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Previous: Pop-up ad | Main | Next: Signs at Coney Island
June 16, 2005 12:05 AM
Broken: Modem box sticker
Erin Meehan writes:
My brother was recently installing cable internet at his house, and we got a self-install kit at the electronics store. We tried using the installation wizard multiple times only to run into one unintelligible error after another. It ended up we had to call the service provider more than once to complete the installation.
On the box, there was a blue sticker that said "Install it today!" I peeled the sticker off to see what was printed on the box underneath that they felt they needed to cover with the sticker. It said, "Install it yourself, it's easy!" I wonder who made the decision not to go with the printing on the box, but instead to print up stickers and cover it up. :-). Did they finally realize it just wasn't easy, and they better stop pretending that it is?
At left, see image of the box - with sticker moved away from its original location so you can see what was printed underneath.
either way, both of them are wrong and broken, because with how hard it is, it definitely isnt gonna get installed today :p
Reminds me of a Comcast message I got today.
COMCAST REGISTRATION:
The quick and easy way to get online!
Then it went on about how New users should set it up, then it told you how existing members should set it up, but they were THE SAME FRIGGIN' INSTRUCTIONS!
Then they make you download this faulty software and call customer service.
Neither quick nor easy.
P.S., I got the same error messages.
No SmartIssue, No ActiveX, controls don't exist, blah blah blah blah, bloo blibbity bloo, I don't care, just get him some pants!
Just get Verizon DSL! The instruction weren't hard to do, but it takes an hour or two to get it all set up.
Anyway, some manufacturers realize they're shipping stuff only tech guys can understand.
Their solution- Pretend they never said it was easy.
The usual largest flaw in internet setup for cable modems is that the cable provider tries to foist "value-added" software on you, addinf a oile of crap on your computer that you won't likely use. The cleanest and easiest install is just to set up the computer to grab an IP address. But I've never seen an installation that provided that option.
I think Comcast is trying to convince the customer that all they need to do have high-speed internet is to buy this appliance. You buy it, take it home, and install it...and TODAY you have high speed internet access.
Contrast this with old message: "Install it yourself...it's easy!" That doesn't really tell you how long it will take to actually GET internet access, and we all know that these providers are NOTORIOUS about taking weeks to actually set up service.
I'm betting it's a way to deceive people into thinking there is less hassle. The new sticker promises you can install the modem today---not have high speed access today. But it's subtle enough that they may be able to get customers as a result.
The error messages maybe related to something on your computer. I am also a comcast customer and not really a networking guru or anything. I bought the box and had everything running in under 45 minutes. Plug in cable modem to wireless router, and put config software on laptop. It did everything itself. Maybe I had a different version or something though, this was 3 years ago.
"The cleanest and easiest install is just to set up the computer to grab an IP address. But I've never seen an installation that provided that option."
When I got my cable modem service through Road Runner (Time Warner), I never cracked the seal on the install CD... just set up the computer for DHCP and it was off and running. There may have been some PC-specific parameters the install disc needed to handle that weren't applicable for my Mac, though.
The "config software" that ISPs give you is broken. Comcast's service supports, DHCP (network automatic configuration), as does every other broadband service I've ever used. That means the configuration of their service consists of:
1) Plug in modem to ethernet jack.
2) You're done.
So what's on the CD? Oh, well, it wouldn't be Comcast without having "sponsors" and "special offers" and other shit you DON'T NEED to use their service. Back when I did this, most of it bordered on spyware. (Not to mention the CDs typically are Windows-only, leaving Mac and Linux users to think they can't connect... even though the service uses plain old DHCP!)
Fuck them. I moved my cable to DishNetwork, and I moved my Internet to Verizon. Now I get more channels and DVR for less money than Basic Cable through Comcast. And guess what, Verizon also has value-adds, but they don't make you put in some CD full of crap to "configure" your computer... you can download them from the web! (Although they still don't offer any value-adds for Mac or Linux users.)
Sorry. I hate Comcast. Screw them. If you choose to give that scum sucking company your money, you deserve all the broken shit they give you. I hope you remember this post in a few months when they send a collection agency to collect a bill you already paid.
Ah, Comcast. This reminds me of my own troubles when trying to get my broadband service up and running. I ran their CD O' Fun and it didn't work. So I called their customer service number. The first thing the perky automated voice asked for was my phone number. I entered it. Ms. Perky Voice told me something to the effect of: "We're sorry! Comcast does not currently provide service in your area. We look forward to serving you soon!" ::click:: The automated system hung up on me.
I had just moved halfway across the country, and my phone number (the one I had *just signed up for their service with*) had an area code that did not match the area code of where I was currently trying to get the damn service to work. But instead of getting the option to talk to a human being anyway, I got hung up on. Calling back and hitting "0" did nothing. I had to give them a fake phone number in order to get to their actual phone menu.
Haven't called Comcast in a while... I sure hope they've changed things.
ha, cox took me about 10 min to instal
Plug cable into modem,
Plug ethernet cable in to wireless router,
turn on router and modem,
turn on PC,
Go on the internet and enter password to activate email
Done
All I did was plug in the modem to the cable connection and into the ethernet jack and I was done, took me all of five minutes. I guess I'm the only one here who didn't have a major problem. But, I never bothered with the comcast CD's either. It isn't THAT hard. But, I'm in IT support (not at comcast) so...I guess I don't really count.
I work comcast tech support up here in canada.
The software is supposed to be used to provision the modem. Sometimes it fails, I don't know why it fails, probably something on your computer. But it doesn't matter. 95% of the calls i get from customers with registration issues can be fixed within 5 minutes by manually provisioning the modem. The other 5% of the calls unfortunately need to be escalated and usually take 3 business days to resolve.
I'm assuming stupid people like you couldn't install it like you're supposed to, so they decided to change the slogan so stupid people (like you) wouldn't try to sue them.
shut up john smith.
I am a techie and it took me 2 days to get the friggin comcast service to work, what with all the errors and all.
shut your mouth and go back to your job as a donkey.
hey comcast tech, your in idiot, the tech rep provisions modems, not the users PC. i guess you canadians didnt get the 'good' training like i did down here in good ol USA. BTW anyone who uses the software doesnt need to have a PC, all you have to do is plug in modem to cable line, plug ethernet cable into modem, plug other end of ethernet into PC, turn on PC and modem, click on browser and voila, internet! if it doesnt work, call tech support so they can give you the run-around and pass you around the office like a $5 hooker, screw up your PC and give you a heart attack from getting all pissed off at em cuz they wont fix your cable connection... (I used to work Excite@Home tech support, I know how it works. The idiots on the floor who didnt know what they were doing would make some excuse to the customer just to get them to shutup) but this is definitely broken, along with Comcast!
I am amazed at how long it took the shortest of you to set up your internet. I have had both Charter Cable and Bellsouth DSL (which I still have. Charter was better most of the time, but their service was down in our area rather frequently, so we switched). The first thing I did with both CDs was put them in my CD case of absolutely useless CDs that I'll never use. Haven't seen 'em since. Took me less than 5 minutes both times. Modem to wall. Modem to router. Router to comp. Comp to configure router (User name and password for DSL). Done.
When I tried to self-install my Comcast service, I discovered that the software needed to provision the line -- for Mac -- was in a Stuffit file. Not in a self-extracting file, mind you, but in a regular file that required an application to unstuff. Since Mac OS no longer comes with Stuffit Expander, I was stuck -- I needed an internet connection to download the software to unstuff the software that would set up my internet connection.
I called Comcast and had them provision the modem directly; of course, they could always do it this way but that would mean they can't plant a bunch of adware on your computer.
After reading all the posts, I feel like I've been in idiot my whole life.
Everyone who thinks they're brilliant for not using the setup CD: enough already. Twelve posts describing the hardware setup process are sufficient. A thirteenth is not going to make it clearer how simple it is to connect. Should some poor soul still be at sea, you must let them go: they will never learn to swim on their own.
and just curious why is it that peeple who right insulting posts kin never spell or use any punctyasion
How about "Please don't bother installing it today! You're paying for it already and we don't need any more tech support calls."
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Previous: Pop-up ad | Main | Next: Signs at Coney Island
That is very broken, although I installed comcast internet a lot faster than that
Posted by: dont start the "this isnt broken" at June 16, 2005 12:57 AM