[CLUE-Tech] cable modem question

[Brandon N]

--- Mike Staver <staver at fimble.com> wrote:
> I forgot to post a follow up to my cable modem question here... I did
> end 
> up calling AT&T because I tried both USB and a NIC, and still no go. 
> Once 
> I called their support, they had to "jump start" the modem from their
> 
> office over the cable line.  Apparently just powering it on and off
> didn't 
> do the trick for me, but whatever they did reset it so that it
> started 
> working again like it always had in the past.  So, I guess if anybody
> else 
> has broadband problems with AT&T, call and have it refreshed or
> whatever 
> they did, and it seems to work fine again.

Sounds like it's been going around, because I had to do the same thing,
the modems are registered with the head end to prevent anyone from just
buying a modem and plugging it in.  The tech had me do it myself, by
going to sas.r4.attbi.com.  It's asks for your account number and
"registration number" which is just the last nine digits of your acct
number.  You have to set your browswer up to use sas.r4.attbi.com:8000
as a proxy for any site except *.r4.attbi.com for it to work.  I don't
know if that address is regionally specific or not.
After I did that, I restarted and I was back online.  

Be wary of AT&T tech support though, they practice voodoo
troubleshooting.  Before I got through to the backline, I had to:

1. Shut down my computer.
2. Unplug *both ends* of the ethernet cable.
3. Unplug the modem power cord.
4. Wait one minute while dancing a jig and hailing the tech gods.
5. Plug in the ethernet cable (both ends).
6. Restart the computer.
7. Plug in the modem. 

Ok, so I made up #4, but the rest is true.  I asked the tech why I had
to unplug both ends of the ethernet cable, he said it made a
difference.  I just laughed and humored him, it does no good to argue
with them, and I figured I got a little comedy out of it.

Brandon


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