Another day without internet

[Tizeye]

Switching from xfinity to Spectrum a month early - or at least the haggle why xfinity should keep me by rolling into another promo when current one ends Feb 6. Modem appears to have died and Spectrum offer free (low spec, not impressed) modem. With 3 months left on warranty and knowing issue began on Wed, Arris said Comcast had issue starting on Wednesday and writing new firmware which Comcast support apparently is not aware of. Can’t even Ebay that or a warranty replacement modem.

[Tizeye]

My goal today is pick the lock on the Spectrum box and attach the line from the Comcast box in the back corner of my yard to do a self Install vs the $50 technician tomorrow. Installers have a bad habit on clipping the competitors line. Alternately may make a small jumper at the house end but don’t know the condition of full line and if connected to the post inside the locked post.

[Mr. Silly]

You can accept the free, unimpressive, low-spec modem from Spectrum then replace it yourself with a modem of your choice and spoof the MAC address from the free modem.

[Tizeye]

That is my plan but was hoping could avoid purchase with the free (eliminated the prior monthly rental). Spectrum only supports DOCSIS 3.0 modems ang not the newer 3.1. This one has the unnecessary phone jacks but looking at specs, it is a 16-4 channel where better ones (and currently only level sold retail) are 24-8 or 32-8 channel among DOCSIS 3.0 models. My 3.1 was 32-8. They tried to give me the one that included a router which I flat out refused. That is the reason left Spectrum last time as that router interfered with my VPN capable router even when tech support said was in bridge mode...but wouldn’t give me the password to look at the menu and change as necessary.

[Longjohn ★]

Wow, it sounds like you have a good understanding of the problem and still don’t have internet. I don’t understand any of that, I just know I have I have expensive crap internet with no other choice.

[Prophet Zacharia]

I used to have wonderful internet. Then FIOS changed us to a “self-organizing system” that supposedly switches us between 2GHZ and 5GHZ signals depending upon the distance from the router and extenders. That resulted in our constantly losing internet connection. I turned that feature off and now things seem much better, again.

[Ralphie ★]

30 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

Wow, it sounds like you have a good understanding of the problem and still don’t have internet. I don’t understand any of that, I just know I have I have expensive crap internet with no other choice.

Yeah, he is like dilbert's mom!

[Tizeye]

Here is what the bastidges did. Comcast installers cut the end off Spectrums wire preventing me from self install. T may put an end on (plus small jumper if won’t fit) but still don’t know if connected to post at other end due to locked box. Plus, that Comcast line is only a year old and when their crew didn’t show to bury, I did it to the flowerbed, so isn’t buried back there and could easily connect (with excess line) to the Spectrum box as a known good line of it wasn’t locked.

[bikeman564™]

I always bought my own modem because Comcast charges to much for the rental. I get my ROI in a year and I'm good.

[Tizeye]

Well looks like the installer has to do it. Never could get the rear box open (without drilling the lock out) but did put fitting on the cut end and hooked up. Running the modem, never completes the upload/download cycle on startup, so must be unplugged in the back. Grrrrrrrrr!

[Tizeye]

SUCCESS! Gave it one last try to open the box. Apparently I was turning the wrong way compared to YouTube video. Line hooked up to the post so must be a bad line, possibly cut between house and post. Switched lines, taking the known good Comcast line out of their box (I was their only customer among the 4 houses served) and attached it to the spectrum post plus switching at the house. Cranked right up and no problem when switched from solo PC used for troubleshooting to full network with router hookup. Only bad part is speedtest was 116mbps where was 289mbps. Oh well, see how well that works. Now to go bury some cable so the squirrels don't nibble through.