Qeustion on Cable service...
When someone signs up for cable internet, is there some sort of configuration that has to be done to the cable modem by a technician or is it pretty much just plug it in and go?
Comments
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Hyper-Me
Banned Posts: 2,059
It depends.
With comcast they run DHCP, so you get an address automatically. Except they use an ACL where your modems MAC address must be in it or else you don't get an address lease. -
msteinhilber
Member Posts: 1,480 ■■■■■■■■□□
Many providers will require the MAC address of the modem you are going to use, other than that there is usually no special configuration needed. The only thing a technician would need to do at any point would perhaps be to visit the premise to remove a filter (I'm not a cable tech so perhaps my terminology is incorrect) to allow the signal into your home.
From there, based on my probably outdated knowledge on how the process works - your modem performs "ranging" process that it uses to determine frequencies and power levels to communicate at. Then the modem will communicate with a DHCP server and use the info provided to snag configuration data from a TFTP server to configure the modem. Then a registration request is sent by your modem and if that is accepted all is good. I'm sure I missed some stuff in there, and for all I know that is out of date because around the time I was looking into that, there was some new technologies being introduced (BPI) which was to change the process a bit.
In short, yes the modem will be "configured" but the process is automatic and doesn't require input from a technician.