# Motorolla Surfboard SB4100 USB Problem



## the_gaelic_lad (Jan 14, 2005)

Hi everyone,

I recently got broadband and was supplied with a SurfBoard SB4100 modem with Ethernet and USB cables. Everything works fine while using the Ethernet Cable but when I tried to use the USB cable I can't connect to the broadband service at all. 

When I plugged in the modem first using the USB cable, Windows XP saw the new device and installed the drivers. The laptop appears to be able to communicate with the modem but not with the service provider. 

Any suggestions? 

Thanks


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

If you have Ethernet available, why would you want to use USB? :sayno: 

You do have to power cycle the modem to change the interface, if you insist on using USB...


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## kodi (Jun 30, 2004)

I am running the same modem.
Did you get a setup disk?
If so run it and remove the Installed drivers and then install the Modem using the USB driver setup.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I'm still trying to understand why you'd pick USB over Ethernet for a network connection... :4-dontkno


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## Ark (Dec 29, 2004)

My SurfBoard is a 5100, so hopefully this works out the same:

You need the ethernet from the wall into the modem and the USB from the modem into the PC.
Seems obvious, so I may not understand the problem fully. :4-dontkno


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Ark said:


> My SurfBoard is a 5100, so hopefully this works out the same:
> 
> You need the ethernet from the wall into the modem and the USB from the modem into the PC.
> Seems obvious, so I may not understand the problem fully. :4-dontkno


HUH? You have the RF connection from the cable company from the ISP, and the Ethernet/USB connections are two ways to connect to the modem. Ethernet is by far the preferred solution for network connections, and it that's an option there's really no reason to screw around with USB. :4-dontkno


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## the_gaelic_lad (Jan 14, 2005)

Hi,

The reason I wanted to use the USB connection was that I wanted to connect the USB connection into the laptop and the ethernet connection into an XBox so I could have them both online at the same time! 

However, I've found out that my service provider only provides me with a single IP address so I needed a router to set up a home network to get more than one device connected at one time. All sorted now....believe me, I didn't wanna be messing around with USB when I had a working ethernet connection either! 

So hopefully you can stop pulling your hair out in frustration now anyway! :smile: 

Thanks for your time!


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## Ark (Dec 29, 2004)

Well, I'm confused.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I don't know why you're confused. If your ISP provides a single public IP address, you can only connect a single machine to the modem. Seems pretty clear to me. :4-dontkno


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## Ark (Dec 29, 2004)

No, I mean...

Never mind. USB for single PC, ethernet for network?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

There's not a single reason I can think of to use USB for networking if Ethernet is an option. By that I mean, you have a NIC, and the modem supports an Ethernet connection. The Ethenet connection will provide more stability, since many times other USB devices affect the network connection.


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## MD_Willington (Jan 11, 2005)

Sounds like you're trying to share the connection from the sb4100 between 2 machines, desktop via the ethernet conn and laptop to the usb conn...It doesn't work.

The SB4100 will only accept 1 MAC address, 2 devices 2 different MAC adresses. (I don't mean an apple computer when I say MAC here).

To share the connection put another NIC in the desktop and use ICS...or go get a router and share the connection...

MD


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## yasin (Feb 3, 2005)

*opposite problem*

Hi, 

I am running the same modem but with a usb cable. I want to use an ethernet cable instead. but when i do i can not pick up an ip address, hence have a limited connection. it works perfectly well with the usb.

Any suggesstions???

thanks
yas


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Two things spring to mind. 

One, you need to power cycle the modem when you change from USB to Ethernet, or you will not get a connection. 

Two, you may not have the Ethernet configured correctly. Use this MS-KB Q299357 - Reset XP TCP/IP Stack to restore the stack to installation defaults, which should be correct for a DOCSIS cable modem account.


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