New @Home DHCP Warnings from Cox

[Greg Germ]

Recently, I've been receiving (recorded) phone calls and emails from my broadband provider (Cox@Home) stating that I need to switch my computer to DHCP in order to fit into their "post-Excite@Home" plans.

Using RedHat 7.2, I was running a static connection. I recently employed DHCPCD sucessfully, but I am still receiving the warning emails about possible service loss.

My system sucessfully pulls its address/info using DHCP. My two questions are...

* Could this be happening due to my firewall blocking the @Home "authorized scan" IP address - thus preventing them from seeing my configuration? Considering I properly pull DHCP info now, will I be ok after conversion?

* Using a default install, does DHCPCD automatically renew addresses, should my address change?

Thanks for all your help...
-Greg Germ

[YaRness]

are you sure you aren't just receiving really general messages about dhcp being emailed out to everyone? i think if dhcp is working for you, don't worry about it until it doesn't work anymore.

i've been running freesco on my router/gateway with cox for months now with no problems (aside from like, downtime and other such nonsense).

[Greg Germ]

- The mails left a distinct impression that I was going to be left in the cold. They don't appear to be generic in nature.

I don't think thats the case, as I have DHCP working now. It may just be that because I am blocking the "authorized scan" address from seeing anything, that the automatic systems at Cox don't know I am running DHCP.

:rolleyes: Oh well,
-Germ

[YaRness]

i think posting the emails you're getting would be interesting to share. i don't even think cox has a viable email address for me (i don't use them for email), but i haven't gotten any phone calls either. of course, i dunno if freesco blocks whatever scan they are making (is it something on a standard port for dhcp? just a ping [i know freesco responds to pings]? something unique to them?)

(you can censor out name and email addresses of course at your preference).

[teeitup]

I think it Cox's way of trying to avoid a tech support avalanche. Not to mention a public relations nightmare all because people ignore the messages they are obviously been trying to get everyone to take seriuosly. You did, relax.
:D

The authorized scan means nothing, if it's turned off same result.

:cool:

[Greg Germ]

Text from the letter...
From: Cox Communications <Cox_Communications@email10.flonetwork.com>
Subject: Important Conversion Info for Cox @ Home customers
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 01:19:57 -0500 (EST)


Dear Cox Customer:


Over the past few weeks, we have communicated with you about the
conversion of the Cox @ Home service to the Cox High Speed
Internet(sm) service. The conversion process will begin in the next
few weeks.


You will likely lose your connection to the Internet


Our records indicate that because of your computer's network
configuration you are likely to experience the loss of Internet
connectivity before the upcoming Cox High Speed Internet conversion
process unless you act now.


You need to Immediately Change your PC Configuration


In order to ensure uninterrupted service please visit cox.com/info
( http://email10.flonetwork.com/cgi-bin10/flo?y=eNnn0DpB4R0GTO0cEu0AO )
immediately for simple step-by-step instructions on how to make the
necessary changes to your computer's configuration.


Once you have completed the configuration change, you should not
experience any connectivity issues, and will be able to successfully
complete the conversion process when you receive the conversion kit.*


We trust you're looking forward to your new Cox High Speed Internet
service... and we thank you again for choosing Cox as your Internet
service provider.


Sincerely,

Cox High Speed Internet Team
Cox Communications, Inc.

[jumpedintothefire]

* Using a default install, does DHCPCD automatically renew addresses, should my address change?

Yes, but your firewall needs some means of picking up the new ip. From some examples of this see:
http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~dranch/LINUX/TrinityOS/cHTML/TrinityOS-c-10.html#ss10.7

and then rerun the firewall script, see:
http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~dranch/LINUX/TrinityOS/cHTML/TrinityOS-c-35.html

Hope it helps...

Looks to me like a warning for non-dhcp users to switch over.

Same thing happend to my @home isp, but I never noticed the ip change until I went to connect up to work. :eek: My server at work is filtering by source ip, proved the firewall rules worked. :D I could not gain access, fire up the dialin to work and fixed that up. ;)

[Greg Germ]

Jumped -
It looks to me like they are checking my PC on a "regular" basis just to be sure I am compliant with their DHCP setups.

Regarding that Trinity firewall - does it make any provisions for an always-on computer? The PC I am trying to configure is a server sitting in my closet. DHCP is enabled on it, but if and when the lease expires, how will my firewall know to "rerun", and reinitilize its external IP address?? Will I have to setup some sort of CRON job, or can I have the DHCPCD client just rerun the firewall script?

-greg

[jumpedintothefire]

DHCPCD will run what ever is called dhcpcd-eth?.exe at lease renewal time. Just make it a symlink to your firewall script. Replace the ? with the correct interface.(link2) Make sure there is a way to grab the new ip for use in your script.(link1)

[Greg Germ]

jumped -

Thanks for that .exe pointer.

I got the firewall configged to pull my Internet address, but I wasn't sure how to get the firewall to re-execute once it changed... this does the trick!

Thanks again.
Now we see if my system works through the Cox changeover!

-germ

[scoobydope]

if you are now using dhcp to grap an IP instead of assinging yourself one statically, then everytime you boot up your system throws out a broadcast message onto the network looking for a dhcp server.
At that point, the cox dhcp server hears your request and gives you an IP... also logging the transaction.
Basically they should know that you are now using DHCP because they will have records of it in their log files.

Secondly, I can't think of any possible scan they could run on your system that would tell then you are using DHCP. it just isn't possible. It's not like DHCP listens with an open port like a server on your end. They can scan you for port 119 news server etc... but not DHCP.

Then again.. the techs @home usually don't really seem to understand anything they are talking about (just reading from the manual in front of them no doubt)

[Syngin]

Hmm, this post just begs the question... Is it possible to simply tell your isp's dhcp server what ip you're using rather than requesting one? IF so, how?

I would LOVE to do this for DNS reasons if possible.