Re: [PLUG] Comcast repeatedly asks for activation

[Denis Heidtmann]

Yesterday the technician asked a colleague for an opinion.  He suggested
removing cookies, which we did (I thought it was a stupid idea).  This
morning, Thursday, the connection was functional.  But before I credit the
stupid idea, I note that I received a message from Comcast saying that our
new bill was ready to be paid.  We had been signed up for auto pay, but my
credit card had been changed.  They were notified of the change, but we
also changed our service (from 100 to 25 Mbps) at the same time as all this
modem stuff was going on.  Perhaps they just took a while to get my account
updated.  Anyway, it looks like the issue may be solved.

-Denis

On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 3:33 PM, Denis Heidtmann 
wrote:

> On Saturday 5/6 we could not reach the internet.  After much conversation
> w/comcast they sent a technician out on Sunday.  He arrived early, seemed
> knowledgeable.  I had an old (rented) modem beyond eol.  I had received in
> the mail a replacement modem from Comcast many months ago, still in the
> unopened box. (Why I had not installed it is for another discussion.)  He
> installed it, activated it, and everything seemed fine.
>
> The following morning (Mon.) the internet was not accessible again.  Much
> more phone conversation later it appeared that I needed to activate the
> modem.  Went through that process, which terminated in a screen saying "You
> can now use your Xfinity service.  But wait; you need give the modem time
> to reset."  I gave it some time, tried to close the browser, but was told
> there was a download in progress.  I waited a short time, tried again, same
> download in progress msg, closed anyway.  Now a strange binary file
> appeared in my download folder "unconfirmed 792430.crdownload".  But the
> internet was accessible throughout the day.
>
> The following morning (Tues.) the same thing happened.  I went through the
> activation, this time not closing the browser until all was done.  No
> strange file.  Internet fine until the next morning (Wed.; today) same
> issue.  I activated again, which restored internet access, but this time I
> called.  They sent a technician again.  This guy I am not so sure about; he
> had no explanation for the repeated need to activate.  He left his card,
> and told me to call him tomorrow if the problem repeats, and not to
> activate--wait so he can see the issue.  This what I plan to do.
>
> The symptoms are that  when trying to get to a site (other than Google)
> from the browser, I get the Comcast Activation screen.  The tech said that
> is the screen one gets when first installing a new modem. (When I try to go
> to Google.com, I get the msg. that I cannot reach the internet..)
>
> It occurs to  me that perhaps Comcast still has me and the previous modem
> linked, so they keep wanting to activate the new modem.
>
> Any ideas?
>
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Re: [PLUG] Comcast repeatedly asks for activation

[wes]

I don't have any answers for you on the Comcast front, but I can explain
why Google gives you an error screen rather than an activation screen.

It's because Google (as a company) insists on using SSL encryption for all
web traffic. Encrypted traffic is more difficult to redirect, and Comcast
doesn't do it. If you were to manually enter http://www.google.com, you
would probably get the activation screen. Normally, Google would forcibly
redirect you to https://www.google.com (note the added S), which your
browser then caches and pops up automatically for you next time, which is
then un-redirectable by Comcast.

-wes

On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 3:33 PM, Denis Heidtmann 
wrote:

> On Saturday 5/6 we could not reach the internet.  After much conversation
> w/comcast they sent a technician out on Sunday.  He arrived early, seemed
> knowledgeable.  I had an old (rented) modem beyond eol.  I had received in
> the mail a replacement modem from Comcast many months ago, still in the
> unopened box. (Why I had not installed it is for another discussion.)  He
> installed it, activated it, and everything seemed fine.
>
> The following morning (Mon.) the internet was not accessible again.  Much
> more phone conversation later it appeared that I needed to activate the
> modem.  Went through that process, which terminated in a screen saying "You
> can now use your Xfinity service.  But wait; you need give the modem time
> to reset."  I gave it some time, tried to close the browser, but was told
> there was a download in progress.  I waited a short time, tried again, same
> download in progress msg, closed anyway.  Now a strange binary file
> appeared in my download folder "unconfirmed 792430.crdownload".  But the
> internet was accessible throughout the day.
>
> The following morning (Tues.) the same thing happened.  I went through the
> activation, this time not closing the browser until all was done.  No
> strange file.  Internet fine until the next morning (Wed.; today) same
> issue.  I activated again, which restored internet access, but this time I
> called.  They sent a technician again.  This guy I am not so sure about; he
> had no explanation for the repeated need to activate.  He left his card,
> and told me to call him tomorrow if the problem repeats, and not to
> activate--wait so he can see the issue.  This what I plan to do.
>
> The symptoms are that  when trying to get to a site (other than Google)
> from the browser, I get the Comcast Activation screen.  The tech said that
> is the screen one gets when first installing a new modem. (When I try to go
> to Google.com, I get the msg. that I cannot reach the internet..)
>
> It occurs to  me that perhaps Comcast still has me and the previous modem
> linked, so they keep wanting to activate the new modem.
>
> Any ideas?
> ___
> PLUG mailing list
> PLUG@lists.pdxlinux.org
> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>
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[PLUG] Comcast repeatedly asks for activation

[Denis Heidtmann]

On Saturday 5/6 we could not reach the internet.  After much conversation
w/comcast they sent a technician out on Sunday.  He arrived early, seemed
knowledgeable.  I had an old (rented) modem beyond eol.  I had received in
the mail a replacement modem from Comcast many months ago, still in the
unopened box. (Why I had not installed it is for another discussion.)  He
installed it, activated it, and everything seemed fine.

The following morning (Mon.) the internet was not accessible again.  Much
more phone conversation later it appeared that I needed to activate the
modem.  Went through that process, which terminated in a screen saying "You
can now use your Xfinity service.  But wait; you need give the modem time
to reset."  I gave it some time, tried to close the browser, but was told
there was a download in progress.  I waited a short time, tried again, same
download in progress msg, closed anyway.  Now a strange binary file
appeared in my download folder "unconfirmed 792430.crdownload".  But the
internet was accessible throughout the day.

The following morning (Tues.) the same thing happened.  I went through the
activation, this time not closing the browser until all was done.  No
strange file.  Internet fine until the next morning (Wed.; today) same
issue.  I activated again, which restored internet access, but this time I
called.  They sent a technician again.  This guy I am not so sure about; he
had no explanation for the repeated need to activate.  He left his card,
and told me to call him tomorrow if the problem repeats, and not to
activate--wait so he can see the issue.  This what I plan to do.

The symptoms are that  when trying to get to a site (other than Google)
from the browser, I get the Comcast Activation screen.  The tech said that
is the screen one gets when first installing a new modem. (When I try to go
to Google.com, I get the msg. that I cannot reach the internet..)

It occurs to  me that perhaps Comcast still has me and the previous modem
linked, so they keep wanting to activate the new modem.

Any ideas?
___
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