Comcast connection limits...complete crap!

[alphasigmookie]

So for the past few months I've been having problems with connecting to the internet from my laptops. Well today I found the answer. Comcast apparently has a poorly publicized limit of 5 connections to the internet at any given time. This sounds like a lot but it isn't. We have 7 and it's just my wife and I...desktop, HTPC, wii, 2 laptops, iphone, and networked printer (appears to count as 1). I called comcast to figure out the problem and they informed me of the limit and told me the only way around it was to upgrade to a business account. This policy shows an utter and complete failure to recognize the current state of networking. Thank goodness we don't have any kids and my wife doesn't have a smart phone. It's bad enough playing musical IP addresses with 7 devices, I can't imagine what it would be like with 9 or 10 which wouldn't be that hard with a teenager or two in the house. The fact that companies like this have a virtual monopoly on internet access just makes it worse. I would cancel my account right now, but they are the only company that services my apartment complex. I guess yet again I get to bend over to the all mighty ISP monopolies!

 

[spidey07]

What do you mean vitual monopoly? Almost everybody has a choice in broadband, if you don't like cable then get DSL or another provider.

And if you're using more resources you need to be paying for them, not the bare bones super low price of consumer level broadband. You get what you pay for.

Oh, and get a router and you won't have this problem.

 

[vshah]

are you connecting everything through the cable modem with a regular switch, hub, or wireless AP?

you need a router.

 

[alphasigmookie]

I have a router, a netgear wgr614. I've had a number of people tell me that only my router should show up to my ISP, but I still can't get more than 5 devices to connect to the internet at once (they will all connect and show up on the router, just no internet connection)

 

[alphasigmookie]

I can't switch providers because I live an apartment and comcast is the only company that services our area. I tried to get FIOS but our place isn't wired for it.

 

[Fallen Kell]

I havn't run into this problem and I have Comcast as well, along with 1 HTPC, 1 network app server (ftp, sftp, http, databse, LDAP, email, etc...), 1 storage server, 1 general use PC, 3 laptops, Wii, PS3, PS2, and 2 DS's. I am running static and static DHCP address for all the systems on a router running Tomato firmware.

Again, never have had an issue since there is only one public facing IP address. It sounds like you are not running DHCP or similar on your router and are requesting the IP from Comcast, in which case, I believe there is a limit for non-business customers.

 

[alphasigmookie]

hmm I'll check into that. I'm not a networking expert, but I'll check my router settings. I've heard/see the term DHCP but frankly i'm not exactly sure what it does. Google is my friend...

 

[RebateMonger]

Do you have access to the Comcast "Terms of Service" agreement that applies to your account? Does it mention a connection limit?

Never mind:

http://www.comcast.net/terms/subscriber/

"USE OF SERVICE

The Agreement is hereby modified solely to permit you to use the Service in connection with the multiple connection of up to five (5) personal computing devices within your Premises to the Service (the "Comcast Home Networking Service") in accordance with Comcast's then current published Comcast Home Networking Service description (which may be changed from time to time in our sole discretion). You shall be solely responsible for and shall indemnify and hold Comcast and its affiliates, suppliers, and agents harmless from and against any and all claims and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising out of your use or misuse of the Comcast Home Networking Service. You acknowledge and agree that the Comcast Home Networking Service is for residential, non-commercial purposes only. The Comcast Home Networking Service is not a commercial service and may not be used for commercial purposes. Please contact your local Comcast office to inquire about commercial service options."

 

[alphasigmookie]

well looking at my router firmware it looks like my router is acting as a DHCP client. I do see only one public facing IP address so I guess the problem is on the router end. I was doing some testing and I was able to get all 6 devices to connect to the internet at the same time at least once. However my wife's laptop still took a long time to connect to the internet even though it was on the network for at least 15 minutes. The problem seems to be weirdly intermittent.

 

[Emulex]

two dhcp servers can wreak havoc.

i've got about 20 devices connected to comcast personal and about 60 to comcast business($99 for 5 ip's, ~42mbps down/5-7 up D2 - unlimited - no port blocking, private business space ips that are not blacklisted,reverse dns)

never had a problem unless you were opening more connections than the router has ram to handle (cheap router)

 

[spidey07]

Nice ownage in this thread. Always read what you are agreeing to. Specifically a contract. Read what you sign.

 

[vshah]

are you sure your cable modem is connected to the WAN port of your router?

also verify in your router settings that NAT is enabled.

i've also had upwards of 10 devices on a comcast connection before, there's no reason this shouldn't work for you. try a full router reset perhaps. my wgr614 would screw up it's settings on a regular basis.

 

[her209]

well looking at my router firmware it looks like my router is acting as a DHCP client. I do see only one public facing IP address so I guess the problem is on the router end. I was doing some testing and I was able to get all 6 devices to connect to the internet at the same time at least once. However my wife's laptop still took a long time to connect to the internet even though it was on the network for at least 15 minutes. The problem seems to be weirdly intermittent.

Can you go to each computer and run "ipconfig" (without the quotes) in the Command Prompt?

 

[her209]

I have a router, a netgear wgr614. I've had a number of people tell me that only my router should show up to my ISP, but I still can't get more than 5 devices to connect to the internet at once (they will all connect and show up on the router, just no internet connection)

Are you sure its not because your DHCP pool is being exhausted? I know its unlikely but a still a possibility.

 

[Zargon]

Nice ownage in this thread. Always read what you are agreeing to. Specifically a contract. Read what you sign.

rofl

read all 35 pages of 6 pt font fine print!!!!

I have comcast residential and have 3-5 pc's on all the time, a wii, a blackberry, and a 360. not to mention I often have a laptop at home with no issues. Its something else thats the problem, not the # of connections to the router unless its set as a passthrough and the cable modem is somehow doing DHCP and dicking you

 

[alphasigmookie]

Well everything is inexplicably working today. Yesterday I had a couple calls into comcast tech support at work with one telling me it was the connection limit and another telling me it was my router and then transfering me to netgear. When I got home my internet didn't work at all but it seems one of the calls one of the techs completely reset my connection because it was automatically sending me to the comcast initial setup splash screen. Going through the setup procedure made it work again and now I can connect everything at least for now. I will continue to check the next few days.

I love how phantom problems randomly appear and then inexplicably disappear!

 

[RebateMonger]

Glad you got it working.

 

[Nothinman]

I love how phantom problems randomly appear and then inexplicably disappear!

I wouldn't call it a phantom problem. They probably figured out what was wrong and fixed it on their end but didn't want to admit the mistake to you.

 

[vshah]

I wouldn't call it a phantom problem. They probably figured out what was wrong and fixed it on their end but didn't want to admit the mistake to you.

thing is though, if his router was configured correctly, problems on their end regarding # of attached devices really shouldn't have been affecting him

 

[Nothinman]

thing is though, if his router was configured correctly, problems on their end regarding # of attached devices really shouldn't have been affecting him

Agreed, but I'm more apt to blame Comcast incompetence before the device itself. =)

 

[RebateMonger]

I wouldn't call it a phantom problem. They probably figured out what was wrong and fixed it on their end but didn't want to admit the mistake to you.

Everybody makes mistakes. But I do recall more than once when the ISP denied any problem on their end....but the problem mysteriously disappeared an hour after my call.

 

[James Bond]

My last house had

3xiPhone
4xXbox360
2xLaptop
4xDesktop
1xHTPC

Plus I'm sure some other stuff. Never had any problems.

 

[Geekygirl]

Let's just say I am over 15 connections and jockeying for an ip address. If you go to a browser, type http://198.168.0.1, you will see a log in. Key in comcast for user and 1234 for password. In the local settings you will see the range that comcast restricts you to and it is read only. This is the case for comcast home networking contracts with their netgear gateway. I have tried extending with another router, replacing their equipment, and sharing. It is locked down. I think someone must have bumped your range up at comcast. Lucky!

The comcast group did not understand and they send me to a netgear instruction doc, but comcast has put it's own software on the wireless gateway that is not applicable due to the forced firmware.

But hey they are the only ones in the area serving us unless you go satellite oof....