# comcast box



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

just today, the "LAN" light on the front of my and wifes cable box has come on.
it has never before. i do not yet have the WIFI modem .idk anything about this stuff. what is this light for/do ?


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Maybe this has something to do with it?

Comcast has been quietly turning customers wifi on to serve as public wifi hotspots.



> *Comcast Was Sued For Quietly Turning Customers' Home WiFi Into "Public" Hotspots *


http://www.fastcolabs.com/3039682/c...ur-homes-internet-part-of-the-sharing-economy


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

perhaps. they could have turned it on = the light. even though i do not have a wifi modem.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Does your modem have a built in router?

If so, it does have WIFI.



What's the model number?


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Arris tw502g


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Wow, 

I can't find anything on the net about that modem. Is it like the TM502G?


Telephone & modem?



Either way, it is an old beast, and should be replaced since it's only DOCSIS 2.

Newer DOCSIS 3 modems will give you much faster speeds...


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

I'm sure that's a typo., There is no tw...

According to this, it's simply stating that internet is connected and available (through Ethernet port).
It also seems to hint a software upgrade.

http://ibbs-cc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/539/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDI0OTUwODM3L3NpZC96eWllN1pmbQ%3D%3D


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

I would also assume that's the case. But, I was waiting for Fix'n it to chime in.

Especially so since there doesn't appear to be a LAN light on that model modem.



Regardless, I would recommend a change.


1. Buy an OOMA.

2. Buy a Modem (Motorola SB 6141?).


You'll save somewhere around $50.00 to $60.00 per month, have faster internet speeds, and the payback is less than 3 months based on the average cost of the modem lease fee, and monthly telephone fee, charged by the cable company.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

ktkelly said:


> 1. Buy an OOMA.


Actually we were thinking about OOMA at one point. We wanted to get rid of the land line but we weren't interested in the idea of carrying a cell phone all over the house.

We ended up with the neat little box called XLINK. It connects up to 3 cell phones (via blue tooth) to all your house phones. Simply drop your cell phone off near the XLINK as you come in and it automatically connects the cell(s) to the house phone(s). You can take and make phone calls over the house phone as regular. It even has a distinct ring tone over the phones for each cell you have on the system. You can even connect a regular telephone answering machine if you wish.

Of course if you do a lot of long distance calling then OOMA would be the better bet (free long distance in the Country), but if you're business is mostly local and you have a cell phone... this makes life much easier to operate a cell full time in the house.

http://www.myxlink.com/index.aspx


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Bob,

That's interesting, but aren't you using cell phone minutes any time you're on the phone?

I see that as a drawback if you don't have unlimited minutes, and then there's the long distance thins as well.

I have OOMA at a beach house, which is in a different area code than the main house, but was able to have a local to home area code on it.

Due to this family can call me without the need for them to make a long distance call when I'm at the coast, and a big plus is that my phone bill for both locations is under $8.00 a month.


My next thought is to go to a prepaid cellphone as it's only used as an emergency back up phone, and that would save an additional $70.00+ per month (2 phones).



Overall, I'm saving a bit more than $120.00 per month over what I had been paying to TWC, and I have better service.

Getting cheap in my old age...:laughing:


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

ktkelly said:


> Bob,
> 
> That's interesting, but aren't you using cell phone minutes any time you're on the phone?
> 
> I see that as a drawback if you don't have unlimited minutes, and then there's the long distance thins as well.


It's not unlimited, but then on the other hand I have never exceeded my time. There's three of us in the house and we each have our own cell phone with our own plan and our own minutes so it's not like one cell is taking all the hits. The cell you wish to call out on is controllable from any house phone.

For long distance we have skype. There is a skype HD cam on the tv. No computer needed for this cam and it has its own ringer.










http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000921-Skype-Calls-HDTVs/dp/B009Z7KMUM


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ok. it is a tm502g. but, the LAN light is not on the modem, its on the TV converter box. 

i am not up on all the newest tech. my triple play bundle bill is $172 a month. if there are ways to lower this bill, while still getting what we need. i am all for it.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Fix'n it said:


> its on the TV converter box.


Name and model number?


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

MOTOROLA RNG150N

i asked a comcast guy, at the gas station, what the problem was. (he didn't seem REAL sure) said that the box could be downloading something. and that these are older box's that need to be replaced.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

does anyone know if these box's can be purchased ? so i don't have to pay rent on them.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

I don't know that you can buy your own cable TV box, but as I posted earlier, you can certainly purchase the cable modem, and the OOMA telephone boxes.

Those two items will reduce your bill by at least $50.00 to $60.00 per month.


I suggest going on to the OOMA website and checking it out, then looking at the TWC website where it list those modems that are approved (I have an extra one if you're interested).


First buy both the OOMA and the modem, install and set up the OOMA with port forwarding if you want to keep your same phone number, wait until the phone number transfers, which can take a couple weeks.

After the phone has transferred, you then install the modem.


While it might sound intimidating, it really is a simple process.


Both have a very simple set up procedure.

1. OOMA = You just follow the simple instructions that come with the OOMA, connect it to the modem, and then connect your phone to it.


2. Modem = You call in to TWC and state "install new modem" when prompted for why you're calling. When you "finally" get through to a person, you give the model number and MAC address of the modem (generally written on the back), and that person will activate the modem.


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

You can't buy a cable box at least not with Comcast. I found the manual for the RNG150. 

LAN — Illuminates to indicate one or more set-top boxes and/or DVR devices are detected on the home network


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ok, i just googled it. how do they do it for free ?

the modem. i would expect COMCAST to fight me on this. they fight everything that takes money out of their pockets.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

djlandkpl said:


> You can't buy a cable box at least not with Comcast. I found the manual for the RNG150.
> 
> LAN — Illuminates to indicate one or more set-top boxes and/or DVR devices are detected on the home network


yeah, i thought that.


ok. but we have had these box's for 3 years. and the light has only been on for about a week.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Fix'n it said:


> ok, i just googled it. how do they do it for free ?


OOMA is VOIP (voice over internet protocol). It's kind of like skype without the video feed... and like skype, the basic parts are free.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Fix'n it said:


> yeah, i thought that.
> 
> 
> ok. but we have had these box's for 3 years. and the light has only been on for about a week.


Clearly it's detecting something extra on the network. That's what the manual states anyway. Do you live in a house, apartment, or possibly a duplex?


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Fix'n it said:


> ok, i just googled it. how do they do it for free ?
> 
> the modem. i would expect COMCAST to fight me on this. they fight everything that takes money out of their pockets.




OOMA is not free. You purchase the device and you pay the monthly taxes ($3.84 per month in my case), unless you want the extras which would cost another $9.95 per month (you probably don't need them). The company makes it's money on the equipment sales, and the upgrade services fees.

I doubt your cable supplier will have any issues at all with you using your own modem. I'm with TWC, which I understand is now a part of COMCAST, and there was no hassles at all.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Bob Sanders said:


> Clearly it's detecting something extra on the network. That's what the manual states anyway.
> 
> Do you live in a house, apartment, or possibly a duplex?


yeah, i figured, but what ? is what i am wondering. i told my wife that da gubmit is watching through the TV box :laughing:


house


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ktkelly said:


> OOMA is not free. You purchase the device and you pay the monthly taxes ($3.84 per month in my case), unless you want the extras which would cost another $9.95 per month (you probably don't need them). The company makes it's money on the equipment sales, and the upgrade services fees.
> 
> I doubt your cable supplier will have any issues at all with you using your own modem. I'm with TWC, which I understand is now a part of COMCAST, and there was no hassles at all.


ok, i am going to look into this. i am all for saving $50. 

my wife tried calling comcast, to find out just what this LAN light was.
she said she got nothing but hassles. and never did get an answer.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Fix'n it said:


> my wife tried calling comcast, to find out just what this LAN light was.
> she said she got nothing but hassles. and never did get an answer.




She should have said: "Why are you looking at me? My husband says you're looking at me."....:laughing:


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## LeakyHawaiiRoof (Oct 21, 2014)

djlandkpl said:


> You can't buy a cable box at least not with Comcast.


FCC cable card rules allow people to use their own box and require cable providers to provide a discount for people who use their own box. http://www.fcc.gov/guides/cablecard-know-your-rights


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## LeakyHawaiiRoof (Oct 21, 2014)

ktkelly said:


> I'm with TWC, which I understand is now a part of COMCAST . . .


Don't scare me like that. Comcast-Time Warner Cable Deal Still Up in the Air a Year Later (2/8/15) article


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