I have a co-worker who has comcast cable. He wanted to setup a router so I
suggested a linksys router for ease of setup, price and reliability. I
asked him if he needs to login to get on the internet normally (pppoe) and
he said yes. I setup the router with that username/password combination and
sent him home with it. He said he cannot get online. I have DSL at home
and this is a simple PPPoe connection. I was wondering however if cable
modems generally require a specific MAC address. I know this used to be the
case in the old days because I had a cable modem a long time ago. What is
the procedure you go through these days for getting a router to work with
Comcast cable modems?

"Jason Gallas" <jgallas@usa.nospam.net> wrote in message
news:PU8tc.4658$884.79@fe06.usenetserver.com...
First, it's unlikely he has to log in to a cable modem connection. Your
coworker could be confused, and thinking of checking his e-mail, where he
WOULD have to log in. Comcast cable modems do check for a certain MAC
address related to the computer they were hooked up to when the modem was
provisioned. BUT, if you hadn't programmed the router to try to log in, it
probably would have configured itself automatically to share a comcast cable
modem connection.

Have your coworker:

- Disconnect Linksys router to make sure the cable modem connection is
still working without it. Do not go to the next step until the cable modem
connection is working fine again.

- Disconnect cable modem from computer and unplug it.

- Connect computer to Linksys router ONLY (forget the cable modem for a
moment). Use the computer to log into the linkys router and return it to
it's factory default settings. In other words, don't just delete the log in
information, CLEAR EVERYTHING (very important). If you don't know how to
return the linksys router to factory default settings, pull out the manual
or download it from linksys to find out. Only after you've verified linksys
cable modem is reset to factory settings, go on with the next step.

- Shut down computer. Unplug cable modem (should already be unplugged, but
check anyway) and unplug linksys router. Now hook up cable modem and router
the way it should be, without plugging in (power to) cable modem or router
yet.

- Plug in cable modem. Wait one FULL minute before next step.

- Plug in linksys router. Wait three FULL minutes before next step

- Turn on computer.

That should be enough to get the linksys to configure itself, unless linksys
routers are really dumb. -Dave

Jason Gallas wrote:
Cable doesn't use PPPoE.

Disconnect the router, and reset it factory defaults. Then power-cycle
the modem without a computer or the router connected to it. Once the
cable modem regains sync, connect the router. Then connect the computers
to the router, and boot them up. On Comcast, and most cable providers,
you're done.

If you're not connected, you may need to call the provider, and either
have old CPE MAC addresses removed from the account so a new one can be
automatically added, or they may have to add it manually. (CPE, customer
premise equipment, is anything directly connected to the modem.) As an
alternative to this, you could clone in the router the MAC of the
computer that was connected to the modem, but then you'll have to repeat
that process every time the router is reset.

--
Warren H.

==========
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I cloned the comcast supplied cable modem MAC address to my router and it
works fine...
shockie B)

"Jason Gallas" <jgallas@usa.nospam.net> wrote in message
news:PU8tc.4658$884.79@fe06.usenetserver.com...