Cable modem/router?

[Dusty Chalk]

Pretty sure that's the very definition of trolling -- putting one hair-brained idea that pretty much guaranteed not to work and/or completely inaccurate misinformation and/or joke said seriously (and/or however you want to spin it) amongst otherwise perfectly fine information.

[shellylh]

My internet has gone out every night for the last three nights.  At least one of the times was because of an outage in the area.  I again called Comcast up last night and may have had some success.  After trying to reset my modem (SB6121) many times, the woman told me that I needed a firmware update on it.  It took about 10 minutes but seems to working now (fingers crossed).  I guess Comcast doesn't automatically update firmware?  I am hoping that this is the problem.  My next step will be to buy a new modem. 

[Dusty Chalk]

Remotely?  Egad, that would be a big freakin' security hole.

[shellylh]

I thought that was the only way that the firmware could be updated (at least this is what people claim on the interwebs). Should I be worried? Should I get a new modem?

See for example here:  http://www.dslreports.com/faq/11988

Can anyone explain why this is? 

Edited August 10, 2015 by shellylh

[tkam]

If nothing else I'd recommend you buy a modem to save money.  Comcast charges $6 - $10 a month for renting the modem.  Here's what I have:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063K4NN6

[Dusty Chalk]

I thought that was the only way that the firmware could be updated (at least this is what people claim on the interwebs).

Hmm...so it is.  That must have been what the technician was trying to warn me about.  Sorry, can't explain, need to understand, myself, first.  (wanders off to perform 'research')

If it helps, I'm worried... No, no it doesn't help.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Dusty Chalk

[shellylh]

If nothing else I'd recommend you buy a modem to save money.  Comcast charges $6 - $10 a month for renting the modem.  Here's what I have:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063K4NN6

I already have my own modem.  I'm just wondering if there is some security issue with the current modem.  It seems that Comcast could update any modem's firmware at any time then right so even if there is a security issue, it is going to be around as long as I am using Comcast (with any modem). 

[shellylh]

Ugh, my internet was intermittent this morning and now it is lot slower than usual (and slower than what it should be).  I hate comcast. 

I've ordered an SB6141 to see if it may be my modem that is causing the problem. 

[tkam]

I wonder if when they updated the firmware on your modem it lost the config containing your speed level.  Might be worth contacting them about that.

[falkon]

It's a pain in the ass to contact Comcast about anything because it takes 3 escalations to get to anyone that knows anything.  I'm thinking about switching to FiOS when I move this month.

[Absorbine_Sr]

It's a pain in the ass to contact Comcast about anything because it takes 3 escalations to get to anyone that knows anything.  I'm thinking about switching to FiOS when I move this month.

This^^^

We had a total disconnect a couple of weeks ago. We knew our end was not at fault. Got on the phone and had to endure 3 different people reading THE SAME GODDAMNED SCRIPT to us before we got someone competent enough to get things working again.

I wish FIOS was an option for us.

[shellylh]

I really wish FIOS was an option here. I'm getting very tired of comcast.

[tkam]

With ISP's it's really just luck of the draw, either you live in an area where they have problems or you don't.  I've had good and bad experiences with both Comcast and Verizion FiOS.

[shellylh]

I've had great service with comcast until a couple of months ago.

[shellylh]

I wonder if when they updated the firmware on your modem it lost the config containing your speed level.  Might be worth contacting them about that.

Called up comcast and they said that I still had blast and should be getting higher speed. They have no clue why I'm only getting 15Mbps. They suggested that my modem is onmy capable of DOCSIS 2.0 - idiots.

[shellylh]

Ok, so maybe my old modem got fucked (in a lightning storm or some other way) because I finally went ahead and got another modem and things seems to be good (for now).  

[shellylh]

I spoke too soon, now my internet is down again.

Edit:  I checked at some point on my phone and they said there was an outage in the area and it would be fixed by 3am.  Later, I checked (before 3am and I still didn't have service) and my phone said they said my connection was good.  I guess their automatic online system is not very accurate. I winder if they are purposely working on the system at night to change something.  They should really warn their customers if they are doing this so I don't rent a movie on itunes. 

Edited August 15, 2015 by shellylh

[HeadphoneAddict]

FUCK COMCAST

4 weeks ago we made a Comcast appointment for a 3-5P window tomorrow, at the house where my daughter is moving into for school.  She's in charge of all the utilities and cable, in return for a reduction in her share of the rent.  About 1:30PM today one roommate asked us to see if we could get a second cable box for the basement.  Comcast said not tomorrow because the updated install would run too long into the next appointment.  They offered to come Tuesday and we said NO FREAKING WAY DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING, we'll see you tomorrow.  CS even gave me an address to pick up an extra cable box later when we were ready.

Tonight at 7:50PM I get an email from Comcast "Good News you order is confirmed", with an appointment for Wednesday morning when nobody will be there to meet them.  They made the change, even though another CS rep tonight agrees when reading the notes that we asked for nothing to be changed. Now they're booked solid until Tuesday AM, with no procedure to cancel the new customer who called today and took our slot tomorrow.

I'm the IT guy for 9 girls/roomates in the building, and Saturday was the only day I could be there to make sure they set everything up properly to work with the Airport Extreme that we prepared for them, and to set up user accounts for them (my daughter's admin account is set up, but the other 8 girls will have to share 4 accounts that we can't set up until we're activated).

We were able to switch the appt from Wednesday to Tuesday 8A-10A, which fortunately was the ONLY time all week that my daughter or anyone else can be home to meet the tech.  If I didn't have 2 doctor appointments on Tuesday I'd drive up to Boulder to help out. 

I asked if I could do the install myself on Saturday, but they couldn't promise that the Comcast store in town would have the equipment that we need on Saturday.  And even though the last group of girls renting the building had operational cable and internet, they said that if I do the install and it doesn't work that I have to pay $100 for them to FUCKING INSTALL THEIR SHIT later!  They should be offering to make things better for us, but they know they have us bent over and they're putting on a rubber glove.