AT&T MicroCell Rendered Inoperative after ISP Speed/Modem Upgrade.

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AT&T MicroCell Rendered Inoperative after ISP Speed/Modem Upgrade.

I had the white AT&T MicroCell for several years: http://www.att.com/att/microcell/downloads/ATT3GMicroCell_UserManual_121610_FINA Lproof.pdf. It worked fine. The white MicroCell died about a year ago, and was replaced by a black version http://www.att.com/att/microcell/downloads/ATT_MicroCell_UserManual.pdf (which has only one ethernet port.). This black one worked ok as well. In both cases, the MicroCell was connected directly to my Time Capsule Router which is connected to the ISP modem in bridge mode (i.e. the TC is authenticating to the ISP):

CenturyLink DSL Line --> ISP Modem ===> Time Capsule ==> MicroCell (and rest of network)

Recently my ISP in Durango, CO (CenturyLink) upgraded my service from 1.5Mb/s to 12 Mb/s (hooray), replacing my old modem with a ZyXel C1000Z (for vDSL capability at the higher speeds). However, this upgrade rendered the MicroCell inoperative (boo). Everything else in the configuration stayed the same. After several weeks of troubleshooting with both AT&T and CenturyLink, the only setup that worked for the MicroCell is to take the C1000Z out of bridge mode and allow it to serve (DHCP) the MicroCell an IP. This configuration, however renders my network unavailable because I can't pass through the Ethernet connection to the TC (the black MicroCell does not have a second ethernet port to setup per http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_amazing_new_att_microcell_part_ii/ ). So I've left my network running, and left the poor MicroCell dangling on the LAN, blinking it's cell bars, indicating that it can't talk to the AT&T mother-ship.

CenturyLink hasn't been much help. AT&T was a bit more helpful, noting that they see port 4500 as not getting through. Why it was getting through before the upgrade, and not after is a bit of a mystery -- CenturyLink swears that they only filter Port 25.

Does anyone know of a way to rectify the issue? I've tried allocating port 4500 on the Time Capsule directly to the MAC / IP address of the MicroCell, but that a) renders iCloud in operative and b) doesn't work.

Any help would be appreciated.

Kirk

Time Capsule 802.11n (4th Gen)

Posted on Jun 24, 2015 6:20 AM

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Answer 1

KiltedTim

Level 10

227,724 points

Jun 24, 2015 6:23 AM in response to Kirk Carver

Contact AT&T. This has nothing to do with Apple or any Apple product from what I can tell.

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Answer 2

Jun 24, 2015 6:59 AM in response to Kirk Carver

This configuration, however renders my network unavailable because I can't pass through the Ethernet connection to the TC (the black MicroCell does not have a second ethernet port to setup per

Once the Zyxel is working in full router mode.. plug the airport /TC into the Zyxel.. and then setup the TC in bridge mode.. and create a wireless network.

Once you do that plug the Microcell into a LAN port of the TC.. and it should work.. the TC is bridged and plays no part in routing.

If it fails.. try moving the WAN connection of the TC.. to a LAN port.. once the TC is bridged the WAN port should be joined to LAN.. but it can work better to plug like this..

CenturyLink DSL Line --> ISP Modem ===> LAN port Time Capsule ==> LAN port==> MicroCell

Time Capsule ==> LAN port==> (rest of the network).

No luck it is easy.. buy a switch.. cheap little 10/100 will work fine.. so you then have

ISP Modem==>Switch==>Microcell

Switch==> TC.

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Answer 3

Kirk Carver Author

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30 points

Jun 24, 2015 7:00 AM in response to KiltedTim

Kilted

Thanks for your reply. Please read my problem description: I have contacted AT&T, and worked with them for several weeks, even replacing the MicroCell with a new one just to make sure it wasn't the MicroCell causing the problem. The MicroCell fully authenticates with AT&T, just won't communicate to their cell network.

We've narrowed the issue down to the MicroCell being unable to communicate due to something interfering with port 4500. Port 4500 is used by Apple iCloud, which makes the Apple router (Time Capsule) a suspect (though maybe not the root cause). I at first thought CenturyLink was the problem, but if I put their modem out of bridging mode, the MicroCell appears to work (but leaves the rest of my network abandoned).

Oorah

Kirk

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Answer 4

KiltedTim

Level 10

227,724 points

Jun 24, 2015 7:04 AM in response to Kirk Carver

Then contact your ISP again. If changing the settings on the modem fixes the problem, then clearly, the modem is the problem.

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Answer 5

Kirk Carver Author

Level 1

30 points

Jun 24, 2015 7:50 AM in response to LaPastenague

LaPastenague

Thanks very much for the reply...

Once the Zyxel is working in full router mode.. plug the airport /TC into the Zyxel.. and then setup the TC in bridge mode.. and create a wireless network.

Once you do that plug the Microcell into a LAN port of the TC.. and it should work.. the TC is bridged and plays no part in routing.

This approach creates a bit of a non-trivial issue. I have several (8+) cameras and other downstream equipment that rely on port forwarding setup in the TC. I assume I would need to replicate that scheme in the Zyxel. Secondy, the cameras are located in positions that are not easily reached (you have to physically connect to them in order to change the network settings without risk of "losing" the camera). Thus the C1000Z would need to have it's network changed, static IP's assigned, etc. All quite a bit of work, some of which on a ladder 20+ feet in the air. If it were just one camera/device, I'd bite the bullet and fix it. Lastly, I'm dependent on the setup working with an Airport Express extending the network to reach some of the devices, thus the actual setup currently is:

ISP --> Modem -----> TC ====> MicroCell

|

====(other devices )======>AirportExpress ++++++ Camera, etc

Will the setup continue to work in the wireless case?

If it fails.. try moving the WAN connection of the TC.. to a LAN port.. once the TC is bridged the WAN port should be joined to LAN.. but it can work better to plug like this..

CenturyLink DSL Line --> ISP Modem ===> LAN port Time Capsule ==> LAN port==> MicroCell

Time Capsule ==> LAN port==> (rest of the network).

This configuration is a bit confusing to me. Is the Modem now on the LAN of the TC? Is the Modem in bridge mode and the TC the router?

No luck it is easy.. buy a switch.. cheap little 10/100 will work fine.. so you then have

ISP Modem==>Switch==>Microcell

Switch==> TC.

I don't mind buying another switch, but can you explain this a bit further as to how it will help? Can you include in the explanation whether the ISP Modem is bridged or is setup as a router, and if the TC is setup bridged or as a router)?

Kirk

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Answer 6

Kirk Carver Author

Level 1

30 points

Jun 24, 2015 8:24 AM in response to KiltedTim

Kilted

I have, in several sessions. At best, they provide a blanket response that they aren't responsible for downstream setup outside of configuring their modem as a router. At worst, they are a bit nasty with me concerning the situation.

However, others have had this problem too, and is a bit of evidence that you may be correct. Here's a non-Apple example:

http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=91377

For what is is worth, the modem that they sent was the following:

http://internethelp.centurylink.com/internethelp/modem-c1000z.html

Not sure which, if any, of their other modems would be different.

Kirk

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Answer 7

Jun 24, 2015 5:15 PM in response to Kirk Carver

Your problem is more not being prepared to change the setup.. than actual problem with the hardware.

Start over ignore what I suggested.. because you have added one important piece of info.

After several weeks of troubleshooting with both AT&T and CenturyLink, the only setup that worked for the MicroCell is to take the C1000Z out of bridge mode and allow it to serve (DHCP) the MicroCell an IP.

Since this works.. and you know it works.. it would then be possible to make the rest of the network work. You must move all the port forwarding to the Zyxel and simply bridge out the TC..

But I get the problem is different.. you simply do not want to move the networking to Zyxel.

I have several (8+) cameras and other downstream equipment that rely on port forwarding setup in the TC. I assume I would need to replicate that scheme in the Zyxel. Secondy, the cameras are located in positions that are not easily reached (you have to physically connect to them in order to change the network settings without risk of "losing" the camera). Thus the C1000Z would need to have it's network changed, static IP's assigned, etc. All quite a bit of work, some of which on a ladder 20+ feet in the air. If it were just one camera/device, I'd bite the bullet and fix it. Lastly, I'm dependent on the setup working with an Airport Express extending the network to reach some of the devices, thus the actual setup currently is:

That puts you between the rock and the hard place..

In your setup with the Zyxel bridged, is it true bridge.. or are you using DMZ /DHCP spoofing or one of the other trick methods.. The only method for adsl/vdsl is PPPOE on the TC. That eliminates the Zyxel NAT.. any of the other methods is routing packets via the zyxel NAT and even if you make it look invisible.. well it isn't.

Sorry but I see no alternatives.. You must route on the Zyxel and so port forwarding MUST be there..

In your old setup were you using PPPOE with adsl modem.. has that changed?

But tell us more of the intricate details.. if we are going to solve this.. and remember two weeks worth of support from AT&T and your ISP didn't.. we need to know everything.

As it stands I want to see the routing table of the TC.. but sadly you cannot provide me that..

But I do want to see the IP of everything.. give us some screenshots of the Zyxel configuration.. how is it passing you the public IP now??

Give me a full set of screenshots of the TC so I can see how it is setup.. I need the whole lot..

Then I want you to give me the results from a traceroute on a computer plugged directly into the TC LAN port.

eg traceroute 8.8.8.8

I only need the first few hops.

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Answer 8

Kirk Carver Author

Level 1

30 points

Jun 24, 2015 8:00 PM in response to LaPastenague

LaPastenague,

Thanks

"Your problem is more not being prepared to change the setup.. than actual problem with the hardware."

Perhaps. But it's a bit more than just "I'm lazy and don't want to do it". By the way, when I said that it worked after placing MicroCell directly on the modem with the modem setup as a router -- I never actually made a phone call over it... the only thing the ATT guy and I noted was that the network light stopped blinking, so we assumed the thing was working.

The entire setup was actually working, flawlessly, with the previous modem, a ZyXel PK5000Z:

http://internethelp.centurylink.com/internethelp/modem-pk5000z.html

This is an aDSL modem. I had it in "RFC1483" transparent bridging mode per these instructions:

http://internethelp.centurylink.com/internethelp/modem-pk5000z-setup-bridge-q.ht ml

The Time Capsule was, and still is, setup to with the PPPOE authentication information.

When my connection speed was upgraded, I received the C1000Z (vDSL), which has the following bridging instructions:

http://internethelp.centurylink.com/internethelp/modem-c1000z-adv-bridging-q.htm l

I performed those instructions, and now my entire network operates as before (only faster to the outside world)... except of course for the MicroCell.

So, I am not using DMZ/DHCP spoofing that I know of -- I'm setting the modem up to transparently bridge the router to the outside world -- unless "transparent bridging" for a C1000Z isn't really transparent. This brings up a question: What is the primary difference between aDSL and vDSL (I'm ignorant on this topic)?

As for the requested details, I will mine them. Unfortunately, I am at the moment 1000 miles away from that troubled MicroCell/modem/TC due to work travel back to my home location. It may be a few weeks before I return.

I used to be able to screen share with my Mac Mini there on the MicroCell's network, but I think something changed moving to Yosemite that I haven't corrected in order to be able to remotely connect to that Mac Mini. Same goes for the TC at the remote location - but AirPort Utility doesn't see it anymore either (an issue with port 4500?). Otherwise I'd open up a sharing session and get the info.

Thanks for your help. I'll get the info as soon as I'm physically able to.

Kirk

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Answer 9

Jun 24, 2015 8:18 PM in response to Kirk Carver

I didn't suggest you were lazy.. and I do understand the motive.

I never actually made a phone call over it... the only thing the ATT guy and I noted was that the network light stopped blinking, so we assumed the thing was working.

Crucially important when you get back to actually test this.

It is good to hear you do actually run the modem in transparent bridge.. and use PPPOE..

However I do wonder as you do, what is going on.. and I think the traceroute might show you something has changed.

I wonder if either IPv6 has got mixed up into the setup.. or I wonder if the ISP is giving you unroutable private IPv4 to make up for their lack..

Did you ever reset the TC to factory and redo the setup?? If not it would be worthwhile.. Airports can remember too much from old configurations.. and need a full reset to get working again.. that means putting all your port forwards back in manually.. and if you need to do that there is no reason not to do it on Zyxel.. there is no need to go to every camera to set this up.. it should be a fairly simple task to move the routing to the zyxel..

Anyway when you get back home post again and I am happy to follow through with the required setup.

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Answer 10

Kirk Carver Author

Level 1

30 points

Jun 25, 2015 6:57 AM in response to LaPastenague

LaPastengue

Thanks for taking the time to work with me on this. When I return to my remote site , the tasks you have given me arel:

Make a cell phone call using the MicroCell in the Modem (PPOE Router) --> Microcell configuration. This is to verify that indeed the system works in the configuration.
Run a TraceRoute from a Mac connected in the Modem (transparent) --> TC (PPPOE Router) --> Mac configuration. I assume that the procedure for running a traceroute is Applications / Utilities / run Network Utility / select Traceroute / enter domain (which IP address should I use?) / Trace / record results. Should I perform a traceroute in any other configuration?
Reset the TC to factory defaults. This will be a bit of work resetting the assigned IP's and port forwarding, but not to bad, and worth trying as a last step.

You mention that I might as well put the port forwards on the Zyxel. Yes, I can do that, setting the DHCP range equal to the TC's, but it will take a bit longer as I'm very familiar with the TC interface, and not familiar with the ZyXel. The biggest problem with setting everything in the ZyXel is that I will lose the seemless extended wireless network I have setup among the TC and associated Airport Express. This wireless network is fairly crucial to my system - several of the devices are beyond the range of the primary base station location (where the TC and the ZyXel are located). I haven't ever had much luck with range extenders except for the Airport Express for some reason.

Anything else? I have a simple switch at location I could commandeer to put into the configuration somewhere if you think it might help decouple something.

Aside: what do you mean by " I wonder if either IPv6 has got mixed up into the setup.. or I wonder if the ISP is giving you unroutable private IPv4 to make up for their lack.."?

Thanks again for the help. This may take a couple of weeks before I return to site.

Kirk

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Answer 11

Jun 25, 2015 7:00 AM in response to Kirk Carver

.

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Answer 12

Jun 25, 2015 10:11 AM in response to Boyd Porter

Have you gone back to the basics and performed a reset? I think you will be able to bypass all of the complicated stuff and see if it will dispatch an IP and then you can select a new channel to put the Microcell on?

Reset instructions.

Resetting an AirPort base station FAQ - Apple Support

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Answer 13

Kirk Carver Author

Level 1

30 points

Jun 25, 2015 12:32 PM in response to ClosetotheEarth

ClosetoEarth

Thanks for your reply. See my last reply to LaPastenague.

Kirk

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Answer 14

Jun 25, 2015 12:35 PM in response to Kirk Carver

Kirk can you check out an issue I am having too?

Airport Extreme to extend a network for 6 zones using the same name

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Answer 15

Jun 25, 2015 4:12 PM in response to Kirk Carver

Make a cell phone call using the MicroCell in the Modem (PPOE Router) --> Microcell configuration. This is to verify that indeed the system works in the configuration.

Yes, this is essential since you missed it last time.. lights turning on don't necessarily mean working system.. it is really good to put calls in both directions and run them for over 5min.. just to be sure the system.. a. works both ways.. b. doesn't cut out 1min into every call.

Run a TraceRoute from a Mac connected in the Modem (transparent) --> TC (PPPOE Router) --> Mac configuration. I assume that the procedure for running a traceroute is Applications / Utilities / run Network Utility / select Traceroute / enter domain (which IP address should I use?) / Trace / record results. Should I perform a traceroute in any other configuration?

(sorry the auto numbering goes to pot in the cut and paste).

Yes, you can run traceroute from network utility or just open a terminal.. and type it..

Traceroute to your ISP or google public DNS 8.8.8.8

eg.

minimeray-2:~ Ray$ traceroute www.aanet.com.au

traceroute to aanet.com.au (203.24.100.73), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets

1 router.asus.com (192.168.2.254) 1.085 ms 0.750 ms 0.649 ms

2 adsl02.mel01.eftel.com (203.123.68.33) 52.713 ms 45.761 ms 78.874 ms

3 tge0-0-0-303.core0.mel.dft.com.au (203.123.69.105) 58.942 ms 78.263 ms 60.487 ms

4 ge0-1-99.core0.per01.eftel.com (202.61.186.149) 96.911 ms 120.465 ms 104.260 ms

5 *^C

The important info is how many hops does it take to get out to the public routes.

So hop1 is my router.. and hop2 is already the ISP equipment with public address.. that means I have only a single NAT.

And there is no other private IP in the list.. now for whatever reason.. traceroute to my own ISP is now very poor.. so it goes to pot at hop 5.. that is irrelevant.. and the ISP has simply set routers to not respond.

From inside the Network utility it looks like this.

I post that info so you can see that none of this is a security issue.. people do not get your own IP from this.. And the IP of the ISP equipment is publicly accessible.

Reset the TC to factory defaults. This will be a bit of work resetting the assigned IP's and port forwarding, but not to bad, and worth trying as a last step.

Because this change to routing setup can mess things up it is always worthwhile. The old values are retained and a full wipe is really the only way to ensure the problem/s are not just configuration errors.

Take screenshots of the setup and export the configuration before you reset.. do not use the configuration.. but you can open it.. standard XML file you can open as txt file and copy and paste the MAC addresses directly.. this makes it pretty straight forward..

The biggest problem with setting everything in the ZyXel is that I will lose the seemless extended wireless network I have setup among the TC and associated Airport Express.

No, it should work fine with the TC in bridge to the Zyxel.. and create a wireless network.. then the express can extend that wireless.. no major change is necessary here.. you could even turn off the Zyxel wireless.. and just use the apple.. although IMHO using both makes no difference.. they will sort themselves out and it is useful since the wireless on the Zyxel gives you direct access into its interface if something goes wrong.. in general you would still just use the airport wireless though.

There is a bit more complicated setup using Static IP in the TC as alternative.. but again it is better to keep this simple.. If you run into trouble it can be considered.

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