Curious. Is Comcast no longer using the mac addr of whatever is
connected to the cable-modem to determine a valid connection?

I just replaced my dead ZyXel router with a Netgear FR114P and
when I connected the fr114p, everything works after reconfiguring
my static "lan" ip. The router did get a new ip & netmask tho.

I've read others had to do the emulate mac thing and/or call the
"help" desk and now wondering why I didn't need to.

The cable-modem is the old RCA DM215 from @home. If a specific
mac addr is not needed for the DM215, I will hang on to it and
see to it Comcast doesn't try to "upgrade"/modernize the cable-modem.

In article <slrnbtvf0f.pn.paul@crane.li-po.edu>, paul@not_a_real.edu
says...
I bought an SB4100 on eBay to replace the Comcast rental.
When I used the online (re)registration, it detected the
new modem and asked if I wanted to Add or Replace. I chose
Replace; then it detected that something had changed (when
I first registered, I was direct-connected to the modem,
now I was going through a router) at my computer, and did
I want to Add or Replace. I chose Replace again, and I
was finished. Modem rebooted, I was all set. This is
in MA.

--Gene

On 2003-12-17, Gene S Berkowitz <first.last@comcast.net> wrote:
Thanks for the info. I'm in CA. It's good to know that the
dectection software has gotten better and that the emulate
mac addr on a router may not be really needed, for now.

My modem didn't reboot when the router was replaced; perhaps
it depends on what was replaced..

pc user wrote:
AFIK, the modem stores N MAC addresses where N = 5 or 7. When this
table is full, you need to power-cycle the modem (without power for
maybe 5-10 minutes) to clear the MAC table. This has nothing to do with
authenticating the connection. One of the regulars here (Warren, I
think) explained that Comcast now authenticates the modem MAC, rather
than the connected NIC MAC addresses. Now, if you install another
modem, you will need to register the MAC address of the new modem.

Q

Whers is the online modem registration?
"Gene S. Berkowitz" <first.last@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a49bd157f4a6ff79896a1@news.comcast.gigan ews.com...

budman101 wrote:
If your on a system that uses "bottom-up" provisioning (for example, the
former ATTBI systems), then once you add a new modem, it'll get a "local
access" config file. This file essentially means no matter what page you
try to go to, you'll only be able to get the modem registration site.
(Hard-coding your DNS servers, or using a router with hard-coded DNS
servers will cause this to fail, but an all DHCP setup should allow you
to succeed.)

Some systems that don't use "bottom-up" provisioning have a site
available only to their technicians, and other systems require someone
to manually type in a new modem MAC to the system. Bottom-up
provisioning requires an initial investment by the cable company, but it
pays off by cutting down on the need for service calls, and nearly
eliminates the problems caused by typos -- assuming they also take away
the ability of the customer service agents to by-pass the system.

--
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: Do your Christmas Shopping Online
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/associateshop.html