# Cable internet help needed-company won't support linux users

## Trisha

I went over to my local cable company, signed up for their high speed access and got a cable modem from them.  After I got home and got all the physical connections set up, I saw that to set up their internet access they provided a cd, but it is for windows or a mac only.  I called and they said they don't provide any support for linux.

So now I have this cable internet connection that I'm paying for but have no idea how to use it and the cable company won't help.

Any ideas?  

(I ordered a netgear router for security, but it is not here yet.)

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## kamikaze_gerbil

Why do you need software? Its usually just "value added" crap and not really needed. 

If you hook up your computer do you get an IP address?

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## Paranoid

As kamikaze_gerbil stated no software should be required. Just set your NIC to DHCP and you should be all set: /etc/conf.d/net

```
ifconfig_eth0=( "dhcp" )
```

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## Trisha

I really didn't know if I needed any software or not, but since they didn't give any instructions on how to do it, besides connecting everything together and following the instructions on the cd, I had no idea how to set it up.

So I just type:

ifconfig_eth0=( "dhcp" )

in the command line?  And do I need to su to root to do this?

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## Trisha

ok, I see now, you mean to change that line in the file you indicated.  

Mines already set that way.  It says to uncomment it, but it is already uncommented.  Maybe I need to restart the computer?  

Could that be all there is to it?

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## Trisha

I tried shutting down the computer and starting it back up, but that didn't help.  At least I couldn't access the web with a browser. 

The 'enet' light on the modem is blinking now though, before it was off.

 *Quote:*   

> If you hook up your computer do you get an IP address?

 

How do I see if I 'get an IP address'?

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## kaffeen

Use 

```
/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start
```

 to get an address via DHCP. 

Edit: Need to use preview first.

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## RedDawn

Some companies require you to install the software in order to run the " ACTIVATION PROCEDURE ON THE ACCOUNT"  if its cable the software will register you modems mac address with you account email address and account stuff so that the company knows you have that modem and cut you off else you would be able to take that modem anywhere where cable internet is avaliable and plut it in and it would work...   (DONT TELL ME OTHERWISE IVE DONE IT)    

Just get a friends computer to set up the whole thing and i bet you anything after you finish and hook up you linux box it will just work..  

Happened to be with Comcast.

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## kamikaze_gerbil

 *Quote:*   

> How do I see if I 'get an IP address'?

 

As root or SU:

```
ifconfig
```

This will list the network interfaces and the IP addresses they are using.

 *Quote:*   

> Some companies require you to install the software in order to run the " ACTIVATION PROCEDURE ON THE ACCOUNT" if its cable the software will register you modems mac address with you account email address and account stuff so that the company knows you have that modem and cut you off else you would be able to take that modem anywhere where cable internet is avaliable and plut it in and it would work... (DONT TELL ME OTHERWISE IVE DONE IT) 

 

Didn't have to do anything like that with Shaw Cable (Canada).

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## RedDawn

 *RedDawn wrote:*   

> Happened to me with Comcast.

 

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## Trisha

Apparently my cable company needs some activation thing to be done.  I called them and the guy I talked to did something or another and now they tell me they can 'see' my modem, but I still can't access the internet.  

I did ifconfig and got the following:

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback

          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0

          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1

          RX packets:622 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

          TX packets:622 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

          RX bytes:40524 (39.5 Kb)  TX bytes:40524 (39.5 Kb)

ppp0      Link encap:Point-to-Point Protocol

          inet addr:4.245.72.96  P-t-P:63.215.29.109  Mask:255.255.255.255

          UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP MULTICAST  MTU:1524  Metric:1

          RX packets:281 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

          TX packets:246 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

          collisions:0 txqueuelen:3

          RX bytes:291946 (285.1 Kb)  TX bytes:18769 (18.3 Kb)

any idea what this means or what I should do next?

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## Trisha

Sorry for adding the ppp0 part, I forgot I was connected by dial up also.

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## kaffeen

Does rc-status show net.eth0 as being started? If not, what happens when you enable (/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start) your NIC?

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## Trisha

 *Quote:*   

> Does rc-status show net.eth0 as being started? 

 

No, is doesn't

 *Quote:*   

> If not, what happens when you enable (/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start) your NIC?

 

/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start

 * Bringing eth0 up...

 *   eth0 dhcp                                                            [ ok ]

 *     eth0 received address 192.168.1.20

I couldn't reply to this message or anything though after that.  I had to disconnect the ethernet cable and dial back in again.  But I think you are on to something there.  I used to have the problem of the computer hanging up for a while when starting up with that 'Bringing eth0 up.'  When I sent the computer back to be worked on, they changed it so it wouldn't do that.   I didn't think about it needing to be changed back again.  Still, I was having problems after I did it.  But maybe it had something to do with the dial up connection being on at the same time?

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## kaffeen

Is your NIC plugged directly into the cable modem or do you have a router? It's really odd that you'd get a 192.168.x.x address from the modem.

What does your /etc/conf.d/net file contain?

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## evoweiss

 *Trisha wrote:*   

> 
> 
> /etc/init.d/net.eth0 start
> 
>  * Bringing eth0 up...
> ...

 

It looks like your network connection is working and this gives me an idea of what might be going on. 

Given the IP address you're getting, I suspect the cable modem provided probably has a built in router (you can probably google the model to see what features it has). 

I'm willing to bet that the software they gave you configures the cable modem so that it has the right IP addresses, gateways, name servers, etc.

You can often manually configure the router by pointing a webbrowser to 192.168.1.1 or something like that (check the manual) and the cable company should be willing to provide you with those values.

Myself, I bought my own cable modem and router. It was a small investment, but, in the long run, it's probably saved me from paying whatever rental fee they charge.

Best,

Alex

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## Trisha

 *Quote:*   

> Is your NIC plugged directly into the cable modem or do you have a router?

 

I'm not using the router yet.  I tried but got a could not connect error when trying to go to the IP address given by netgear.  netgear tech support said I should first trying connecting to the internet directly before trying to do it with the router.

 *Quote:*   

> What does your /etc/conf.d/net file contain?

 

a lot of stuff, including ifconfig_eth0=( "dhcp" )

 *Quote:*   

> I suspect the cable modem provided probably has a built in router

 

I don't know, I asked about that to start with, if they provided a router or not and they said no, but did the person I asked know what they were talking about?  

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> I'm willing to bet that the software they gave you configures the cable modem so that it has the right IP addresses, gateways, name servers, etc. 

 

could be

I bought a router, but the cable modem was free, so I just went with that.    The modem doesn't have any sort of brand name on it, so i wouldn't know what to google for.

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## evoweiss

Hi again,

I'll stick to answering the things I know more about  :Smile: .

 *Trisha wrote:*   

> I don't know, I asked about that to start with, if they provided a router or not and they said no, but did the person I asked know what they were talking about?  

 

I highly suspect that they didn't know what they were talking about. Usually routers will assign addresses like the one you got (192.168.1.XX) dynamically. Lots of cable modems that companies provide have routers/firewalls built in so that clueless folks who don't want to shell out the money for routers don't cause trouble by being hacked, etc.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> could be
> 
> 

 

Try plugging the computer into the cable modem (I would be hesitant about plugging it into the wall) and pointing konqueror to 192.168.1.1 and see what happens. Try other potential default addresses.

 *Quote:*   

> I bought a router, but the cable modem was free, so I just went with that.    The modem doesn't have any sort of brand name on it, so i wouldn't know what to google for.

 

Does it have some sort of serial or model number pasted on it somewhere? Perhaps the cable company can clue you in on what model it is.

Best,

Alex

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## Trisha

I'll try going to that IP address and see what happens.

There is a serial number on the bottom of the modem, also a MAC address.  Is there something I should try with that?  (Admittably,  I don't really understand MAC addresses)

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## evoweiss

 *Trisha wrote:*   

> I'll try going to that IP address and see what happens.
> 
> There is a serial number on the bottom of the modem, also a MAC address.  Is there something I should try with that?  (Admittably,  I don't really understand MAC addresses)

 

Not sure what the serial number will get you (if anything). The MAC address is something the cable company uses to grant your modem access to the system.

Did the modem come with any instructions? You may want to check the CD that it came with for any PDF files, etc.

Best,

Alex

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## Trisha

no pdf's - some amusing html files though.

the begin.htm file says this:

# Verify the minimum system requirements. This step is performed automatically, and ensures that your computer has the minimum hardware and software to support a high-speed Internet connection.

# Install modem and cables. This step consists of physically hooking up your new high-speed modem to your computer.

# Enter account information.

# Install and configure software: the SmartAccess wizard automatically installs Charter Pipeline® Professor.

The first two of those are completely useless.  

I was never given any account information.  And like I would really want their 'Pipeline Professor software istalled on my machine?

the user name file is about picking out an email address. I was never given one by them.  Not that I really want one, I got my own domains.    But it shows that they aren't making sure I get the information I'm supposed to be getting. 

And lastly - the verification file - included in this is a step that automatically creates an email account in Outlook Express!  Even if I was using a windows machine I wouldn't want that!

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## evoweiss

 *Trisha wrote:*   

> no pdf's - some amusing html files though.

 

Those are amusing, though they do give you the name of the modem: Charter Pipeline.

The other 'features' don't seem relevant, though some might involve configuration, etc.

Best,

Alex

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## jguidroz09

Well my parents use Charter down in South Louisiana, and all I did to get their gentoo box up on the net was plug it into the cable modem, make sure my ethernet adapter was setup for dhcp, and make sure net.eth0 was started and added to the run level.  Everything worked fine after that.  

Now one thing that does bug me about Charter is that they will assign new ips on dhcp renews, unlike other cable companies who will let you keep the assigned address as long as your computer is on when the lease renews.  Anyways, back to the point, the ip address, after working for a month or so, will have changed, and now I can't ssh into the computer.  That really bugs me.  If the computer is always on, the ip should stay the same.  Sorry for the rant.

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## Trisha

 *Quote:*   

> all I did to get their gentoo box up on the net was plug it into the cable modem...

 

I'm starting to think there is something else they need to do on their end.

Exactly what do you mean by 'added to the run level' though?

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## Hypnos

 *RedDawn wrote:*   

> Some companies require you to install the software in order to run the " ACTIVATION PROCEDURE ON THE ACCOUNT"  if its cable the software will register you modems mac address with you account email address and account stuff so that the company knows you have that modem and cut you off else you would be able to take that modem anywhere where cable internet is avaliable and plut it in and it would work...   (DONT TELL ME OTHERWISE IVE DONE IT)    
> 
> Just get a friends computer to set up the whole thing and i bet you anything after you finish and hook up you linux box it will just work..  
> 
> Happened to be with Comcast.

 

I called comcast tech support and told them the CD wasn't working, and the dude on the other end set me up through a special web interface.

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## jguidroz09

 *Trisha wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Exactly what do you mean by 'added to the run level' though?

 

rc-update add net.eth0 default

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=8

Now I should also say this, my parents were using Charter with Windows before that computer crashed and I built this new one.  But I don't remember them having to run any type of software when they first got it cable internet.

Hope you get it working.

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## SDGR406

Unless your cable company is doing something weird you shouldn't need to do anything special to get online.

As long as the cable modem has been 'activated' with the account (as in the modem's MAC address has been associated with your billing account number or whatever) you should be able to get online with no problem.

 *Quote:*   

> The modem doesn't have any sort of brand name on it, so i wouldn't know what to google for.

 

If it doesn't have a name on it it's probably an Ambit. You should see a model number like 60194E or 60740EU on it with sync and ready lights. The first six digits of the MAC address on it are typically 00028A.

If you have your computer connected directly to the modem then I would suggest power-cycling the modem (unplugging it and plugging it back in) in order to clear whatever MAC address is stored in its cache.  Then restart your computer.

If you have already done 'rc-update add net.eth0 default' then just type in ifconfig and see what you have as your IP address, otherwise type '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start' and then run ifconfig.

If your computer is obtaining an IP address from your ISP then the IP for your NIC should start with 24, 65, 66 or 67. In that case you should be able to get online.

If you are being assigned a private DHCP address from the modem it will probably be 192.168.1.x.

Hopefully that helps.

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