Re: Connecting a linspire box to comcast

[email protected] wrote:

>>Actually, their authentication system (codename bedrock) does this, and
>> won't let you on, regardless of how many times you cycle the modem.
>>    
>>
>
>So, why does powercycling the modem after attaching a different NIC
>actually work, if what you said is true?
>

Couldn't tell you. All I can say is that it's a phenomenon I've never 
observed. I've never had to power cycle my modem after changing NICs, or 
putting a switch on and adding multiple computers before my router, or 
anything else like that. The old SAS system would spit DHCP out to just 
about anything that asked (including unprovisioned modems and 
computers), and the new system won't.  The modem isn't responsible for 
managing IP space on the network. It doesn't care. Aside from some of 
the new "OMG WOW WIRELESS ROUTER CABLEMODEM" combo boxes that they have 
now (which are just linksys boxes with custom Comcast firmware that 
*does* limit you to five local clients), a cable modem is nothing more 
than a network bridge. It doesn't do access control, routing, or 
anything; just converts ethernet to Docsys. I'd have to double check for 
sure, but I don't even remember my surfboard's config file having 
variables for the number of machines on the local side. They do, oddly 
enough, run speed control at the cable modem level, but afaik, they 
couldn't even run provisioning at the cable modem if they wanted to.

> I have successfully done it
>several times on different modems.
>  
>

How recently? The switch to bedrock was only made in Portland about two 
weeks ago, and several surrounding areas haven't even switched yet.