If you have any questions with how to setup wirless with your Motorola Surfboard, you have come to the right place. In this complete wireless guide, we will go over everything that you need to know about getting the wireless for your SBG6580 router. This guide assumes that you own your own SBG6580 and the cable company has not disabled your home wireless access.
How to Enable Wireless for SBG6580
How to Hide SBG6580 SSID
Motorola Surfboard SBG6580 Default Wireless Password
Common Wireless Connection Issues
How to Enable Wireless for SBG6580
To enable wireless on your SBG6580, you need to make sure that you have it enabled both under Wireless > Basic, and Wireless > Primary Network. Go to each of the two tabs to turn on the wireless enabling.
How to Hide SBG6580 SSID
Although you should always have a stronger wireless encryption setting WPA2-PSK for your wireless network. That alone can help make your wireless network secure. However, for whatever reason you would like to hide your network ID or SSID. You can do that by “Enabling Closed Network”.
Turning Wireless Off
By the same methods and screens, instead of enabling wireless, you can turn the wireless off.
Motorola Surfboard SBG6580 Default Wireless Password
The default wireless security key for your brand new router can be found on a sticker on your router.
If the Default Wireless Pass Key is Lost
If for any reason the sticker gets damaged, your only option is to go into your Router’s user interface to obtain the wireless security key. To do so, you will need to connect to the router using hard wire (Since you do not have the security to connect to the router wirelessly.
Then you can log in to Surfboard SBG6580 with the admin authentication.
After logging in, go into the Wireless section, click on Primary Network tab to find the current wireless password for your SBG6580 Surfboard router.
You can also change your wireless security password with this screen, as well as different encryption settings such as WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK. In general, just use the default of WPA2-PSK as it is more secure.
Common Wireless Connection Issues
Many of the users report that their SBG6580 has constant issues with restarting, resetting, intermittent signals, or disconnecting. Below are some of the methods that may fix your connection problems.
You will generally run into losing connection issues when you have lots of interference in the area, or when you are running multiple media wireless streams through your network. In addition, if you found your router constantly restarting itself, the connection issue may come from your cable internet provider as well.
You can usually fix the dropped internet connection by restarting your router. However, if you are experiencing constant wifi outages.
1. Pick a Good Wireless Channel Instead of Auto
Instead of using “Auto” for the control channel, consider fixing the channel to either 1, 6 or 11. Pick the channel that has the lowest interference. Sometimes the router can run into wifi connection issues during the automatic channel switch.
2. Use 2.4 Ghz and 20 Mhz
Some of your older laptops or devices may have higher chance of dropping signals. Consider switching it to the lower band to see if it helps with the signal dropping. In addition, if you use 2.4 Ghz and 40 Mhz, you will find that your wireless connection keep losing.
It should be noted that your older devices may not support 5 Ghz and you will not be able to wirelessly connect those devices.
3. Hard Wire media streamers into your router
A part of the problem that can cause your wireless connection to drop, is when one of your devices flood the network with data. This means that if possible, you should consider hardwire (using ethernet cable) the devices that tend to consume alot of bandwidth. Although this can sort of defeat the purpose of having wireless network, but it can actually help your overall network speed if you can hardwire the bandwidth hogs.
The potential choices include your common media streamers like Roku, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, or computers that download / upload heavily with services like bittorrent.
4. Change SBG6580 Router Placement
If you have your modem hidden inside a small cabinet or next to other active electronics. Your own interference may be the cause of dropped signals. Consider moving your routers to other places around your home to see if the connection improve.
5. Turn off IP Flood Detection and Block Fragmented IP Packets
Many users report having dropped wireless connectivity when you enable IP Flood Detection and Block Fragmented IP packets.
You can turn these two options off under Firewall > Basic. Please see How to Disable IP Flood Detection.
6. Upgrade SBG6580 Firmware
Some users report that updating firmware has fixed their connection issues, however some have reported no changes. You should only pursue firmware update as the last resort.
7. Last Resort – Change Your Wireless Network Setup
If your SBG6580 modem router still drops wireless connection more often that you would like, and you have tried everything to get it to stay connected. It could simply mean that your SBG6580 either generate too weak of a signal or memory cannot handle the amount of work you put through it.
Consider buying another router and place your SBG6580 into bridge mode. And use a separate router to server your home wireless network instead.
I have the SBG6580 and it keeps defaulting to G mode and N mode has disappeared from the settings. I thought I rebooted it before then N mode reappeared but it’s not working now.
I just pull the power then plug it back in to reboot it. Is there another way to reboot it? I can’t find how to do it in the menu.
I have an Ooma Telo voip phone attached to this modem/router. Is there any Qos settings that I can or should set on this modem/router to help make my Ooma Telo work at it’s best? thanks
I am just wondering how to limit certain MAC addresses speeds.
I was getting .4 mg upload.(ARGGG) on Wifi(50 mbs ethernet) after my ISP updated my account. I had the channel set to auto and the router said there was no interference on channel 11. However,when I manually set it to channel 3 I got the proper speed(relative to my ISP plan) of 37mbs upload and 5 dowload. Most of the setting you suggested were defaults on my SBG6580. I had to switch it out and remove the ISP’s Arris because I kept getting the deadly “timeout dynamic packet exchange failed” I tried everything on Technet to resolve the issue but nothing worked. The SBG6580 resolved the problem. Works like a charm(so far)
How do I stop illegal bittorrent activity on this modem ?
I have a private CMTS and cannot locate the code to push the SSID, Password, and bandwidth caps through the MIB file to manage the WIFI section of these router/modems. We have found the code to manage the ethernet ports.
If anyone has this information it will be appreciated.
Hi:
It is possible to have my primary network at 5Ghz and create a guest network at 2,5Ghz?
Thanks
Any idea how to correct the time on router.
So, I’m trying to setup the guest wifi, however, there is not Guest Network button on my router interface. Do I need to enable it somewhere else or doa firmware upgrade? Please Help. I have a Motorola SurfBoard SBG6580
Enable it by logging into your network using your Web browser.
” 20Gbps” – meant “20Mbps” – much-much slower than connected speed 🙁
By the way, it’s only download speed issue, while upload is the same 10Mbps being it wi-fi or ethernet cable
Hi
1) Why “Bandwith” drop-down menu has only “20Mhz” despite my selection of @Ghz/5Ghz above?
2) May be you know (asked everywhere):
my Comcast cable internet has a speed of 50Mgbs (and up) – when I connect my laptop (trued several different ones, even brought new one from work) with Ethernet cable to SBG8580.
But Wi-Fi – even in the same room, 10ft distance, is always 20Gbps (same speedtest.net)
Are there any configuration settings on SBG8580 that limit the speed?
Thanks,
Paul
I just got a new 6580 to replace my old 6580. The old one was configured by a tech from Atlantic BroadBand but I never looked at them or thought to copy them down. I can’t figure out the settings and I’m not getting the speed I used to get. Anyone have “best settings” for SBG6580?
Just got 6580. My computer shows connected to wireless but browsers say webpage is not available. Checked all setup tips above. Please help!
Is there a simple way to open ports on this router? For some reason it will only allow me 7 devices on the network at a time. In order to have any more devices connect one device has to come off. I’ve searched all over and tried different things but ca’t figure it out
The wireless on my sbg6580 stopped working. The internet light on the modem does not light, but, I am still able to connect to the internet by ethernet cable. When I go to the residential gateway and log in, the wireless tab on the top of the page is now gone.So, I cannot even urn the wireless on if I try. Has TWC done something to disable this? How can they change the page and delete a tab for the wireless? I talked to TWC customer support and they claim they did nothing. Something changed the interface while I was using it. My wireless dropped twice, I reset it twice, then on the third time, the wireless tab disappeared so I couldn’t reset the wireless.
Same problem here, were you able to solve it?
Hi
Quick Q. Do you know if there’s any way to control the amount of download stream for a guest connection? – AB
i have a sbg6580. trying to figure out the wireless connection password to enter into my iPhone. how do i find or create a wireless password?
Please tell me where to find my password for /SBG6580. I need to add my new mini iPad.
I simply can’t find the password. HEIP!
You will find a security key behind of your router,you can also find this password by going to 192.168.0.1 login using admin as username and motorola as your password go to wireless bar on the top third from left and go to primary network and scroll down little till you see a box saying show password,now you can just click it and see your password but in your case just see the back of the router
You can also go to 192.168.0.1 and use root as user and motorola as password then follow the other instructions from Techhelp.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS SITE!!! THE STICKER ON THE BACK OF MY S.B. GOT RIPPED RIGHT ACROSS THE SSID/PASS KEY A DAY AFTER MY INITIAL SET UP SO I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO USE WIFI ON ANY OF MY DEVICES BESIDES PC FOR MONTHS!! COMCAST NOR MOTOROLA COULD/WOULD HELP ME…BUT YOU, YOU MADE MY YEAR SO FAR(BESIDES FROM GETTIN ENGAGED HAHA) THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
Don’t forget to check for problems with your cable setup. Mediacom, my cable provide, has fairly tight signal tolerances of -7mDb to +7mDb. Two of my channels were at -6.8 mDb. So, normal signal fluctuations would knock my cable modem offline. Mediacom replaced my home run, rewired from the pole to the house and finally reduced the number if splits in my house. As a result my signal strength has improved to -4.5 mDb to +4.5 mDb. This is well within tolerance and allows room for normal signal fluctuations. Our modem has been rock solid ever since.
My SBG6580 works OK with any wireless or plugged in computers in my home, however I am having issues with a light flashing on and off on the unit that indicates there is someone using it, even though all computers in the home are shut down.
When I called tech support and asked about this, they told me that this is Wi-Fi working and is normal, however I can’t get over the feeling someone hacked in even though after I changed the password it is still happening.
When I changed the password a few times the activity light was quiet for a day or two, but then it started up again, that’s why I think someone is hacking in. Is it possible, or can I do something else to make sure?
I also tried to make the password stronger by using symbols like % ? () but they were not accepted by the system, what can I use that the system will accept, and will make the password much stronger? Please let me know.
Thanks,
JF