# Comcast killing peoples routers and modems?



## D007 (Aug 16, 2016)

Ok I thought it was just me then I started asking people if they have been dealing with this and it's not just me..
Bought this $130.00 modem like 6 months ago.. All of a sudden it looses connection. I call comcast, they say my modem will not work with new protocols?!  DOCSIS 3.0....Dafuq?...

So I buy a new modem and hook it up.. Over another $100.00 later and I find out, it's not only the modem. But my router , which I also bought less than a year ago, is now loosing connection... So I have to pay linksys to cross ship me another, for an additional $200.00...

Then I find out, that this may not even solve the problem and that comcast seems to be going out of it's way to kill peoples hardware..
I ask my brother and he tells me, the same thing happened to him yesterday..
This can't be legal.. I just had to spend $300.00. Just to not be stuck with comcraps, shitty hardware.. In total, within the last 6 months, I have spent over $700.00 on networking hardware due to comcraps inept service..
Hello anti-trust lawsuit?


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## newtekie1 (Aug 16, 2016)

I think it is more likely that power surges coming in through the coax are killing the hardware.


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## Robert Bourgoin (Aug 16, 2016)

http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/

Before you spend the big bucks make sure that it will work,


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## D007 (Aug 16, 2016)

Robert Bourgoin said:


> http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/
> 
> Before you spend the big bucks make sure that it will work,



Thank you for the link but I did ask them.. They said it would but it doesn't..
Lol they just told me they don't support netgear and linksys and basically said I need to use what they tell me to use..
Wow netgear and linksys aren't going to be happy about that.. 
It's clear they are trying to force people into using their hardware, so they can make that extra money every month.


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## Frick (Aug 17, 2016)

As eurotrash I actually chuckle whenever I read about Comcast.


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## Robert Bourgoin (Aug 17, 2016)

I have no problem using the ARRIS SB 6183

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5557972435


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## Beertintedgoggles (Aug 17, 2016)

If they really are killing modems then as said above, it'd have to be over the coax connection.  Buy a surge protector that has a protected coax IN / OUT.


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## moproblems99 (Aug 17, 2016)

It certainly does sound like surges coming through the coax.  I had a similar problem up in Brevard County so I installed a coax surge protector inline where my main connection comes into my house.  Here is the link.


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## natr0n (Aug 17, 2016)

As a fellow Floridian any time lightning hits around your home doesnt even have to be close bad stuff happens.

This used to happen all the time shit would fry, now not so much. We just rent the all in 1 modem/router/phone and swap when it act up burns etc.


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## FR@NK (Aug 17, 2016)

Its hard to believe that comcast is killing hardware with surges over the coax line. Would this hurt them more since most people lease the modem from comcast?


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## moproblems99 (Aug 17, 2016)

FR@NK said:


> Its hard to believe that comcast is killing hardware with surges over the coax line. Would this hurt them more since most people lease the modem from comcast?



I am not speculating that Comcast is doing it on purpose but more natural causes.  Florida has a crapton of lightning and around where I live we seem to have shitty power regulation.


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## D007 (Aug 17, 2016)

I don't mean killing by surges.. I mean killing by making the hardware/software incompatible, maybe.
Idk the details of networking specifics. All I know is they have had me running around buying shit for two days and had me on the phone for like 6 hours.. 
I'm beyond sick of their shit..

Well, I bought an AC1750 "C6300" Modem router combo, that they said is compatible.
But when I looked on the shelves, they are still selling the other ones that are not compatible, with no warning, side by side.
Look for the certification for DOCSIS 3.0 on the box.


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## FR@NK (Aug 17, 2016)

DOCSIS 3.0 came out years ago, I wouldnt think they still sell any modems  that arent 3.0.


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## D007 (Aug 17, 2016)

FR@NK said:


> DOCSIS 3.0 came out years ago, I wouldnt think they still sell any modems  that aren't 3.0.



Routers? Idk.. I'm just going off what they told me.
All I know is it worked from the modem but not through the router.
So the dumbass tech at comcast told me it was my modem, so I bought one anyway but it turned out to be the router..
I saw the same router for sale still, at walmart.


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## natr0n (Aug 17, 2016)

The standard is docis 3 now for a few years. Although the docis 2.0 modems could still work they were hacked/spoofed/etc so much they got phased out purposely.

This might help
http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/


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## D007 (Aug 17, 2016)

natr0n said:


> The standard is docis 3 now for a few years. Although the docis 2.0 modems could still work they were hacked/spoofed/etc so much they got phased out purposely.
> 
> This might help
> http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/


 Yea I've seen that list.. There are tons of routers still for sale at walmart that are not compatible and not on that list.


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## natr0n (Aug 17, 2016)

D007 said:


> Yea I've seen that list.. There are tons of routers still for sale at walmart that are not compatible and not on that list.



I think its like some bs comcast is doing with specific manufacturers to make commissions or some devious shit.
If you call them say "unsatisfactory service this month" they have to credit you.


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## kn00tcn (Aug 17, 2016)

D007 said:


> Routers? Idk.. I'm just going off what they told me.
> All I know is it worked from the modem but not through the router.
> So the dumbass tech at comcast told me it was my modem, so I bought one anyway but it turned out to be the router..
> I saw the same router for sale still, at walmart.


i really do not mean to offend or be derogatory, but a lot of these posts sound like a dumbass (in the 'customer is always right' aggressive mentality)

you need to try to refrain from emotion & stick to logic or scientific testing, a single story from a family member is not the way to go, the whole thing sounds like one big grudge against comcast (not that we have nice things to say about them, but they wouldnt be out of spite)

level1 techs arent going to have the answers, that's not their job & they're not physically measuring signals on your property or arent engineers themselves

as for the costs, do you need a $200 router!? i dont mean you should cheap out, but get something with enough ram & use ethernet where possible, plus the router shouldnt affect anything, it connects to the modem & you can keep using it on another isp that can easily be dsl instead of cable, the modem handles the isp connection

you dont need a killer modem either, certainly not a combo that has router functionality, cuz then you cant take it with you when you change providers

docsis3 isnt relevant if you pay for a lower speed plan, i dont see why d2 modems wouldnt still work (unless there is something about cable tech i'm missing)

speaking of internet tech, the dslreports forum is THE place to go for that for more than a decade, so that's where to find the user reports & answers you're looking for, always strive to learn how things work or what variables exist in a situation to at least mess with them or rule them out first

i also wonder if these modems have a 1 year warranty or anything of the sort if it's only been 6 months


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## moproblems99 (Aug 17, 2016)

I would like to second that the router has no bearing on the functionality with your isp.  If you wanted something that you knew worked, buy the same model that they rent.


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## D007 (Aug 17, 2016)

kn00tcn said:


> i really do not mean to offend or be derogatory, but a lot of these posts sound like a dumbass (in the 'customer is always right' aggressive mentality)
> 
> you need to try to refrain from emotion & stick to logic or scientific testing, a single story from a family member is not the way to go, the whole thing sounds like one big grudge against comcast (not that we have nice things to say about them, but they wouldnt be out of spite)
> 
> ...



Lol @ "A grudge against comcast"..lol.. Really? Going there?
I can get what you mean in general but what I went through was ridiculous.. They earned the "dumbass" term..
I have spent like 20 hours on the phone with them, over the last three months. They made me buy three different modems and 2 different routers, totaling $700. 00.
That's terrible support if ever there was any.. Grudge nothing.. Legitimately pissed off.

Router "Shouldn't effect it" But it does.. So Idk what you're expecting there..
I plug it into the router, dead, into the modem directly, good to go.. This is a new router.

They have a warranty for replacement, through the retailer but replacing it with something that doesn't work, doesn't help..lol.. Walmart is a 90 policy.. I can still return one of the modems at least.. Get 100 bucks back but the others are just a little, past return date.. I got the run around for three months..lol That takes some kind of skill.. Bravo comcast tech support..lol



moproblems99 said:


> I would like to second that the router has no bearing on the functionality with your isp.  If you wanted something that you knew worked, buy the same model that they rent.



I asked them if the router was compatible before I bought it, they said yes, so I bought it.. On their advice..
I was literally buying it, with them on the phone, standing in walmart, looking at model numbers.


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## Jetster (Aug 17, 2016)

I use a Modem that is not supported by Comcast and a router they could not afford. I haven't had a disconnect or any problem for 3 years. The only problem I have with Comcast is their marketing. How old is your house?


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## D007 (Aug 17, 2016)

moproblems99 said:


> I would like to second that the router has no bearing on the functionality with your isp.  If you wanted something that you knew worked, buy the same model that they rent.





Jetster said:


> I use a Modem that is not supported by Comcast and a router they could not afford. I haven't had a disconnect or any problem for 3 years. The only problem I have with Comcast is their marketing. How old is your house?



No idea..lol.. I'm moving in a couple months actually.. Maybe it will get better..
However I did have them remove old lines, rerun the main line with new cable, test the line and remove splits and all that. This has been an ongoing issue for a while.


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## RejZoR (Aug 17, 2016)

So, they just changed protocol and it's up to you to buy new modem. w00t? In my country, when my line got upgraded from VDSL to VDSL2, they brought the new modem to my home, connected it and checked if all is well. For free. Equipment is their property which has to be returned if you cancel their service.

As for router affecting modem, it is possible. I never thought it was until I've experienced it myself. Modem just kept disconnecting right after synchronization with the ISP. Called the ISP and we found out it was router doing it for god knows what reason. Then it stopped without fiddling with it at all. Weird.


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## Jetster (Aug 17, 2016)

RejZoR said:


> So, they just changed protocol and it's up to you to buy new modem. w00t? In my country, when my line got upgraded from VDSL to VDSL2, they brought the new modem to my home, connected it and checked if all is well. For free. Equipment is their property which has to be returned if you cancel their service.




I've seen your speeds. Comcast has 150Mb/s


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## RejZoR (Aug 17, 2016)

Jetster said:


> I've seen your speeds. Comcast has 150Mb/s



Because I'm physically too far from the central with VDSL2 (I'm on the very limit of it actually for the upload as well as download), otherwise they support speeds up to 300/50 for consumers. I'm getting 50/50 fiber optics next week. Could take more, but I'm fine with 20/1 VDSL2 as far as download goes, I just need more upload. And that extra 30Mbps will help plenty (or 49 Mbit extra for upload XD). The real fiber optics line with 100% unrestricted bandwidth, not this american bullshit where they sell you 50000000000 Gbps lines with 20GB monthly bandwidth and then it limits the line to some crap speed. No thanks. Maybe our prices are higher, but at least we actually get what we pay for. Something I have to give credit to our ISP's.


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## kn00tcn (Aug 17, 2016)

D007 said:


> Lol @ "A grudge against comcast"..lol.. Really? Going there?
> I can get what you mean in general but what I went through was ridiculous.. They earned the "dumbass" term..
> I have spent like 20 hours on the phone with them, over the last three months. They made me buy three different modems and 2 different routers, totaling $700. 00.
> That's terrible support if ever there was any.. Grudge nothing.. Legitimately pissed off.
> ...


but see, i wouldnt be in walmart in the first place (do you not have a microcenter or frys? maybe bestbuy?), i avoid tech support since i have to be my own administrator & researcher (but i understand you're under pressure since you need the internet working to even research), they dont exactly 'make' you do anything per se

also i did imply level1 techs dont have a clue, but they dont need it pointed out in such ways, support is a horrible job & i'm already getting sick of dealing with my own systems or getting nagged by others to fix something

now since it escalated to this stage... maybe you can get them to make a discount over a few months that could cancel out that cost some more

so in the future, i'm saying to describe a story as a series of events & then end it with 'this is ridiculous' rather than 'lawsuit', it will be taken much more seriously (think of it like writing an identical bad news story in caps vs normally, yes i realize the irony of me using my trademark casual writing style, but the whole point of me even replying in this thread is to make you a better person for life, it might come in handy, it might rub off on others)

by the way, it looks like dslreports has a section where you can get higher level support directly from comcast employees https://www.dslreports.com/forum/comcastdirect (i would still post the story in the regular comcast forum there, get more information, etc)

oh & i'm not sure we ever learned what the problem was, which means it will happen again, but it sounds like it's likely the wiring... question is if your brother is in a similar building


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## FordGT90Concept (Aug 17, 2016)

Another thing to consider, on top of the surge protector that was previously linked to, is examine the cabling that goes from where the Comcast service enters your residence to the cable modem.  If it isn't RG6 or better, consider replacing it.  RG59 is crap.  If the cable runs parallel to electric cables, consider moving it away from them.

I had problems with surges in my phone lines.  I replaced all of the phone cabling in my house with CAT6 FTP and ran a direct cable from the NID box to the ADSL gateway.  The entire network of phone and network cables are now grounded in the NID box as well.  The surges are gone.


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## RejZoR (Aug 17, 2016)

Good thing about fiber optics is that it's lightning/surge proof. You only have to protect the power adapter of the modem. You can't get a power surge through a signal line anymore unlike with coaxial or copper lines with traditional internet.


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## brandonwh64 (Aug 17, 2016)

newtekie1 said:


> I think it is more likely that power surges coming in through the coax are killing the hardware.



I agree with newtekie. I have had 2 modems die due to surges in coax. Luckily charter gives free modem replacements



RejZoR said:


> Good thing about fiber optics is that it's lightning/surge proof. You only have to protect the power adapter of the modem. You can't get a power surge through a signal line anymore unlike with coaxial or copper lines with traditional internet.



ONT's can still kill modems. We have ours protected by UPS's on customer houses and still a power surge will kill their modem. We do offer customers a netgear router along with our wire service fee.


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## RejZoR (Aug 17, 2016)

Fiber optics are not conductive. Meaning, only source of power surge can be from a wall socket through a power grid.


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## Jetster (Aug 17, 2016)

Good point


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## FordGT90Concept (Aug 17, 2016)

DOCSIS is coax cable.  Fiber is off-topic.


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## 95Viper (Aug 17, 2016)

RejZoR said:


> Good thing about fiber optics is that it's lightning/surge proof. You only have to protect the power adapter of the modem. You can't get a power surge through a signal line anymore unlike with coaxial or copper lines with traditional internet.





RejZoR said:


> Fiber optics are not conductive. Meaning, only source of power surge can be from a wall socket through a power grid.



Here it is fiber to the ONT.
The ones I installed were copper (coax/ethernet) to the modem/router from the ONT.
The ONT is fed from a power supply.
So, the ONT, and modem/router, need to be protected; or, a (lightning)surge can, possibly, be transferred between them.

side note... when it comes to lightning, Goodluck stopping that stuff... personal experience, it goes where it wishes. And, protection did not help, as it has to go somewhere. 

On topic:
@OP,  you may need a tech to come out to test for foreign/out of spec voltage on the line/coax...


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## RejZoR (Aug 17, 2016)

Well, I'll have FTTH (Fiber To The Home), so non conductive. Flats usually have fiber to the building and then it's routed to actual clients via regular copper wires. There, you still have to protect it.


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## D007 (Aug 17, 2016)

I am so clueless as to half the things said in here..lol But my brother is in a different city..lol.. I thought it might be the wiring too. Until I plugged it right into the modem directly and it worked. Just the router doesn't..


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## Sasqui (Aug 17, 2016)

D007 said:


> I don't mean killing by surges.. I mean killing by making the hardware/software incompatible, maybe.
> Idk the details of networking specifics. All I know is they have had me running around buying shit for two days and had me on the phone for like 6 hours..
> I'm beyond sick of their shit..
> 
> ...



I'm not the conspiracy theory type, but I wouldn't put it past Comcast to have "revolving protocol", or something similar they use in their own modems to force people to to lease.  I've kept their shitty modem myself, set it in bridge mode ad using an RT-N66U as my WAP, along with a stupid switch for hardwiring.


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## brandonwh64 (Aug 17, 2016)

RejZoR said:


> Fiber optics are not conductive. Meaning, only source of power surge can be from a wall socket through a power grid.



What you dont understand is there is a ONT at the other end of the fiber than converts the optical signal back to digital. This ONT requires its own power source and as also prone to surges just as modems do. I see it every time we have major storms in our area and our field techs are out changing ONT's that shorted out along with routers.


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## RejZoR (Aug 17, 2016)

Well, what was I saying? The converter needs surge protection, just like modem is converter from telephone copper wire into CAT5 or from coax to CAT5 or from optical to CAT5. The thing is, it's power source that is the only vector, not power source AND signal source. Most people with telephone line only protect power source, not the signal source even though surge can arrive via signal one as well.


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## newtekie1 (Aug 17, 2016)

D007 said:


> Yea I've seen that list.. There are tons of routers still for sale at walmart that are not compatible and not on that list.



That is Walmart's fault, not Comcast's.



D007 said:


> Router "Shouldn't effect it" But it does.. So Idk what you're expecting there..
> I plug it into the router, dead, into the modem directly, good to go.. This is a new router.



The router has absolutely no affect, any router will work with Comcast if set up properly.  The only thing Comcast is "killing" by your definition of the term is old modems that aren't DOCSIS3.0 compatible as they are switching their entire network to DOCSIS3.0 Only.  Old DOCSIS2.0 devices will not work.

If you pick a modem that is compatible, you can plug any router you want into it.

However, one of the main issues I've seen is that most of the devices they support, and what the tech support people recommend, are modem/router combos.  They'll usually work on their own just fine, but if you plug a second router into them that router won't work.  It is a double NAT issue.  And if both the modem/router and the second router are setup on the same subnet it definitely won't work.  Most modem/router combos come out of the box using 192.168.1.X, and most regular routers do the same.  So they won't work together without some re-configuring by the user.

Additionally, getting your secondary router to work isn't their tech-support's job.  They only have to get their equipment working.  They don't have to support your equipment that they have no idea about.



kn00tcn said:


> but see, i wouldnt be in walmart in the first place (do you not have a microcenter or frys? maybe bestbuy?), i avoid tech support since i have to be my own administrator & researcher (but i understand you're under pressure since you need the internet working to even research), they dont exactly 'make' you do anything per se



Sounds like he's been dealing with this problem for some 3 months now.  Hell, he could have went on newegg, ordered a SURFboard SB6183 for $100, plugged in any router he wanted, and been done with the issue in about 3 days...


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## Agentbb007 (Aug 17, 2016)

I second everything newtekie1 said, the only thing Comcast is _killing _is modems that aren't DOCSIS 3.0 compatible.  And if you lease your modem from Comcast they will send you a new one.  The router has nothing to do with DOCSIS 3.0, you're not setting up your network properly.


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## newtekie1 (Aug 17, 2016)

Agentbb007 said:


> And if you lease your modem from Comcast they will send you a new one.



Oh shoot, I knew I forgot something.  Yes, if you get your modem from Comcast, they will upgrade you to a DOCSIS3.0 modem for free.  If you bought your modem yourself, you have to pay for a new one yourself.  That's part of the $7/10 a month fee to rent the modem from Comcast, if it ever needs replacing, they do it at no cost.


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## kn00tcn (Aug 18, 2016)

is there a whitelist of modem models & firmware? ISPs do that here so i wouldnt be able to choose just any modem...

the weird thing is with third party ISPs that use the network built by the main one, each has a bit of a different list, it's the same physical network (sorta)


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## Jetster (Aug 18, 2016)

Really you should change the title of this thread. I hate when people jump to conclusions about a problem.


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## D007 (Aug 18, 2016)

Agentbb007 said:


> I second everything newtekie1 said, the only thing Comcast is _killing _is modems that aren't DOCSIS 3.0 compatible.  And if you lease your modem from Comcast they will send you a new one.  The router has nothing to do with DOCSIS 3.0, you're not setting up your network properly.



And you know I'm not how? Maybe you can tell me that AFTER you hear that I've been on the phone with linksys tech support 4 times and comcast more than I can count and they could fix nothing.. Linksys set up my router dude.. So maybe they don't know what they are doing but you do? lol..
Never mind,  just make some ignorant assumption like you did and act like I've never used a modem in my 40 years of life.. Like I've never built a half a dozen computers myself and tech supported them myself for their entire lifetime.. I'm not some total novice here.. I know how  dang router is supposed to work dude..

Did you even read the previous comments, because it just seems to me that you're one of those guys who came in, read nothing, said some nonsense, then stepped away.. Bravo.. Really thorough..

Every single comment you made, has already been responded to.. Learn to read please..

For example your sentiment about renting one.. That's kind of the POINT I'm making..lol.. They are possibly making it this hard, to force people to rent their crap.. Anti-Trust law suits have started over less..



Jetster said:


> Really you should change the title of this thread. I hate when people jump to conclusions about a problem.



Maybe you need to reread the title.. That's a QUESTION mark.. Not a period.. You know the difference right?

Hate that huh? Wow.. Must not take much to make you hate then..lol.. Maybe you should make a better list of things to hate.. One not so pointless..

"Jump" to conclusions after an ongoing problem, where comcast keeps telling me to buy new hardware, making me spend 700 bucks out of my own pocket.? This is like 6 months total I've been dealing with excuses from them and having intermittent lost signals.. After having multiple techs come out, rerun wires, buy 3 modems, 2 routers, test lines, talk to tech support for literally like 20 hours.. Jump to conclusions? Nonsense.. They are making it this difficult deliberately I think. To force people to rent their crap..  6 months is not JUMPING to anything..

Said my peace about this.. I'm ridiculously stressed out over it.. Moving on...


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## erocker (Aug 18, 2016)

D007 said:


> Said my peace about this.. I'm ridiculously stressed out over it.. Moving on...


Hope you sort out your issue.


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