King Beowulf(kingbeow...@gmail.com)@Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 12:45:40PM -0700: > On 09/18/2017 10:16 PM, Denis Heidtmann wrote: > > Answered by Comcast chat: > > > > I asked the question in my opening statement. Here is the dialog. Your > > task is to tell me what the answer is. > > > > Harpreet 11:40 AM Let me check > > > > Harpreet 11:41 AM Just for the account security, May I have the complete > > service address along with the zip code ? > > ...
I like to hate on Comcast as much as the next guy, but there are a couple of problems with this rant :) Allow me to provide a different viewpoint, please. I 100% agree that a separate cable modem and router is the way to go. The Wirecutter has a pretty good writeup of a good cable modem and how they decided on it: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cable-modem/ . For a router, they've got http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-router/ , though I'll agree that readers here probably want something that runs OpenWRT or something similar :) (snipping some material in the middle for brevity) > 2. since you want to clear DNS, that means you cable modem is also a > wifi router? > 2a C. is very likely hosting "free" xfinity wifi service using your > bandwidth and data cap. It's pretty explicitly not hitting your data cap: https://www.xfinity.com/support/internet/xfinity-wifi-hotspots/ (search for "monthly usage allowances"). It also at least purportedly doesn't hit your bandwidth, using a separate channel upstream ("shared spectrum" on that same page), though it is certainly going to eat up some of your wifi spectrum and cause noise there. You can also turn that silly thing off, at least so they claim. https://customer.xfinity.com/#/settings/security/hotspot is the link, though I can't do anything there as my device doesn't support it. > 2b. cable modem + router is a non-optimal performance and security > arrangement for you home network. 100% agree (more stuff snipped) > Netgear CM600 cable modem > It is mine. The admin pw is MINE. no wifi, just 2 ports: coax and RJ45. > Idiot C. had to "provision" it twice and then they told me I had a > loose cable and would I like to have a tech come in and install it for > me? Really? I'm a freakin' service engineer for multinational > laboratory equipment manufacturer and I CAN'T FIGURE OUT A LOOSE COAX > CABLE! <physically impossible expletive> On a DOCSIS 3 network (which you're on, trust me), you don't get to assert that the cable modem is yours. Part of the spec includes them pushing a config down onto your device and locking you out of parts of it. If you disagree, go change the upstream speed or the traffic priority of your connection on there. Not on the inside port, that's cheating :) That might have been a DOCSIS 2 thing? This is the basis of old-school cable unlocking, and the standards finally got with it. There are lots of good reasons to run your own cable modem, but pretending it keeps the ISP out of it isn't one of them. > I have complete control over my network and DNS cache. I DO NOT USE C. > DNS servers. I may need to use C. as my ISP, but that does not mean > they get any more $ than necessary. Once I year or so I call, nicely > threaten to quite and the cut my fee in 1/2 for another year. I totally agree with this goal as well. Using DNS servers of your choice can be an easy win for you. If you're worried about the ISP messing with your DNS traffic, you can even run DNSCrypt on that shiny new router and have everything internal use that. The OpenDNS folks do a great job. -- Bill Weiss _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list PLUG@lists.pdxlinux.org http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
