Is a modem required to be programmed when using with an internet provider?

I wonder if a modem is required to be programmed when using with an internet provider? If yes, what is the purpose of programming a modem?

Do both a DSL and a cable ISP both require a modem to be used in an individual home?

For example, I have a Motorola modem

SURFboard Model:SB5101, 
Customer S/N: xxx
S/N? xxx
HFC MAC ID: xxx
USB CPE MAC ID: xxx

a coil of cable and a splitter from Comcast High-Speed internet Self-Installation Kit, which were bought 5 years ago, when I purchased Comcast internet service from its retailer www.comcastoffers.com. With them, I was hoping to reduce the amount of fee by avoiding to ask Comcast people to come over to install. But I remember at that time Comcast sent its technician here, dismissed my idea of self-installation, saying they needed to use their own modem and charging me a hefty fee, and so my equipments have never been used.

I haven't been using Comcast for a long time. I wonder if my modem, cable and splitter (brand new, never used) are still good to use with an internet provider such as Comcast? If needed, we can ignore their policy and just consider the technology side?

Or they are not good to use and I must throw them away like trash?

Thanks and regards!

networking

Tim

Posted 2012-07-03T14:03:21.507

Reputation: 12 647

Answers

As to whether or not you can use your own modem, you definitely can. I am currently using a cable modem I purchased, with Comcast. You just need to call Comcast and let them know you'll be using your own modem, and they should ask you for information (like its MAC address). The first time you plug it in to the cable, it will have to download information, which can take several hours, so don't be surprised if it restarts frequently and won't let you online. Found this link about the cable modem provisioning process: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/13104

fairct

Posted 2012-07-03T14:03:21.507

Reputation: 91

I will confirm this, as I just had Comcast connected. The SURFboards should be supported devices and you can make sure by checking their list http://mydeviceinfo.comcast.net. Self install is an option, so do not let them try to tell you otherwise. There is no reason to pay for something you can do yourself.

– jb11 – 2012-07-03T14:27:48.183

Thanks! (1) What kind of information will be downloaded? What is the purpose of programming? (2) Does DSL also need a modem? Is it different from a modem for cable internet? – Tim – 2012-07-03T14:28:28.400

@Tim

I believe it's provisioning information of some kind. I'm honestly not sure, but it has to exist on the modem before you can connect.
You do need a different modem for DSL compared to cable.

2012-07-03T14:30:16.060

@jb11: Thanks! Five years ago, my local Comcast told me I was not allowed to do it myself. They perhaps just tried to get money from my pocket. If do it yourself, how do you connect the cable from the outside to the inside of the house? – Tim – 2012-07-03T14:34:12.657

@Tim Sorry, I was assuming that your residence was set up for cable. If you do not have cable running to your house from the nearest relay, you may need to have them do that. If it runs to your house but not inside, they could probably do it more efficiently but I know people that have wired their own houses. You need to make sure that they service your area. – jb11 – 2012-07-03T14:37:26.533

@jb11: Yes, they service my area. Do you mean if previous residents have installed Comcast, then it is likely to have the cable already in the house connecting to the outside? – Tim – 2012-07-03T14:44:39.680

Also, if you are getting a connection with more than 30Mbps, you will want to invest in a DOCSIS 3 modem. – kobaltz – 2012-07-03T14:50:34.413

@Tim The easiest way to check is to look for cable wall jacks on your walls (for the coax). If you have them, the house most likely had some sort of cable service and all you need to do is make sure it is Comcast by calling them (They can also tell you if the previous owner had their service). If so, then all you should have to do is plug in the modem, connect the coax, and call Comcast to turn on the service. If there are no jacks, then it could be one of the two previous options I mentioned. – jb11 – 2012-07-03T15:02:07.923

Wouldn't be surprised when Comcast tries to screw people over. They're one of the lowest rated companies for customer service in the country. – BBlake – 2012-07-03T16:34:41.660

@BBlake: What is your recommendation over Comcast, supposing the region is not considered? – Tim – 2012-07-03T16:57:54.040

My area is served by TimeWarner, Insight, AT&T U-Verse and Wow-way. Of those four that I have experience with, U-Verse is far and away superior to all of them. I don't have personal experience with ComCast as it doesn't exist in my area, but I saw a customer service survey last week that listed ComCast as the worst customer service of any company in America (not just cable/internet providers). – BBlake – 2012-07-04T02:41:58.973

If you are talking about Cable Internet, all you need to do is first verify that your cable company will allow you to use your own modem, and then if they do... once you purchase your own modem you supply them with the MAC address of the device. This will allow their equipment to recognize and communicate with the modem you purchased. This explains why the cable technician can walk in to your home after you place a service call, and swap out a faulty modem with any working ones that he has on the truck. He just calls in the numbers on the modem, and a technician at the cable company replaces the old information with this new stuff.

Think about it this way. Unless it is a combination cable modem/router, there is no administration panel or user configurable settings you can get into in the modem.

If you are talking about DSL or ADSL, that's different. Specific connection based information has to be entered into the modem. DSL modems actually come with router firmware built into them, and it is typically hard coded to only pass out ONE internal IP address. So, it is possible to purchase your own DSL modem, or even replace the firmware on some of the ones given out by the telephone companies, but the modem has to be configured specifically for the ISP that you are connecting to.

If you have ever connected a router to a cable modem, and examined the connection details from the router admin panel, you can see the external IP address... the one given to you by the ISP. If you have ever connected a router to a DSL modem and examined the connection details from the router admin panel, you will see you are getting an IP address like 192.168.2.1 from the DSL modem.

Bon Gart

Posted 2012-07-03T14:03:21.507

Reputation: 12 574

Thanks! What does "it is typically hard coded to only pass out ONE internal IP address" imply? Can I use my router to connect to the DSL modem to allow multiple internal IPs? – Tim – 2012-07-03T17:07:56.187

@Tim you absolutely can. What I meant by that is that with most DSL modems you must use a router in order to share the connection. There are a select few ISPs that provide DSL modems with their internal router firmware wide open. – Bon Gart – 2012-07-03T21:18:17.697

I think this depends on the ISP, and on the country.

In the UK I used to use Sky, and they would send out their router pre-programmed. The username of the router was based on the MAC address of that router, and the password was randomly generated. There was no way to get the username and password normally from the router without using specific software to get the information from the router. Sky also told me I couldn't use a third party router and had to use their own devices.

That said, when I left Sky and I went to Be Broadband, I had my own router. They helped configure it for me but this didn't need a username and password, just an IP address.

mickburkejnr

Posted 2012-07-03T14:03:21.507

Reputation: 1 437