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Note: I'm offering this self-answered question hoping it will spare others similar troubles. I don't know what other Netgear router models are affected.

Prerequisites:

  • The Comcast/Xfinity cable modem itself has Internet connectivity (verifiable via a direct-to-a-computer Ethernet connection) and - if the modem isn't just a modem but also has a Wifi router built in (residential gateway) - it must be in bridge mode.

  • The cable modem has been power-cycled and given enough time to come online before you've connected the router to it by Ethernet cable. When in doubt, power-cycle both devices and do not reconnect the router until the cable modem is back online.

Symptoms:

  • The router never manages to connect to the Internet via the cable modem - the Internet-connectivity LED on the device remains orange (white is what indicates an established connection)

  • The router's web-based administration application at http://192.168.1.1 tries to connect, fails, offers to try again, and keeps failing.

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Presumably, the automated setup fails, because the router unexpectedly submits an account-name field containing the router's model number when trying to register with Comcast's WAN.

The workaround is to configure the connection manually:

  • Connect to the router's web-based administration application at http://192.168.1.1

    • If the page was previously open, refresh it.

  • This will trigger an automatic setup attempt - wait for it it to fail.

  • On failure, choose the option "I want to set it up myself" (or similar wording).

  • On the manual configuration page:

    • Clear the "Account Name (If Required)" field (the password field should be empty anyway).
    • Set all other options to either "Dynamic" (IP address) or "Automatic" (DNS server addresses, MAC address)
    • Click "Apply", at which point, after a minute or so, the connection should succeed: a new page should tell you so, and the router's LED should have turned white.
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