[Cialug] OT: Cable Modem troubelshooting

Fri May 1 17:24:17 UTC 2020

I bought a fairly nice modem since I didn't want it to be instantly
obsolete, have an Arris SB8200, DOCSIS 3.1 modem with the option of running
2 gigabit ethernet ports. Funny that pretty much all of the MC people would
say it's probably not fast enough for the 1gb internet connection I have, I
should rent one of their modems, because they aren't familiar with it.

-dc

On Fri, May 1, 2020, 12:19 PM Jeffrey Ollie <jeff at ocjtech.us> wrote:

> It's more than just MediaCom wanting to control the firmware, it's the
> whole cable internet industry as it's baked into the DOCSIS protocol. On
> the one hand, if you have an ISP that cares, they can remotely update
> firmware to fix security issues (like for the recent Cable Haunt
> vulnerability). Most end-users probably never heard about Cable Haunt and
> probably wouldn't know how to update the firmware anyway.
>
> On the other hand, savvy end users like us lose a measure of control.
> Especially if we purchased our own modem to save on rental fees and to get
> a better performing device.
>
>
>
> On Fri, May 1, 2020 at 11:10 AM David Champion <dchamp1337 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Being a former ISP employee, I get that MC wants to control the modems,
> but
> > a huge nerd I also want to be able to control my network devices.
> >
> > They temporarily loaned me one of their combined modem/router/phone
> > devices, I was like "uh, no". Took it back to them yesterday.
> >
> > -dc
> >
> >
> > On Fri, May 1, 2020, 11:05 AM Jared Brees <fromj2sitsme at msn.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Moost point since it's working now, but side note - you CAN mess with
> > > firmware, it just (if applicable) either requires soldering headers, or
> > > spinning up your own equipment, similar to what Mediacom has on the
> other
> > > end. Even if you do the 2nd option, that firmware is "gone" as soon as
> it
> > > reboots.
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: Cialug <cialug-bounces at cialug.org> on behalf of David Champion <
> > > dchamp1337 at gmail.com>
> > > Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2020 14:39
> > > To: Central Iowa Linux Users Group <cialug at cialug.org>
> > > Subject: Re: [Cialug] OT: Cable Modem troubelshooting
> > >
> > > After a couple more tech support calls and some help from Chris (who
> > > noticed I was getting a private IP address) I was able to get them to
> > > register my modem properly and now it works again.
> > >
> > > -dc
> > >
> > >
> > > On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 12:16 PM David Champion <dchamp1337 at gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > I plugged into the Arris modem and it does give me a dhcp address, I
> > can
> > > > get into the modem at 192.168.100.1, I can view the software version,
> > and
> > > > can see the Event Log.
> > > >
> > > > I may try doing a reset on the modem with the recessed pinhole and
> see
> > if
> > > > it will work.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >
> > > > -dc
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 11:42 AM Jimmy Lela <
> binaryvisionary at gmail.com
> > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Dave,
> > > >>
> > > >> You're correct about the firmware, Mediacom controls that.  Last I
> > knew
> > > I
> > > >> thought you could still access the modem's admin page and see useful
> > > >> things
> > > >> like TX power and SNR, but it's been a while, they may have locked
> > that
> > > >> down.  Do you get anything if you browse to whatever IP the admin
> page
> > > >> should be at, like 192.168.0.1 or similar?  Actually I just tried,
> and
> > > my
> > > >> modem does respond at 192.168.01 but so far any default credentials
> > I've
> > > >> tried haven't worked.
> > > >>
> > > >> I've been renting a modem/router from Mediacom too but it's in
> bridged
> > > >> mode.  I've been looking to buy my own and am leaning towards a new
> > > Arris
> > > >> SB, I've had good success with them.
> > > >>
> > > >> On Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 11:24 AM David Champion <dchamp1337 at gmail.com
> >
> > > >> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> > Off Topic question:
> > > >> > I have an Arris SB8200 cable modem on Mediacom, it was working
> > > perfectly
> > > >> > fine. Last week I started having flaky internet connection issues,
> > it
> > > >> got
> > > >> > to the point where if I power cycle the modem, I could ping out to
> > the
> > > >> WAN
> > > >> > gateway IP address for about 15 to 30 seconds, then it would stop.
> > > >> >
> > > >> > The modem had all 4 of the lights lit up normally, no indication
> of
> > > >> > problems.
> > > >> >
> > > >> > After bugging the 1st tier tech support guy at MC he finally
> looked
> > > hard
> > > >> > enough to confirm that they could see the connection dropping, and
> > he
> > > >> > claimed they couldn't see the modem at all any more after that.
> > > >> >
> > > >> > Tech came out yesterday, said the modem was bad, they left me a
> > modem
> > > /
> > > >> > router - Ubee 1301 as a loaner and they're charging me $50 for the
> > > >> service
> > > >> > call. I was able to get into the admin on it and turn off wifi and
> > > >> change
> > > >> > the LAN IP, seem  to be working.
> > > >> >
> > > >> > Question is: is there any troubleshooting I can do on the Arris
> > modem?
> > > >> From
> > > >> > what I understand there's no way I can access it or update
> firmware,
> > > or
> > > >> see
> > > >> > if the provider pushed a bad firmware to it, I'm fully at their
> > mercy.
> > > >> Is
> > > >> > this correct?
> > > >> >
> > > >> > Good thing I still have my old Internetsolver / Aureon DSL as a
> > > backup.
> > > >> >
> > > >> > -dc
> > > >> > _______________________________________________
> > > >> > Cialug mailing list
> > > >> > Cialug at cialug.org
> > > >> > https://www.cialug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cialug
> > > >> >
> > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > >> Cialug mailing list
> > > >> Cialug at cialug.org
> > > >> https://www.cialug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cialug
> > > >>
> > > >
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>
> --
> Jeff Ollie
> The majestik møøse is one of the mäni interesting furry animals in Sweden.
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