RE: MAC Address and Ethx
Bob Underwood <mgkrebs1@home.com> wrote:
I had a phone call from my Cable ISP the other day, stating that I should
reconfigure my computer or risk losing connectivity. The web site they
pointed me to is a windows site, basic config stuff. Later phone call to
tech service (level one and level two) confirms they are going to start
checking the MAC addy of the modem as opposed to my previous @home username,
etc. Level one actually told me that my choices are to either find a new ISP
or use windows.
Is there a way to pass the modem MAC address along to the network in the
ifconfig? If so, how would I do that?
TIA
Bob
Bob,
I think there may be a bit of over-reacting to the situation here
(including the level 1 and 2 tech support folks). I sounds like they
are upgrading their DHCP servers to assign your IP according to the MAC
address, which they probably should have been doing in the first place.
Maybe they have, and are just now starting to pay attention to it.
This allows them to easily monitor how many computers you have connected
to THEIR network and charge you accordingly. If you are using a NAT or
IPMasq setup, then all they ever should see is ONE computer connected.
I have been using Road Runner here for about a year and a half using an
IPMasq box for my home LAN, and this is the way they have done it since
I have been connected. About the only "problem" I have found (and it is
only a 'nit') is that if I connect to the Cable Modem with another NIC
in another computer, I have to power-down and power-up the Cable Modem
to get it to issue a new IP based on the new MAC address. This is quite
infrequent here... mainly for diagnotic purposes when working with their
Tech Support.
This is a PROTOCOL issue, not an OS issue. Any OS that has a
standards-compliant DHCP-Client program will work, as the identification
of the MAC address upon a request to the DHCP Server is part of the
protocol. All of the DHCP clients that I have used in Linux, are
"standards-compliant" in this regard and work just fine. I am currently
using the "dhcp-client" program from Debian Woody, and it works just
fine out-of-the-box without ANY extra config on my part, except to
idetify which NIC to use for DHCP in my /etc/network/interfaces file.
If you have set up your NIC to connect to the Cable Modem device using a
"static" ip, I would highly recommend switching to a dhcp client of some
sort (Pump or dhcp-client) as a "static" IP connection will not provide
the MAC address info.
Otherwise, if you already are using a dhcp client to get your IP from
your ISP and they are still complaining, then something else is
wrong.... and it COULD be on their side with their DHCP Server!! Is
anyone else having this same problem in your area??
In this case it would probably be in your best interests to grab /
borrow a Windows box and work with them to make sure it can connect
"properly" to their satisfaction. This will get the argument out of the
"We don't support Linux" arena and pin-point where the problem is located.
If the Windows --> Cable Modem connection can be made to work to their
satisfaction, then they are right and something is not configured /
working properly on YOUR side. About the only thing I can think of that
would do that is a "static" IP config mentioned above. The existing
dhcp clients for Linux should work as well or better than the one in
Windows.
It seems to me that they cannot "require" you to use Windows. I am not a
lawyer, but that would appear to be a restraint of trade issue. I bet a
complaint to the Federal Trade Commission or equivalent with a CC to
your ISP would make that issue go away! They can reasonable refuse to
provide technical "SUPPORT" via phone or E-Mail but they can't refuse to
provide service to standards-compliant software. What about their
Macintosh owners??
Finally, why not go to another ISP service? Is @home the only game
around? I have never personally used @home, but my perceptions from
reading lots of messages here and on other boards is that they DON'T
provide the level of service most other broadband services do. I am
quite happy with Road Runner, and they have never given me any guff
about running Linux here. I am certain there are other broadband
services too that will treat you better and work with you in a more
"user-friendly" manner to solve mutual problems. The only "gotcha" is
their availabilty in your area.
Hope this info helps.
Cheers & Good Luck
-Don Spoon-
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