A family member has cable downstairs and the computer upstairs. Extending
the cable connection is impossible. She would like to place the splitter,
modem and wireless router downstairs and place the computer upstairs, but
Comcast (Sacramento) says no. I don't see why.

Can anyone suggest a solution? DSL is unappealing.

Tom

TomC wrote:
Off the top of my head, I can see two possible concerns:

1. Are both downstairs and upstairs part of the same dwelling unit? If
they're not, that's a big problem regardless of whether someone is a
family member or not.

2. If the computer cannot be connected directly to the modem, you would
not be able to get customer support. Support cannot take your word for
it that there is nothing wrong with the wireless connection, or even a
router. Nor do they have the training to troubleshoot any problems
created by these third-party devices.

Now the first reason is enough to deny you service. The second is only
enough to deny you support. (However "support" in this case would
involve installation.)

To overcome the second issue, the computer (or a computer) should be
temporarily placed in a location near the modem. Once installation is
complete, you are then free to add a router, or even a wireless router,
and move the computer to anywhere you wish within your dwelling unit.
(You would not have the right to provide service to a computer located
in another dwelling unit, regardless of the familiar relationship of
it's user.) However, if you ever need to call support, you may need to
have the computer connected directly to the modem in order for complete
troubleshooting to be done.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Black & Decker Landscaping Tools & Parts:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/blackanddecker

"TomC" <tecoatesHatesSpam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:F4ednR5X9KVu1gfcRVn-1A@comcast.com...
Comcast cable modems are locked to the MAC of the computer that cable modem
service is initially activated on. Thus, your computer needs to be
connected directly to the cable modem at time of cable modem service
activation. So Comcast is correct when they say "no". HOWEVER . . .

If you get a Netgear (or other good) brand Wireless router, it will gladly
spoof the MAC of the computer. The procedure would be . . . hook up cable
modem directly to computer with ethernet cable, get it working OK, test it
out by using the Internet for a while. Then power everything down, unplug
cable modem (power). Now hook up wireless router (using 2 ethernet cables)
between cable modem and PC. Power up cable modem (wait a few minutes),
power up router (wait a few minutes) and power up computer. This will allow
the router to program itself for your Comcast connection, and to spoof the
identity of your computer. If the router doesn't pick up the MAC address to
spoof automatically, you might have to enter it manually. Then test
computer to see if it is still working OK. If so, use the computer to log
into the router to configure a wireless connection. TEST the wireless
connection. Once wireless connection is working, you can unplug the
computer. THE DOWNSIDE TO THIS . . . if you ever lose power, you might need
to re-program the router. This will require the computer to be hooked up
(with ethernet cable) to the router again. So if you try this, I'd suggest
running the cable modem and router off of a UPS.

So it's gonna be kind of a pain in the butt, but it SHOULD work, if you are
willing to jump through the hoops to make it work. Don't expect help from
Comcast, though.

Why do you say DSL is unappealing? A good DSL connection is more reliable
than a good Cable modem connection. In fact, your connection speed with DSL
will be more consistent. During peak usage hours, DSL is faster. I'd
gladly go back to ADSL, but it would mean having to have a phone line
installed, and paying monthly service charges for a land line that is only
used for DSL. (we ditched our land line for cell phones a long time ago)
But if you HAVE a land line anyway, DSL is a great option. -Dave

Dave C. wrote:
You do not have to spoof the MAC address of the computer in the router.
You do need to power-cycle the modem when switching which device you
connect to it. You can swap devices all you want, as long as you don't
attempt to use a hub or a switch to have both (all) of them connected at
the same time.

This is one of the benefits of the "bottom-up" provisioning that
Comcast, and many other cable operators now use. There are only a few
cable operators out there that now require you to either call them to
change a MAC address, or spoof a MAC address in order to change the
device connected.

The original poster is in Sacramento. Sacramento once was Comcast before
being sold to AT&T Broadband. (Actually, it was a trade for Royal Oaks,
MI.) That trade took place when AT&T Broadband was still using @Home, so
when @Home went under, Sacramento went to ATTBI, so they were converted
to bottom-up provisioning from the beginning, and never had to deal with
the system used by Comcast HSI between the time they left @Home, and
when they acquired AT&T Broadband, along with the account technology.
Comcast customers in markets that never were ATTBI had at least two
different provisioning systems in use before the ATTBI bottom-up system
was deployed to them.

So at one time, some Comcast customers may have needed to spoof a MAC
address, but they do not now. Any ATTBI customers who think they had to
spoof a MAC address after ATTBI took over from @Home had some other
issue going on. Most probably just didn't power-cycle their modem, or
they just happened to try to do something at the same time back-office
work was going on that would have delayed the propagation of a change.

But the bottom line is that at this time, no Comcast customer should
need to spoof a MAC address. (Or at least not as a permanent fix.)

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Black & Decker Landscaping Tools & Parts:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/blackanddecker

Thanks, everyone! This is exactly what I needed. Very helpful.

TomC.
"TomC" <tecoatesHatesSpam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:F4ednR5X9KVu1gfcRVn-1A@comcast.com...