Need help switching ethernet between my computer and my modem/router

[truskijenkins]

Even when connected with ethernet, I get massive lag spikes on games like LoL when connected to my router which is connected to my modem. When I want to play competitively, I plug my computer directly into the modem and leave the router by itself.

I used to be able to do this on my old computer, but on my new one when I try to switch to a direct modem connection, after trying to Identify, it becomes an Unidentified network without internet access. Is there any way I could fix this?

I tried restarting my computer a few times and it still doesn't work.

Thanks beforehand.

PC Specs:
FX 6350 with stock cooler
ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0
ASUS 7850 2GB
ULTRA LSP 550 Watt PSU
G.Skill Sniper 8gb (2x4gb) 1866 Mhz
ASUS DVD Burner
Rosewill Challenger Case
Samsung 840 evo 120gb
Windows 8 64 bit

I have a Touchstone Telephony Modem

 

[yoji]

You need tell us about your ISP...
in the old days. they used to register computer and if it did not recognise the computer.. your ISP would not allow you to connect until you registered the new computer (which usually meant signing in)
But with so many people having multiple devices these days - think its less common.

But you really need look up how your ISP works and take it from there.

But basically - if your connection was solid on modem and crap when you went via router,, you probably needs a new modem or router.... and normally.. you should probably look to get a combined device.. so you just have a single box.
but again.. you need find out what works with your ISP.

Cheers

 

[truskijenkins]

My ISP is comcast.

 

[yoji]

My ISP is comcast.

Well.. I'm in the UK - so that means nothing to me (and to be honest.. if you cant be bothered to check.. sure as hell I cant).
But if you lucky.. someone who uses Comcast will post.

Cheers

 

[SirSub42]

+1 for looking into a new router, if bypassing the router used to solve the problem, it would seem there lies your overall problem. Though you could start by troubleshooting a little further, such as do all devices that are connected experience lag spikes, find some way to keep a log of ping responses to a well known site such as google, and see if the response time increases when you experience the lag spikes in the game.

Regarding your problem with the direct modem access, I believe completing a simple power cycle on the modem should solve the problem. I couldn't find any information on Comcast's site, but various other sources state that your ISP does not authenticate the MAC address on their end, but rather the modem stores a table. It would seem your modem is set to only accept one MAC address, which is set to the router currently. Unplugging your modem for about 30 seconds should reset the security measure and will update the table with whatever device is connected to it. So you may have to reset the modem again when you connect back to your router.

My only guess as to why your method stopped working as it did previously is this. Routers normally give you the option to "clone" the MAC address of a particular computer, this is useful when ISPs lock in the MAC address of a computer when the technician first sets up your internet (if you only had one computer at the time and no router, but then later added a router to your home network). I believe originally the router was set up to use the MAC address of whichever computer you are using, allowing you to connect directly to the modem with no problem. But somewhere along the line, either the router started sending it's factory MAC address, or perhaps the router started cloning a MAC address for a different device on the network. If you look around in the configuration page for your router, you should be able to verify this.

Best of luck to you mate, let us know how it works out for ya'.

 

[truskijenkins]

+1 for looking into a new router, if bypassing the router used to solve the problem, it would seem there lies your overall problem. Though you could start by troubleshooting a little further, such as do all devices that are connected experience lag spikes, find some way to keep a log of ping responses to a well known site such as google, and see if the response time increases when you experience the lag spikes in the game.

Regarding your problem with the direct modem access, I believe completing a simple power cycle on the modem should solve the problem. I couldn't find any information on Comcast's site, but various other sources state that your ISP does not authenticate the MAC address on their end, but rather the modem stores a table. It would seem your modem is set to only accept one MAC address, which is set to the router currently. Unplugging your modem for about 30 seconds should reset the security measure and will update the table with whatever device is connected to it. So you may have to reset the modem again when you connect back to your router.

My only guess as to why your method stopped working as it did previously is this. Routers normally give you the option to "clone" the MAC address of a particular computer, this is useful when ISPs lock in the MAC address of a computer when the technician first sets up your internet (if you only had one computer at the time and no router, but then later added a router to your home network). I believe originally the router was set up to use the MAC address of whichever computer you are using, allowing you to connect directly to the modem with no problem. But somewhere along the line, either the router started sending it's factory MAC address, or perhaps the router started cloning a MAC address for a different device on the network. If you look around in the configuration page for your router, you should be able to verify this.

Best of luck to you mate, let us know how it works out for ya'.

The power cycle worked. And I'm going to buy a new router. Thanks!