Blacklisted MAC address for modem

Question

I currently lease a router for High Speed Internet from Comcast. I have just purchased my own router online from Ebay to avoid monthly rental charge. The ebay-purchased router is the same make and model as the one I currently lease from Comcast. When I called Comcast technical support to activate my purchased router, the representative told me that the MAC (physical) address of my purchased router has already been added and it is currently blacklisted.

I know MAC addresses for each device on the network is unique. How does the scenario described just above work? Does it mean that this particular router was never properly de-registered by the previous owner before been sold? Can I ever activate this router as I am the new owner?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Answer 1

It could be blacklisted for any number of reasons:

• currently assigned to someone else's account
• in inventory as Comcast property
• listed on a delinquent account

There is absolutely zero means to legally circumvent this. The "MAC" used in the cable system is the "HFC MAC" -- the cable RF interface. There's no user setting to change that. (that would be the illegal practice of modem cloning -- how do you know you are using someone else's active MAC?)

If it's a "black" (non-retail, Motorola Surfboard scheme) modem, then there's next to nothing you can do, unless you want to wait a few years for it to fall out of the system (if ever.) For a "white" (retail) modem, you may be able to prove it's yours by bringing it to a retail store -- but I'm not betting on it.

This, sadly, is the state of buying stuff on eBay. Get the HFC MAC and check with your ISP BEFORE buying.

Answer 2

You can try on router configuration under Network->Wan->Clone the computer's MAC address this option is actually on every router i have seen and i think it's not illegal to use this option, and on your case should resolve this bureaucratic situation.

Answer 3

Most likely cloning the mac address of your PC will solve the problem. I just did it and it worked perfectly.