| reply to MooJohn
Re: New account "activation" is for the birds The new activation software is called the "walled garden", and is very similar to the old setup disk. THe biggest difference is now the customers username/password is no longer held by the modem, but is held by the aggrigator, located at the redback router in any main exchange. This is supposed to allow the helpdesk to log into youre modem to see actual trouble issues. In the future, after the username is created, hit cancel, and the software will skip all software downloads. Right now only IE, on windows 2000, xp, and vista will operate with the walled garden. |
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GVG
join:2006-09-19
Charlotte, NC | So if the username/password are held at the aggrigator and not the modem, how does that work for people like me who let their routers do the pppoe connection and enter their credentials on the router? |
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GVG
join:2006-09-19
Charlotte, NC | reply to shadowfax
By the way you can use other browsers if you set the browser to emulate IE. Safari on Mac's can be set to emulate almost any browser, and "walled garden" will let you in doing that. Same for Firefox. |
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| reply to GVG
not sure exactly, but if nothing has changed on youre end then there is nothing to worry about. At some point when you need a new 4200, you will have to set up youre account like you are a new customer, then you can reset the modem to bridge mode and reconnect youre home network. |
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GVG
join:2006-09-19
Charlotte, NC | Need a new modem,!!!  he he he. I am on my 3rd one this week. Never had to use the activation screen.
1st modem was flaky. 2nd modem worked great until a tree came down on my street during a storm and hit the power lines and sent rapid surges through the grid. Followed by a lightening hit around the corner. Now on modem number 3 and its not acting right either. I suspect the DSALM which is around the corner took a hit too from the surge/lightening, but cant find anyone to explain that to. India has no idea what a DSLAM is, so they just keep overnighting me new modems. |
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| At shadowfax -- what does this mean for some schmuck that changes their primary username, do they have to rerun the setup as well? And here's hoping my trusty old 5200 keeps dodging lightning strikes.
-- One time Alltel Helpdesk Superchimp. |
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| no change on the surface for anybody, but now all username info is held by the aggrigator, not the modem. So any changes to username on windstream.net goes to the aggrigator. |
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| I guess I don't get how that can entail no change -- currently my crusty old modem is running in bridge mode with a router behind it, neither the aggregator nor the modem hold my username. If I were to change my username either via the self care site or by calling India to do it for me, do I just change it in the router like normal, or would some crazy new system kick in that would require me to register the modem (does this even work on the older 5200s or ciscos?) as if I'm a new customer? |
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| In the past usernames and passwords were held by the customer router/modem, now its held on the other end by the aggrigator, when the customer has the new 4200 with the firmware updates, and the walled garden setup software. Eventually everyone will be setup like this, for now there are no changes to older setups, but all new customers, and those who get new speedstreams, or 2wire modems will setup like a new account. From what I understand WS is the first telco to deploy this new system, and its having issues. But it may workout I guess, untill then we are going to have to live with it. |
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| reply to shadowfax
said by shadowfax:now all username info is held by the aggrigator, not the modem. What does this do for user security? Does this mean that anyone can disconnect my IW outside and connect a modem there and then just go online as me (if I had the new setup)? |
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| The only people who could easily do that are the WS field techs, we have test gear that will allow us to do that from youre house, the pole, cross connect boxes, or the dslam itself. Other than us, I wouldnt worry too much. just be aware of where youre nid is located, what it should look like etc. If you see a wire going from it, to youre neighbors house, then I would be worried. Most nids have a option of putting a master lock on it for security reasons. The biggest thing you can do, is make sure any wireless networks are secured, and dont share youre WS account info with anyone. |
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| said by shadowfax:The only people who could easily do that are the WS field techs, we have test gear that will allow us to do that from youre house, the pole, cross connect boxes, or the dslam itself. Other than us, I wouldnt worry too much. just be aware of where youre nid is located, what it should look like etc. If you see a wire going from it, to youre neighbors house, then I would be worried. Most nids have a option of putting a master lock on it for security reasons. The biggest thing you can do, is make sure any wireless networks are secured, and dont share youre WS account info with anyone. Wow! I hope no other telcos go to this system. This is absolutely the greatest breach of customer security I've ever heard of. If a pervert wants to download or upload some child porn or just wants to get you in trouble with the law, all he has to do is connect outside. He doesn't need your username or password, just a modem and a connection to your line. How are you going to prove it wasn't you. Wouldn't the attorneys at WS advise against helping the customer prove he was falsely arrested and crucified in the press because they could then expect to be sued for the damages they caused the customer?
I have very high standards concerning security. I wouldn't even think about sharing my account information with my mother, much less anyone else. My wireless access point is secured as much as possible and with the most complex password it'll take. Not only that, but it is run off a router and stays unplugged from the power unless I am using it (which is very seldom). I do everything I can to prevent someone from outside having access to my system or my account. But now Windstream in their great wisdom (haha) and in a further display of their quest to provide the worst customer service possible opens up my dsl connection to anyone who wants to get into it anywhere from my residence to the CO without having to know my username or password. I hope the first person who has any trouble from this gets not only the whole company but enough money from the former owners to correct this situation and about half their blood. This shows total disregard for customers. Only the bottom line counts here.
I live in an apartment building and there is one box on the side of the building with everyone's connection. It would be very easy for someone to make a change inside the box that would not be seen unless the box was physically opened and the wiring inspected by someone who knew what was going on. |
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| Geez, I was only trying to alliviate youre fears. First of all, We dont go around just surfing porn from anybodys line we please. We dont share private info with anybody, which is a quick way of getting fired.And do you really expect service techs to have no way of testing and fixing lines, for both voice and data, with no freakin test equipment ! If youre freaked out about security on the building lines a lock can be placed on that building terminal. 99.9% of people out there have no knowledge and equipment that allow them to use youre line. If you cant deal with that, then find another provider.  |
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| said by shadowfax:Geez, I was only trying to alliviate youre fears. First of all, We dont go around just surfing porn from anybodys line we please. We dont share private info with anybody, which is a quick way of getting fired.And do you really expect service techs to have no way of testing and fixing lines, for both voice and data, with no freakin test equipment ! If youre freaked out about security on the building lines a lock can be placed on that building terminal. 99.9% of people out there have no knowledge and equipment that allow them to use youre line. If you cant deal with that, then find another provider. Very nice attempt at defending yourself and whoever by attacking me, but you didn't address the real concerns I listed. And don't accuse me of being freaked out. You're the one who sounds freaked out.
Nowhere did I infer that a holy telco employee would commit the acts I said could be done.
Your reply is really foolishness. And probably from a lot of reviews and complaints here, most people would get another provider if they could.
If you can't respond to valid concerns without personal attacks, you need to keep your ideas to yourself. |
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1 edit | reply to shadowfax
First, I never said anything about telco guys surfing porn or doing anything. I did mention "perverts". Are you trying to tell me something? And I didn't just say "porn". I said child porn which is a very serious criminal offense. I also didn't accuse anyone of sharing information. I just said I didn't. "Can you hear me now"?
Second, you said (in your 2008-06-15 09:55:53 post) "the only people who could easily do that are the WS field techs". You're not denying that someone else could do what I described with more effort.
Third, in that same post, you gave me suggestions for security mentioning wireless networks and to not share my WS account info with anyone. Well, that's why I described my security procedures (because you brought it up). You also told me to be aware of my NID and to watch about wires to the neighbors (hey, that's why I told you there was a community box out there - kinda like holding a conversation, get it?) and then you come back and rant "if you're that concerned about security...) Is there 2 people using your username or what?
Fourth, no one said anything about service techs testing or fixing lines (although I wish they would do that a little bit more around here) and I have no idea where you lost your "freakin test equipment".
Fifth, I would expect not many people have the knowledge or the means to do what I was talking about and I would hope that none of them would think about doing something like that, but it only takes one and a person's life could be ruined and even their family's lives destroyed. Before this change, a major crime like this could not be made to look like an innocent party commited it so easily. The new system apparently has far less security than dialup had. You'll have to admit, if you're honest, that's it more risky than having the logon info in the modem.
Sixth, my post listed my concerns and were in no way intended to be a personal attack on anyone, especially you. I appreciate the information and help you've given and I was happy to see a WS employee on here that appeared to want to be helpful. |
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| Fine, whatever. My only point was the fact that WS techs test lines everyday, we dont share private info, like username/passwords with anybody. The possibility of someone tapping youre line is extremely unlikely. In fact DSL is alot more secure than a shared connection like cable internet. In fact, you can go to windstream.net and change the username/password at any time. As far as the new system goes, the jury is still out, but its what we have to deal with. Sorry for lashing out, I just get tired of the rant and raves here everyday, while I bust my ass out there everyday to provide good service. |
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| said by shadowfax:Sorry for lashing out, I just get tired of the rant and raves here everyday, while I bust my ass out there everyday to provide good service. I appreciate and accept the apology. And from posts I've read on here from you and others, I believe you really are a very good phone guy. I like people who try to do their job well and who take the time to try to help others. And your apology makes you a bigger person in my sight.
Thank You
David |
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| reply to GVG
Re: New account "activation" is for the birds Wish I'd read this before upgrading my service. To get the 12 Mbps service, I have the 6, I had to get the new modem. I was told all I would need to do was swap them out. I have my DLink Router DGL-4500 taking care of the rest. Got the new modem yesterday swapped it for the old. All was working great until about 11:38 p.m. Figured things were fine until the account updated. Thought just need to cycle the router and the modem and all will be back to good. Wrong. Its been a night in hell with the "walled garden." Sheesh.
With modem in bridge mode the router kept trying to establish a PPPoE connection using my unchanged username and password. No go. The modem is in a default bridge mode wanting a username and password entered into the new firmware login setup. Directly connecting one computer to the modem brought up this new limited firmware and this Windstream default broadband setup crap. Let it do its thing and it will get your account reactivated and it will put the modem in router mode, will set the modem's routing, NAT, firewall on. You can change most of the Speedstream and it isn't in bridge mode. The NAT, firewall, routing all get turned on.
2 calls to India and no luck. I could set the new "refurbished" modem to factory defaults and bridge mode, but could not get the router to be able to establish a connection with the modem in default bridge mode. Connect the modem to a computer directly no router and you are back to the activation walled garden crap.
You have as the one poster said DNS, FTP, etc. just no HTTP until your account is activated. Took about ten minutes for this each time, the activation. Once I had full internet connectivity on that one machine, I started looking for solutions, help. Finally found a post in a forum that suggested repeatedly cycling the power on and off to both the router and modem until the router was able to "catch" the modem and force a PPPoE connection. Modem on first and tehn immediately the router. Let them both cycle and if you are lucky the router will "catch" the modem and force it to stay in bridged mode and take an existing username and password. That worked for me on the third attempt.
All has been working through the night, but I dread a change that or a dropped connection, a forced reset of the router.
Call to India to check on my service and as of 6:05 a.m. "your 12 bit service may be possibly active, but you will experience repeated disconnects in service until your service is updated. Just remember to turn your modem on when the service is updated and enter your new username and password."
Not getting the faster speeds down or up, still getting what I've been paying for, but not the new service yet.
Good luck if you have to get one of the "refurbished" modems, the 4200 with the green Windstream sticker. Limited firmware, walled gardens. Run hot too. Toasty to the touch. The older modems without the firmware upgrades won't do 12, 768. The new ones are backward compatible and will work with the slower service.
Oy gevaldt. |
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 Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18
1 edit | said by valkomjdc1:Wish I'd read this before upgrading my service. To get the 12 Mbps service, I have the 6, I had to get the new modem. I was told all I would need to do was swap them out. I have my DLink Router DGL-4500 taking care of the rest. Got the new modem yesterday swapped it for the old. All was working great until about 11:38 p.m. Figured things were fine until the account updated. Thought just need to cycle the router and the modem and all will be back to good. Wrong. Its been a night in hell with the "walled garden." Sheesh. With modem in bridge mode the router kept trying to establish a PPPoE connection using my unchanged username and password. No go. The modem is in a default bridge mode wanting a username and password entered into the new firmware login setup. Directly connecting one computer to the modem brought up this new limited firmware and this Windstream default broadband setup crap. Let it do its thing and it will get your account reactivated and it will put the modem in router mode, will set the modem's routing, NAT, firewall on. You can change most of the Speedstream and it isn't in bridge mode. The NAT, firewall, routing all get turned on. 2 calls to India and no luck. I could set the new "refurbished" modem to factory defaults and bridge mode, but could not get the router to be able to establish a connection with the modem in default bridge mode. Connect the modem to a computer directly no router and you are back to the activation walled garden crap. You have as the one poster said DNS, FTP, etc. just no HTTP until your account is activated. Took about ten minutes for this each time, the activation. Once I had full internet connectivity on that one machine, I started looking for solutions, help. Finally found a post in a forum that suggested repeatedly cycling the power on and off to both the router and modem until the router was able to "catch" the modem and force a PPPoE connection. Modem on first and tehn immediately the router. Let them both cycle and if you are lucky the router will "catch" the modem and force it to stay in bridged mode and take an existing username and password. That worked for me on the third attempt. All has been working through the night, but I dread a change that or a dropped connection, a forced reset of the router. Call to India to check on my service and as of 6:05 a.m. "your 12 bit service may be possibly active, but you will experience repeated disconnects in service until your service is updated. Just remember to turn your modem on when the service is updated and enter your new username and password." Not getting the faster speeds down or up, still getting what I've been paying for, but not the new service yet. Couple of points as there are two large inaccuracies in your post.
1] The new "Walled Garden" 4200s can easily be set to Bridge Mode, but it requires an extra step that the original 5200s/4200s did not have. You don't have to do that "catch the Modem mess at power on" that you say you read somewhere (where did you see that?). That is just bad info from someone that doesn't understand basic networking and I apologize that they misled you so far away from the simple truth of one extra simple step to manually enable Bridge Mode.
You read here to set it to Bridge Mode:
»[Equipment] SS 4200 bridge mode
2] Also, the older 5200s support the faster ADSL2 speeds as well as the original 4200s that support ADSL2, ADSL2+ and RE-ADSL2. The only *reason* for the new Modem is to put you on the "Walled Garden" system. That is it and it is not for the speed increase.
»[Equipment] Speedstream 5200 and ADSL2+ It can do it >.>
Regards,
Doctor Olds
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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