Visitor
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4 Messages
Motorola MB8611 modem keeps restarting - firmware issue
I have owned my own Motorola MB8611 cable modem since September 2022, and since the middle of December 2022 it has been restarting multiple times per day. After a lot of troubleshooting, I figured out that it is related to the firmware, aka software. With Firmware 8611-19.2.20 it is stable, but then Xfinity updates it to 8611-21.3.7. The update causes it to reset, disrupting my internet service for a few minutes. Then the modem restarts a few times within an hour, disrupting the internet service every time. After two restarts, the firmware reverts to 8611-19.2.20, and my internet service works until Xfinity detects that the firmware needs to be updated (usually a few hours). The firmware gets updated to 8611-21.3.7, and the resetting process repeats on and on. I tried resetting the modem by pressing the reset button, and this doesn't stop this problem from happening.
Based on what I've read in this forum, this is a VERY COMMON issue.
Can you help me, and everyone else with this modem, solve this issue so our internet is stable again? Is it an issue with Xfinity or an issue with Motorola? I have temporarily switched back to my old cable modem, but I'd like to be able to use this MB8611 modem because it is capable of much faster speeds than my old modem.
Thanks.
Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
@primerGrey but if I worked from on let’s a computer, I would connect to at least one hotspot that isn’t mine, depends on your environment, I have connected to 3 or so simultaneously, I can pull my modem/gateways plug and don’t miss a lick…
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primerGrey
New Poster
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13 Messages
2 years ago
Whoa, that was easy! Perhaps obvious to those more experienced than me, but here is what I did:
1) Unplugged the Motorola and plugged in an older Arris SURFboard SB6141 that the Motorola had replaced
2) Turned off WiFi on my phone
3) Used the XFINITY App on my phone to activate the old Arris (will need MAC address on the back of the Arris)
4) After activation, the XFINITY app points out that I should upgrade that old modem(ha ha), and reports it as a Motorola SB6141. I guess Arris and Motorola are the same.
But my internet is now working with another modem. I'll report back if it continues to drop out. Note ebay has ARRIS SB6141 modems for sale for around $20 shipped.
Ookla Speedtest results: 278 download, 42 upload.
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
2 years ago
FWIW the SB6141 is no longer supported by them: https://www.xfinity.com/support/devices#details
Even though it may function (for now), it no longer will receive any updates. They are being phased out.
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Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
@primerGrey i never said it was a solution, a lame band aid at best, i live in a neighborhood, my mb8611 works perfectly, at some point they will probably figured it out, but the chances of your modem rebooting and someone else's hot spot going out at the same time....
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GUS_GuyUsingSystem
Visitor
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44 Messages
2 years ago
If everyone who invested a lot of money in this modem can DM the Xfinity support on their own, maybe we can prompt these 2 companies to work & resolve this.
Already, I see the same types of folks who post here have already used the Amazon product reviews to signal there is a problem.
(edited)
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Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
@primerGrey V1.0 , I am thinking there probably is some chart to find the date of manufacture for our modems by serial number, might be interesting…
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djglxxii
New Poster
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5 Messages
2 years ago
Although stable throughout the weekend, it started crapping out again today. I'm packing it up and returning to Amazon. My trusty Zoom modem is back online and I'm not going to worry about it for now.
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Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
@NoGoodNamesLeft4Me So this guy made a statement in another post on here, plus I briefly looked on here, he said he had 6 upstream channels, I see that in others also, yet my modem shows only 4 and mine don’t reboot, very interesting.. I read your long post, which was way above my pay grade, but it seems you alluded to the modem failing to get some upload channels?
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primerGrey
New Poster
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13 Messages
2 years ago
No dropouts at all after a day running the ARRIS SB6141, which confirms it is definitely an issue with my MB8611.
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user_5dc53b
Visitor
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2 Messages
2 years ago
I am having the same issue since Jan 6th or so. I switched to xfinity sometime in October ‘22 and didn’t have any issues until Jan 6th.
However I am still unclear on whether this is a firmware upgrade issue (I.e. 21.3.7 being bad?) or modem hardware issue.
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IamMark
Visitor
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5 Messages
2 years ago
I have the MB8611, which was working flawlessly for 8 months. Starting 1/9/23, I started experiencing the problems described in this thread. My modem would reboot multiple times per day. Sometimes 20 minutes apart; other times it would be hours. Comcast was out twice and couldn't find anything wrong with the lines or my signal. I swapped the MB8611 out with an older cable modem I still had, and I haven't had a dropped Internet connection/modem reboot in 3 days.
Besides this forum, how else can we complain about this? Seems like Tier 1 Comcast support will be pretty clueless, and the information we would provide them would go nowhere. I tried calling Motorola, and spent over 1 hour two times waiting for someone to answer before I hung up.
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Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
So another poster in another thread, brilliantly pointed out that the upstream channel type is SC-QAM in the effected modems which I think is Docis 3.0, correct me if I am wrong, i believe 3.1 uses Ofdma, very interesting if it’s accurate…
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Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
@NoGoodNamesLeft4Me Yes I read it, I never noticed it before, I kinda looked briefly thru the difference post paying attention to that, what’s interesting is most folks seem to have over 4 upstream channels, I have only 4, I have the 1200/35 plan but get 1400/43, so I was talking to a guy at Motorola about the upload channels and he said I would need 6 to support that speed, I don’t know, but I have 4 no reboots, seems more then 4 reboot..
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IamMark
Visitor
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5 Messages
2 years ago
Has anyone heard any updates on this issue?
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Jlavaseur
Problem Solver
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948 Messages
2 years ago
@petmitsu I consistently get 1400/42 +
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