Problem with AT&T@HOME...need urgent help.

[mAdD INDIAN]

I posted this message in the Networking forum also, but I'm also posting it here because of the high traffic.

I am setting up AT&T@HOME at my uncle's place. He has two computers, one desktop and one laptop.

Now I initially setup the @HOME on his desktop computer. That went fine. I had to run the AT&T Virtual Tech cd, and it involved me to call the AT&T helpdesk to give the computer's MAC address as well as the cable modem's MAC address in order to initialize the connection. I did that. It worked fine. I can surf the web on that computer.

Now, my uncle brings his laptop home and decides to connect that to cable. So I unplug the RJ45 from the desktop and connect it to the laptop. So the cable modem is now directly connected to the laptop ONLY. So I try to renew the ip on the laptop's ethernet interface. It doesn't work. Now I'm thinking, is the @HOME service only gonna work on the desktop because that's the MAC address I gave? Does the connection look at the MAC address first?

If so, that means the cable modem can only be connected to one machine only the whole time? Do I have to call the ATT ppl and give them the laptop's MAC addy also??

I'm from Canada, and there we don't give our MAC address. We can hook up any computer we want to the cable modem. SO this seems different.

Any opinions, facts to help me out here??

Thanks.

 

[Pepsi90919]

I know what you mean...here all they care about is the modem MAC address, and the ethernet card doesn't matter. however, if you change ethernet cards, your IP address tends to be different.

 

[bcterps]

Did you rename the workgroup of your laptop? I have Comcast@Home, I run everything through a router, but I did have to set the host name on the router in order to share the connection.

--Ben

 

[MrCodeDude]

Wow, that stinks. Call up your @Home provider tech support, my Sprint Broadband support is available 24/7
-- mrcodedude

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

What do you mean Pepsi?

In Toronto, all they care about is the cable modem.

In Boston, they seem to care about the NIC's MAC address also, at least that's what I think..I want to confirm that with someone else who uses the same service.

I don't think the hostnames really matter? Because its not getting a DHCP reply from the server at all on the laptop computer..however it gets a request from the desktop.

 

[RichieZ]

Hmm that sux, they probably did bind it to the MAC address of your NIC card. He can get a router (cheap now  i think like $50 after MIR) and have it spoof the MAC address of the NIC card in his desktop

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

What kind of router can he get?/ Whats the name of it?

Also is there a wireless solution, so he can hook up the cable modem to a wireless router of some sort, and then install wireless network cards in each computer..and share the internet that way? Is it feasible? Also how would the performance be?

Thanks

 

[RichieZ]

I'm pretty sure all the regular consumer routers from linksys and netgear etc can do it. I personally have the Netgear RT314. RE:wireless yes there are routers that include a wireless base station but I heard they aren't too good. You should ask in the networking forum

 

[Pepsi90919]

What do I mean? Uhm...I mean what I said.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

You have to change the Workgroup to @Home, and the computer name to c321312-b (that's an example)

 

[PrinceofWands]

MadD - I replied in networking...don't feel like typing it again though, so you'll have to go look there for a solution.

 

[goldboyd]

If they put a static entry in for your MAC then you're screwed, and will have to call them. One thing you can try doing is releasing the IP from the desktop before plugging the laptop in, that might clear the arp cache on the ISPs end, depending on how they have it configured.

 

[Amused]

@home detects the identifier of the NIC card. If you change computers, the NIC card changes, and @home will not recognize it. You'll need to call @home and reset the NIC every time you change computers (not a viable option).

You need a router with TWO NICS, one that is always connected to the cable modem, and another that sends the info out to your computers. Your computers then share the same name, and @home always thinks it's talking to the same computer because it sees the same NIC card, and the same computer name.

You could get fancy after that and set up a wireless network so the lap top can access the net anywhere in the house. My brother gave me a set-up like this, and I love it.

If I had to set it up myself, I'd probably know more about it. As it is, I just have a vague idea of the basics.

 

[PrinceofWands]

I didn't want to write this here too, but I will, just so no misinformation gets out.

When the modem gains synch it logs whatever nic mac is attached to it (or router mac). To change computers you need to unplug the modem completely, and then power it on with the new computer connected. When the modem logs back into the DHCP it will record the new nic mac and everything should be fine.

The real problem is that this requires the DHCP to be up and serving, which @Home's aren't a lot of the time. It's the weakest part of their network (except the mail).

Another possible problem would be faulty modem provisioning, especially after a node split. In this case your modem will not regain synch at all, and you'll have to call tech support and sacrifice your first born, and so on.

After a year in a tier 2 center, I saw hundreds of these problems. I can guarantee you that, at least at that time, the mac address we had in the system was automatically updated and we had nothing to do with it. Sometimes it would get stuck, and we'd have to repush the account, but that was very very rare. Power the modem down, switch the computers, power the modem back up. Release and renew the DHCP a couple times if you have to (if you're dynamic that is, if static don't worry about it). You should be fine.

 

[Amused]

IF you want the two computers to have access to the net at the same time, you may want to read this from the @Home help website:

Signing up for Multiple Computer Access


If you have a network of computers in your home, you may want to obtain one or more additional network addresses. This will allow other computers on your network to access the @Home service simultaneously.

Adding more computers and setting up home networks is recommended only for expert users. Adding computers introduces significant complexity to your computer environment, for which @Home does not provide either telephone or email support.

To obtain an additional network address, you need to sign up through the Member Services area within @Home. There is an extra fee for each additional network address you request. If your account has multiple user names, only the primary account holder can add a network address.

To sign up for an additional network address:

Go to the Member Services section at http://home-members.excite.com/.
Click the Home Network Products link.
In the navigation area, click Get an IP Address.
Provide your user name and password and click Submit.
Click Order Additional Address.
If you agree with the terms, click I Agree.
If you understand and are comfortable with operating your own home network, click I Agree.
If you agree to the fee, click I Agree. If there are choices for your area, you may also need to choose a payment option.
Click the button that corresponds to the appropriate operating system, then click Confirm Order. If you decide not to request an additional network address, you can click Cancel to halt the ordering process.
It may take up to one hour to assign and activate your new network address. During this time, you will receive an email that contains the new network settings. You should print or save this email for future reference. After an hour, you can try accessing the @Home network from your additional computer.

Once you are assigned a new network address, you need to configure the computer that will use that address to access the @Home network. For more information on this, see Configuring Your PC's Network Address Automatically.

Note: You will not use the network settings from the sticker on your @Home Installation CD-ROM or Installation Work Order. You will use the settings assigned to you in the email that you receive from @Home after you request an additional network address.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Thank you PrinceOfWands for your info.

AmusedOne, thanks also, but I'm not trying to get two computers to use the internet simultaineously..I already know how to do that. What I'm trying to do is make another computer (the laptop) use the Internet alone by connecting the cable modem to that directly.

PrinceofWands, when I changed the cable modem to the laptop, the modem was powered down. And when I plugged it back in, the online light came back on, but it still wouldn't give an IP to the laptop. Your right, the DHCP server could be down also.

 

[Amused]

@home's help says they require each computer to have it's own IP address.

"Each computer will need an address, just like your street address."

 

[rewap]

If you are using a real os, you'd be able to change the MAC address of the NIC (although not hardware wise, but @Home wont know the difference).