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madscient1st
join:2014-09-06
Urbana, IL

madscient1st

Member

[Connectivity] Lost connection with Comcast, blamed on SB101U router EOL

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Hi all! Hope you can help me with some issues with Comcast in Urbana-Champaign, IL. I’ve used my own Motorola SB5101U modem with comcast cable internet service for several years with no problem. Last night, I lost connectivity (online light was blinking, the 3 lights above it were lit) but I thought this may be an outage due to storm.

This morning the online light was actually on, but still no internet. I tried power cycling the modem and the router, no luck. When connecting the modem directly to my computer and accessing it directly (via 192.168.100.1), last night all the listed status processes had failed. Today the modem status appears good (all items say ok/done and online light on). But when I try to get to any website, I am redirected to activate my Comcast service even though I haven’t changed my service in years. (This happens both via ethernet and wireless on 2 different laptops) If I go through with trying to activate, I get activation failure with a message "Blocking Retail Flows" (see attachment). Thinking this must be a Comcast issue, I called them and they sent a reset signal to my modem a couple times but nothing changed. Now they are telling me they will send a tech, but it’s probably my problem because the modem is “at end of life”. I don’t understand this, because all the lights are on and the modem status appears fine to me. If I can get to the activation screen, doesn't this mean I am accessing the internet but just hitting the comcast wall? It seems they are just blaming it on my modem because it isn’t their equipment and they can avoid the issue.

Can anyone help with additional troubleshooting? Is this a legitimate claim from Comcast that my modem is somehow “broken”, or is this just allowing them to pass the buck? Is my modem really broken or are they just refusing to support it any longer since it’s a few years old? I can try to get/post full modem log entries if it would be useful but it's tricky since ...well... I don't have internet at home!

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er

Member

its end-of life. get a new modem. comcast doesnt want D1.1 devices on their network anymore.
madscient1st
join:2014-09-06
Urbana, IL

madscient1st

Member

OK, thanks for the quick reply. Should I bother paying for a comcast tech to come out, or just go out and get a new one? Any advice on which one's the best? If I'm moving in a year, should I just rent from comcast for a little while?

Also, by end-of-life do you mean it just up and broke? Or comcast is no longer supporting it on their network?

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er

Member

getting an 8x4 channel modem ensures you wont need an upgrade in quite a few years....

this is the default modem people should look to when upgrading...price is right, and future proof.
»www.amazon.com/Zoom-DOCS ··· 63K4NN6/

id say just order the modem, plug in, and activate.

Jim721
join:2014-07-31
Belleville, MI

Jim721 to madscient1st

Member

to madscient1st
Your lucky it has worked before today in most areas Docsis 1 modems have been phased out and dont even work any longer on there network. In the near future this will happen with Docsis 2 modems as well.

Kasoah
join:2013-08-20
Merced, CA

1 recommendation

Kasoah to madscient1st

Member

to madscient1st
The sb5101u is a docsis 2.0 modem, not 1.1.
cheeseman
join:2014-06-19
Palo Alto, CA

cheeseman

Member

As I understand it, D1.1 is no longer supported period. D2 is still supported if you have one, but they won't activate one for you.
madscient1st
join:2014-09-06
Urbana, IL

madscient1st

Member

said by cheeseman:

As I understand it, D1.1 is no longer supported period. D2 is still supported if you have one, but they won't activate one for you.

Well it used to be activated prior to this issue, but now I'm having to go through this reactivation for some reason.
madscient1st

madscient1st to Jim721

Member

to Jim721
said by Jim721:

Your lucky it has worked before today in most areas Docsis 1 modems have been phased out and dont even work any longer on there network. In the near future this will happen with Docsis 2 modems as well.

Yes, it is DOCSIS 2.0 not 1.1. Although the end of life for this model on the comcast website is listed as 12/13. It doesn't explain my issue unless they actually kicked me off the comcast network for having DOCSIS 2.0

NetFixer
From My Cold Dead Hands
Premium Member
join:2004-06-24
The Boro
Netgear CM500
Pace 5268AC
TRENDnet TEW-829DRU

1 edit

NetFixer to madscient1st

Premium Member

to madscient1st
said by madscient1st:

said by cheeseman:

As I understand it, D1.1 is no longer supported period. D2 is still supported if you have one, but they won't activate one for you.

Well it used to be activated prior to this issue, but now I'm having to go through this reactivation for some reason.

You are not the only one that has recently been zapped by this symptom. I don't know if Comcast is doing this intentionally, or if it is just incompetence*, but there seems to be a growing trend wherein DOCSIS 2 modems are inexplicably taken out of service, and then Comcast refuses to reactivate them because they are EOL.

* I will leave it to others to proclaim whether Comcast is evil or just incompetent.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44 to madscient1st

Premium Member

to madscient1st
Actually the sb5101u was certified for both 1.1 and 2.0 docsis.

EG
The wings of love
Premium Member
join:2006-11-18
Union, NJ

EG

Premium Member

So its backwards compatible..
madscient1st
join:2014-09-06
Urbana, IL

madscient1st to rody_44

Member

to rody_44
OK.... so? Then Comcast is removing D 1.1 and 2.0 systems from its network?

NetFixer
From My Cold Dead Hands
Premium Member
join:2004-06-24
The Boro
Netgear CM500
Pace 5268AC
TRENDnet TEW-829DRU

NetFixer

Premium Member

said by madscient1st:

OK.... so? Then Comcast is removing D 1.1 and 2.0 systems from its network?

In effect, yes. Technically, only the D1.1 modems are considered EOS --
which means that they will no longer allow them to connect to the network.

EOL D2 modems are supposed to be allowed to remain in service for current customers who are actively using them, but they will be taken out of service by attrition. For example if a customer registers a new D3 modem and physically disconnects the old D2 modem, then the EOL D2 modem will likely be automatically removed from that customer's account within a billing cycle or two (and at that point, the EOL D2 modem would not be allowed to be reactivated). I had that happen to my EOL D-Link DCM202 that I had been using as a spare modem.

However, it seems that there is something (unofficial?) going on that is taking EOL D2 modems out of service even though the customer is still actively using the modem. And once the EOL modem has been removed from service, Comcast is very unlikely to allow it to be placed back into service. This should not be happening, but it is happening anyway. I don't have any inside information on whether this is intentional, or if it is just the usual incompetent Comcast equipment tracking -- but even if it is the latter, the fact that Comcast continues to use an equipment tracking system that is so prone to problems essentially makes it an intentional action.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

2 edits

tshirt to madscient1st

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to madscient1st
Yes, 1.1 should be gone already, and D2 will be going in many most areas as soon as D3.1 is deployed.
Having ONLY 3 and 3.1 should allow MUCH faster speeds without having meet the legacy needs of D2 systems.
Some areas (that MAY become D3.1 testbeds or are running short on channel space already) may need to update even sooner.
The vast majority of modem owners paid off their D2 modem long ago, sorry to disadvantage a few last minute purchasers, but Comcast has been saying for a couple years now to skip a D2 modem in favor of a D3 purchase.
It's a step towards a better network for everyone once everyone upgrades.
BTW many of us that bought the first D3 4x4 modem are/have upgraded to 2ndgen D3 8x4 channel modems and are now waiting for 3rd Gen D3 with many more channels if they get here before D3.1 is fully released.
This is a rapidly moving/advancing target which should bring many more years of service

MDA
Auto Negotiating
Premium Member
join:2013-09-10
Minneapolis, MN

MDA

Premium Member

I'll guess by then, all these fiber-to-the-press startups may actually be widespread enough to consider DOCSIS a legacy standard? God I hope so...
jm101
join:2011-07-17
Oakland, CA
ARRIS BGW210-700
Ubiquiti UDM-Pro
Ubiquiti UniFi UAP-AC-PRO

2 recommendations

jm101

Member

said by MDA:

I'll guess by then, all these fiber-to-the-press startups may actually be widespread enough to consider DOCSIS a legacy standard? God I hope so...

I am guessing DOCSIS and Coax in general have more time left than AT&T's copper lines. DOCSIS 3.1 seems promising. Of course FTTP sounds better.
madscient1st
join:2014-09-06
Urbana, IL

madscient1st

Member

Just to follow up, I grabbed a Motorola SB6141 (since the Zoom wasn't in stock at the store) and I'm up and running again with Comcast. No explanation from them about the issues, but hopefully I won't have to upgrade again for a while!

Chris 313
Because It's Geekier
Premium Member
join:2004-07-18
Houma, LA
·AT&T FTTP
·Comcast XFINITY

Chris 313

Premium Member

said by madscient1st:

Just to follow up, I grabbed a Motorola SB6141 (since the Zoom wasn't in stock at the store) and I'm up and running again with Comcast. No explanation from them about the issues, but hopefully I won't have to upgrade again for a while!

Depending on what speed you have now, you should be good for another 2-3 years.

Congrats on being back online and set up for at least the next year or more.

Sit back and enjoy your speeds.