XPost: comp.mobile.android, alt.internet.wireless   
   From: alice.jones-donotspam@ptd.net   
      
   Jeff Liebermann wrote in message   
   7i8rabpq9531a2e38hinvn223m9q8n461r@4ax.com:   
      
   > Maybe, but I don't think so.  Comcast formerly required registering   
   > the MAC address.   
      
   I set up this with my kid at college last September and I do NOT remember   
   Comcast *asking* for a MAC address.  This jives with what you said above.   
      
   > However, that was years ago and should no longer be   
   > the case.  What you're probably seeing is that Comcast does not like   
   > having the MAC address change.   
      
   Again, my kid's observation jives with what you said. The kid said   
   the cloning must be done after hooking up the computer to the modem   
   or when the modem or router is disconnected and then turned back on,   
   but not all the time.   
      
   I don't get a clear story, but the fix when it happens is always   
   to clone the MAC address.   
      
   > The ARP table in the router, which is   
   > what relates the MAC address to an associated IP address, requires   
   > some time to reset.  I run into this problem all the time when   
   > juggling different cable modems and routers.  You have to power OFF   
   > the cable modem for about 10-15 minutes, before connecting a new cable   
   > modem.  I've heard rumors that it's now down to about 5 minutes, but I   
   > haven't test it yet.   
      
   When I was last up there, I disconnected the router & modem to move them,   
   and then the Internet didn't work. I only had them unplugged for a minute.   
      
   Called the router company (TP-Link) and they had us clone the Mac and   
   that worked to get the Internet back up and running.   
      
   > There's also a similar problem between the cable modem and router, if   
   > they are two separate boxes.  The cable modem stores exactly one MAC   
   > address, which is the device that it connects to, in this case the   
   > router.  Similarly, the router WAN port only stores one MAC address,   
   > which is presumably the cable modem ethernet MAC address.  This is why   
   > connecting a switch or hub to a cable modem doesn't work.  With only   
   > one MAC address, you only can connect to one IP address.  Anyway, when   
   > changing modems or routers, turn them BOTH OFF, wait a few seconds for   
   > things to discharge in the boxes, and then turn them both back on.   
      
   So, would this work?   
   1. Turn off everything.   
   2. Wait the prescribed period (whatever it is)   
   3. Turn on cable modem (and wait a while)   
   4. Turn on router (and wait a while)   
   5. Turn on laptop (and wait a while).   
      
   > Otherwise, the boxes will have the unrelated MAC address of the   
   > previously connected boxes in memory, which will not work.  The reason   
   > that cloning the MAC address in the router seems to help is that all   
   > your boxes having the same MAC address, juggling boxes does not change   
   > the MAC addresses so everything works.   
      
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