crsgardner
join:2001-08-12
Rutherford, NJ
|  Home Networking install and opinions
I've had Comcast cable internet since it was first introduced and have (more or less) loved it. Just recently I noticed a Wired news article (»www.wired.com/news/business/0,13···,00.html) about Comcast's 3 tiers of internet being upgraded. I already knew about them being upgraded, but I didn't even know there was a middle tier (shows how well they've advertised!) Anyway, 4 dl / better than 128 ul intrigues me.
Questions:
1.) Are there any home networking kits available, or do you "have" to let them install it? I do networking for a living, and I'd rather not have them rooting around my living room when I can just as easily (if not more quickly) install it myself.
2.) What have people's experiences been with this modem/router combination I've been reading about on their website? I don't know if I'm too keen with having a cable-company issued firewall.
3.) What have people's experiences been with connectivity? Is it any "better" as a Home Networking customer (I'm guessing no). My connection has been pretty rock solid, but my friends a few blocks away lose their's almost weekly.
Any and all opinions would be appreciated. |
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Qumahlin
Never Enough Time
Premium,MVM
join:2001-10-05
united state
| said by crsgardner  :
I've had Comcast cable internet since it was first introduced and have (more or less) loved it. Just recently I noticed a Wired news article (»www.wired.com/news/business/0,13···,00.html) about Comcast's 3 tiers of internet being upgraded. I already knew about them being upgraded, but I didn't even know there was a middle tier (shows how well they've advertised!) Anyway, 4 dl / better than 128 ul intrigues me.
Questions:
1.) Are there any home networking kits available, or do you "have" to let them install it? I do networking for a living, and I'd rather not have them rooting around my living room when I can just as easily (if not more quickly) install it myself.
2.) What have people's experiences been with this modem/router combination I've been reading about on their website? I don't know if I'm too keen with having a cable-company issued firewall.
3.) What have people's experiences been with connectivity? Is it any "better" as a Home Networking customer (I'm guessing no). My connection has been pretty rock solid, but my friends a few blocks away lose their's almost weekly.
Any and all opinions would be appreciated.
1. You have to install it
2. It's a rebranded Linksys set up so that only comcast has access to the cfg pages
3. Connectivity will be the same
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Forum Posts:3100 |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
 ·WOW Internet and C..
| said by Qumahlin :
1. You have to install it
I'm pretty sure only Comcast will be installing these modems, hence the insane installation fees. |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| reply to crsgardner
The question I have (and couldn't get a straight answer from Comcast online chat) is, do you have to have the hardware? As a CCPro customer, there is no friggin' way I'm paying over $50/mo more for 1000/128 more, but since home networking will get the new caps for $52, I would certainly consider it. I have no interest in their hardware, only the config file.
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports |
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china crisis
join:2003-05-28 | reply to crsgardner
If all you wanted was the config file,then Comcast would have two of the exact same speed plans for 2 way different prices.Would be nice though. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·WOW Internet and C..
| reply to oliphant5
said by oliphant5 :
do you have to have the hardware?
Unfortunately, yes. Otherwise they would just make a faster tier for residential use with 1 IP like the HNO has. You could take the package and their modem and still use your stuff, just have them setup one PC then put you equipment into the mix and you will back to the way it was. |
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hello123454
Premium
join:2002-02-02
Wilmington, DE
| Email From Comcast:
The model that works with this service is a Linksys BEFCMUH4. This modem was supplied by Linksys to Comcast for this special offer. It is only supplied to our
customers from field technicians coming to your home to install this package.
It is possible to have a cable modem and a router on our system. We do not charge you extra for having your own home networking device, as long as you do not need an extra IP assigned to your account. The only
difference is that we do not provide support for your router and you would have to contact the router manufacturer if this equipment is not working. We do provide technical support for the cable modem, and the
connectivity for that cable modem. |
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cablejoe
join:2002-01-15
Las Vegas, NV | reply to crsgardner
One point of interest: to my understanding, the company that does tech support for CHSI isn't going to be doing the support for CHN; rather, it will be handled by the same folks who support CBC. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·WOW Internet and C..
| Here in MI, the Ann Arbor system is already installing the HN package, and the same tier 1 people the silver customers talk to are the same ones that handle the HN customers. All CBC customers are handled directly by Comcast, it is not contracted out, at least the support here in MI isn't |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| reply to imrf
said by imrf :
said by oliphant5 :
do you have to have the hardware?
Unfortunately, yes. Otherwise they would just make a faster tier for residential use with 1 IP like the HNO has. You could take the package and their modem and still use your stuff, just have them setup one PC then put you equipment into the mix and you will back to the way it was.
Oh well...looks like I'll be yet another CCPro customer downgrading once the speed increases for Silver are available through my franchise.
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports |
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PGDUDE
join:2001-06-15
Bowie, MD
| I'm in the same boat..CC Pro residential customer @ $95.00 per month. Want the $52.00 pricing as opposed to the pro pricing...and really don't care to change equipment at my location to downgrade the service. Which really isn't a downgrade if there is any truth to the post from comcast employee about the speed of both pro and HN eventually becoming the same @ 4000/384. I don't see why comcast would be oppose to this and the post from hello123454 suggests that it can be supported this way. Comcast would retain the control of my leased SB4100 cablemodem, and I would retain control of my netgear firewall router, and dlink wireless access point. I don't care for that linksys router, and additionally don't care that comcast doesn't provide support for my firewall anyway....they don't now. Besides, I think this is Comcast's way of cutting those of us residential customers a break who went for the pro for a speed upgrade given there were no other alternatives. I am going to call them first thing Monday morning to request this change...I know a neighbor who obtained HN, and this tech installed the linksys wireless router...NO WEP encryption, NO admin password change, SSID broadcast enabled...luckily I was able to determine who the neighbor was and quickly helped him secure that wireless router. So, I'm also not particularly confident about tech comcast installers either with HN. I'll let you know the outcome. |
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Qumahlin
Never Enough Time
Premium,MVM
join:2001-10-05
united state
| said by PGDUDE :
I'm in the same boat..CC Pro residential customer @ $95.00 per month. Want the $52.00 pricing as opposed to the pro pricing...and really don't care to change equipment at my location to downgrade the service. Which really isn't a downgrade if there is any truth to the post from comcast employee about the speed of both pro and HN eventually becoming the same @ 4000/384. I don't see why comcast would be oppose to this and the post from hello123454 suggests that it can be supported this way. Comcast would retain the control of my leased SB4100 cablemodem, and I would retain control of my netgear firewall router, and dlink wireless access point. I don't care for that linksys router, and additionally don't care that comcast doesn't provide support for my firewall anyway....they don't now. Besides, I think this is Comcast's way of cutting those of us residential customers a break who went for the pro for a speed upgrade given there were no other alternatives. I am going to call them first thing Monday morning to request this change...I know a neighbor who obtained HN, and this tech installed the linksys wireless router...NO WEP encryption, NO admin password change, SSID broadcast enabled...luckily I was able to determine who the neighbor was and quickly helped him secure that wireless router. So, I'm also not particularly confident about tech comcast installers either with HN. I'll let you know the outcome.
Comcast will not let you use any modem other then the one that supply. Currently there are no homenetworking config files for any modem other then the linksys modem/router combo.
The provisioning system will NOT let a CSR representative provision your SB4100 with the home networking package.
If you want the package you MUST use the BEFCMUH modem
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Forum Posts:3100 |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA | Well then Comcast's lack of flexibility will just lose them the money as CCPro customers downgrade by the ton. |
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PGDUDE
join:2001-06-15
Bowie, MD
|  reply to Qumahlin
said by Qumahlin :
Comcast will not let you use any modem other then the one that supply. Currently there are no homenetworking config files for any modem other then the linksys modem/router combo.
The provisioning system will NOT let a CSR representative provision your SB4100 with the home networking package.
If you want the package you MUST use the BEFCMUH modem
Thanks. You're absolutely correct...as pointed out to me this morning when I spoke to the representative. But now they are telling me the service is not available in my area!! I wish Comcast would get it straight!!!!! |
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Qumahlin
Never Enough Time
Premium,MVM
join:2001-10-05
united state
| said by PGDUDE :
said by Qumahlin :
Comcast will not let you use any modem other then the one that supply. Currently there are no homenetworking config files for any modem other then the linksys modem/router combo.
The provisioning system will NOT let a CSR representative provision your SB4100 with the home networking package.
If you want the package you MUST use the BEFCMUH modem
Thanks. You're absolutely correct...as pointed out to me this morning when I spoke to the representative. But now they are telling me the service is not available in my area!! I wish Comcast would get it straight!!!!!
Well I can tell you provisioning and such is setup in most systems, but delays will be due to setting up billing and also traning the people who will be coming out to install the router etc.
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Forum Posts:3504 |
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PGDUDE
join:2001-06-15
Bowie, MD
| So you're saying that a tech has to come to your house to set this up? Gee what a waste of time. The rep I spoke with said all that has to happen is an exchange of my sb4100 modem with the linksys modem/router at a nearby office(when available I guess) The only reason I'm bothering with any of this is that the cost is a little more than half of what I pay now for pro. I guess their intent with HNO was hand held service for networking machines at the residence....not necessarily for the bandwidth chaser like myself  |
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hello123454
Premium
join:2002-02-02
Wilmington, DE
| reply to crsgardner
Ok I have just talked to 4 CSR's and they all have told me the following:
You may use any kind of cable modem to get the Home Networking Package
You may use any kind of router/modem combo to get the Home Networking Package, BUT they will not support the router part.
So for anybody that tells you that the only way you can get this package is to use the BEFCMUH modem, that is not true.
You may use any modem you want and it will work as long as it's docsis compliant. Hopefully that clears things up. If you have a hard time believing this, be my guest and call them up - 1-800-COMCAST |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| I talked to a CS agent online (via chat) and he told me no, I had to use their equipment, then later I actually called and they said I "shouldn't need it" but that they weren't sure. He told me the best bet is to wait a few months and everything is ironed out and my franchise institutes the new tiers.
On on Pro I will stay...for the time being at least.
[text was edited by author 2003-10-06 18:17:38] |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·WOW Internet and C..
| reply to hello123454
The CSRs that you talked to still have no idea what they are talking about. As Qumahlin pointed out, as did I, you have to use their combo, there is no way around this. I have talked to the people who do support for the HNO, and it only allows them to tag the BEFCMUH modem to the accounts with the HNO. |
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Challerain
join:2001-10-24
Severna Park, MD
| reply to crsgardner
I've had the service fir a few months without any problems. I do use the comcast supplied equipment, but it was set up with all the safeguards on (WEP, etc). Speed has been fine and for the most part has been solid. There were issues in my area that affected all customers, me included. There is a separate phone number that I was given to call for support that usually gets answered very quickly; not sure if it is Comcast or a sub. The firewall seems OK, but I also use a software firewall.... |
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