Modem completely died,but is now working again. What is going on? (connect, Internet)

[fantasy09]

Modem completely conked out yesterday. No matter what I did no lights would come on at all. It was dead. I've had it a little over five years so I thought maybe it was time. The router seemed to be fine though. All lights were blinking like normal.

I relative gave me their old modem and router today. I plugged their modem up,but kept my router. All lights came on,but no internet connectivity would come though. I then unplugged my router and plugged their's up instead with their modem.I had to use their password to the router instead of mine. Both their name and mine came up under the Wireless Network Connections Tab. Still no internet connectivity. Even though all lights were on for both of theirs.

In one last desperate move I unplugged their router and modem and replugged my router and modem back up, and weirdly all the lights came back on for my modem. It''s been fine for the last 30 minutes. I'm typing this in a hurry just in case it dies again and I have no internet.


What is going on? Why would my modem die completely for a full day and a half and then work again? Why didn't my relatives modem work even though all the lights were on. Could this issue have been on my Internet Service Providers end and whatever it was just got fixed today?

My Modem and Router

Arris Surfboard Modem SB6121

Belkin N300 Router


My Relatives Modem and Router

Netgear CM400

NetgearN300 Wifi Router

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I relative gave me their old modem and router today. I plugged their modem up,

Your ISP should have list available for compatible modems, check that first. Assuming the modem is compatible you need to call the ISP. They need to register that device as your modem and the service will only work with that device, the old one will get the boot.


As far as the power problem I have similar issue with my router, once it's powered off or loses power you need to wait at least 15 minutes before it will power back on. No amount of unplugging it, cycling the power button or anything else will allow it to power up. Actually found out accidentally it still worked and I have no idea why it does that. It's on a UPS now so it doesn't really matter much anymore.

[harry chickpea]

WAG, funky capacitor in the modem power supply. Caps can re-form sometimes.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

WAG, funky capacitor in the modem power supply. Caps can re-form sometimes.

Not positive but I think I tried a different transformer on mine. I'll have to retry it next time.

[V8 Vega]

Modems don't last forever, mine died, I struggled with it for awhile before it quit for good.