"system refresh unavailable" and "we couldn't reach your box" trying to reset new convertor

On Monday Oct8th, I exchanged an old Cisco RNG100 for a new RNG150N.   The reason is it seems to have been phased out of receiving HD signals which it did up until 10 days ago.  I'm aware that the RNG100 is not an HD box, however since I got it probably in about 2015 it had zero issue receiving channel# 300+ many of which are local channels with HD signals.  Those channels suddenly and abruptly ceased though their SD counterparts were still working OK. 
The official spiel is that it is obsolete equipment so I had no choice but replace it. 

What I was given is supposed to be already activated, but after hooking it up it powers up, goes through the motions of downloading information. w/hen it finishes
I get a blue background message that reads "Your Account Needs Attention".  It gives the main Xfinity phone # and Ref Code:3007 at the bottom.    Pulling the plug
and letting it sit overnight then plugging back in results in exact same message.  My condo association has a bulk account which supplies one box . 
That box is working properly without issue downstairs.   It is a square little thing. Non-HD.  

When I use the app on my phone or log into the account online to reset the box it perpetually shows
"System Refresh Unavailable. A System Refresh is currently unavailable because your main TV box is offline.   Try restarting a single TV box to fix your issue."   
If I persist in having it attempt to restart the box I want to reset it scans for a few moments and then throws "we couldn't reach your box" and shows information on tightening connections etc.   The message about "main TV box" being offline might be the key to this.  I don't have an X1 so there is no "main TV box"  these are two independent boxes.

So I'm at a loss of what to do next.  Any ideas ?

Obviously returning the box is an option, but does not solve the issue with the system being both unable to read the box status nor hit it with an essential signal. 
I will potentially need this with a replacement as well.   I thought maybe the message I was seeing was just my desktop browser on which I have a script blocker,
but I also got the same messages from trying to reset the box via my phone.


Any help.