Is Mediacom limiting the web-surfing capability of computers connected thru a private wireless router to the cable modems?
Here's why I'm asking. On Mon nite about 1:30 AM, my granddaughter lost Internet connectivity for her Xbox. I tried to fix it Tues after work, but to no avail. When using a NetGear wireless router, I was able to get to some websites (e.g. CNN.Com, & Weather.Com), but not others (e.g. Yahoo.Com, & Google.Com). Troubleshooting included plugging & unplugging, swapping out Cat 5 cables for new ones, checking the DNS settings, checking for malware, ensuring the hosts file wasn't altered, and flushing the DNS cache, among many others. The limited surfing capability was seen on two computers, a laptop, a Kindle and the XBox. Finally I replaced the NetGear router with an older Linksys wireless router, and the problem went away.
Today, I was trying to resolve the issue with the NetGear router, but after a couple hours I got frustrated and gave up so I reinstalled the Linksys router. Now I'm seeing the exact same symptoms on the Linksys router. Thinking the problem may have been caused by something being accidentally or intentionally changed, I've restored the factory defaults on both routers, but the problem persists. When I plug the cable modem directly into my computer, everything works as it should. But whenever I plug in either of the wireless routers, I can get to some sites but not others.
I spent time on the phone working my way thru the automated MediaCom fixit routine, to no avail. When I finally got to speak with a tech rep (I use that term loosely) I described the situation and asked if MediaCom was playing games with the DNS in some way. She seemed incensed, but also didn't seem to know what a DNS was. Then she told me to plug the cable modem directly into the computer, and to unplug the power to the cable modem, then plug it back in. I told her I was using the MediaCom phone and would lose connectivity to her when I unplugged it. She said "Yes, but you can call us back if it doesn't fix the problem." That's when the light bulb came on for me. So I started searching the Internet, and stumbled across some others who have experienced symptoms that sound like what I experienced.
So can anybody tell me if MediaCom is using some method to limit capability of computers attached thru a personally-owned wireless router to the MediaCom cable modem? And of course, is there a way to resolve the problem?
Thanks much for any help you can offer.
joel
↧