Hmm, cable works even with a different NIC?

[Sacotool]

I just finished putting together this PIII-800 using some old parts. I put a Belkin network card in, but it shows up in the device manager as Realtek. I found that odd, but didn't dwell on it. I happen to have a Realtek nic in my primary computer as well which is hooked up to my AT&T broadband connection. Just for the hell of it I plugged the cable into this new machine and the connection works. I thought you had to call up support and give them the serial # off your new NIC when you switched them. Did something change?

 

[Anubis]

dont know about ATT but with RR cable i can plug in whatever i want and itll work

 

[911paramedic]

you mean your mac address? never had to do that, for my computers, although I do use a router.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

never say such in an open forum..they'll cut your connection now ..

Belkin is a reboxed Realtek chipset ..at least all the ones I have seen are..close enough for the cable to see and not crap you..consider it a bonus..

 

[vi edit]

It's a mac address that you are thinking of, and not all cable providers identify you by them.

 

[Geekbabe]

AT&T used to id by mac addie, are you spoofing on a router by chance?

 

[Sacotool]

Nah no routers here, just a plain connection from the modem into my NIC

 

[murphy55d]

the only time I have to call charter up is when I have to unplug the router for awhile, and then have them reset my modem to detect the router. I can plug my cable into any of my PCs, laptop, or Xbox and it works fine.

 

[DeviousTrap]

I also use ATTBI and when I swittched computers I noticed the same thing as you, everything worked. Then 2 weeks go by and suddenly my internet d=stops working. I know there is nothing wrong with my computer. Turns out the CS guy tells me that the MAC address they have on file does not match mine so I wont be able to connect until I tell them the new one. Right after I told him it started working again so I guess they only check every once in a while.

 

[thebestMAX]

Dont know if this helps but I just connected with Adelphia this past week and they wanted the MAC address from my MODEM. (Misnomer here)

All 4 of my computers worked independently, ie wired directly to the modem and then all worked OK through my router. (NIC not USB)

EDIT: turn off the modem and router every night also.

 

[BooneRebel]

Keeping track of your connection by mac addy is a pain. I just moved my connection from a Win98 box to a W2K system, I tried forever to get it going, cycling the modem, etc. before finally giving up and just moving the NIC from one box to another. Grrrr. :|

 

[Vic]

I've had ATTBI (and before then @Home) for 3+ years now and they have never ID'ed my connection by MAC address AFAIK. They gave me a NIC when I first signed up, but it was a crappy SMC Tulip 10BaseT so I never used it. Have used several NICs in the meantime and have been using a router with no MAC spoofing for like 2 years now.
When I got my house a few months back, I watched them as they set up the connection and it appears that they go by the MAC in the modem. @Home used to use a computer ID number (like C######-A).

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

ATTBI assigns IPs by mac ID, specific to the NIC. Change the NIC and you'll get a different IP immediately.

Anyway, if you're registered (which happens when you first get your service), replacing the NIC shouldn't do anything to your connection other than change the IP (and perhaps your performance, based on drivers and hardware). If you change your NIC, you should still have your connection. If you don't, check to make sure you're getting an IP. If you're not, reinstall NIC drivers, change slots on the motherboard that the NIC is installed to, etc. Once you get an IP, go to the registration server (the SAS server) that you may or may not have been given when you first signed up. If you don't have that address, call up and ask for the registration server address or just ask to get help with a new NIC install.