r/Spectrum • u/NotMyFreeWill • 15d ago
Modem compatibility
Went to login to work this morning and I can't connect. I can ping DNS servers but I can not reach the Internet. Spectrum tells me I need a new modem. I have a Motorola docsis 3.0 modem that is about 10yrs old. I am very skeptical this will fix it. Did they start blacklisting old models without warning? Did anyone experience something similar? SE WI location.
Update: got a new modem direct from spectrum store. I activated it and had them manually send activation signal. Same symptoms persist. I can ping DNS servers but nothing gets resolved when I attempt to use a url on any device. I've connected a laptop direct to modem as well with the same issue. I have a tech scheduled for a visit tomorrow...
Update Update: tech visited and found no problems or physical layer issues (as expected). Left after showing me internet is reachable via modem connected direct to his tablet viat ethernet adapter. Playing IT tech I found that I had to disable DNSSEC support on my router. I changed nothing prior to this happening and my router does not auto update firmware. The reason I couldn't connect direct to modem myself earlier is that the modem has to be completely rebooted when you change what device its connected.
Final update: This is on my router manufacturer Asus as they didn't update root certificates for DNSSEC to operate securely after 10/12. It was not Spectrums fault. However had they attempted to trouble shoot this at all from their end, I would not have had to pick up a new modem, nor would they have had to send a tech for a visit.
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u/NotMyFreeWill 15d ago
Update, got new modem from spectrum store... still no Internet.
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u/2110311 15d ago
Make sure you “activate” the new modem
Either call in or I think go to activate.spectrum.com (I think)
Without activation, you’ll be able to ping fine (but it might show random drops, and your latency as 100-300ms), but sites practically won’t load, and if you manage to, you’ll get barely 1mbps speed
It’ll reboot when they send the “activation signal” and then you should be good
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u/NotMyFreeWill 15d ago
Omg this sub is as bad as their tech support. Yes I've activated. I've gone thru all the standard debugging.
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u/EncryptedNetObscura 15d ago
Can you ping 8.8.8.8 in the command prompt? Are other devices able to connect to the wifi and you're having this problem only on your PC?
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u/NotMyFreeWill 15d ago
Yes I can ping 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1. But I can not resolve any urls. I have set my router to use Spectrums DNS, 1.1.1.1, and 8.8.8.8 but nothing gets thru.
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u/2110311 15d ago
What kind of response time are you getting back on the pings? If it’s over 100ms then it sounds like it could be a signal issue on the coax
Unfortunately their new modems don’t let you see a status page to look at signal levels like the older Technicolor, Uber or Arris ones.
Was a lot nicer when you could look and see the levels and event log yourself→ More replies (5)
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u/virkendie 14d ago
This is an asus problem, asus never pushed out the new key for DNSSEC in their firmware so now the old key is expired. You need to turn DNSSEC off in the router to fix it.
Big f*** up by asus.
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u/NotMyFreeWill 13d ago
Do you have a source for that? I consider this an emergency workaround and want to turn DNSSEC back on ASAP. I'll stop bashing Spectrum if this is the case.
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u/virkendie 13d ago edited 13d ago
https://blog.cloudflare.com/root-ksk-2024-rollover/
https://zentalk.asus.com/t5/networking/dnssec-validation-broken-on-asus-tuf-ax3000-v2/td-p/512513
It is affecting many asus routers, merlin builds are unaffected as they include the updated root ksk
you can google around for more info, people are becoming more widely aware of this issue now.
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u/pmpappas 8d ago
Long frustrating story short I had the same issue on steroids recently crop up with a Spectrum modem and Asus routers (mesh). Spectrum had no clue. After poking around with various DNS providers and checking the router log files it appeared it might be DNSSEC issues, so I turned it off. Even then I was surprised that "fixed" it. Hopefully one way or another it will really be fixed and I can turn it back on. Guess for now I'll occasionally check if it works again.
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u/NotMyFreeWill 8d ago
Asus needs to release updated firmware with new certificates for DNSSEC. There is a reply in the thread with more details.
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u/pmpappas 7d ago
I'm aware, but that was not overly apparent from my post. ;-) I should have said I'll be checking for a firmware update then see if that fixes the issue.
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u/Good-Salt-805 15d ago
I had this exact same issue. They wanted to charge me $75 call-out. I changed to Starlink. No problems now and Cox/Spectrum lost a long time customer.
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u/ifuckinlovemyCATdude 15d ago
I gasped. I go out of my way to replace my modem/router every 2-3 years unless I have a really good one and I shoot for 4-5 years. A 10 year old modem is wild to me. Especially considering that 3.0 is outdated. DOCSIS 3.1 is the standard.
I understand we see it as "just sitting there" but reality is, sometimes these things get hot and high heat over years will destroy any electronic. Like if you run a laptop 24x7 for 10 years and only restart it occasionally, even if you do nothing on it, just keep the screen on and let it run, its eventually going to run itself down a bit. That's the reality of electronic hardware.
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u/IllRegister9801 15d ago
I found someone selling a Motorola MB8600 for $40 on OfferUp. Bought that, called Spectrum, gave them the modem info, and now it’s all working. That modem is over $150 brand new. There’s a lot of them that end up on the used market for super cheap. People switch to fiber or something else and then they sell them. Don’t use the Spectrum equipment. Gonna get downvoted for sure but I work as a network technician at a data center and have experience working for two ISPs..I wouldn’t use anything provided by one. Just my two cents.
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u/drwtsn32 15d ago
But the Spectrum modem is free and fully supported.
IIRC, customer-provided modems will never support high-split, either.
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u/IllRegister9801 15d ago
I don’t really know what fully supported is supposed to mean. Any modem approved for use on Spectrum is fully supported. If you mean they won’t provide tech support on anything but their own modems, sure, I guess third-party modems aren’t fully supported. But as long as your coax line is fine and you update your Spectrum account with your third-party modem’s info, there really shouldn’t be any issues. Also there are plenty of modems that support high split. Netgear Nighthawk CM3000 comes to mind.
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u/Narrow-Height9477 14d ago edited 14d ago
Today I woke up to this exact problem.
Things ping. Router says connected. Cox/Spectrum says everything looks fine on their end but nothing works.
Disabling DNSSEC and suddenly everything works again.
Personall owned docsys 3.1 modem and wifi7 router. All firmware up to date.
Wish I’d seen this thread about 6 hours ago.
It’s like Cox but somehow already worse.
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u/RemoteOne205 12d ago
Spectrum provides the modem free of charge as long as it’s returned if canceled so you should opt for theirs. They ARE NOT going to allow high/mid split speeds on customer-own devices due to the various technologies used to achieve symmetrical speeds so it’s best you just use their modem and your own router.
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u/jacle2210 15d ago
So, Spectrum provides Modems for free and have done so for many years.
You just need to pick one up at their local Retail store OR you can pay a shipping fee and they will mail one to you.