When in doubt, reboot....

[W1GUH]

Just like with a PC and maybe a smart phone, those words apply to cable boxes, at least those from Time-Warner. The last two times I've had to call them, that's what they did from their end and all was fine. Finally remembered that last night when things got flaky.

When in doubt, reboot!

So why do they need to update the SW so often, anyway?

[W3WN]

Just like with a PC and maybe a smart phone, those words apply to cable boxes, at least those from Time-Warner. The last two times I've had to call them, that's what they did from their end and all was fine. Finally remembered that last night when things got flaky.

When in doubt, reboot!

So why do they need to update the SW so often, anyway?

Verizon FiOS pulled that on us a few weeks back. Of course on a night when I have wee bout of insomnia, the converter boxes kept rebooting, all to give us a "new and improved" menu system that I don't like nearly as much as the old one. Despite the pretty colors.

DirecTV used to do that all the time too. I think their real purpose was to hunt for unauthorized (by them) devices that the so-called magic bullet could later take out. Of course, they always denied even the existance of the magic bullet.

[KG4CGC]

Ever have the cable guy in your house? He calls up the headquarters and tell them he needs a bullet. Bullets both start and stop the boxes. Years ago, RS used to sell a device that was a functional bullet blocker. This was during the time that you could walk into a retailer and buy a cable box that was basically an outboard tuner.

[W3WN]

Ever have the cable guy in your house? He calls up the headquarters and tell them he needs a bullet. Bullets both start and stop the boxes. Years ago, RS used to sell a device that was a functional bullet blocker. This was during the time that you could walk into a retailer and buy a cable box that was basically an outboard tuner.

Hell no. Never again.

When we switched from DSL to FiOS at the townhouse, the "cable guy" (ie Verizon installer) insisted he had to check my PC over to install software. Found out 3 days later that he did me the "favor" of switching my email account's name from mine to my wife's, since the phone line is in her name.

When we had to get the router at the house replaced a couple of years ago, support promised me (on the phone) that the installer would simply drop off the new router & pick up the old one (we were running, ironically, on the townhouse's router temporarily). The installer refused to do this, told the wife that he was REQUIRED to inspect our home network and EACH and EVERY computer on it. She called me at work, I told her not to let the guy in the house, I called Verizon Support and asked why... and they told me that there was no such requirement, and they'd get to the bottom of this. 15 minutes later the installer returned and swapped equipment; I understand he wasn't in a good mood.

Never again will I let those turkeys rummage through my network. Never!

[KG4CGC]

Hell no. Never again.

When we switched from DSL to FiOS at the townhouse, the "cable guy" (ie Verizon installer) insisted he had to check my PC over to install software. Found out 3 days later that he did me the "favor" of switching my email account's name from mine to my wife's, since the phone line is in her name.

When we had to get the router at the house replaced a couple of years ago, support promised me (on the phone) that the installer would simply drop off the new router & pick up the old one (we were running, ironically, on the townhouse's router temporarily). The installer refused to do this, told the wife that he was REQUIRED to inspect our home network and EACH and EVERY computer on it. She called me at work, I told her not to let the guy in the house, I called Verizon Support and asked why... and they told me that there was no such requirement, and they'd get to the bottom of this. 15 minutes later the installer returned and swapped equipment; I understand he wasn't in a good mood.

Never again will I let those turkeys rummage through my network. Never!

This was back in the late 80s. These day there is no way I would let them in because even the guys who do repair work at certified computer shops are hackers. Some of them are self appointed cops. Some of them think they're Chris Hansen. Mostly though, they're after passwords and account numbers to places where they can find your money.

[W1GUH]

I'm constantly reminded of why I'm SO GLAD to be rid of DSL...it's a nightmare.

RoadRunner, OTOH, needed NO software, NO guy to check out anything at all, NO nothing. Plugged in and took off on the web with speed that DSL can only dream about.

[KC2UGV]

I'm constantly reminded of why I'm SO GLAD to be rid of DSL...it's a nightmare.

RoadRunner, OTOH, needed NO software, NO guy to check out anything at all, NO nothing. Plugged in and took off on the web with speed that DSL can only dream about.

DSL doesn't require "software" so to speak.

However, in reality, they all need software. It's in the Router/Modem/Bridge/etc. As to why the need for updates? Security. Bug fixes. Etc.

[W3WN]

Well, I don't know if the guy was hunting for passwords, or was hunting for naughty bits (wink wink nudge nudge ya know what I mean?), or was planning to plant something. Or just was nosy.

But there is NO way you can tell me that replacing a bad router requires a personal inspection of the individual computers. And trying to tell me (via the boss, who unfortunately has a tendency to defer to implied authority) that this is an FCC requirement was absurd.

[W1GUH]

"...they all need software..."

Nope. I don't "log into" the connection. It's just there. OTOH, a friend's DSL was a PITA to put a router on...needed to program the router to log onto the DSL connection, something the software that was installed on her computer did automatically. In that situation a router is a really good thing, whether or not it's needed for multiple devices. Anything you plug into it is alrady logged on.

"As to why the need for updates? Security. Bug fixes. Etc. "

In other words, the rush SW into the world without doing a complete and good job of development and testing. Cheap bastards.

[KC2UGV]

"...they all need software..."

Nope. I don't "log into" the connection. It's just there. OTOH, a friend's DSL was a PITA to put a router on...needed to program the router to log onto the DSL connection, something the software that was installed on her computer did automatically. In that situation a router is a really good thing, whether or not it's needed for multiple devices. Anything you plug into it is alrady logged on.

It's still software there. Cable requires a cable modem to connect, there's software there to translate one medium into another. It handles the authentication (Which is based on your modem's MAC and device ID), and your device is provisioned for access.

DSL uses a different authentication (PPoE), and that can be handled right in the DSL modem, or in the router (Most do it in the routers). All it is a user name and a password.

Either way, software is still there. Just as much software for both solutions.

"As to why the need for updates? Security. Bug fixes. Etc. "

In other words, the rush SW into the world without doing a complete and good job of development and testing. Cheap bastards.

No, not necessarily. Not all things can be tested in a lab. That's why we have: Linux 2.6.31 (Major Version 2, Minor Version 6, and Bugfix 31); Windows 7, which is WinNT 7.2 (Major release 7, minor version 2); and OS X (MacOS 10.x).

The wider the audience, the more test cases, and the more bugs to be found. I'd rather lots of updates (ie: software staying current) than not.