Road Runner Cable Modem Question...

[edro]

I found a Surf Board cable modem in a dumpster...

I have the same modem at my apartment (I also have RR service there).

Well, "for the hell of it", I hooked it up at my parents' house (they have Time Warner Cable), and to my amazement, it works!

They have never had RR at their house...

How does this work? Can I get in trouble for using it? If this MAC address shows up on their records, will they just disable it remotely or somethin?

Thanks!

 

[rh71]

So cable internet service is "on" at your parent's place when they're not paying for it ? I say sweet if it were tv service where it can't be tracked but yes you should worry that your new modem is traceable.

 

[PlatinumGold]

i met a comcast guy the other day, he got a call from a "customer" because she wasn't getting every channel she thought she was. he says to her "but your not PAYING for the service, now i'm gonna have to charge you".

he looks at me and laughs, if she had never called in, they wouldn't have charged her.

 

[TerryMathews]

edro: Did the modem's lights just come on, or did you hook it up to a computer and see if you could get an address?

RR authenticates based on the MAC address of the PC it's connected to. Theoretically, any RR-capable house can have a cable modem attached and have it acquire a signal without RR service being activated at the house. If the MAC address of the computer is unknown however, you'll never get an IP from the DHCP server. No IP = no internet for you.

 

[dmurray14]

yeah, elaborate on "it works"...do you get internet, an ip...what?

Dan

 

[TGregg]

Originally posted by: TerryMathews
edro: Did the modem's lights just come on, or did you hook it up to a computer and see if you could get an address?

RR authenticates based on the MAC address of the PC it's connected to. Theoretically, any RR-capable house can have a cable modem attached and have it acquire a signal without RR service being activated at the house. If the MAC address of the computer is unknown however, you'll never get an IP from the DHCP server. No IP = no internet for you.

You mean the MAC of the modem has to be known to RR, right? I've had different PCs, NICs and routers hooked up, never had to call RR.

 

[edro]

Yes, it works perfectly. Gets an IP address (24.210.x.x) and everything. All traffic works fine. So it authenticates using the MAC address of the modem? Why is it still working? Do you think whoever threw it out is still getting billed for it? THey should catch the mistake and disable it right?

 

[Excelsior]

I highly doubt they are getting billed for it, I just think that RR doesn't do anything about the modem once one cancels service.

 

[bmacd]

personally, i'd have no objection to them using it, but watch out...the last thing your parents need is to worry about being charged with fraud. Thta MAC address is linked to another house, but i'm positive that it's still possible to trace it to your parent's place.

-=bmacd=-

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

It's because of they way they trasnsmit the signals. I know with the cable companies I've had, we only really want cable internet, but their cable TV channels always have come even though we don't pay for them.

 

[TerryMathews]

Originally posted by: TGregg
You mean the MAC of the modem has to be known to RR, right? I've had different PCs, NICs and routers hooked up, never had to call RR.

Maybe it varies area by area, but here in the so-called western Ohio area, authentication is done by MAC adddress. I had to call tech support when I changed out the NIC in my computer because the MAC address changed I could no longer receive an IP.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: TerryMathews

Originally posted by: TGregg
You mean the MAC of the modem has to be known to RR, right? I've had different PCs, NICs and routers hooked up, never had to call RR.

Maybe it varies area by area, but here in the so-called western Ohio area, authentication is done by MAC adddress. I had to call tech support when I changed out the NIC in my computer because the MAC address changed I could no longer receive an IP.

its different here, ive chanded nics like 4 times and gone from nic to onboard lan and never has an issue

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: TerryMathews

Originally posted by: TGregg
You mean the MAC of the modem has to be known to RR, right? I've had different PCs, NICs and routers hooked up, never had to call RR.

Maybe it varies area by area, but here in the so-called western Ohio area, authentication is done by MAC adddress. I had to call tech support when I changed out the NIC in my computer because the MAC address changed I could no longer receive an IP.

its different here, ive chanded nics like 4 times and gone from nic to onboard lan and never has an issue

There is no way it can be linked to a Network Card MAC... What if you change your computer? That would be stupid.

THey most definately track it by the MAC of the modem. I just wanna know how they know which modems to keep active, and if they can track it to a certain house...

 

[vailr]

Looks like RR needs to update their record keeping, of which modems are associated with current customers, and which are not.
I know that Comcast has a deactivated modem MAC address status called "garden walled", so that a formerly-used modem cannot just be hooked up elsewhere on their system, and have the internet access to resume working (without proper paid-for authorization).

 

[TerryMathews]

Originally posted by: edro13
There is no way it can be linked to a Network Card MAC... What if you change your computer? That would be stupid.

THey most definately track it by the MAC of the modem. I just wanna know how they know which modems to keep active, and if they can track it to a certain house...

What exactly makes you think you're smarter than anyone else on this board?

I mean, really. We're on a computer tech BBS. If someone starts talking about MAC addresses and authentication in coherent sentences, it's a safe bet they know what the hell they're talking about. Like I said in a previous post I had to call tech support and have their record of my MAC address changed so I could get back on RR. I failed to mention that I had to go to Tier 3 before I reached someone who knew WOH was doing MAC filtering, but I really didn't think it was relevant.

 

[virtueixi]

I remember hearing somewhere that the signal frequency changes somehow and that's how they find out.

 

[ColdFusion718]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i met a comcast guy the other day, he got a call from a "customer" because she wasn't getting every channel she thought she was. he says to her "but your not PAYING for the service, now i'm gonna have to charge you".

he looks at me and laughs, if she had never called in, they wouldn't have charged her.

does she have kids? people like her kinda makes you think where all the dumb children come from.

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: TerryMathews

Originally posted by: edro13
There is no way it can be linked to a Network Card MAC... What if you change your computer? That would be stupid.
THey most definately track it by the MAC of the modem. I just wanna know how they know which modems to keep active, and if they can track it to a certain house...

What exactly makes you think you're smarter than anyone else on this board?">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,9459504~mode=flat#9459504[/S</a>
I mean, really. We're on a computer tech BBS. If someone starts talking about MAC addresses and authentication in coherent sentences, it's a safe bet they know what the hell they're talking about. Like I said in a previous post I had to call tech support and have their record of my MAC address changed so I could get back on RR. I failed to mention that I had to go to Tier 3 before I reached someone who knew WOH was doing MAC filtering, but I really didn't think it was relevant.

You read it wrong... I wasn't trying to be smarter than anyone else, or call you stupid, I was just saying that IF a cable company did that, THEY are stupid. It would cause sooo many tech support calls and would be a huge hassel.

 

[TheToOTaLL]

Originally posted by: TerryMathews

Originally posted by: TGregg
You mean the MAC of the modem has to be known to RR, right? I've had different PCs, NICs and routers hooked up, never had to call RR.

Maybe it varies area by area, but here in the so-called western Ohio area, authentication is done by MAC adddress. I had to call tech support when I changed out the NIC in my computer because the MAC address changed I could no longer receive an IP.

My wife used to work at a RR call center, and you're correct - it does indeed vary on the location. Here in Memphis you can switch PCs all days long and still get an IP, whereas in other areas it is MAC-attached.

With RoadRunner modems, they definately have to have the MAC of their modem in the system in order for it to connect to their network. From what I've seen, you pretty much have to use one of the modems they provide, since its "pre-programmed." It's worth a call to your local office to see whether or not they allow you to BYOM (bring your own modem), and if you can get a break on the bill for it.

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: edro13

You read it wrong... I wasn't trying to be smarter than anyone else, or call you stupid, I was just saying that IF a cable company did that, THEY are stupid. It would cause sooo many tech support calls and would be a huge hassel.

Both cable companies I've been with have authenticated based on the computer's MAC address. The one has a thing that pops up automatically when you start IE if you connect a new computer so you can switch it yourself.

The other (smaller, local only cable company) requires that you need to call them so they can clear the mac address from their records and allow it to pick up another one.

 

[Zugzwang152]

in hawaii, i'm pretty sure that they can turn internet service "on" and "off" When I canceled sometime last year, I kept the modem past my subscription expiration date, and couldn't get a connection...