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How to use Airport Express as router and Arris TG862 as modem?

For my internet, I have comcast cable going to a Arris TG862 router/modem [which I own], and an ethernet cable running from the Arris to my Airport Express (2007 vintage). The Arris sends out a wireless signal which is unneeded and not wanted, because my Airport express sends the internet wi-fi signals to our home, and by an ethernet cable to my desktop. I understand I can call Comcast and ask them to turn off my wif-fi and change my Arris router/modem settings to the "bridge mode"


http://blog.isaach.com/2013/12/disabling-wi-fi-on-comcast-xfinity.html


My question is whether I will have to change the wiring of my cables at home in any way, or whether I will have to change anything at home with the Arris set to "Bridge mode."

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), 3.4 GHz i5; 8 GB Ram

Posted on May 2, 2015 3:35 PM

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9 replies

May 2, 2015 4:00 PM in response to Arandel

There are two concerns: one is the Arris's wireless radio, which can certainly be disabled and no other changes will be required.


"Bridge mode" implies that at present, your Arris device is acting as your router and that the AirPort Express is merely a wireless access point. If you change the Arris settings to "bridge mode" you would need to reconfigure your Express. That might present a problem, because if your Express is 2007 vintage it might be an older one that cannot be configured with AirPort Utility.


To determine that, see if you can use AirPort Utility now. If it recognizes the Express, click it. The popup window that appears should indicate a version number of 7.6.4. Verify that before doing anything else.

May 2, 2015 4:00 PM in response to Arandel

The Express will have to change over from bridge to router.. and I would not recommend it.


Simply turn off the wireless in the Arris if it bothers you .. or better still use both the Arris and the Express.. as that model is G only if you have the date right.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPort_Express


A108x is very old.. and wireless much poorer as well as routing speed.


The N wireless model.. A1264 was introduced in 2008.. but is still slow routing speed.

May 2, 2015 4:17 PM in response to Arandel

Airport Express (2007 vintage)

Sorry, confused. A 2007 vintage AirPort Express would have only one Ethernet port on the device. So, either you have a 2012 or newer version of the AirPort Express, or you may have meant to say that you have an AirPort Extreme.


If you do have an Airport Extreme, is this the "flat or square" version, or is this the older "round or dome" version of the Airport?


The Arris sends out a wireless signal which is unneeded and not wanted, because my Airport express sends the internet wi-fi signals to our home, and by an ethernet cable to my desktop. I understand I can call Comcast and ask them to turn off my wif-fi and change my Arris router/modem settings to the "bridge mode"

This sounds as if you may be confused about what "bridge mode" might imply.


Simply turning off the wireless function of the Comcast modem/router will do just that....turn off the wireless function. Nothing else will change, and the AirPort Express or Extreme will continue to operate exactly the same way that it does now.


This would be by far the simplest way to accomplish your goal.


If for some reason, you wanted to completely change the Arris modem/router to operate only as a modem......now "Bridge Mode" will come into play. It may or may not even be possible to configure the Arris device this way. That would be a question for Comcast support.


If it is possible, then the AirPort will need to be completely reset back to factory default settings and then set up again to work with your "modem".


So, with "bridge mode' on the Arris device, you will be looking at major changes to both the Arris and AirPort devices. There is really no advantage to doing things this way, and with major changes to two different devices, you will likely be calling the support folks for both Comcast and Apple, and having each blame the other for your problems.


In this regard, sometimes that fact that you might be able to do something does not really mean to imply that it would be a good thing to do.


My recommendation would be to simply ask Comcast to turn off the wireless function of your Arris modem/router and leave it at that.


But, it's your call.

May 2, 2015 4:14 PM in response to LaPastenague

Correction: I have an Airport extreme, one of the small square ones. Should I upgrade my Airport? To what model? All I use it for is broadcasting a signal to other computers and mobiles devices in the home.


My internet research suggests that because Comcast controls the Arris TG862, it is impossible to permanently turn off the wireless signal except by switching it to "bridge mode" Comcast's firmware for the device is not user configurable.


To clarify, I have a wireless network set up in the home by means of the Airport Extreme, and all mobile devices can log onto that network. We don't use the Comcast Xfinity signals at all.


I have also read online that it is possible to use the Arris in Bridge mode, and it speeds upload speeds considerably, that the cable signal is routed directly to the Airport device. Ideally, this is what I would like to do.

May 2, 2015 6:50 PM in response to Arandel

Sure. After you configure the Arris device to act as a simple modem, then "hard reset" the Express (see below) and configure it according to the prompts it will provide.


To "hard reset" an AirPort Base Station: make sure it's powered up, then gently press and hold its tiny reset button. Don't apply any more force than required to feel a tactile click. Keep it depressed for five to ten seconds, long enough for its LED to flash amber rapidly. Release the reset button. Then, the LED will glow amber steadily for about a minute. Then, it will flash amber, slowly, about once every second or two, waiting for you to configure it with AirPort Utility.


How to use Airport Express as router and Arris TG862 as modem?

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