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Comcast Gunning for NAT Users
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.
"We regret to inform you, Mr. Anderson, that you have three different people in your household using this computer to access the internet. Your bill will be adjusted accordingly."
This
Consider this - a submission of the FoaF kind, no real evidence, but very much bound to bring an uproar among the /. regulars... The result - a pretty good list of things that can and cannot be done to accomplish the alledged NAT detection.
In other words, we are doing Comcast's R&D for them...
(ring ring ring)
a)Hello?
b)We're with Comcast. We found that you are using multiple computer over your connection via NAT. Comcast is fining you for TOS violation and your new rate is now $150/mo
c) But i'm not
d) We have blah blah blah proof that you are
e) No, I just run virtual machines on my one system. It the same computer, just running different operating systems at the same time. I was running my completely-approved MacOS with Virtual-PC open to Win98 which was running VMWare with Linux as a kind of side project to see how running a virtual machine in an emulator affects performance.
f) oh
(click)
They can't differentiate if you have multiple machines or one machine with multiple OS's unless you NAT a LOT of machines....
just my thoughts, any feedback welcome
- Sig
Comcast Guy #1 We need to get computers off the network that are stealing our bandwidth!
Comcast Guy #2 Gee, guy 1, How are we gonna go about doing that?
Comcast Guy #3 Hmm. Ok, I have an idea Lets make up a story and post it to Slashdot, we'll tell them we are going to find them out,they are all evil bandwidth stealers, they will wonder how we are going to go about doing this, and in the process they will tell us EXACTLY what to do to find them out. Good thing for them or we'd have no clue whatsoever. Now we can spend more time making useless content that we can charge them money for
Don't Tread on Me
How can they possibly suggest that I'm NOT ALLOWED to run a firewall? Especially seeing as how the freaking cable networks some of the worst offenders on portscans etc...
Nah, you don't understand. You see, a computer is really like a TV and the fine folks at Comcast want to help you use it appropriately. You are not supposed to do anything but consume entertainment (and pay for it), so be a good boy and behave.
As to a firewall, you only need one if you run servers, right? And you are not supposed to run any servers, it's right there in your TOS... Just think of the computer as a TV, it helps. If you don't have any open ports, you don't need a firewall, right?
Whaddaya mean, Windows has open ports? Nope, couldn't be, Windows is a proper operating system and will not have such indecent thing as open ports, it's not like this hacker system, Lainuks. Just shut up and go away, will ya?
Kaa
Kaa's Law: In any sufficiently large group of people most are idiots.
I don't see anyone else saying this: I think we shuold all say a big THANK YOU and WELL DONE to the friend who resigned his job over this - especially in today's economic climate. This sort of courage, to put one's own neck on the line over a principle, is sadly lacking amongst most of us. Well done, and best of luck finding another job with an more ethical employer.
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
They say you can use multiple computers *if* you pay them money for extra IP addresses.
Gosh, this is somewhat offtopic, but your post reminded me of a fortune 500 client I once dealt with. The MIS director (who had a remarkable resemblence to Dilbert's PHB) was bragging about how his company had purchased an ENTIRE CLASS A address block for only $15,000 from a consultant.
Not a bad deal at all, until I saw the network numbers... 10.0.0.0
The $15K was probably a fair consulting price for "introduction to RFC-1918".
*scoove*