Hey all,

My current modem and router and pieces of junk. On Sunday I'll be getting a higher end modem and higher end router. I want to make sure I set these things up correctly.

I'm first obviously going to unplug my current modem and router.

After that, I will hook up my new modem. After I hook up the new modem, do I call my cable provider to activate it, or do I also connect the router before calling them?

I thought I had heard somewhere it is bad to hook up the router to a new modem that has not yet been activated by the cable company. Can someone just list the appropriate steps to doing this?

If it helps, my new modem is a https://shop.optiwella.com/modem/sagemc … ss-gateway, and my new router is a TP-LINK AC1900.

Thank you.

The TP-LINK AC1900 is not supported by OpenWrt and probably never will be (broadcom softmac wlan).

Once the modem is in bridge mode (as it should be), the ISP only sees and uses your router's MAC address on the wire - and uses it for authentification. So you do want to switch both at the same time (if you'd like to avoid hacks like MAC cloning et al).

MAC cloning?
Explain me pls.