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OneHeart
join:2002-02-20

OneHeart

Member

[General] Did AT&T Disallow Custom Passwords?

Is AT&T now generating passwords/keys for us to use in our modem/routers to connect to its DSL network? The one I have been using for 3 years now no longer works.

graysonf
MVM
join:1999-07-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL

graysonf

MVM

Quite some time ago I decided to reset my network password. However when I did this, I discovered that I cold not chose one myself, the system chose it for me. There was no warning that I would not have the opportunity to chose my own password, and once the system chose one for me it was too late to back out of the change.

burris
Premium Member
join:2000-08-22
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

burris

Premium Member

Some time ago I think I also ran across this.

They indicated something about a new password, etc., and I created another one myself and it has worked since.
I'm lucky I can remember my old ones much less any new ones.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS to OneHeart

MVM

to OneHeart
said by OneHeart:

Is AT&T now generating passwords/keys for us to use in our modem/routers to connect to its DSL network? The one I have been using for 3 years now no longer works.

A couple of years back AT&T implemented a change in the way the PPPoE (DSL network) password was generated. At that time it was mandatory for new accounts, but optional for existing accounts. It seems they are now making it mandatory for existing accounts, as well.

I think it is related to the fact that subscribers were in the habit of calling support when their modems lost the DSL session after a password change. When a customer would change the primary email account password, he often failed to change it in the modem. If the modem did not lose the DSL session for a couple of weeks, when it did lose the session, it could not authenticate a new session with the old password. If the customer forgot about making the change, he would open a trouble ticket, which is costly to AT&T.

By separating the PPPoE password from the primary email account password, the customer no longer needs to remember to change the PPPoE password every time he changes the email password.

As far as security is concerned, cable has long not required session passwords to connect to the service, and a small number of DSL providers, as well. When I switched from AT&T DSL to Sonic.net Fusion, I went from PPPoE DSL to DHCP DSL. It would be hard to steal your DSL service, even without a password, because the thief would need to hook up to your loop at your demarc to get a DSL signal. If your PPPoE session password is compromised, it will not give the thief access to your account information, or email.

The system-generated PPPoE session (DSL network) password is secure enough for its purpose. My current service (Sonic.net "Fusion") does not even have a PPPoE session. My options are DHCP, or Static.

timcuth
Braves Fan
Premium Member
join:2000-09-18
Pelham, AL
Technicolor ET2251

timcuth

Premium Member

said by NormanS:

By separating the PPPoE password from the primary email account password, the customer no longer needs to remember to change the PPPoE password every time he changes the email password.

???

A couple of months ago, my ATT Yahoo email password stopped working. When I went thru the Yahoo help screens and got to a link to change the password, the link took me to an AT&T page which stated that it would also be changing my DSL connection password. I did not want to risk screwing up my connection, so I bailed out and simply walked away from my Yahoo mail account.

In other words, it seems to me that the email and connection passwords are still one in the same.

Tim

burris
Premium Member
join:2000-08-22
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

burris to NormanS

Premium Member

to NormanS
Now you refreshed my memory....

I remember that the change was only to make the email PW different from the DSL PW.

Thanks
steveatl
join:2007-07-06
Decatur, GA

steveatl to OneHeart

Member

to OneHeart
My Bellsouth/AT&T/Yahoo email account was compromised about a year ago. On the phone with Tech Support, they gave me a new DSL password but let me pick my own email password.
OneHeart
join:2002-02-20

OneHeart

Member

Thanks all. I thought it was just me.
cramer
Premium Member
join:2007-04-10
Raleigh, NC
Westell 6100
Cisco PIX 501

cramer to NormanS

Premium Member

to NormanS

By separating the PPPoE password from the primary email account password, the customer no longer needs to remember to change the PPPoE password every time he changes the email password.

That's the way it was in the long, long ago when I signed up. By default, both systems would have the same password, but they were completely independent. If you knew where to go, you could change each of them separately. (and I did.)

The reason for PPPoE and logins is to simplify account deactivation -- no change to the dsl network is required. (in fact, the dsl at our old office was lit for years after it was canceled. It was a "backdoor" backup for me and a friend.) It also served as the network login for dialup. Cable did the same in the very early days, but their provisioning systems have always been more advanced -- there's no ports to turn off; disabling an account removes the HFC MAC from the authorized devices list.

Now that email is outsourced, there's even less reason to keep the two linked. In fact, it's a d***ed good reason NOT to... while I cannot steal your dsl (physical circuit), I can really mess things up for you by logging in as you on *my* line. (I long ago proved location doesn't matter to AT&T/Bellsouth -- I logged my dsl in on a modem in atlanta... static IP and everything followed it.)

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS

MVM

said by cramer:

That's the way it was in the long, long ago when I signed up. By default, both systems would have the same password, but they were completely independent.

I am reasonably certain it was not that way in the 13-state legacy region prior to the AT&T purchase of Bellsouth. Maybe they adopted it from Bellsouth; they certainly adopted the BS prices for their ADSL tiers.

timcuth
Braves Fan
Premium Member
join:2000-09-18
Pelham, AL

timcuth to OneHeart

Premium Member

to OneHeart
Ok, then, could someone direct me to a link that will allow me to change my ATT/Yahoo email password without changing my connection password?

Tim

wayjac
MVM
join:2001-12-22
Indy

wayjac

MVM

said by timcuth:

Ok, then, could someone direct me to a link that will allow me to change my ATT/Yahoo email password without changing my connection password?


»www.att.com/olam/loginAc ··· erType=L

timcuth
Braves Fan
Premium Member
join:2000-09-18
Pelham, AL
Technicolor ET2251

timcuth

Premium Member

Thanks wayjac See Profile, but I keep getting this error from the links at that page:


SAML 2.0 authentication failed
»mlph344.tguard.att.net/s ··· ninitial
2013-02-26T18:16:04Z

Error details
FBTSML215E The name identifier policy in the authentication request could not be met by this identity provider.


Tim
timcuth

timcuth

Premium Member

Well, I'll be. I just signed in to att.net with my existing password, checked my email, etc. This would NOT work a few weeks ago; it kept telling me my password was invalid.

Weird.

Tim

wayjac
MVM
join:2001-12-22
Indy

wayjac

MVM

Were you able to change your att/yahoo email password without changing your dsl network password?

burris
Premium Member
join:2000-08-22
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

burris to timcuth

Premium Member

to timcuth
Yeah....I went through this when this issue came up for me. I found that I was using the wrond PW and when it all settled down, at least that part of AT&T began to work properly.

timcuth
Braves Fan
Premium Member
join:2000-09-18
Pelham, AL
Technicolor ET2251

timcuth to wayjac

Premium Member

to wayjac
said by wayjac:

Were you able to change your att/yahoo email password without changing your dsl network password?

Thanks, but since it worked, I didn't mess with trying to change it. "If it ain't broke..."

Tim

wayjac
MVM
join:2001-12-22
Indy

1 recommendation

wayjac

MVM

said by timcuth:

Thanks, but since it worked, I didn't mess with trying to change it. "If it ain't broke..."

Just so you know.....
You can change the att/yahoo email password only.
You can change the dsl network password only.