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Question

I think I need to get a second ISP in my home - help?

Aug 14, 2012 5:54PM PDT

Hello, thank you for reading my post.

I currently have Comcast Xfinity as my ISP, and my IP address has not changed for years. We tried unplugging the modem for two weeks when we were on vacation and that didn't work. Comcast even came out and switched my modem to a new box and that didn't work either.

I have an online game I love to play with my friends and did something stupid with one of my characters, and they put an IP ban in place, so I cannot get onto the game at all.

Dad called Comcast to cancel the Internet so I could switch ISPs, but our phone, TV and Internet are bundled so it would cost more monthly if we cancelled the Internet.

I am thinking of getting my own ISP so I can have a new IP address, but I do not know if you can even have two different ISPs/IP addresses running from one location.

If my solution of getting a second ISP is workable (and yes, expensive and stupid on my part), any suggestions who to go with? Comcast was very fast with my gaming.

Alternatively, is there any way to get my Comcast IP to change that perhaps their reps and techs don't know about?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: second ISP
Aug 14, 2012 6:17PM PDT

It won't work via the Comcast cable, but if anybody offers ADSL where you live (that's via the good old phone connection) that should work. That's a totally different network.

Kees

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We do have DSL here...
Aug 14, 2012 7:11PM PDT

But it isn't nearly as fast as Comcast for my gaming.

However I appreciate knowing that is an option.

Why is it impossible to change a Comcast IP? When we had DSL years ago, all you had to do was to turn the DSL box off for a minute and you'd have a new IP when you turned it back on.

I'd really love to keep the Comcast speed if I could.

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Re: changing Comcast IP
Aug 14, 2012 7:18PM PDT

That's a good question for their Customer Service, why they can't change it. There might be a technical reason or they just don't do it. I'm rather sure that if you cancel the subscription, wait a month and start a new one you'll get another IP-address. All they have to do: cancel it for 1 minute in stead of 1 month and you're done.

And, just a side note, my ADSL IP-address is fixed. If I turn the modem off and on it stays the same.

Kees

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Thanks for your replies, Kees
Aug 14, 2012 7:33PM PDT

I think I have gone as far as I can with Comcast, and if I mention it to Dad once more he will lose it.

Do you know if an Internet game, or any website for that matter "sees" the Comcast IP or do they Msee" the wireless router IP? Or are the Comcast IP and wireless router IP the same? (We have no home network).

Is getting a new wireless router the same as getting a new IP, as far as being able to get back onto my game? Sorry I am a bit clueless about this all.

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Re: IP-address
Aug 14, 2012 7:54PM PDT
http://whatismyipaddress.com/ tells the IP-address anybody on the 'other' side of the modem (that includes that game site) sees. That's the address Comcast gave you. It has nothing to do with the 192.168-address used inside your home.

Kees
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Second IP.
Aug 14, 2012 11:03PM PDT

You most likely could pay comcast to allow you to put a second modem on the same physical cable. They generally charge a little less for the second one since you are sharing the same bandwidth.

In most cases all it takes to get different IP is a different cable modem. If you would buy a new modem and tell them the other one broke it is likely you get a different IP.

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Answer
I think maybe you got this all wrong.
Aug 15, 2012 2:25AM PDT

They must have a good reason to applied the ban. Did you ask them why and is it possible for them to "unban" sometime in the future? I doubt changing IP is going to help. I am think the ban applied to the service to the house.

If Xfinity is like Roadrunner, they don't generally assign a fix IP to you (fix IP cost more). Mine is dynamic IP which means it change every so often automatically.

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Now I'm not sure what to do
Aug 15, 2012 5:41AM PDT

Ahtol, I did do something, knowingly, against TOS. It wasn't a malicious thing but I knew it wasn't allowed when I did it. I wrote an apology but they wouldn't lift the ban. I have spent many years and a fair amount of money on this game... but most importantly I play it with my friends.

However, they did not cancel my characters/accounts. I can still get onto my game from the library and friends' homes.

I never heard of a service ban to the house before. So I guess I need to see if that was my punishment. If it was, you saved me a lot of time, money and hassle of getting a second ISP.

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Oh no, there wasn't what I meant.
Aug 16, 2012 1:06AM PDT

I mean the ISP you have now. A new ISP should give you a new start. But I have to tell you...MOST dsl services are no speed demon.