Hitron CGN2-ROG Enhenced WiFi Modem issues

[rabbit613]

I have been renting Motorola 5101 modem for almost 8 years. It worked very well. Since I knew my EXPRESS account can use 80GB/mon instead of 60G and upload speed can go to 2M  last week,  I called Rogers and asked why mine was still 60G. I was told I have to upgrade my modem. I have to pay $3 or $4 more to get 80G usage. I was forced to upgrade the Modem this monday. Then the nightmare started.

1. I returned the old Motorola and bought this Hitron CGN-ROG on Monday and plug it in. It worked for about 20 minutes. It failed to connect to internet. It showed "LOCAL ONLY". I called ROGERS. The rep said he can see my modem was connected to computer, it is the modem defective. He gave me the reference number. I went back to the store and changed second new modem.

2. The second modem didn't work when brought home. I called ROGERS again and again. Finally, at midnight one nice tech support man made the modem work ( or connected it to internet). But I couldn't open my home page --- google.com nor google.ca.  It was redirected to rogers.com. The internet worked for 13 hours, then if failed again. That was Tuesday, yesterday. I called ROGERS again. They connected it to internet again.

3. Today, the internet failed again. I called again. A tech support helped connected my modem to internet and told me he believes it is modem's problem and asked me to change it. Well, he seemed right. Ironically ,10 minutes later, when I was talking to ROGERS Customer service on my voip phone, the internet failed again. So my voip phone call was disconnected.  I went to the store and get the 3rd Hitron. It worked for 5 minutes. It failed again. This time I poke the "reset button" and reset the modem. It worked up to now, about 3 hours. 

    I am an Internet layman. I still don't know what problem it is. I still can't get on google , thesaurusdictionary and other website with Chrome. However, I can get those webs with IE or Firefox. I made the last call to Rogers. The rep suggested me to get a cisco modem. I want to get old returned Motorola modem back, but it is not possible. I  found only one ROGERS store rent CISCO modem nearby. I still want buy one because the rent is too expensive and will rise later. Another question is :will cisco work as well as Motorola? I was happy with rogers for 11 years except these 3 days, should I leave ROGERS? I am tired and frustrated. Hope  some can give me some advice.   Thank you.           2012-12-05

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[rabbit613]

@skinorth,

Thank you. It is complicated for me. It took me 2 days to make my new SMC work. I returened Hitron. It worked well for 170 hours, then started to fail frequently. I still don't understand when a gateway is "bridged" , why the 4 LAN ports still working with its IPs. If the router part in a gateway is cut off, how does a LAN get its IP without its own DHCP server enabled?

rabbit613

[Gdkitty]

Hopefuly i can clear that up for you Rabbit.

Networking is a little different.. its not 'in line' per say like say an audio output.

Lets make an example.. you output from a source (your modem) to a receiver (the router)... a audio receiver, has a volume control, it can control the volume up and down (compare this to the DHCP).   Now, anything you OUPUTED to the speaker outputs, after the reciver, will have whatever volume you chose... but the SOURCE audio level, remains the same.. there is no way for that audio volume level change, to be sent back to the source.
(i know not great analogy.. but just proving the liniar example).

With the gateway.. while yes its in bridged mode... ALL the ports are still active.  Its efectively, turned into a little SWITCH then at that point.

Now that switch, is connected to your router.   You could have a regular switch say if you wanted, after the router as well. All these switches, are interconnected, on the same network.

When a device that is ANYWHERE on there trys to obtain an IP address.. it makes a call out.. sorta says "Hey! anything on the network, assigning addresses?" Since they are all interconnected and talk back and forth, the router replied with DHCP, and assigns it an address.
The networking, is more BI DIRECTIONAL per say, than something linear.

Hopefuly that wasnt too confusing >.<

[nbikeman]

Despite the Hitron CGN-ROG and SMC DG3N  Gateway modem problems, I don't understand how Rogers can address all the  different enviornments (homes - large, small; apartments, condos) and users with a single hardware solution.

There must be thousands of existing D2 customers with wireless routers that require a simple D3 modem change without the gateway. 

Another Rogers failure. 

[Contractor]

Sadly this is an issue I see a lot in the field, and one for which I do not have a perfect answer. If you are having issues with your new Hiltron I would recommend downgrading to the Cisco D3 DPC3825, Its what I use in my own home.

[Contractor]

Misdirected Anger. The d3 Cisco's aren't the best compared to a net-gear router but are in my opinion the more reliable option. I can only assume rogers doesn't offer you the option to use a moto 6120 because the lack of control they would be able to exercise over their network as you could most likely "unlock" such a modem to take full advantage of rogers network, which would degrade performance for your entire node thus breaching the terms of service and acceptable use.

I could be wrong, just my opinion.

[Contractor]

bridge-mode for those customers my friend. Unless they would like to stop using their 40 year old linksys-super G router ....

[JPRP]

JUst had an interesting conversation with a Rogers tech in Moncton, NB... Ethernet ports 1&4 on my modem are set to 1gb and 2&3 are set to 100MB... kinda weird if you ask me... also these modems are set to 40Mhz wide band by default... just thought I'd share info... 🙂

Rodrick

[techguy001]

Contractor, I think you may have missed the point on many of the comments in this thread and many other similar threads on this forum.

All 3 of the devices provided by Rogers are expensive to buy and/or rent for what you get.     All of them have horrible wireless service inside your home.   There are many quality routers out there that cost less and work so much better than these 3 devices.

Why should we put up with paying high fees with poor quality?   If we're going to be forced to put our devices into bridge mode to get decent wireless service then Rogers should either lower the purchase/rental fees of their devices (since they only do half the job) and allow us to purchase/rent a device such as a dedicated modem that costs less.

I don't see the difference in the operational setup when using a Motorola 6120 dedicated modem vs one of the other 3 devices put into bridge mode.   They're all essentially acting only as a Docsys 3.0 modem.   In fact, the security of this setup is much higher since using your own personal router and with buil-tin firewall you are now separating yourself further from your cable provider and further insulates you from their network.

[FormerMember]

Bang on techguy001. I have lost count of the number of posts I have made on the same topic. Why we have to put up with garbage equipment from Rogers and gateways where only half of it works is beyond my comprehension!

[Jez]

I am having the same problem and have gone through 2 different modem brands in 5 weeks. Replaced one type 4 times. Now have the Hiltron and it to is garbage. When is Rogers going to listen to the complaints.

[jimbo100]

Jez, Well stated. I just picked up this new Hitron modem and the wireless range is terrible. I had just last month purchased a Cisco E2500 router and it worked with strong signal thourghout my home. This new new device installed in my basement office will not even work to the first floor let alone the bedroom floor. With my E2500 I got strong signal throughout. I think its time to leave Rogers as I am so tired of the hype that is never met.

[FormerMember]

While the solution is not the ideal one, it is one of the few options you have available as long as Rogers continues to inflict their garbage equipment upon customers. Have your Hitron placed in bridge mode and then hook up your E2500 router. With your own router, your wireless range should improve immensely. 

[skinorth]

@Contractor:

"40 year old linksys-super G router ...." my butt!

We've seen WiFi  802.11a, b, g, n and whatever, with variants deployed only over the last decade, maybe 15 years, or so.  There seems to be only one constant nowadays with many technology purveyors, and that is to up the ante by selling you a new device, standard or technology to (re)solve a performance/functional issue.

They just won't fix their problems anymore at their own expense.  They make the consumer eat the cost by attempting to sell the latest, greatest new and improved piece of technogical .......... (fill in your own explitive!).  This is a regular communications vendor response to resolving customer problems.

Rogers is now notorious for their lack of WiFi performance.  Older 802.11b stuff I have, which still works, outperforms all of it in range.  It does have other functional short comings, no doubt!  A commercial-grade Cisco Access Point I have here, which supports the "40-year old" 802.11g has a max 100mW transmitter power, and a tremendous range as a consequence.  That one I picked up at Value Village for $5.00!  It works great.  It provides WiFi to the end of the block, let alone around the house!

In part this is a "dumming down" of real functional capabilities in consumer-oriented goods.  Most consumers don't know their *a*ss from their elbow if they should need to determine what in fact is working reasonably and realistically.  This allows telco suppliers and vendors to get away with murder when it comes to support and meeting customer expectations.  And our lovely market-oriented government/CRTC believes all is well.

Again, the emperor has no clothes, and the Wizard of Oz is a phony! "La plus ca change.....".

So, Mr. Contractor, please get over looking down your nose at anything but the latest in products and technology.  It may not make you and Rogers as much money, but it still works just fine.

And yeah, I am an old fart that has probably forgotten more about technology than you seem to have learned to this point.

skinorth

[HelloWorld14]

Thanks for this great thread, I was wondering if I was the only one, but this confirms my suspicion that the wifi on the Hotron is just amazingly bad. Our previous Rogers modem/gateway worked fine one floor away, this one barely has a connection. 3m away the signal strength is less than excellent. What engineer could get away with this and keep their job?

The wired connection is excellent, but we have one wired device and four wireless ones.

Now I have to shell out ~$200 and call up Rogers support (yay) to get a functional wifi network. Older tech is definitely sometimes better. How consumers fall for this sacrifice of quality in favour of lower manufacturing costs is beyond me and the industry just laps it up...

Force planned obsolescence on me and I'll complain, force substandard equipment on me to the point that I have to fix the problem with additional significant expense and I'll revolt.

[Gdkitty]

The reason they want people on these new ones, is that they are docsis 3, which provide them some more network options compared to the older d2 so the change is for a reason.

Unfortunately, the only option they give us are these poor gateways. They would be better to offer just a stand alone d3 modem, so they gain those network options, and we choose our own wireless options.

[Penguin11]

I hope by posting this, I'm not tempting fate !! 

I swapped out my old modem for the HITRON CGN2-ROG yesterday morning. 

So far so good.  We been running

1. Vonage Telephone Adapter (hardwired to Port 1)
2. Computer A (hardwired to Port 2)
3. Computer B (Wi-Fi using a NetGear WDNA3100),
4. Samsung Galaxy S3 Phone A (Wi-Fi)
5. Samsung Galaxy S3 Phone B (Wi-Fi)
6. iPad (Wi-Fi)
7. NetFlix on a Samsung UNEH5300 Smart TV (Wi-Fi)

Sometimes 5 or 6 devices connected at the same time.... no problems, speed is good. 

We actually tried all 7 devices, running different YouTube videos and talking on the VOIP phone line.... no problems.

The only problem we had was getting Computer B to talk to the Wi-Fi... it could see the network, but wasn't allowed in... then while double checking the setup, we noticed Guest Mode was set to OFF.  Once we switched that ON, alll was good.

[dirk6563]

Thanks very much for the link to the manual. I just picked up a hitron unit tonight and it came with a manual for a Cisco DPC/EPC3825. Not terribly useful, nor is the 128MB usb key it came on (if it were larger it would be worth wiping for personal use at least). I'm glad to learn that in the "STATUS" page, "CAPABILITIES" tab, the residential gateway function can be disabled, rendering it an overpriced modem. Doing so will let me use my Cisco E4200!

Many thanks to all here on the forum!

[Gdkitty]

hah, someone goofed when packaging the manual 😛

Good to hear you got it all switched over.  Good router choice BTW 🙂

[wowsers53]

Since Rogers finally got their act together in my area (we had all kinds of problems about connectivity since February 2) I can confirm that the wireless speed is very good on my   HITRON CGN2-ROG. I also game a lot online with my Xbox with wireless and I have no issues, no lag etc. So I don't know why it is that almost all users of that modem are having issues with it but for me, all is good for now.

[Monkeydart]

Just switched over from Bell to Rogers, go from 6Mbits to 25+Mbits to good to be true ?? I recieved my 1 Hitron CGN2 modem last week Wednesday and the unit ran till about saturday. The unit was dropping out and the installer came by to look. The drop rate reduced somewhat and on Sunday the modem started dropping out every 5 minutes. After about 2 hours of disecting my running installation for the past 10 years we returned the modem to the local Rogers store the clerk gave us a new modem (the technician who installed the modem recommended that i return the modem). Anyway I reconnected everything and the system ran until Tuesday around 4:00 PM the drop rate started again. I am now running every 2-3 minutes dropping out like clockwork. I phoned rogers and they told me that they have been connected to the modem for 70+ hours on their end and that there is no

problem on their end. When I look into the modem i see that it has reset it self as the uptime in the Wan information reads like 2 min 19 seconds. I have noticed the @ symbol flicker on the modem box and occasional go off completetly. This takes a lot of patientce to watch. Something is efffecting this modem. The Rogers Tech asked me to find a dedicated wall socket as well as there may not be enough power on the powerbar that the modem is connected to (other items connected are 5 port switch and my Western Digital DuoLive Harddrive). This is now day 12 or so and I have been troubleshooting their equipment. This is not right....oh by the way I install factory automation equipment and I do deal with Hotspot radios from Prolinx, if have never seen this and if i did i would be ripping it out by now and going back to what i had. 6 Gbytes staying on is better then 25Gbytes dropping out !!!! Oh now Rogers is coming out to check the coax cable.. We have Digital TV and the Home phone with them and they are ok. Amazing that the modem can't stay on... Anyone else have these issues or am i the only one ??

[Gdkitty]

While not EVERYONE.. this is something that has come up alot with some of the rogers modems, this one in particular 😞

Only thing i can recomend, if you have a 3rd party wireless router possibly, is to try and turn the Hitron into bridged mode (effectively turning it into a modem) and using the other router.
While not all, some have found, that this will solve the dropouts.