Configured XB6 to use Bridge Mode but now router requires cloned MAC address

[mr9]

To set the stage, I recently wanted to hook up a router instead of using the default XB6 configuration.

To do this I had my PC directly connected to the modem (wired connection) so that I could go into the UI and switch to bridge mode. [1]

After enabling bridge mode I then connected the devices as follows: Modem <-> Router <-> PC

Everything was looking good, but at this point discovered I could no longer access anything online from my PC.

However, what I discovered is if I configure my router to clone my PC's MAC address then everything works as expected.

What I suspect is my PC requested an IP after getting into bridge mode, and now Shaw expects to only see DHCP requests from its MAC address instead of my router.

Is there a way to have my PC's MAC address "forgotten" about so I do not have to configure the "cloning" setting in the router?

[1] I followed these instructions: https://support.shaw.ca/t5/internet-articles/how-to-configure-bridge-mode-on-the-bluecurve-gateway/t...

[mdk]

@mr9 -- Is there a way to have my PC's MAC address "forgotten" about

Disconnect the AC power-cord from the XB6.

Disconnect the AC power-cord from your third-party router.

Shutdown your computer, and disconnect its Ethernet cable.

Reconnect the power-cord to the XB6, and give it time to fully restart.

Reconnect the power-cord to your third-party router, and give it time to fully restart.

Reconnect the Ethernet cable to your third-party router, and power-on your computer.

Shaw's DHCP-server should assign a "public" IP-address (on their network) to the WAN port on your third-party router.

The DHCP-server inside your third-party router should provide a "private" IP-address -- something starting with "192.168" to your computer.

From your computer, logon to the web-interface on your third-party router, and check the status of the WAN port.

[mr9]

Thanks for the quick reply @mdk !

I tried the steps listed and made a little bit of progress but ended up seeing some strange behavior.

Progress made:

1. My router reports having a public WAN IP, e.g. 68.144.x.x
2. My PC reports an IP of 192.168.50.101 using the routers DHCP server (192.168.50.1)

After getting to this point, I started seeing some odd browsing behavior in that I can partially load web sites but they never actually complete loading (eventually just times out).

I found someone commenting on reddit about a similar (same?) issue: https://www.reddit.com/r/shaw/comments/kiowjg/xb6_bridge_issues/

The person posting in the above link ended up having to call support for help on this to "force" the XB6 modem into bridge mode. That might be my next step since I don't really know how to debug what I'm seeing at the moment.

[rstra]

Can’t you do factory resets on both routers and start again!

[mdk · Accepted solution]

@mr9 --  I started seeing some odd browsing behavior in that I can partially load web sites but they never actually complete loading (eventually just times out).

1. Check that the coaxial-cable between the XB6 and the wall-outlet is tightly-connected at both ends.
2. If you have a coaxial-splitter between the XB6 and the wall-outlet, temporarily bypass it, to eliminate that splitter as being a problem.
3. Disconnect the power-cord from the XB6.
4. Disconnect all Ethernet cables from the XB6.
5. Power-off your computer.
6. Disconnect the Ethernet cable going into your computer.
7. Connect one "CAT 5e" (or "CAT 6") Ethernet cable from the XB6 directly to your computer.
8. Reconnect the power-cord to the XB6, and wait for it to finish restarting.
9. Power-on your computer.
10. Set the XB6 to "bridged" mode. If necessary, wait for the XB6 to restart itself.
11. Disconnect the power-cord from the XB6.
12. Power-off your computer.
13. Reconnect the power-cord to the XB6, and wait for it to finish restarting.
14. Power-on your computer.
15. Check that it has obtained a "public" IP-address from Shaw's DHCP-server.
16. Run the Shaw Speed Test, and try other web-pages that did not fully load, now that your computer is directly connected to the Internet.
17. If you get "bad" speeds, contact Shaw Support.

Stage 2:

1. Disconnect the power-cord from the [now-bridged] XB6.
2. Disconnect your computer from the XB6.
3. Power-off your computer.
4. Connect the power-cord to the XB6, and wait for it to fully restart.
5. Connect the WAN port on your own router to a LAN port on the XB6, and power-on your own router, and wait for it to fully restart.
6. Power-on your computer.
7. Use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer's Ethernet port to a LAN port on your own router.
8. As you indicated, your computer will get a "192.168.50.xxx" IP-address from your own router.
9. Connect to http://192.168.50.1 to access your own router's web-interface.
10. Check the WAN settings. Your own router should have gotten a "public" IP-address from Shaw's DHCP-server (because your cable-modem is now "bridged" -- just converting from the coaxial traffic to TCP/IP protocols),
11. Rerun the Shaw SpeedTest, and access other web-sites.
12. Report back.

Do you have any "spare" Ethernet cables, to experiment with, just in case you have a "bad" cable?

[rickatk]

@mr9  Undo the bridge setting, use the Shaw provided router. No worries!

[mr9]

So I had another try today and here were the findings:

Stage 1 - PC directly connected to XB6 (in bridge mode)

• My computer received a public IP (68.144.xxx.xxx)
• Speeds are good (sites load fast, games work, video streaming sites work, etc.)

Stage 2 - PC connected to router, router connected to XB6 (using same modem port PC was connected to in stage 1)

• Received an internal IP (192.168.50.101)
• Router was assigned a public Shaw IP (68.144.xxx.xxx)
  • Interestingly(?) this IP was different than the one assigned to my PC in stage 1.
  • The Shaw DHCP server IP was also different than the one in stage 1.

At this point, I still encounter the same limited connectivity issue as before. Like before, if I clone my PC MAC address, the router is assigned the same IP as in stage 1 and everything works great again.

Just to throw out an idea (I'm not a network guy so bear with me), but do I need to wait out the lease on the IP given out in stage 1 so that the router can claim it? I'm not actually sure how many IPs can be leased out at a time using a basic home internet plan.

As usual, thanks for the detailed guidance!

[mdk]

@mr9 -- Interestingly(?) this IP was different than the one assigned to my PC in stage 1.

It should be. The network adapter in your PC has a unique MAC-address, as does the "WAN" network-adapter in your router, and the network-adapter in the Shaw device.

Because the MAC-addresses are different, Shaw's DHCP-server assigns different IP-addresses.  You don't want two devices to have the same IP-address at the same time. That is an "IP conflict". Former professional boxer George Foreman named all his children as "George", but that's his choice.

>  Like before, if I clone my PC MAC address, the router is assigned the same IP as in stage 1 and everything works great again.

Correct. Shaw's DHCP-server sees a different device, but with the same MAC-address. So, it assigns the same IP-address as it previously did.

I think that you need to completely power-off your cable-modem, by disconnecting the power-cord, after adding/subtracting your router into the mix.

P.S. Note that every Shaw customer is allowed to have 2 unique IP-addresses, at no extra cost, even when the cable-modem is "bridged". Ask Shaw to "provision" it -- one IP-address per LAN port on the BlueCurve. Connect your PC to one port, and get a "public" IP-address. Connect your router to the other port, and get the 2nd "public" IP-address. Later, if you disconnect your computer from the BlueCurve, and connect it to a LAN port on your router, and restart your computer, it will switch from using the "public" IP-address to using the "192.168.xx.yy" private IP-address.

[mr9]

So as not to leave this thread hanging... after some more investigation it turns out the "limited connectivity" I described was likely due to a problem with a Shaw node I was being routed through (specifically when my router was assigned the "bad" IP address mentioned above). At least, that is according to a tech support chat I had. Things appear to be working well now at least.

I appreciate all the help @mdk and others!

[andsoitgoes]

HOLY CRAP please let this be the case. I've tried so many times to get Bridged mode working. And beyond that, there were some devices that could do exactly what you're describing - PARTIALLY load a webpage, but not fully and it just died.

Were you able to Ping/Tracert out of the network?

What did you mention to support? When I tried to chat them they gave me the "OH BUT WE DON'T SUPPORT BRIDGED MODE" and I had to restrain literally crying.

I just want this to work. I'm sick of the BS shaw modem, I cannot even any more with this nonsense.