering a virus until I accessed "http://192.168.1.1/", only to see new Verizon software installed (ProLine DSL???)  for the first time in maybe the 8 years I've had high speed internet. Is this repetitive cycle of turning on and off just something that's just a temporary thing or is my internet now completely screwed?

What's going on?

[dslr595148]

First things first, if you want to prevent this from happening again.

These are your options:

#1 Go get your own RJ-45 WAN port router and put the modem combo into bridge mode.

The directions on how to put the modem combo into bridge mode is at

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/13600

a) If you have any questions, please post.

b) When you post, please tell if you are using the White and Blue OR the Red and Black Firmware.

#2 Replace your modem combo with your own modem combo NOT provided by Verizon OR has Verizon logos in it. For example a Zoom X5.

#3 Get another ISP and get rid of Verizon as your ISP.

--

As to what happened:

#1 For some reason, Verizon has decided to remotely upgrade your modem combo.

#2 Possible reason(s), include:

a) What is addressed at http://www22.verizon.com/ResidentialHelp/HighSpeed/Networking/SetUp/Security/128296.htm

b) Easier to support only one firmware (for example the Red and Black vs the White and Blue).

c) To add in parental controls into the router, so parents do not need to load parental controls onto the computers.

d) What is addressed at http://www.compu-help.us/205.htm just after the text that says Reply from a reader

At this time, that is all of the possible reasons that I could think of. There might be more, that I did not think of.

[smith6612 · Accepted solution]

Verizon more than likely updated your modem's firmware and this as a result, messed it up causing it to go into a constant reboot. Give the modem a reset to Factory Defaults, holding in the reset button for 30 seconds to clear the modem configuration file to rule out any problems being caused by that. If it's still rebooting and you cannot update the firmware by any means (the trick to doing this is to wait until the modem is fully booted and you are at the modem's firmware upgrade page before attempting to flash it!), get another modem from Verizon or purchase your own.

To update the modem's firmware, you'd need to visit http://192.168.1.1/ , choose Advanced and then choose Firmware Upgrade. You will need to have a firmware file from Verizon ready to install to the modem via the browser. You will be prompted for a Username and Password to do this, so try one of the following if you wish to try:

admin/password
admin/password1
admin/admin
admin/admin1
Your Verizon Username and Password.

Please note that if you reset the modem to factory defaults, the Username and password WILL be admin/password. You will need to change this when the modem asks you to do this.

[atomicgirl]

Hi, guys! Thank you very much for your helpful replies. I eventually had to get a new modem from Verizon because there was no way of accessing the Westell after the update. I couldn't even reset the modem anymore when I pressed the button. It was just as well, because the modem and the Verizon installation software that came with it was ancient.

At any rate, lots of good information here, and I hope this is of help to other Westell 6100 users who undoubtedly are experiencing the same problems.

[EclecticIce]

The same thing just happened to me.

But a few days before this I got no Internet connection on my Westell 6100.  As I was on the phone to VZ's support line (and waiting for >40 minutes) I ran the VZ In-Home Agent and it fixed the problem after about 35 minutes.  So all was well, with no clue as to what the In-Home Agent did.

Which brings me to today when I got the same problem (no "INTERNET" light on the 6100).  I again ran the In-Home Agent and after a long time finally got an Internet connection.  This time I was presented with a window to resetup my Verizon DSL account/setup.  Part of this was having to agree to a new TOS and a download of new software.  It all went well and seemingly fixed the problem.

I assume that VZ is rolling out some new DSL connection software (The other day I too noticed the new and different "ProLine" pages at the 192.168.1.1 of my Westell 6100).  I tried this message forum to see if there was any news about this from Verizon.  No such luck with that, but I see that other folks have had this happen to them recently, so it must be something that Verizon is doing to Westell 6100s or perhaps all DSL accounts.

I wish that Verizon had some news about this posted.

[smith6612]

Might I ask, what version of the firmware are you currently running on the modem? You can find out by checking the System Monitoring page at http://192.168.1.1/ . No username and password should be needed. Currently my modem has VER:4.04.03.00 installed on it which the last I checked, is the most recent version. Verizon upgraded my modem from the Westell firmware two years ago (I wasn't too happy about it and I noticed the morning it happened, they slipped it in overnight) and I think has only upgraded it once more. Haven't had issues with it bricking.

[VTprof41]

Similar problems in Virginia.

The Westell 6100 loses DSL connection and reconnects every 15 minutes.  SOmetimes fine for hours and then starts this dropping out.

Verizon online suport screenshared my computer, logged into the modem and changed the default IP from 192.61.1.1 to 192.68.3.1

They assured me this would fix the problem.

It does sem to have fixed the DSL drops, but now our download speed is about 35% of what it used to be and we lose connection to websites during downloads, etc.

Any suggestions? Should I swithch back to192.68.1.1?