[geeks] Cable Internet suggestions...?

[Caleb Shay]

Kurt Huhn wrote:

>I've used a number of cable internet companies over the years.  All of them
>had some form of authentication to go through before allowing you to recieve
>an IP or make a connection.  
>
>Cox, in RI, insists that you use a NetBIOS-capable system and set the
>hostname to the one they give you - so as you request an IP, you're sending
>your NetBIOS hostname and the DHCP server can 'authenticate' you and give
>you the same IP every time.  I circumvented this by using a Win98 laptop to
>get the IP, and setting my firewall staticly (Netscreen).
>
Cox RI doesn't do this anymore.  They do match against your MAC address 
now, but all you need to do is turn off the cable modem, plug in your 
machine with a different MAC and turn your modem back on and it will 
then accept the new one.  I'm using one of those little Netgear NAT 
routers right now without a problem with half a dozen machines sitting 
behind it.

Caleb