Really stupid cable modem question...

[TJN23]

But I had to ask....

we just got cable internet service, and rented the ISPs cable modem and are paying month-to-month...heres my question:

who's to say I can't just go out and buy a cable modem and set it up in my house and try to "steal" Internet from the cable company?

what kinds of preparation do they have to do to the line, the modem, etc. before giving us internet service?

tia

Tim

 

[FracturedSoul]

MAC address, and exactly what would you try to steal? Connect both modems and hope for double the bandwidth? Doubtful.

 

[bUnMaNGo]

yes, as FracturedSoul said, the MAC address of the cable modem. The cable company has a list of MAC addresses in their system- if your cable modem's address isn't listed in their database, then you won't be able to get online. That's why if you go out and buy your own cable modem to use instead of paying for a rental from the company, you need to call them up and give them the MAC address of the new cable modem that you bought.

 

[TJN23]

thanks bUnMaNGo, i've rented a modem so thats what made me ask the question

Originally posted by: FracturedSoul
and exactly what would you try to steal?

Internet Service

 

[FracturedSoul]

Nice, dumbass.

 

[q2261]

Originally posted by: FracturedSoul
Nice, dumbass.

Calm down there buddy. This is a flame-free zone. You are pretty new here, so please, be nice.

 

[TJN23]

yeah dude, u can learn a lot in here by reading/asking questions...

 

[Pulsar]

You can learn alot here, but how to steal things is not one of them. Check out the terms of service for the message boards.

Anyway - you can't steal internet from the cable company. It's not enabled to come through your cable connection unless you're paying the money. As for the modem, they're perfectly happy to have you buy your own modem - like someone else said just phone them up and tell them you did so and give them the mac adress.

Since they set the bandwidth through the docsys file (correct guys? I always forget the config..) it's not like you can get more than you pay for. And if you try to - they'll know, like so many of the folks who recently got fined big bucks in Ohio for trying to up their bandwidth cap.

Internet isn't like cable - they don't broadcast it. You have to go through their server, and if you're doing it, they're gonna know.

 

[TJN23]

stealing Internet obviously wasn't my intent...i mentioned in the opening post that we just purchased cable internet service...thats what led me to this question...maybe i shouldnt have used the word "steal" in the first place...sorry if that violated any forum rules

 

[MattM350]

Aside from MAC filtering, your cable company might do what my cable company does, if you are not suposed to get cable internet service they dont send the signal to your house. They work with the filters on the poles, my friend and I tried taking his cable modem to his grandparents one weekend while he had to stay with them, and although the MAC address is registered and being paid for we couldnt get online with it. So around here there is another system besides just MAC authentication... but I am unsure of how exactly they are doing it

 

[Fallen Kell]

I am agreeing with MattM350. There are filters in place on the cable network "hub"s (i.e. at the other end of the cable that goes into your house). These are used to usually filter out most of the lines. Basically instead of removing the line into your house, the cable company just places a filter on the cable in the box that corresponds to your house's cable line. Depending on how your cable company is setup, they can filter out digital cable, analogue cable, and the digital cable modem signals individually to only allow you to access what you are paying for.

This is also why there is usually a "hook-up" fee even if you already have a cable to the house. They need to send someone out to remove the filters that are on your line.

 

[dnoyeb]

Get real. The cable company will take about 3-4 months to get a filter on your line, if they ever do. They will try anything to keep from sending out a tech. But yes the MAC address they require, plus they will only give 1 IP addy per MAC, so you cant share addresses with your neighbor either...