Help Moving Cable Modem to a New PC

[BlameTheBigBang]

I'm going to be building a new computer soon, and I'll need to migrate my cable internet connection over to the new computer. I've done this before, but it was approximately 3 years ago and I no longer remember how exactly I did it.

Is it as simple as just disconnecting the ethernet cable from the NIC in my current computer and plugging it into the NIC in my new computer? Do I need to copy over any settings or anything? Can someone give me a step-by-step rundown of what I need to do?

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: BlameTheBigBang
Is it as simple as just disconnecting the ethernet cable from the NIC in my current computer and plugging it into the NIC in my new computer?

Pretty much, unless your ISP uses mac address registering.

 

[jfall]

You pretty much just have to plug the cable in. You could run the network setup if you wanted I suppose.

If your ISP uses mac address regestering then you will have to call them up, but that can be all done in a few mins

 

[BlameTheBigBang]

What exactly is mac address registering?

 

[Nebor]

Info about the type of hamburgers you prefer....

Seriously though, every network device, like an NIC or a cable modem has a MAC address. The way they make sure you're a paying customer is with a MAC address.... Although my cable company doesn't use them.... so I wonder how they keep people from stealing cable internet?

 

[Viper96720]

All NICS have an unique address to it. If your using the old nic in the new computer don't worry about that. If it was a new nic you can spoof the mac address if you had to until
you contacted the service provider.

 

[borgmang]

You most likely should just be able to plug in you RJ45 cable and go, if not contact your ISP.

 

[OverVolt]

Get a router and share the connection between them, why not?

 

[borgmang]

Originally posted by: OverVolt
Get a router and share the connection between them, why not?

 

[BlameTheBigBang]

Originally posted by: borgmang

Originally posted by: OverVolt
Get a router and share the connection between them, why not?

I have no need to share the connection. I only need one computer.

 

[Macro2]

Still get a router. It's a natural firewall.
Also, use a software firewall.

 

[NesuD]

With Comcast And Charter in my area all you would need to do assuming the adapter card changed like the new board having an on board lan adapter is to reset the modem so that it will detect the new mac addy of the lan card and reprovision itself. They don't do mac registering around here so getting the modem to redetect the mac address is all that is necessary.

 

[Jeff7]

My ISP uses strict MAC address registering - 2 per connection, and that's it. Back when I changed routers, because one died, I had the connection plugged initially into the dead router; then it was plugged into my PC. That's two MAC addresses. Then the new router came. Bam, not recognized - had to call up my ISP. Waited 2 days. Called again - they said the guy who changes that stuff was away for those days, but he was back now, and they'd tell him. "Patch me through to him now, or it'll never get done," I said. They did. He changed it, and I was in business.
Then I discovered that the router (think it was a Linksys BEFSR11) dropped the connection constantly, so I had to get a new one. More MAC address fun with my ISP. I do finally have a working setup now though - Dlink DI-704, which is apparently discontinued now.....but it does work very well.
So anyway, yeah, some ISP's will keep track of MAC address changes automatically. Some just don't do anything about it at all.

 

[thorin]

Why don't you just call 1-800-ISP-HELP (er whatever yer ISPs number is). They know what their requirements are for the setup. And they know what your current setup is. Especially since you haven't given us any of the obvious information to help actually answer your question like: Do you use PPPoE or some kind of client software? What brand/model of modem? What's the actual ISP? Are you going to continue using the same NIC? etc etc etc

Posted By: Macro2
Still get a router. It's a natural firewall.

1) Router != Firewall
2) NAT != Firewall

Thorin