PSA - Comcast users - Data Cap

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zzyzxroad

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2017
3,244
2,260
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Yea, no doubt, 4x1TB is just a test run on this particular project. I was thinking 4x3TB NAS drives at least, so 9TB of storage, but I really just want to dump data to it without encoding thru handbrake at this point.
Cost diffence between 3 and 4 was neglegable last I checked. Do you plan on going the shucking route if you move forward?

I've been going back and forth for a while on rolling my own or just getting a QNAP box.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
18,003
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Cost diffence between 3 and 4 was neglegable last I checked. Do you plan on going the shucking route if you move forward?

I've been going back and forth for a while on rolling my own or just getting a QNAP box.

Not sure what shucking means? I'm planning on dumping BR's and DVD's directly to the plex media server for use, and not always immediately. I will run a Z1, for 4x4TB disks will be 12TB usable, which I'll need to backup to USB drives to save some work
 

zzyzxroad

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2017
3,244
2,260
136
Not sure what shucking means? I'm planning on dumping BR's and DVD's directly to the plex media server for use, and not always immediately. I will run a Z1, for 4x4TB disks will be 12TB usable, which I'll need to backup to USB drives to save some work
Oh sorry buying a desktop usb drive and ripping the drive out of it. Common practice to save money but gamble on what drive will be inside and warranty.
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
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Comcast merged the 2.4ghz and 5ghz into one SSID which was good. The biggest problem was they locked out the ability to select channels. Mine was locked into auto channel select because they changed the access to the router section. The XFI modem used to drop all the time but it dropped less over the last 6-8 months. Middle of the night without internet was the most common problem.

They also locked out the ability to set your own DNS settings.

Using the Adguard DNS settings, blocks all ads on the Roku Channel, and most ads on TUBI TV.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
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I built a NAS almost a year ago and it has been rock solid. I'm running unRAID which I love. I'm not using a ton of plugins/dockers like some people do, or using any VMs, so it's all pretty simple which matches my usage.

NAS Specs:
Supermicro X10SL7-F motherboard (pretty much stole it - got it for $50 off eBay)
-Main benefit is 14x SATA ports (8x are combo SAS/SATA), so I don't need to mess with drive controllers.
Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 CPU (I think this was around $75 on eBay)
Noctua NH-U9S CPU cooler
32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 ECC RAM (~$120 on eBay)
Supermicro SC743T-500B case - comes with 8x 3.5" hot-swap bays, and I added the Supermicro CSE-M35TQB mobile rack which converts the 3x 5.25" bays to 5x 3.5" hot-swap bays. (Case was $330 on Wiredzone, and the mobile rack was $130 on Newegg)
32GB flash drive (plugged into the motherboard's USB port) as the boot drive
1TB SSD for the cache drive
14TB HD for the parity drive
58TB of total usable storage over 5 drives

This leaves 2x of the original hot-swap drive bays free if I need to expand. I use the additional 5x hot-swap bays for my backup drives - I keep those in drive cages but disconnected, so I can just slide them in whenever I need to back something up. I'm so glad I got the X10SL7-F, because with the cache drive and 13x hot-swap bays, all SATA ports are used up.

I saw some people going with gaming/non-server equipment on their builds, but I decided to go all-in and use only server equipment, and I'm glad I did. I recently bought some rails for the case, so I'll eventually mount it in a rack. I also recently bought an APC SMT1500RM2U UPS, which will also go into the rack.

The only dockers I'm running are Krusader (for when I need to do any file management between the drives), and FileZilla.

The ipmitools plugin is a must if your motherboard supports IPMI - I've got it controlling the fans, which keeps the server pretty dang quiet and at reasonable temperatures. The Unassigned Devices plugin is also a must. I use this to manage the backup drives, so that they aren't part of the array and are seen as separate drives that I can do whatever I need to with.

I have two primary sharing accounts setup - one which can read/write all shares, and one which can only read certain shares (i.e. does not have access to my Documents share, but can access Movies/Music/T.V. Shows/Games). I have my HTPC, which runs Kodi, on the read-only account. My desktop and laptop are on the read/write accounts, so if I ever need to transfer anything to my server it's nice and simple. All PCs use the standard Windows SMBv3 sharing, and it has been problem-free.

At some point I might setup Wireguard so I can access my NAS using a VPN when I'm not home, but I haven't had a need for it and it's probably better if I just keep it contained to my home network.

Sounds fun. Those supermicro boards are a few hundred right now. My kid has been pushing unraid and I just started looking at it. Im familiar with freenas (now called truenas) and zfs. My build is really just gonna be a content server.

I dislike the fact that comcast is doing this to the point where I'd rather plan for the fact that I may drop internet someday and just use my mobile device for comm.

ATT is my telco for mobile, and I'm on a 6gb plan. When we go over, it gets throttled, and pretty hard.

If comcast were to do this data cap, but say when you hit the cap were gonna knock you down to 10-20% of you plans speeds, I'd probably not even do anything. But the money grab is just a big FU to customers.
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
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If comcast were to do this data cap, but say when you hit the cap were gonna knock you down to 10-20% of you plans speeds,

I would just respond by saying "No problem. I'll just pay 10 to 20% of my bill."
 
Feb 4, 2009
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@ch33zw1z you should look into this as a backup plan. No data cap but they will slow the connection if you are in the top whatever percent of your market. My estimated speed was 50 down and 10-ish up if I remember correctly. Not sure if it works in the boonies where you live but worth looking into.


as far as the phones go when I worked with them a few years ago it was stepped basically first slow down was video only,next slow down slowed everything a bit but was still like a few hundred k, next slow down was basically dial up. Not sure if that’s still true but I suspect it is.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
18,003
146
@ch33zw1z you should look into this as a backup plan. No data cap but they will slow the connection if you are in the top whatever percent of your market. My estimated speed was 50 down and 10-ish up if I remember correctly. Not sure if it works in the boonies where you live but worth looking into.


as far as the phones go when I worked with them a few years ago it was stepped basically first slow down was video only,next slow down slowed everything a bit but was still like a few hundred k, next slow down was basically dial up. Not sure if that’s still true but I suspect it is.

Yep, I was checking out other vendors and planning for times where I just disconnect for a bit
 

zzyzxroad

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2017
3,244
2,260
136
Anyone here have the opportunity to get and use starlink? All of the YouTube tech channels I subscribe to have recently posted videos. For people in remote locations this could be a game changer.

 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
18,003
146
@ch33zw1z you should look into this as a backup plan. No data cap but they will slow the connection if you are in the top whatever percent of your market. My estimated speed was 50 down and 10-ish up if I remember correctly. Not sure if it works in the boonies where you live but worth looking into.


as far as the phones go when I worked with them a few years ago it was stepped basically first slow down was video only,next slow down slowed everything a bit but was still like a few hundred k, next slow down was basically dial up. Not sure if that’s still true but I suspect it is.

Not available in my area yet :(

I'm keeping my eye on it though. Comcast really needs some competition in rural areas. I wouldn't mind running off the cell towers as long as it was a consistent connection. Gaming may have increased latency, but whatever dude, I'll find something else to do.

I need enough consistent speed for IoT devices to function, emails to work, critical type functions. However, I really don't need their wifi 6 AP or router, so maybe someday it will just be the mobile modem, kinda like a cable modem now
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,512
29,098
146
I'm glad I was able to dump Comcast 4 years ago when TDS built their Fiber network here in NH. I'm happy paying them $35 plus taxes and fees a month for 300 Mbps a month.



I had RCN when I lived in Framingham back in 2007 and they were pretty good then.

that's a great price. I pay $55 for 100/100 through Verizon. starting my second year of that pricing (usually $85-90); had to call them to get my "introductory rate" back after 2 years, and it was surprisingly zero hassle. I just told him what I wanted to continue paying and the CSR was "alright."
10973275769.png
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
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that's a great price. I pay $55 for 100/100 through Verizon. starting my second year of that pricing (usually $85-90); had to call them to get my "introductory rate" back after 2 years, and it was surprisingly zero hassle. I just told him what I wanted to continue paying and the CSR was "alright."
10973275769.png

That's weird! Download is almost always faster than upload.

1613997609490.png
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
18,003
146
I'


I'm still cruising..

View attachment 40187

We've really made an effort to curb the usage to see what lengths we can stretch to stay under. I don't want to give Comcast anymore $ than I have to, $30/month is excessive IMO. And I'm certainly not jumping from $80 to $160 just to get a bundle that gives me unlimited....
 

snoopy7548

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2005
8,048
5,043
146
Creepin' back up! Screw you, Comcast!

I wish I had the foresight to make it look like a middle finger. Oh well. There's always the rest of the year!

1614126526374.png
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
136
We've really made an effort to curb the usage to see what lengths we can stretch to stay under. I don't want to give Comcast anymore $ than I have to, $30/month is excessive IMO. And I'm certainly not jumping from $80 to $160 just to get a bundle that gives me unlimited....

Considering that I use it for literally everything, from reading the news, to watching TV, to streaming my music from XM Sirius, $49.99 a month seems fair.

And that's all I intend to pay.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
18,003
146
Considering that I use it for literally everything, from reading the news, to watching TV, to streaming my music from XM Sirius, $49.99 a month seems fair.

And that's all I intend to pay.
Um, ok?

$50 would be fine, but not an option for me. Like, literally, nobody sells internet in my area for $50.

The closest thing was what @Fanatical Meat linked from T-Mobile earlier in thread. I checked into it and put myself on a notify list.

In the meantime, I'm building a content server to keep my content locaI instead.
 
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Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
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Um, ok?

$50 would be fine, but not an option for me. Like, literally, nobody sells internet in my area for $50.

The closest thing was what @Fanatical Meat linked from T-Mobile earlier in thread. I checked into it and put myself on a notify list.

In the meantime, I'm building a content server to keep my content locaI instead.

Call the corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, ask for "the Executive Resolution" team and negotiate for a better price.
 
Feb 4, 2009
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Call the corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, ask for "the Executive Resolution" team and negotiate for a better price.

And when they say “who is that?”
What do you do? Threaten to cancel which is comical when the choice is xfinity or satellite.
Xfinity knows this, that is why @ch33zw1z rates suck compared to mine.
I have two choices fios or xfinity.
As of last month I can get a $40 200/10 offer which comes with a year for some streaming service AND if I choose some oddball xfinity box that can stream local channels.
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
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And when they say “who is that?”
What do you do? Threaten to cancel which is comical when the choice is xfinity or satellite.
Xfinity knows this, that is why @ch33zw1z rates suck compared to mine.
I have two choices fios or xfinity.
As of last month I can get a $40 200/10 offer which comes with a year for some streaming service AND if I choose some oddball xfinity box that can stream local channels.

Yeppers, corp america spends time, effort, and money figuring out how, where, and when they can squeeze each area.
 
Feb 4, 2009
34,506
15,735
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Yeppers, corp america spends time, effort, and money figuring out how, where, and when they can squeeze each area.

Even right down to the people you talk to about your rate. They know there is no other viable option thus your offers suck. Even the retention/cancel people you talk to know. They have a monthly goal to credit accounts, this sum is not to be exceeded without consequences. They get paid a bonus if you don’t cancel. They know you have no other realistic option, they will give you the least possible to maintain your standing. I know this because I used to work a retention line. Wasn’t for internet but it was for wireless. I knew a guy with a 480 credit score wasn’t going to cance and “just go to Verizon” because with his credit score at the time he’d need a $1,000 deposit per line. Nobody is going to pay $4k deposit with a 480 credit score. Didn’t need to give that guy much, $20-$30 late fee credit(s) once last due balance is paid or better yet a $50 credit if next months bill is paid on time. These dudes never cancelled thus I got a bonus and out of the 18 months I did that I maybe credited a handful of accounts the extra money because they never paid on time.
While you likely don’t have the past due problem. You do have the problem of not having another option. I’d credit for one months overage and that’s it. You know how to track you know what to do. There wouldn’t be an option present to escalate the call further. While executives will say in public they like speaking with their customers in the real world they hate it and appreciate someone saying (to the right customer) nope this is the top tier offer and it will not be escalated further.

Random fun fact. Regional VP heard one of my calls basically saying more or less the above “You had a $250 deposit with us, this would translate to a $750 deposit with VZ. I see no reason why you’d do that over a $5 late charge. Dude was a multiple time caller constantly getting bs credits on his bill and I said no this is it no more credits. Cancel if you like and I myself have never canceled a service I like because a friend told me I should cancel.
The VP dude liked my decisiveness so much was I told he’d log in and listen to my calls a couple of times a week. I know he did because there were times at lunch or in the halls he’d compliment and giggle about something I did.
Stuff like this is not rocket science, the person either has an option or does not have an option.
State & local government should do their best to allow everyone to have a second option.
 
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