Bill
Light Up The Halo
Premium,VIP
join:2001-12-09
clubs:
1 edit | Will they be supplying the hardware?
Will the companies be supplying the hardware?
If so, I wonder if they are going to enable WEP/WPA by default? I doubt it. Verizon started handing out the "all-in-one" units, and those came with the wireless function enabled, and unsecured. |
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hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
 ·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| i've had TWC home networking and they leave the modems combos wide open.
TWC WOH uses Toshiba cable modems with built in wireless routers in them. and if you ask and they feel like giving it to you they'll give you a new netgear modem/wi-fi router. |
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GOLFnSUN
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to Bill
said by Bill  :Will the companies be supplying the hardware? If so, I wonder if they are going to enable WEP/WPA by default? I doubt it. Verizon started handing out the "all-in-one" units, and those came with the wireless function enabled, and unsecured. And for paying extra for a MANAGED service, that is inexcusable. A customer should at least get a secured router for that extra fee.
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bozzo
join:2003-10-17
Los Angeles, CA
| reply to Bill
In Los Angeles (though it might be national), Verizon started to provide Dell WiFi routers with their DSL service, now the cable providers jump once again on the bandwagon...
It seems to me that the companies that are making the big bucks in this "electronic age" are always reacting to technological progress with A LOT of resistance at first, before being almost forced to embrace it...
This is another perfect example, after the best and the most flagrant: MP3 and digital music. It took years for the music industry for them to realize they had more interest to go along with it and profit from it than to try to fight it as they did at first. This, to me (flag me for that), almost justifies on its own P2P and piracy.
Here I guess a newly-hired geek with some business sence had to explain to the executives what Wifi is and that they could profit from this technology... sad..
bozzo |
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Bill
Light Up The Halo
Premium,VIP
join:2001-12-09
clubs:
| reply to GOLFnSUN
I think the Verizon all-in-one's were free, and it isn't an extra monthly fee, but I may be wrong.
Either way, it's still inexcusable; they're leaving their (Verizon) network open to illegal activites, when they give out insecure hardware.
I've seen people post in the Verizon forum that didn't even know they had a wireless feature! They figured they had to enable it. They only became aware of it after they noticed someone else was using their bandwidth.
I hope these cable companies don't follow Verizons lead.
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The new Secure-Wifi.net is open!
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AbBaZaBbA
Premium
join:2002-07-10
Wildomar, CA | especially if someone had sensitive information on their pc and it was stolen because the encryption was off by default. That would cause a big lawsuit. |
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oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA
1 edit | reply to Bill
"They" didn't leave anything. Verizon just stuffs the wireless modem/router/AP in a box and says here ya go. They leave it up to the end user to set it up, including securing it. As is the case with most wireless hardware there was mention of it in the instructions from Verizon as well as the configuration wizard.
Meanwhile that modem is complete crap and many are ditching it or requesting an older Westell like the 21xx or 22xx.
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Mikelr
@twtelecom.net
 from:
Bill
keith2468
| reply to Bill
Posted this on the right thread, this time. . .
We just started offering wireless networking to our cable customers in Ventura, CA. We provide the wireless gateway for $5 a month ($2 more than a regular modem). We install with WEP enabled, and the gateway configured for secured access by our tech support staff. We realize that many of the people who are starting to get into networking are not experienced enough to set this up themselves, so we do all the setup, and are able to do some serious hand-holding when they call for tech support. We are a small company serving about a third of the city. Not related to any large MSO's. |
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removed
Crisis Management Squad
Premium,VIP
join:2002-02-08
Houston, TX
clubs:
| reply to Bill
Sounds like there will be many more open WAPs in some cities... 
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AIM | irc.removed.us - #dslr |
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keith2468
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-03
Winnipeg, MB | reply to Bill
There is a big opportunity here for someone, not just ISPs, to start a business offering home networks properly and securely installed. |
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Trakker
Danger
Premium
join:2003-01-12
ß | reply to Bill
Why even bother? Just buy a WiFi modem and have a monkey install it if you can't.
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»www.cqbarms.com |
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The Folsom
Kindly Shut Your Noise Hole.
Premium
join:2003-01-31
Yucaipa, CA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to Bill
said by Bill :Will the companies be supplying the hardware? If so, I wonder if they are going to enable WEP/WPA by default? I doubt it. Verizon started handing out the "all-in-one" units, and those came with the wireless function enabled, and unsecured. I have Verizon (NO complaints-BTW), and I was experienced enough to go straight away to the config on the modem/gateway(Westell Versalink 327W) and make sure the wireless was disabled. As of now I have my wireless client and modem WPA-enabled...
But there are others who may not be savvy enough to do this... I submit: all providers who give this kind of tech to their subscribers must disable by default OR make some kind of advisory for their subs...
It's one thing when manufacturers send out their products wide open out of the box; when an ISP does this, it is asking for network trouble, IMHO.
YMMV.
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Skyrunner8
join:2002-01-10
Berkeley, CA
| reply to hottboiinnc
What they should do is have it so Wireless is enabled by default, but it requires you to do a song and dance to get it set up.
EXAMPLE:
You connect to your access point with wireless. It lets you connect to a page saying This is how you set up your Wireless Computer for Internet access. It involves a password and your ISP account username. Then it should automatically pick up mac address, give you specific instructions on how to set up your computer to use encryption. This leaves their network Only to their customers, and customers get an easy(er) way of securing their Wireless Internet.
But of course, this is too much work for a company to do...when they can just not do it and get away with it anwyay
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-Jeff |
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hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| yah they should but they don't.
I have a New Edge Networks modem/router that they use for cable and DSL. and i tried to set it up for WEP/WPA and if i enable it or MAC Filtering the router/modem won't even allow computers to logon.
From TWC WOH the only way to get wi-fi access in the house is have the "professional" install and the tech is "setting up" everything to "protect" the customer. But the only thing they do or did for me was change the SSID from the factorty settings to my address. after that the tech left. |
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
 ·Embarq
| reply to GOLFnSUN
said by GOLFnSUN :And for paying extra for a MANAGED service, that is inexcusable. A customer should at least get a secured router for that extra fee.
Uh ... what happened to 'greed is good?' 
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reub2000
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Evanston, IL
1 edit | reply to Bill
My syster had the sbc/yahoo home networking package at her appartment. I think by default it had 64-bit wep. The key was set to a number printed on the modem/router on a label.
However, the web interface itself was setup without a password, which is just looking for trouble. |
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CableGei
Premium
join:2004-05-27
Brookville, OH
·Verizon Online DSL
·Cincinnati Bell
 ·magicjack.com
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·tw telecom
| reply to hottboiinnc
TWC has been offering home networking for quite some time now. At least since 2002, if not earlier. Some of the earlier options used CAT5 ethernet lines or HPNA. 802.11b wireless was adopted soon after and more TWC divisions are moving to 802.11g.
To say that TWC leaves everything wide open is very broad. The installer may have done it in your case (shouldn't have unless you wanted it that way), but that is not the standard procedure.
Recently corporate changed the standard procedure to include configuring 128-bit encryption (previously 64-bit). This is to be done at every installation, unless the customer doesn't want it OR there are hardware/software issues with customer equipment that prevent it from working properly. |
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hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| everyone i know that has wireless networking with TWC WOH they left the network wide open- no protection of any type.
i set out side some of my friends house times and use their internet and talk to them. then tell them I'm sitting outside their house on their porch.
After that i use my own Wi-Fi Router and manage it myself. |
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SKYWARP
join:2005-02-02
Portland, OR
1 edit | reply to Bill
I recently did some research and these are the options for Comcast home networking in my market (Oregon/SW Washington), and it seems to be fairly universal so far with only some differences in pricing for other markets.
Pick one:
4mb service 42.95 (52.95 without TV discount)
6mb service 52.95 (62.95 without TV discount)
Then add:
5.00 per month to lease equipment ($2.00 more than modem lease)
OR
Purchase gateway with Comcast branded firmware from Comcast for $179.99 and avoid lease charges. (Comcast still supports home network if you purchase it from them.)
149.99 for installation of up to 5 computers (Mac or PC)
- WEP enabled (128bit) as well as "password protected" (their words, not mine LOL)
+ $30.00 purchase for wireless cards if necessary (no Airport cards available)
Minimum operating system requirements are Windows ME or Mac OS 10+.
Leasing the equipment looks like it will add up, but if you're tech stupid it ain't that bad a deal because they support the home network and set it up for you. That means they'll roll a truck for 49.99 and actually fix your network on site if you screwed it up, or for free if it's their fault. They will also set up file share, print share, and their own "parental controls" that seem to give the admin user control over who can access the net and when. I'm not quite clear on that one.
I know a lot of older people, tech challenged people, etc who want to use multiple computers in their homes but don't know how to do it. . .or don't want to -F- with it.
So for a whopping $2 more per month you can have their home networking and networking support. Only difference is the start-up charge, which is a drop in the bucket if you're going to pay for Comcast service. (Comcast is the most expensive service in my area, but it's also the fastest by far.)
Comcast will not provide tech support beyond their single modem connection (i.e. to your home network) unless you are a Comcast HN customer.
That last part I know quite well, as every time I've needed to talk to tech support they say so and ask me to bypass my router. LOL |
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sdd75
join:2001-10-14
Maryville, TN | reply to AbBaZaBbA
Lawsuits like all of the ones against Microsoft for loosing data when a virus exploits a vulerability or someone steals credit card information from a bank? |
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