[NTLUG:Discuss] [ms.g@noitacude.com: [sb1116] ALERT: Texas "super DMCA" movingthrough the legislature]

[Rusty Haddock]

Kipton Moravec wrote:
    >I just got around to setting up the Comcast stuff. Plano is
    >switching over at the end of the month. I actually read their
    >Terms of Service.  This one term may be of interest to everyone.
    >
    >(g)     Theft of Service.  You will not connect the Service or any
    >Comcast Equipment to more computers, either on or outside of the
    >Premises, than are reflected in your account with us.  You acknowledge
    >that any unauthorized receipt of the Service constitutes theft of
    >service, which is a violation of federal law and can result in both
    >civil and criminal penalties.  In addition, if the violations are
    >willful and for commercial advantage or private financial gain, the 
    >penalties may be increased.
    >
    >So if you have more computers behind your firewall then you have
    >registered they call it "Theft of Service".

I don't think so.

    >I guess the next question is if the firewall is a Computer does
    >that count? :)

Name a network firewall that isn't a computer (or doesn't contain one)! :-)

Aside from a Win95 Laptop that I used to initialize my cable modem, etc,
the only other "computer" (read MAC address) that my ISP knows about is
my router.  Heck, my provider CableOne RECOMMENDED some of the LinkSys
products (for better or for worse :-) including the *ROUTER*.

IANAL so take this with a grain of salt: The way I read this statement
is if you are running through a firewall, then said firewall is the only
computer physically (not logically!) connected to your provider.  Period.
It should not matter as to what the "other side" of that connection is
connected to unless there are other statements within your contract that
alludes to this situation.  Naturally, your having a wireless node and
providing internet connectivity to the rest of your meighborhood might
be a tiny problem. :-)

I feel that the above statement was included by Comcast because they may
be concerned with you connecting multiple cable modems, simultaneously,
to the cable that's coming into your home.  If you only attach a firewall
or router right behind the modem then that's the only machine that is
connected, technically.  This is something akin to your cable TV clauses
that permit you only 'n' number of TV's hooked to your incoming cable.
Personally, I don't see this statement as a problem.

If this were me, and I wanted to be sure, I'd call the local Comcast
"orafice" and ask them if your connection of a router to your cable
modem is a violation (so long as you don't permit "outside" users from
connecting to the non-cable side of your router like through a wireless
network node).  If customer service is of no use (as usual :-) then ask
to speak to an engineer.

	-Rusty-
-- 
   _____        Rusty Haddock  =  KD4WLZ  =  rusty at fe2o3.lonestar.org
|\/   o \   o  **Out yonder in the Van Alstyne (TX) Metropolitan Area**
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