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Comcast Gunning for NAT Users

Posted by timothy on from the thank-you-please-pay-again dept.

phillymjs writes: "A co-worker of mine resigned today. His new job at Comcast: Hunting down 'abusers' of the service. More specifically, anyone using NAT to connect more than one computer to their cable modem to get Internet access- whether or not you're running servers or violating any other Acceptable Use Policies. Comcast has an entire department dedicated to eradicating NAT users from their network. We knew this was coming since this Slashdot article from two months ago, but did anyone think they'd already be harassing people that are using nothing more than the bandwidth for which they are paying? It makes me very happy that my DSL kit arrived yesterday, and I'll be cancelling my Comcast cable modem early next week." Earthlink and Comcast have both been advertising lately their single-household, multi-computer services (and additional fees) -- probably amusing to many thousands of broadband-router owners, at least until the cable companies really crack down.

4 of 979 comments (clear)

  1. Bandwidth protest by flacco · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    How about setting up a bandwidth protest by saturating comcast's lines from your home? Get everyone on your network segment to download Red Hat ISO's 24/7.

    --
    pr0n - keeping monitor glass spotless since 1981.
  2. Bzzzt! Thanks for playing by Zen+Mastuh · · Score: 2, Flamebait

    There is no free market. The "invisible hand" is the CEOs of the media companies, arms manufacturers, PACs, tobacco companies, biotech firms, and private foundations gathering at Bohemian Club, Bildeberger, WTO, etc... to "not discuss business". The whole world is run through collusion.

    The other companies will adopt Comcast's policy, because it guarantees the highest profit.

    --
    "What is the sound of one belly slapping?"
  3. Re:our company has been doing this for years by JWReed · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Get Bent, Fool. Pissing off thousands of *paying* computer geeks isn't just a bad idea, it's bad business.

    --
    "the smaller the mind, the bigger the noise it makes"
  4. So pay up. by SecurityGuy · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    Sorry, no sympathy from me. If you sign up for a service which prohibits you from hooking multiple systems to your net connection, then violate that contract, expect to pay the price.


    Now, do I think it's reasonable for them to say you can have only one computer on the network rather than, say, capping your monthly bandwidth usage? No, I don't, but what you should do in this case is find an ISP which provides what you want rather than defraud (by falsely agreeing to use one class of service when you're really using one which they provide at a higher price) an ISP which doesn't. I'll never understand what's so hard about sticking to the terms of an agreement you made voluntarily.