| William H. Magill on 3 Feb 2004 18:42:02 -0000 |
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On 02 Feb, 2004, at 15:58, Chris wrote: As far as I know Verizon doesn't care about home networks sans something not
There are modems and there are router/modems. DSL normally uses only a modem. Cable normally uses a router/modem. Verizon DSL does use MAC address authentication -- and they provide only a modem. It is a real modem... dumb as a doornail. [Also, the last time I checked, Verizon as ISP used/required PPOE, which adds another layer of complexity to otherwise simple IP issues.] Their DHCP server will only provide an address to a recognized MAC address. In reality, they don't care what that MAC address belongs to, just don't ask them to troubleshoot anything other than a simple Wintel box. They don't really care about home networks as long as you are smart enough to run one on your own -- don't even think about asking them for help, because they will tell you that you can't have one. Stick a NAT router behind the modem, give it's MAC address to Verizon and the world is a happy place. (Of course, everybody is calling these routers "Firewalls" today, throwing grapefruit into the salad along with the apples and oranges.) Many cable modem routers and many NAT routers default to "spoof the first MAC address you see" mode. This is why power cycling them (in the correct sequence) works. The correct sequence is -- turn off everything behind it AND the "it," turn on the "it," then turn on the thing you want to be recognized - FIRST. As far as my experience has been, Comecast will register multiple MAC addresses on a single drop. But they also DO require the MAC address be registered. Road Runner is much more enlightened than either Comecast or Verizon. [Note that Road Runner is a separate company, not run by Time Warner. Ok, only recently purchased by Time Warner and therefore not corrupted by the idiots at AOL. :) ] Me, I use DCAnet as my ISP with Verizon as DSL provider -- still have to provide DCAnet with my MAC addresses, however. But static IPs are much nicer than DHCP, and I get to use real TCP/IP with no PPPOE in the way. In addition to PPPOE authentication, Verizon uses the same "scribbling" technique found in many ethernet hubs and switches, as a security provision and traffic limiter. If they don't recognize the MAC address, they simply don't pass the traffic across the backplane of the hub/switch. It may not even make it past the DSLAM, but I don't know that for certain. (DSLAM= Digital Subscriber Loop Access Module, located in the Central Office ... aka CO.) I would assume that Comecast and Road Runner use similar technology in their aggregation schemes, but I don't know how Redback's gear normally works. RedBack Networks (www.redback.com) is the dominant supplier of networking gear to the Cable Industry.
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