STB's still connected to Gateway in bridge mode

[timpayne]

I set up a new Wifi 6 router, set my gateway to bridge mode but my Xi6-T STB's still connect to the gateway (old SSID). I enter wifi setup on the STB, select the new SSID (router), enter the password and Confirm, but it remains connected to the gateway. How to connect to the new router? Thanks!

[LordDrakkon]

This is one of the main complaints with these modems. Even if you don't have cable TV services, this connection remains active regardless of what mode the Rogers Gateway is set to. The set top box firmware will always connect directly to the Rogers Gateway.

[-G- · Accepted solution]

@LordDrakkon No, not really.  Comcast designed their set-top boxes to work hand-in-hand with the gateway as an integrated turnkey solution.  They do not (officially) support their set-top boxes connecting to 3rd-party network gear.

@timpayne This is going to be a constant problem for you unless you configure Ignite Gateway with the same Wi-Fi network name and passphrase that you use in your external network gear, even if you are running it in Bridge Mode.

Here is what is going on: If the Ignite set-top box loses Wi-Fi connectivity (e.g. when you upgrade firmware in your Wi-Fi router and reboot it) it will contact a service on the Ignite Gateway (via a hidden Wi-Fi network), authenticate with Rogers' back-end systems to determine/confirm the account that it belongs to, and will then obtain the Wi-Fi credentials that were configured in your Ignite Gateway.  Comcast designed it this way to make it easy to install new set-top boxes  -- you just power them on and they automagically connect -- and to allow the set-top boxes to seamlessly reconnect to the network if you should change your Wi-Fi password.

If you put your Ignite Gateway into Bridge Mode, its internal services are still running and the set-top box can (and will) still contact the "Lost and Found" service on the Gateway to figure out which Wi-Fi service it should connect to.  If you have a different Wi-Fi name and passphrase in your network gear (and the credentials configured in the Ignite Gateway are not active on any nearby Wi-Fi network), the set-top box will drop off of Wi-Fi and will not re-connect.

If you simply configure your Wi-Fi gear with the same Wi-Fi credentials that are configured in your Ignite Gateway, the set-top box will remain connected to your Wi-Fi AP.  Also, if you should ever need tech support and need to revert back to a Rogers-supported configuration, all that you need to do is disable Bridge Mode on the Ignite Gateway and power-off your Wi-Fi router.

[timpayne]

@-G-  thanks for the detailed response!  The STB's continue to function - I could leave it as is.  Though they are Wi-fi 5 devices, I thought by hopping on the new router they might benefit slightly from the faster processor in the new router. I have Chromecast (w/Google TV, also Wi-fi 5) devices and 4K playback in YouTube seems greatly improved.  I want to change SSID - I may try unbridging and setting the gateway to the new SSID/passkey then re-bridging (router off while I do that).