@DrMike is your modem cable connected to Rogers network, or do you have a Fibre Optical Network Terminal which then connects to the modem via ethernet?
The set top boxes will run via third party router. The only caveat is that you need IPV6 running to see the expected functionality out of the set top boxes. I've read that they will run via IPV4 only, as well.
The modems run in Dual mode, which means that it provides an IPV6 address and IPV4 address to the connected devices. For a router, that typically requires a configuration to match Rogers IPV6 network settings. That's not a problem. IPV6 is the newest addressing scheme on the block, developed partly because the world has run out of IPV4 addresses to hand out. For now, the ISPs, at least the big ISPs have enough IPV4 addresses available within their assigned address blocks. Here's a link to a search for the differences between the two addressing systems:
As you pointed out, this isn't a Rogers supported configuration, however, that shouldn't be an issue if you're able to resort to running the modem in Gateway mode for any troubleshooting by Rogers tech support.
If you have a Fibre Optic Network Terminal connected via ethernet to the modem, you can take the modem out of the network and simply connect the ONT to the router. From what others have said, running the set top boxes in this configuration hasn't been an issue. As before, you would have to resort to reconnecting the modem in Gateway mode for any troubleshooting by Rogers tech support, should the need arise.
@Datalink wrote:
If you have a Fibre Optic Network Terminal connected via ethernet to the modem, you can take the modem out of the network and simply connect the ONT to the router. From what others have said, running the set top boxes in this configuration hasn't been an issue. As before, you would have to resort to reconnecting the modem in Gateway mode for any troubleshooting by Rogers tech support, should the need arise.
One quirk that you need to be mindful of is that when an Ignite set-top box loses Wi-Fi (or any network) connectivity, it contacts the "Lost and Found" service on the gateway through a special hidden network to obtain new Wi-Fi credentials. If it cannot do that, or if the programmed Wi-Fi credientials in the gateway mismatch what is available on an external AP, you may find that your set-top box will keep dropping off of Wi-Fi, and it may glitch constantly even if it is connected through wired Ethernet. These things really were meant to be conected to a Rogers (Comcast) gateway in a Rogers-supported configuration. The key to getting a stable configuration when running on 3rd-party network gear is being aware of all the crazy quirks, and mimicking the Rogers-supported configuration as much a possible.
@DrMike wrote:My system was pretty stable when I had the XB6 in gateway mode, but then I got "greedy". My Ignite plan on renewal was upped to 1.5GB service and I wanted more speed. So I got myself an 2.5 GB adaptor/NIC for my PC and upgraded to the XB7. I got the increased speed just fine, but it does seem like the XB7 WiFi is not as stable as the XB6 was. If you remember some of the other conversation, it was a Nest doorbell in particular that keeps dropping offline, even though every time I looked with any WiFi analyzer (including Rogers WiFi Hub, but also InSSIDer and WinFi and a couple of other WiFi analysers on my android phone) the signal strength ALWAYS measures as very strong. And yet I get off and on disconnects all the time. My Google displays also seem to lose connection several times a day. My smart lights are all good, but most of them operate via a HUE hub so that may account for the difference?
I still cannot understand how the WiFi signal strength can be so strong whenever I measure it, yet the connections seems flaky. I have to presume that either the antenna array in the XB7 or some other factor is mostly accountable for this since I never saw it with the XB6. That's what has me thinking about a router - perhaps less so for the signal strength per se, but maybe for the ability at the least to select WiFi channels that are less conflicted with all my neighbours? I cannot see any way to select channels on the XB7 but maybe there is?
Maybe I should just get an access point instead. Or a router that I configure as an access point so I can have better control over my WiFi parameters but still keep the XB7 in Gateway mode so the Ignite TVs are not affected. Does that even make sense?
Which variant of the XB7 gateway do you have, the Technicolor (model CGM4331COM / CGM4331ROG) or the Arris TG4482A? Also, do you happen to know whether you previously had the Technicolor (CGM4140COM / CGM4140ROG) or Arris (TG3482G) XB6?
Some Wi-Fi drivers and chipsets do not play nicely together and the frustrating part is that we really don't know why some of your devices suddenly drop off the network.
If this is an "antenna" issue, you might see better results if you can get Rogers to replace your XB7 with an XB8.
Another thing that you can do is contact manufacturer's tech support for any problematic devices to see if they have any known issues with the Comcast XB7 or XB8 gateways. I know from personal experience that the Ignite gateways can be really unstable with some devices.
If you decide to install your own router and run the Ignite Gateway in Bridge Mode, there's a 99% change that Ignite TV will work just fine. However, you might still experience problems with your IoT devices, with their cheap, horrible 2.4 GHz-only Wi-Fi chipsets.
My recommendation is still to try putting that old router that you have into "AP mode" and use it for your 2.4 GHz connectivity just to see if things stabilize. It costs you nothing.
@DrMike Also, check out the following thread to see if any of those tips help: https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/your-home-network/nest-doorbell-battery-wont-connect-to-wif...
At the very least, rest assured that you are not the only one experiencing connectivity problems with their Nest Doorbell.
@DrMike wrote:
I assume I am not at all eligible for an XB8 even if I wanted to try it. I am on cable, not fibre and I thought the XB8 was only for customers with the latter?
If you check https://www.rogers.com/internet/packages , you will see that customers with a 1.5 Gigabit (or faster) service qualify for a gateway with "Powerful WiFi 6 or 6E technology", so that would be either an XB7 or XB8. However, it all comes down to availability.
If you have a 1.5 Gigabit service and your gateway develops a fault, Rogers could ship you either an XB7 or XB8, regardless of which gateway you currently have.
When the XB8 gateways are in short supply, Rogers might reserve them for FTTH customers, and FTTH customers might also be provided with an XB7 gateway if that is all that is in stock.
As far as I know, there is still no way for Rogers to designate a specific make/model to get shipped out to you, of any kind of hardware.
I know I'm a bit late, but why would you even consider any router that does not support IPv6? That's where the world is going and you're only doing yourself a disservice by not enabling it.
I run pfSense for my router and the modem is in bridge mode. Unsupported only means Rogers won't help you if you have problems with it.
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