comcast --- assigns one mac address per household?

JoPh

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2002
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it seems comcast assigns one mac address per house and this kinda screws up when i add my wireless router. since the mac is register with the cable modem the router doesnt pull the addy.

i tried to clone the mac address and that works somewhat. but the internet goes slower and it seems the xbox cannot maintain a connection.



is anyone familer with comcast that may know a work around?
 
Dec 10, 2005
28,878
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Comcast set up my internet with my laptop's RJ-45 jack, so I had to clone that MAC address (not my wireless MAC) to my router to get it working properly.

I haven't had any problems beyond Comcast being pretty shitty in my area and the fact that 4 other people are using the internet in my apartment.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
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I had to call up Time Warner and have them reset my MAC when I got a new router.
 

SoulAssassin

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
6,135
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
You did cycle the power of the router, right?

this

connect all cables but power, power cable modem, wait 1 minute-ish, power router
 

Farang

Lifer
Jul 7, 2003
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The MAC has to be registered with Comcast so yes, you get one per account. It seems you are overthinking the problem and just need to powercycle correctly--everything off, modem on until it gets the cable connection, then router, then PC.
 

crab

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2001
7,330
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
You did cycle the power of the router, right?

And then again three times for good measure, correct?
 

JoPh

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2002
7,312
1
76
yeah i did. i powered down for like 5 min on all of the equipment. i guess i will try it again. maybe i jumped the gun.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
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Originally posted by: JoPh
yeah i did. i powered down for like 5 min on all of the equipment. i guess i will try it again. maybe i jumped the gun.

Try 15 minutes, all equipment unplugged. That's sometimes what it takes for my VoIP and cable modems (don't ask me why).
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
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just cloning has always worked for me - never had an issue with slower speeds.
 

NesuD

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,999
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106
Originally posted by: JoPh
yeah i did. i powered down for like 5 min on all of the equipment. i guess i will try it again. maybe i jumped the gun.

If it is one of those modems with a battery in it you might have to take the battery out for a couple minutes to get it to reset.
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
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Cloning? WTF, I always unplug the modem, take a dump, and plug whatever new device I've got (switching to one PC only, adding a new router, w/e) into the cable modem and power it back up after 5-10 min.
 

ebaycj

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2002
5,418
0
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WTF are you people talking about?

The only MAC address comcast needs is the one on the back of your Cable Modem.

ANY other MAC addresses are registered with your local cable modem (which is told by comcast to limit itself to only pass traffic for 1 or more "internal" MAC addresses)

Sometimes you have to turn the power off AND hit the reset button on the back of the modem to get it to reset it's internal MAC address list.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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How long does it take them to reset your MAC address? Back when I had Prolog, it would take them 1-2 days to change it in their systems. There was an exception - once I called on the third day, and got to talk to a supervisor. He changed it as I was still on the phone with him. :roll:

My setup for MAC address: I give my laptop's MAC address, and then use the clone-MAC feature on the router. That way, I've always got Internet access, even if the router dies.

 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
18,124
912
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Originally posted by: ebaycj
WTF are you people talking about?

The only MAC address comcast needs is the one on the back of your Cable Modem.

ANY other MAC addresses are registered with your local cable modem (which is told by comcast to limit itself to only pass traffic for 1 or more "internal" MAC addresses)

Sometimes you have to turn the power off AND hit the reset button on the back of the modem to get it to reset it's internal MAC address list.

Winner!:thumbsup: