Moving from legacy cable/internet to Ignite - questions

[wayner92]

Due to the phase out of older cable boxes I am finally making the plunge to Ignite TV.  My understanding is that the internet service doesn't really change but I will need a new Rogers gateway.  I am currently on Ignite 500 internet with a Hitron CGN3 gateway that is in bridge mode.  For networking hardware I have a Unifi USG acting as my router, and I have various switches of seveal brands and several Unifi Wifi Access Points.  I do not use the Wifi from my Rogers Gateway.  Most of my house is wired for Ethernet and the Unifi WAPs are all wired back to my main switch.

Questions:

1. What gateway/modem are they giving out these days?  What subnet does it use by default?  192.168.1.X?
2. What STBs am I likely to get?
3. Does a tech come to install the new gateway and STBs or do you go pick it up at Rogers and do that yourself?
4. How easy is it to change the gateway to bridge mode?  Can you do this before connecting it into your LAN and configuring the STBs?  Or will the tech insist on using it in the default mode to setup the STBs?
5. I will be using ethernet to connect the STBs to my LAN. Do I have to specify wired in the STB settings or will it pick this up automatically?
6. What is the best way to set a constant IP address - I would prefer to use a DHCP reservation in my router - does that make sense?  Or a static IP on the STB?
7. If possible I would like to be able to control my STBs using IP commands in my Home Automation system (Control4) - do you have to do anything to turn on IP control?  Apparently a Comcast driver in Control4 works with Ignite STBs.
8. Can you access the gateway once it is in bridge mode and if so at what IP address?

*Added Labels*

[wayner92]

One other question - it seems like the STBs prefer IPv6 networking.  Can you turn that off?

[Biollw]

1. What gateway/modem are they giving out these days?  What subnet does it use by default?  192.168.1.X?
   1. No its default is 10.0.0.x most likely a VB7 or VB8 depending on your internet speed selected
2. What STBs am I likely to get?
   1. Xi6-A or Xi6-t or Xi-One. does not really matter all the same, one does not have any advantage over the other
3. Does a tech come to install the new gateway and STBs or do you go pick it up at Rogers and do that yourself?
   1. If you have selected tech install gateway and STBs will be installed.
4. How easy is it to change the gateway to bridge mode?  Can you do this before connecting it into your LAN and configuring the STBs?  Or will the tech insist on using it in the default mode to setup the STBs?
   1. go to 10.0.0.1 and select brdige mode, very easy, one click then a reboot. I assume you have your own router.
5. I will be using ethernet to connect the STBs to my LAN. Do I have to specify wired in the STB settings or will it pick this up automatically?
   1. STB automatically switch between wired and wireless. Even if it was first setup as wireless, just connect CAT5 and it will now use wired.
6. What is the best way to set a constant IP address - I would prefer to use a DHCP reservation in my router - does that make sense?  Or a static IP on the STB?
   1. If your own router you  do reservations to the mac address, but why do you need STB set as static? they really do  care, there is no access to any interface to the STBs
7. If possible I would like to be able to control my STBs using IP commands in my Home Automation system (Control4) - do you have to do anything to turn on IP control?  Apparently a Comcast driver in Control4 works with Ignite STBs.
   1. No there is no IP remote to control it or app to control STBs unless you use a IR like a harmomy. But as a informed user I use the XR-11 remote becuase I love the voice commands and it is IF control and my STBs are hidden.
8. Can you access the gateway once it is in bridge mode and if so at what IP address?
   1. My rogers modem is in bridge mode and set at 10.0.0.1 I have my LAN at 192.168.1.xxx, and yes I can access the modem via web at 10.0.0.1. Just make sure your LAN is at 192.168.1.xxx

Just make sure that IPv6 is enabeled on your router. The STBs go back to the VB7/8 even in bridge mode to verify via hidden wifi which you can not turn off even in bridge mode.

[Biollw]

No STBs need IPv6 on to verify back to rogers.

[wayner92]

Apparently there is IP control available and drivers for my Control4 system can use IP control.  This is preferable to IR control as it doesn't need a physical connection.  With IR control you need to have an IR blaster connected to the STB.  This is also why I care about the IP address.  It is discussed in this thread on the Control4 forums:  https://www.c4forums.com/forums/topic/42392-ip-control-for-rogers-ignite-android-tv-and-apple-tv/

[FredGarvin]

so if a person Faraday cages their modem and STBs, the STBs don't stay connected?

[wayner92]

Not sure why you'd do that but can't you use ethernet to connect the STBs?

[wayner92]

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Just make sure that IPv6 is enabeled on your router. The STBs go back to the VB7/8 even in bridge mode to verify via hidden wifi which you can not turn off even in bridge mode.

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I missed this initially - but what if your STB is a long way from your gateway and can't establish a wifi connection?  That will likely be the case as my gateway is in one end of the house in the basement, and some of the boxes will be at the other end of the house, about 80 feet away in a very wide house, and up one or two stories from the basement.

I imagine this is what FredGarvin means - and it went over my head.

[57]

@wayner92 : Here are my comments:

1. It's the XB7 or XB8, not V.

2. The Gateway should be placed centrally in the home if possible - See:

https://www.rogers.com/support/internet/easy-setup-guide-ignite-wifi-gateway-gen2

3. If this is not possible, you will need one of the following for WiFi and distance;

- A form of repeater or Pod (supplied by Rogers at additional cost) usually placed half way between Gateway and WiFi device like STB.  (usually the worst option)

- A powerline adaptor (with Ethernet and WiFi) which allows for short Ethernet connections at each end and/or WiFi at the far end.  I have used this, but be aware that advertized speeds are never attained and I get 100 Mbps.

- An Ethernet cable strung the entire distance.

- Use of in-home (coax?) cabling already in the walls and adaptors.

- Etc.

[wayner92]

I will have the STBs connected via Ethernet, but the issue seems to be that they need to periodically communicate via this hidden wifi network.  Is that the case?

[FredGarvin]

That is exactly what I want to do.

Ethernet connections only, no WiFi of any kind.

I'd heard about the hidden WiFi signals the STB's go hunting for.

So if I want to eliminate all stray RFI I would have to screen them in.

Was wondering if the STBs just die if they can't check in with the modem even if Ethernet connected.

[wayner92]

Why do you want to eliminate RFI?  Security reasons?  Health reasons?

[FredGarvin]

Overall health. You would not believe the amount of stray RFI, EMI and electromagnetic fields there are in a house.  I found I got much better sleep after moving AC powered electronics more than a meter away from the bed.

My preferred modem location has it about a meter from my head.  Yes I could move it but I like to see the reference lights. That may not be such an issue when/if I get to Ignite. From what I can tell there isn't information available beyond the top light and the Ethernet port speed LEDs.

Wit four TVs and the modem blasting all that energy adds up.

Besides, like you I prefer a hardwired Ethernet solution for best performance.

I was very surprised to learn when we shut of the WiFi it isn't totally off.

[FredGarvin]

Update

Ignite was installed on Good Friday (I was surprised by a holiday install too).

1.5 gig is as presented by the forum gurus.

I had upgraded my desktop with a 2.5gig NIC card and added a 2.5gig switch.

Four TV's up and running and I have had the modem (XB7) in a Faraday cage 15:00 on Sunday with no problems with the STBs. The WIFI was turned off immediately after install but as mentioned there is still a signal being sent out.

The XB7 is definitely a hot (RFI) box.  At 1 meter with my Cornet ED88Tplus meter I was reading 64.8 mW/m2 (4.94 V/m) which translates to 0.0648 W/m2. Frequency was 2,416 MHz. Again this was with the WIFI off.

The government of Canada guidelines have a limit of 0.02619 W/m2 for the frequency range from 300 to 6,000 MHz. The reference period for that limit of exposure is 6 minutes.

The Faraday cage (aluminum window screen, rolled into a tube then pinched over at the top, dropped the signal level to 1/4. Up close to the XB7 the peak RFI was measured at 64.8 V/m.

There was a forum member (sorry their handle escapes me) who had said their modem would be within a meter of their private parts, so I'll suggest definitely putting it in a Faraday cage (the modem not their privates).

FWIW with the 1.5 service, SpeedTesting over five different sites consistently gets me a range from 1.6 to 1.8 gig.

The service tech was surprised at how fast my WIFI was before I turned it off.