WARNING!!! To all AT&T Comcast cable modem users: Spyware contained in installation CD!!!

[Fallen Kell]

WARNING!!!! TO ALL PEOPLE WHO RECIEVE THE INSTALLATION CD!!!!

This CD loads software that allows external access to your computer. It is intended to be used by the tech help, it gives all the information that is can get about your computer over the net, including OS running, applications and programs installed and ones running in the background, what patch version you have, email addresses, etc. DO NOT LOAD THIS SOFTWARE!

More information can be found here.

Download limits (as in xxx MB of download a month (or day)) are also being considered. If this happens I will be the first to drop their service. I have been a loyal customer for the past 4 years, but I will not put up what that kind of crap. Who do they think they are dealing with? The people who wand broadband wanted it BECAUSE they DOWNLOAD a LOT of stuff!!!!

I also will be recommending to EVERYONE and I do mean EVERYONE to drop their service if they implement the download limit. The government has yet to approve the merger of the AT&T Comcast network, if we put up a big enough fight, the government can and will do the same thing they did with the AOL Time Warner merger, forcing the ability to choose between multiple cablem modem providers on the cable network, and not just be forced with AT&T Comcast. If that happens, there will be no way in hell, AT&T Comcast will be able to implement the download limits, as NONE of their competitors are doing this.

I also will be telling everyone that I got to SIGN UP for cable modem to discontinue usage. I mean seriously, these guys are NOT dealing with Joe Smith with no computing experience, their main customers are computer network administrators, computer programers, software engineers, computer engineers, etc., in other words people who HAVE A CLUE about what is going on. I can't believe they tried to slip the spyware into their software CD, the reason I know about it is because several other users noticed their firewall logs and alerts informing them that this program was trying to access the internet and send that data.

 

[Nothinman]

People actually install that stuff?

 

[bot2600]

People actually install that stuff?

That's what I was thinking...

Bot

 

[Zim Hosein]

Kinda reminds you to always choose "custom" when installing s/w doesn't it.

 

[Wiz]

I do the network support for my accountants office and she just got AT&T cable internet installed.
The installer could not get it to work and finally left saying something like "I'll have to get the tech people to fix this".
I came out and got it running and uninstalled all the AT&T software. What a dork this guy was, and this was supposed to be their "Premium Installation"
Granted it was on a brand new Dell laptop that had two NIC's and Win2K pro but still they are supposed to know what they are doing and at least get it working before they leave. Maybe they just don't have much experience with Win 2K.

 

[jfunk]

They just don't know what they're doing is all.

They aren't techs, they are cable installers who have been taught how to do the software install. Not really their fault.

I had to wait at my friends house while he got RR installed because he was working. I walked into his room to see how it was going and the poor install guy is staring at a stalled windows boot with missing VXD messages sitting on hold with his own tech people.

I have no idea what he did to cause that, but I fixed it all for him and did the entire installation before he even got through to a technician on the phone. He didn't even know what a VXD was.


j

 

[Nothinman]

OK then, people let the cable tech touch their PC?

I just told them I'd do it myself and he was off on his merry way, no fus and no f'n my PC.

 

[Viztech]

I did a short stint with an AT&T subcontractor installing @Home. They had hired a few MCSE school grads to help 'em out, but they either wanted to turn us into cable people or teach their cable people what to do.

Ended up a real mess, so I left there and got a real job.

viz

 

[StandardCell]

When AT&T installed my cable modem, the bonehead installer went and dropped my web browser behind my proxy (presumably to track my web usage), as well as set my homepage to http://www (which is the internal AT&T website). He also did this within a few seconds, typing quickly and thinking I wouldn't see what he did. I had to go back after I was done and undo what he had done. Then, two months later and with no warning, they capped upload speeds (for which a lot of people in my city received compensation). *GRUMBLE*

When they came and installed my friend's cable modem, I gave the installer explicit instructions that he was NOT to change the homepage of the browser or set us behind a proxy, or that we would complain to his management about it. He was a bit wary after that, but unfortunately you need to wield a big stick.

You have to watch out for these tricky dicks. I know they port scan, looking for servers, and I know they like to monitor whatever they can on their customers' connections. To me, the only software that will be installed on my Windows box will be the drivers for the NIC from the manufacturer's web site and the Microsoft TCP/IP networking.

 

[beaver]

<< WARNING!!! To all AT&T Comcast cable modem users: Spyware contained in installation CD. >>



Thanks a lot.

In my experience, I got three times of att installation because my moving. tell the tech nicely NOT to remove your homepage, they will follow your demand and won't install the CD on your system. Not a big deal. But I never think about the CD spyware. Should we complain to att and FCC? We buy the service but not sell our privacy too much, right?

I will send a email to att service.

 

[Wolfie]

The only thing that came out good when they installed this cable connection was the guy showed me what napster was. Well since then, I know about 100x more things about computers then I once did. The guy that was here knew some things about computers but he didn't know a lot of different things like why my NIC card wasn't working till he called someone. But they threw in a NIC card for me and Whala it worked. Since then I have reinstalled twice but I don't care. Beats Dial up.

Wolfie

 

[Russ]

<< This CD loads software that allows external access to your computer. >>



Sorry, but this is not news. @home has been doing this for ages.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Adul]

I never use their crap software on my pc. I'll be damned if I use cox's software has well.

 

[seniorguy]

My mediaone email will expire in two days.

I have a cable modem AND a cable router.

Any resources as to configure my new Comcast email without installing the Comcast CD

I was not successful in installing my new Comast email even though I use the Comcast CD. Would this has to do with the new IP scheme?

 

[Squisher]

I got a recorded phonecall from Comcast telling me install the CD or I'll lose connectivity. We'll see. I'm goin' CD less.

seniorguy
To configure email manually go to the bottom of the page

 

[Doh!]

Run Ad-Aware once in a while (it's free).

 

[seniorguy]

Thanks Squisher

I was too upset to look at the Comcast screen. It took me over 2 hrs and 4 tries to install at 1 am in the morning!!!! At one point, I could not even communicate with the ISP.

One more question. The Explorer now has the Comcast logo instead of the MS logo at the top right hand corner (Comcast branded Internet Explorer) . Any suggestion as to get rid of it. Can I reinstall MS IE over this?

Or better yet, can I do an uninstall to get rid of the CD software - e.g. Comcast support.

On the last page of the book, it says that former Road Runner Service with a VPN will have to become a Comcast Pro customer. Is using a cable router considered having a VPN?

 

[AcidzT]

Yeah that software is crap, i mean cable is nice and all but im not using your bad browser and all that crap u install. I will NEVER use that stuff, the day i ned that stuff to run the service is the day i will switch companies.

The install guy's where really nice, i told em i didnt want that stuff and they where really cool. They loged in from my house once it was set up and checked to see if there was any bad hookups or stuff like that on my node, and tehy saw a few that tehy went and fixed. They replaced alotta cheap cabe that we have linking cable deviders up, and the ones they didnt they cut the ends off and put on thoes nice ones they have. man i rember that day, it was great


yeha im still with @home. Midcontinent will be switching all of us in their area to there own servers soon, which is good. Im not sure how big midco is (south dakota) but it will be good, they promise same or better speeds which i beleive. Actually i think they own the pipes around here (which is why we get switched over fast) but they used @home for stuff. Im upset becasue of the fact they they are changing our e-mails. It dosent bother me that they are switching them (i know they gotta) but i want jsut "krehbiel5@midco.com" but they are planing like "krehbiel5@abc.midco.com" which sucks. (abc filled in with somthing else)

 

[Fallen Kell]

Well, I just got switched tonight. Was interesting when it happened as well, considering I had NO advance notice that I would be switched. Took about 3 minutes to trouble-shoot though.

I don't have my new comcast email address though (its suppose to be username@comcast.net, but when I setup my mail program for that account using mail.comcast.net as the mailserver, I had an incorrect password. I guess I will have to call up to get my email working, really sucks, cause like I said, I figured everything else out in a few minutes, and now they go an thow a curve-ball like this at me)

 

[mdcrab]

I downloaded Comcast's new diagnostic software from their web site. Is this the spyware you refer to. If so how do I remove it? Checked "Add/Remove" but did not see it listed. Does not show up in Ad-aware.

mdcrab