westell 7500 in bridge mode, TC not connected to internet, no wireless

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Level 1

4 points

westell 7500 in bridge mode, TC not connected to internet, no wireless

I have a 4TB Time capsule connected to a Westell 7500 modem/router. I followed the Westell instructions and placed it into Bridge mode. I now want to set up my TC to broadcase my wireless network, but it keeps giving me an orange flashing light and the status in airport utility says no internet connection. When I place the TC in bridge mode also, it broadcasts and I can connect to the internet, but it is intermittent. I have all of my Apple products (3 iPads, 2 iPhones, Apple TV, iMac, Macbook Pro) connected to the wireless network, including my DirecTV, a wireless printer and my thermostat. Without this functioning I am completely down. Can someone help, please?

CK

Time Capsule-OTHER

Posted on Sep 26, 2015 5:26 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LaPastenague

Level 9

67,208 points

Sep 27, 2015 12:15 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

Go back to Westell in router mode and the TC in bridge and tell me if that works..

PPPOE in the TC is not reliable.. I and many other found it doesn't work or doesn't work reliably.

Sorry it is such a simple thing but Apple provided no controls and no log so you cannot even find the problem.

You can certainly test if the modem is properly bridged.. that is worth doing because bridge on some modems is extremely simple and others is extremely complicated..

Test using a computer plugged directly into the modem.. which is bridged and run pppoe client in the computer.

All OS now have PPPOE available. Just google for your OS and pppoe setup.

If it works ok then the issue will be how poorly the TC works.

If it fails then likely you have not bridged the modem correctly.. try again or buy a simpler modem that will bridge easily.

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Answer 2

Cardiac Kid Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 27, 2015 12:15 PM in response to LaPastenague

Thank you for your response. I placed the TC into bridge mode and my network is up and running again for everything except for my ecobee3 thermostat. It requires a DHCP connection; any ideas there? Thank you again for your response!🙂

CK

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Answer 3

Sep 27, 2015 1:02 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

It requires a DHCP connection

Every device on your network requires a DHCP connection, so nothing unusual about that. Are there any other special requirements that the thermostat needs?

How does the thermostat connect to the network? Wireless? Wired Ethernet connection?

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Answer 4

Cardiac Kid Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 27, 2015 1:34 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob, thanks. The thermostat connects via my home wireless network. It displays the message: "Either the network password is incorrect or your ecobee3 is unable to obtain an IP address using DHCP". I've already verified the password entered is accurate, but it will not connect. The troubling thing is that three weeks ago (and for the six months prior) it was working just fine and I never changed anything with the network. It just ceased to work.

Thanks again Bob.

CK

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Answer 5

Sep 27, 2015 1:47 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

I've already verified the password entered is accurate, but it will not connect. The troubling thing is that three weeks ago (and for the six months prior) it was working just fine and I never changed anything with the network. It just ceased to work.

Then, everything that you are telling us indicates that your network and the TC are working just fine. So, you are going to have to try to troubleshoot the thermostat.

In other words, when my PC laptop just stopped connecting to the network that my TC provides here a few weeks ago....and every other device was connecting fine.....the problem was the laptop.....not the TC.

In my case, the wireless card on the laptop had failed. A similar thing may have occurred with the thermostat.

I do have an additional troubleshooting step for you to try if you have the time and inclination, but it is somewhat of a hassle....and I would be surprised if it worked, but you never know.

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Answer 6

Cardiac Kid Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 27, 2015 2:27 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks Bob,

I would be inclined to try any troubleshooting that may be offered. All of my devices experienced the connectivity issue at the same time, which is why I immediately suspected the network itself. Initially when I logged into my modem/router, it was not in bridge mode so I changed it to bridge mode as the westell instructions directed. I thought by choosing DHCP or DHCP NAT in my network settings on my TC that it would resolve, but that hasn't been the case. Now, I have both systems in bridge mode and everything else is connected except for my thermostat. Being that the thermostat is only roughly eight months old and this issue didn't exist until everything experienced the issue, I was hoping to figure out how to get it back online. Thanks very much for your assistance.

CK

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Answer 7

Sep 27, 2015 2:39 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

Now, I have both systems in bridge mode and everything else is connected except for my thermostat.

If you really do have both your modem/router and the TC in the same Bridge Mode setting.....then only one device would be able to connect to the Internet.

LaPastenague suggested that you get the Westell modem/router back in its normal mode of acting as a modem and network router......so it would be supplying DHCP and NAT for the network....and place the Time Capsule in Bridge Mode....so that the TC would act as a pass through device to let the Westell handle the routing chores on the network.

You responded that when you did that.....(put the TC back in Bridge Mode), everything on the network was working except the thermostat. So, since the TC is in Bridge Mode, I'm going to assume that you meant to say that you also returned the Westell device back to its normal function of acting as a modem and router for the network.

Would that be correct?

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Answer 8

Cardiac Kid Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 27, 2015 3:27 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Actually no, the router and the TC are both in bridge mode, which is what confuses me about how everything else can be online. As we speak, I have an iPad, my iPhone and my iMac (typing this reply) all connected and surfing the web.

The reason that I want to keep my TC broadcasting the wifi is because I was under the impression that it would get a better signal further than my router. I also have the 5GHz channel active for my smaller devices - if that means anything.

Should I just put my router back into DHCP mode and broadcast my wifi from it and use my TC for backups only?

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Answer 9

Sep 27, 2015 3:45 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

Possibly, you might have turned off the wireless function on the Westell and thought that was Bridge Mode? There are a number of users (and some ISPs) that call this "Bridge Mode". It's not.

If the Westell, really is in Bridge Mode, then the TC must be configured to Connect Using = PPPoE.......if you check the Internet tab in AirPort Utility.

But, the TC cannot Connect Using = PPPoE and be in Bridge Mode at the same time. The Bridge Mode setting will never be available when you have the TC set to Connect Using = PPPoE.

It the TC is set to Connect Using = PPPoE? That is the only way that the TC would be able to connect to the Westell.....IF....the Westell really were set up in Bridge Mode.

But, as I say.....if you really do have the TC set to Connect Using = PPPoE......which is the only way that it could connect if the Westell is in Bridge Mode.....then it is not possible to also have the TC in Bridge Mode.

Bottom line.....if the TC is in Bridge Mode and multiple devices can connect, then something has to be providing DHCP services for the network....and that would be the Westell.....which is NOT in Bridge Mode.....since DHCP is turned off in Bridge Mode.

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Answer 10

Cardiac Kid Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 27, 2015 5:48 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob,

So i went back into my router to find that it was in "routed bridge" mode. I made the switch to "bridge" in my router, then unchecked "Private LAN DHCP Server Enable". I then went back into my TC and followed your lead of logging in with my credentials under "PPPOE". Now my Airport Utility shows green on internet and my TC, however I get an iPv6 error. When I change that setting from tunnel to native, everything goes green, but my thermostat will not connect. Why would it connect originally (along with all other devices) then not be able to reconnect along with everything else after no changes were made to create whatever event knocked it all offline?

Also, now I can not connect to my router through wi-fi. I can connect to the internet (slowly), but I can no longer access my router without an ethernet cable...

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Answer 11

Sep 27, 2015 6:49 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

So i went back into my router to find that it was in "routed bridge" mode

"Routed bridge" is a term that I would not understand. Either a router "routes" or it "bridges", but I cannot understand how it can do both at the same time.

I made the switch to "bridge" in my router

Whatever that might mean, but OK.

then unchecked "Private LAN DHCP Server Enable".

You should not have had to do this if "bridge" was really "bridge".....since "bridge" means that DHCP (and NAT) are both turned off by default. I am stumped by your modem/router and do not understand why you would have to uncheck the setting above

My advice would be the same as LaPastenagues......get the Westell back in its default setup, and then set up the TC in Bridge Mode.

I do not think that the TC will work well at all with your Westell, if you try to configure the Westell in bridge mode.

Now my Airport Utility shows green on internet and my TC, however I get an iPv6 error.

The TC and other Apple routers will usually work best when the setting for Configure iPv6 is set to Link Local Only. That might help the error that you are seeing.

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Answer 12

Cardiac Kid Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 12, 2015 3:43 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob,

Thank you for your assistance and I apologize for the gap in follow-up (out of town for work). I can send a pic if you would like, but their is a "routed bridge" mode on the Westell 7500, which I switched to "bridge" mode. Unfortunately, when I utilize my PPPOE connection, it is a noticeable change (slowdown) in the bandwidth on all of my devices.

Question: Would it be better to just utilize my Westell router for it's intended purpose and use TC only for a backup drive?

I originally set up the TC thinking the Wi-Fi signal strength would be stronger than my Westell router and it also gave me the 5GHz option for my iPhones, iPads and other wi-fi enable peripherals, but if the signal is no different, then I would just prefer to not have this headache...

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Answer 13

Oct 12, 2015 5:17 PM in response to Cardiac Kid

I can send a pic if you would like, but their is a "routed bridge" mode on the Westell 7500

No need to send a pic....I was not saying that a setting of "routed bridge" did not exist. I was saying that I had no idea what it might mean, since normally a device will "route".....or....it will "bridge", but it will not do both at the same time.....if that is even possible (which I doubt).

Would it be better to just utilize my Westell router for it's intended purpose

Both LaPastenague and I have already suggested that this would be the most reliable way to set things up. PPPoE on the Apple AirPort routers is not going to provide long term reliable connections.

and use TC only for a backup drive

The TC can still provide a wireless network if you setup the Westell as we suggest....if you want the TC to perform wireless service. If you don't want to have the TC provide a wireless signal at all, then that function can be turned off. There is really no advantage to turning off the wireless on the TC though.....it will likely far outperform the Westell wireless.

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