Cisco Linksys E2000 Advanced Wireless-N Router – “Cisco Factory Refurb”

Cisco Linksys E2000 Wireless Router

I remember the days when routers were not even allowed on Comcast. At least that was the official line. Then like everyone else, Comcast realized that was a silly terms of service requirement. Today just about everyone has more than one computer and many folks are running a combination wired and wireless home network to hook up their PC and Apple desktops, laptops, Nintendo Wii, iPads, iPhones, Android phones, and even new high definition flat screen televisions are configured for wireless access for Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming video services. Making the best choice for a wireless router is most important when it comes to making sure all those devices work well for Internet connectivity.

Like many of you, I did tons of research on the pros and cons of all the available routers for sale. Trying to decide what is important is difficult when there are so many choices. However, the important stuff to me came down to reliability, cost, signal strength, and ease of use.

Reliability:

Like one of the Amazon reviewers stated in the feedback area online, since it is a refurbished unit, they felt that Cisco would have gone completely through it to test everything out. That gave me the confidence on the reliability aspect. Plus, having the backing of the good customer service through Amazon was icing on the cake for peace of mind.

Cost:

Wow, what can you say here! Such a great deal! Why would I want to spend more for a router?

Signal Strength:

Signal strength was part of my criteria for judging the various routers on the market. However, there are many issues which can affect signal performance. Location, location, location is everything. If you place a router behind some shielded wall, signal strength will surfer. Also, depending on the band usage, i.e. 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz goes further no matter what router you get. Remember, the lower the frequency, the greater the distance given the same power output. I operate exclusively on the 2.4 GHz band. Note that only one band is selectable at a time (which is no big deal in my mind). While the signal strength on the 2.4 GHz might (and I say might) be a little bit less than my old Linksys SRX200, there simply is no comparison as far as the performance is concerned. The Linksys SRX200 was constantly dropping signal. The Cisco Linksys E2000 has never dropped signal on me at all.

Ease of Use:

Let’s face it here. Once you set up the router, how likely are you going to have to keep changing things in the future? However, with that being said, the Linksys SRX200 was a piece of cake to set up. I use the router login through any web browser to set up all routers anyways. No, I did not even insert the setup CD in the computer. So, I can’t tell you how that goes, but from my standpoint, it is simple to login [ http://192.168.1.1 ] to the router IP address through the browser and set up what you want. Refer to getting a new IP address from Comcast for more information on various router brands and accessibility through a browser.

The Cisco E2000 has extended coverage with an additional internal antenna designed for larger homes.

Features Include:

• Wireless-N Selectable Dual-Band (2.4 or 5 GHz)
• Gigabit Ethernet 4-port switch
• Additional antenna for extended coverage

Bottom line, it has been working great for a couple of months so far. I am extremely pleased with the performance at this time.

Regards,

Jim

For the past four years or so, Comcast has offered free PC Internet security software if you are a Comcast customer it really is a great deal and highly advisable to take advantage of the free software for all your computers. Protect your email and Web browsing from infecting your computer today. Article update: 10/31/2011

Get Protected

The all-new McAfee® Security Suite gives you a whole series of tools to help keep you, your family and your home computers safe, protected and virus-free. It’s an all-in-one, comprehensive, easy-to-install solution-and a $120 value, included FREE with your Comcast High-Speed Internet subscription. No strings attached.

Now get Comcast Constant Guard™ Protection Suite for both Apple and PC computers.

Constant Guard™ Protection Suite from XFINITY Internet is your PC’s all-in-one security dashboard. After the easy installation, the application will help protect your passwords, secure your credit card information, and set-up one-click access to your online accounts. This $360 value is free with your XFINITY Internet subscription, so download it today and stay safe with Constant Guard™.

What Constant Guard™ Protection Suite does:

• Helps protect your passwords & remembers them for you
• Safeguards your credit cards when used online
• Conceals what you type online to protect your personal information
• Includes top-rated Norton™ Security Suite
• Provides one-click secure login to your bank, shopping and any online account
• Includes Secure Backup & Share, and now IDENTITY GUARD^®.

Install Internet Security Software For Your PC

The importance of installing Internet security software on your PC can not be overstated. In my case, our family has six computers that are used by various family members. The Comcast Internet Security Suite by McAfee is a great value. With the proliferation of viruses, worms, malware, and intrusive cookies, a computer will become corrupted in no time flat when surfing the Web even if you don’t download anything online. Just simply hooking up your computer to the Internet and navigating to a few hazardous websites that you might not be aware of, will attack and download software in the background which will corrupt your computer and the worst part about it is you won’t even know your computer has become infected until it’s too late.

Internet Security Issues

Intrusive software that are security hazards such as PC key loggers can automatically track your key strokes when you type in your user names and passwords into online banking websites or even when you log in to your online email is just an online mouse click away. Many times this software gets loaded on your computer when you click on a window that pops up, and the popup makes it look like you have a virus on your computer. By simply clicking on the scan button of this pop up window, you are actually installing another malware program in the background. Don’t fall for this scam. It occurs so easily, even when users are aware that this can happen; it is easy to click the close button by thinking that the “X” close box closes the window with nothing else to worry about. However, don’t assume the close X button on a pop up window is the actual close button for that window. I suggest right clicking on the tab at the bottom of the Windows screen, and select the button that says “Close” on the pop up that you actually wish to close. Also it is wise to have a pop up blocker for your browser. I particularly like Firefox and even the new Google Chrome browser for the excellent popup blocking features.

Spyware, Malware, Adware, and Computer Virus Definitions

• Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user’s interaction with the computer, without the user’s informed consent.
• Malware, is a blended word from the words malicious and software, which is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.
• Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.
• A Computer Virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. The term “virus” is also commonly used, albeit erroneously, to refer to many different types of malware and adware programs.

Source Wikipedia

Comcast Has Done It Right

I am really impressed with the marketing strategy from Comcast to their customers. With Comcast keeping their customers’ PC computers running free of viruses, with a free Internet security software tool, enables their customers to operate at a higher level of Internet protection than most of their competitors. Most ISPs simply provide you online Web access, with an attitude of “you’re on your own now,” which simply leaves way too much room for PC problems down the line. Computers are the tool to navigate the Web. If your computer is giving you grief, you are not going to have a very good user experience online. Likewise, if your computer runs trouble free, your life online will be like a breath of fresh air.

What if I am not a Comcast customer? Google Pack comes to the rescue.

Google provides a couple of free basic programs as part of their Google Pack for detecting and removing viruses and spyware.

Google Pack includes a special edition of Norton Security Scan to help you evaluate your computer’s vulnerability to security risks. Norton™ Security Scan is a free, easy-to-use tool that scans your PC for viruses, spyware, and other threats. » Download Google Pack.

Key Features of Norton Security Scan

* Scans for threats residing on your PC
* Detects and removes viruses, worms, and Trojan horses
* Warns you of spyware and unwanted adware
* Schedules regular scans
* Automatically receives updates**

Take the next step and prevent infections before they happen. Protect your system 24 X 7 with our award-winning Norton Internet Security™ 2009, designed to automatically block hackers, viruses, spyware and prevent online identity theft.

The other software tool from Google is Spyware Doctor Starter Edition which detects PC threats and removes spyware, adware, trojans and keyloggers. Spware Doctor Starter Edition includes Smart Updates and scheduling to protect your PC.

Both Norton Internet Security and Spyware Doctor can be downloaded directly from the Google Pack software installer page.

There are other free antivirus software programs available online. I have not tried very many of the free software programs that are available, so I can’t give you my recommendations. I would however suggest reading closely the reviews of what others have to say about the various free programs available for download. Be careful from where you download too. I believe a good place to get started is at CNET download.com for Antivirus Software. Note that the sponsored matches are displayed first. Two software programs that I have used in the past for detecting adware, spyware, and malware are Spybot – Search & Destroy^©® and Ad-Aware by Lavasoft.

A general rule that should always be followed when installing antivirus software, is always use some form of threat protection software, but don’t use more than one type in automatic detection mode. The reason is the software programs will be fighting each other in the Windows Operating Systems and will be identifying the other software as a virus, spyware, adware, or malware program.

The best antivirus software programs will constantly update their database of spyware signatures and virus definitions and provide automatic PC updates for your local signature database. This is an extremely important point to be aware of because the virus threats are constantly morphing from computer terrorists all over the world, that are looking for ways of creating online havoc for everyone. You need both real time PC protection and automated deep scan protection. If you have an old copy of a PC anti-virus software, that has not had your local computer database updated to current virus signature threats, you are driving a computer on borrowed time, with no brakes, headed down a steep grade, just waiting for the head-on computer crash. Given the severity of the online PC virus threats (through both emails and web surfing), along with spyware, adware, and malware programs lurking on websites, your computer could very well end up with the blue screen of death. At the very least, your computer will become corrupted, slowed down to a crawl, performance will continue to suffer when trying to do anything, system resources will be tied up with running background programs that you are not aware of, memory usage will skyrocket, your hard drive will constantly be ca-chunking away, and you will think you need a brand new computer. I would venture to say that the majority of people that think they need a new computer are probably facing years worth of unsafe computer practices. Even if you buy a new computer and do not set up “best computer practices”, you are very likely to start the downward spiral all over again, because you invariably will want to copy your corrupted files, pictures, and programs over to the new computer. And, you will once again get on the PC merry-go-round, where you will certainly end up visiting the same websites, surfing new Internet sites where the online threats reside, and downloading and installing new virus infected software programs which will ultimately affect your PC’s health.

From a consumer standpoint trust me when I say, take the small amount of time now to get your online computer house in order. If you don’t take computer protection preventative measures now, you will surely be taking extensive time measures and creating PC headaches for yourself in the future just by surfing the web unprotected.

Get your business website in order today. Get your website found on the Internet now with Internet marketing services from Professional Web Services. Contact Professional Web Services for the online website solution.

Comcast eSupport Chat Transcript

James > Can I hook up another extra modem on my current system, by just getting an extra IP address and calling my extra modem number into Comcast central?

Allan > Hello James, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Allan. Please give me one moment to review your information.

Allan > No, you would need to have a second subscription to the Internet service.

Allan > Which would double your monthly rate.

James > Are you sure of this? Because when I talked to the the install guy last year, I thought he said I could do that.

Allan > Yes, I am sure. If you would like to have a second cable modem, you would need to contact our Sales department, and have them create a "second house key", which will allow a second cable modem to connect. This will result in a second charge for the internet service.

Allan > If you simply want to get a second computer connected to the internet, you could set up a home network.

James > OK thanks for that info. What then does other dynamic IP addresses do for you?

Allan > You can use a hub, switch, or router. Use of a hub or switch will require to you purchase a second IP address from us, which is $4.95 per month.

Allan > A properly configured router will not require an additional IP address.

Allan > The additional IP address allows additional computers to get online, when using a hub or switch.

James > I understand that from a router standpoint that I don’t need additional IP addresses. So, what is the reason to have more than one IP address? Is it possibly for gaming? When two people want to be hooked up but with unique IP addresses from the same location?

Allan > The Comcast service comes with a single IP address. When your computer is connected directly to the cable modem, that IP address is assigned to the computer. When you have a router connected to the cable modem, the router will receive that IP address, and then the router will assign separate IP addresses to the computers connected to the router. A Hub and a Switch do not have the ability to assign IP addresses. So when you have a hub/switch connected to the cable modem, the single IP address that Comcast provides will allow one computer to get online. You would need to get a second IP address for the second computer.

James > Does having an extra IP address, and hooking up the extra computer through the hub or switch keep the speed to each computer faster than one IP address and using a router?

Allan > There is no significant difference between using a hub, switch or router.

James > OK, that answers my questions. Thanks for the help. Much appreciated.

Allan > You’re most welcome.

Allan > Analyst has closed chat and left the room

Thank you Comcast for an excellent and fast response to my questions. I was very impressed with the eSupport Chat Session.

Read the Comcast Home Networking 101 information page.

Read more about installing two or more Comcast Modems at the same location.

Jim Warholic

Business Internet Marketing Solutions

How To Install Two Comcast Modems

Can I install more than one Comcast modem at one location?

The simple answer is yes, but it is going to cost you for a second connection.

The following was a submitted question to me.

Message: My wife and I have two rooms with our respective offices. Our house is new and installed with cable TV/Internet cable connections in the walls of each room. My wife’s computer is connected to Comcast through a cable modem with a router. Right now I have set up a wireless connection to her computer through a wireless router in her office but the speed is diminished on my computer. The only other way to connect to Comcast through her modem would be to run an ethernet cable through the attic from her router to my office which could be dangerous.

It seems that every Comcast modem has its own unique MAC address. I do have a another Comcast modem the same as my wife’s modem which I purchased on EBAY. Is it possible to clone the MAC address on my wife’s Comcast Modem into a router in my office and connect the purchased Comcast modem into the cable connection in my office and be able to get on the internet? Thanks

Regards

H.

Answer: Hello H,

What I think you’re asking is,

Can I hook up another Comcast modem using the front end of a router, with the cloned address of the other Comcast modem?

First off, you are right, every Comcast modem does have its own unique MAC address.

The router is meant to be on the output of the Comcast modem, not the input of the Comcast modem. Routers make the Comcast modem think that there is just one unique IP address on the output of the modem. But, in actuality, the router routs the information to each computer on the Local Area Network (LAN). The input from Comcast Central goes into the modem from the coax cable, and not the other ethernet cable for the LAN network.

I too have an extra Comcast modem. When I upgraded to digital voice with Comcast, they installed another modem with phone built-in. My original modem was purchased by me at a local store. When the service guys did the install, they had to call in the new modem to Comcast Central.

My understanding is that only one modem of that address can be installed at a time. If you think about it, this makes sense, otherwise the system would not know which modem is handling the information. However, if you want to pay for another Comcast account, I think you can get two Comcast modems hooked up at the same time but with unique MAC addresses. Gamers, who like lots of speed have done this. Comcast then splits the coax cable and runs it into both modems. Then you have two outputs (one from each modem). Note: just as your router assigns a unique IP address to each computer, the Comcast DHCP system assigns an IP address to each modem.

As far as speed is concerned with your current wireless setup, what is your cable Internet speed with the current setup?

Compare your speed at both computers.

How far is your wireless computer from the office router?

Certainly the best connection is to have a cable going to both computers from the router. Many times the problem with wireless is the location of the router or the location of the antennas on both the computer and the wireless router, and that they are behind shielded walls or just long distances.

So, as it is, I think you have a spare second modem that can only be used if you pay for another hook up.

Read other posting with a conversation with Comcast for additional modem, router, switch, and hub information for a Comcast home networking system.

Jim Warholic

Marketing Solutions

Slow Speed Broadband Connections With Comcast Are Not The Norm

If you are experiencing slow speed broadband internet problems, or you are a WoW gamer, and your World of Warcraft connection has excessive lag, then you may have the following IP problem with Comcast ISP or your Cable or DSL Internet Service Provider.

There does seem to be a situation that occurs from time to time with Comcast high speed Internet service that is very peculiar. It seems as though some of the IP addresses provided by the automatic DHCP configuration at Comcast produce a very slow Internet connection. Getting a new dynamically generated IP address from the Comcast system can help improve your connection upload and download speeds issue. Learn how you can do this easily with a wired or wireless router and your computer.

So, what do I have to do to change the IP address assigned to me by my Internet service provider?

Change Your IP Address: Quick Summary Answer

To get a new IP address, start by cloning another computer’s Mac address using a router hooked up to the cable modem. Then reboot the cable modem, and if everything went OK, the ISP provider’s DHCP system will assign another IP address for your Internet service automatically. Read the IP address change details below.

Test your Internet speed using any one of the modem speed tests online. Then check your IP address using the check my IP address websites. Write both of these down to use later for comparison purposes. Note: The source website server is also a factor for upload and download speeds to your computer. So, it’s also a good idea to note this source website server from the modem speed test, for checking your online upload/download speeds in later comparisons.

Understanding the technical terms
IP address Types (Dynamic and Static)

There are two types of IP address that can be assigned. Dynamic and Static. When a computer is configured to use the same IP address each time it powers up, this is known as a Static IP address. In contrast, in situations when the computer’s IP address is assigned automatically, it is known as a Dynamic IP address.

Sticky Dynamic IP Addresses

A sticky dynamic IP address or sticky IP is a term created by cable and DSL users to describe a dynamically assigned IP address that does not change often. This is however an informal term, as a sticky IP does not differ in any way from other dynamic IP address. Most cable and DSL ISPs assign dynamic IP addresses. However, if you have Comcast Business Internet Service Class with a static IP address or have requested and pay for a static IP address with your home Internet service provider, the only way to change this is for Comcast, other cable companies, or DSL service providers to do it on their end.

Even though IP addresses may not change often for cable or DSL users, the addresses are still controlled by the standard DHCP process. Since the modems are often online for extended periods of time, the leases on the IP addresses are commonly renewed, and therefore may not change.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) automates the assignment of IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateway, and other IP parameters. There are four modes of operation: dynamic allocation, automatic allocation, static allocation, and manual allocation.

• Dynamic allocation: A network administrator assigns a range of IP addresses to DHCP, and each client computer on the LAN has its IP software configured to request an IP address from the DHCP server during network initialization. The request-and-grant process uses a lease concept with a controllable time periods, allowing the DHCP server to reclaim (and then reallocate) IP addresses that are not renewed (dynamic re-use of IP addresses).
• Automatic allocation: The DHCP server permanently assigns a free IP address to a requesting client from the range defined by the administrator. This is like dynamic allocation, but the DHCP server keeps a table of past IP address assignments, so that it can preferentially assign to a client the same IP address that the client previously had.
• Static allocation: The DHCP server allocates an IP address based on a table with MAC address/IP address pairs, which are manually filled in (perhaps by a network administrator). Only requesting clients with a MAC address listed in this table will be allocated an IP address. This feature (which is not supported by all routers) is variously called “Static DHCP Assignment” (by DD-WRT), “fixed-address” (by the dhcpd documentation), “DHCP reservation” or “Static DHCP” (by Cisco/Linksys), and “IP reservation” or “MAC/IP binding” (by various other router manufacturers).
• Manual allocation: The DHCP server does not assign the IP address; instead, the client is configured with a user-specified static IP address.

Many DHCP servers can manage hosts by more than one of the above methods. For example, the known hosts on the network can be assigned an IP address based on their MAC address (static allocation) whereas “guest” computers (such as laptops via WiFi) are allocated a temporary IP address out of a pool compatible with the network to which they’re attached (dynamic allocation).

How do I get a New Comcast Dynamic IP Address?

The following Comcast IP address change process is for dynamic addresses. If you have a router installed after your Comcast modem, then this next procedure is very easy to get the Comcast system to dynamically generate a new IP address. If you do not have a router, I strongly suggest you get one to have an extra firewall between your computer and the Internet. Most IP addresses given out by the Comcast DHCP system are in a leased mode. This means that if your modem is turned off for several days or more, the IP address goes back to a group of IP addresses to be automatically reassigned to other users. Turning off the modem for short periods of time will not reset the leased IP address because the modem is assigned the IP address based on the original computer’s MAC address. Every type of networking hardware has a unique code that is the Media Access Control address or MAC address for short.

Router’s also have a MAC address. Once this MAC address is synced up with the cable modem, the Comcast DHCP system assigns the IP address to the online outlet. However, if the MAC address is changed, the Comcast DHCP system assigns a new IP address to the online outlet, because it thinks it is a different location. Each computer, with a network card, also has unique MAC addresses. If a person were to hook up a different computer directly to the cable modem, it is likely that a new IP address would be assigned by powering down and then up again the cable modem. However, with a router it is much easier to assign a new MAC address to the router itself. Most routers today have what is referred to as clone the MAC address. This feature allows the user to make the router look like any one of the computers that reside on the premises. Simply logging into the router through a web browser by typing http://192.168.1.1 for Linksys or Cisco, or do a search for Router IP Address to find your particular brand.

Routers Login IP Addresses – Use The Following Format 192.168.x.x

• http://192.168.1.0 (Linksys [older] wireless and wired routers)
• http://192.168.1.1 (Linksys [newer], Cisco, 3 Com wireless and wired routers)
• http://192.168.0.1 (D- Link and Netgear routers)
• http://192.168.2.1 (SMC and Belkin wireless and wired routers)
• http://192.168.123.254 (Some US Robotics routers)
• http://10.0.1.1 (Apple AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express Base Stations. Note: Apple AirPort base station may require software configuration program for Setup & Admin – Internet, Network, and Port Mapping. See: Configuring the Apple AirPort Extreme)

Click on those links above to try logging into your router. Those specific router links will open in a new window or tab, or right click from your browser to open in a new window or tab so you can follow the instructions at the same time you log-in to your router. Here is a PDF document link to brand and model specific default router information list of Manufacturers, Models, User Names, Passwords, and Default IP addresses. Note, before attempting this procedure on your router, I suggest you print this information out for reference. Use the print button from the permanent link to this how to get a new IP address article. Also note that a router’s IP address can also be changed too. If you can’t get a log-in screen on your browser, then you aren’t getting to the router’s proper IP address for your local area network. Also try logging in to your router with a different browser like Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Opera, Camino, SeaMonkey, Flock, and others. If that doesn’t work, then do a Google Search for your particular router brand and model number IP address. If after finding the correct IP address for your router, but still can not get a login screen prompt, you might have to do a hard reset of the router’s firmware settings (usually a recessed button). However, if and when you do this, the router will revert to the defaults, and you will loose all your custom user name, password, wireless settings such as SSID and encryption codes, along with other TCP and UDP port settings that might be assigned for online game hosting like WOW – World of Warcraft private servers, if those online gaming TCP and UDP port settings were customized by you or someone else to begin with. After doing a hard router reset, you would then have to re-enter all the information again.

After you get to your router’s IP address and you have a user name and password prompt, then type in the login name and password. Hopefully you have changed the user name and password for security purposes (and wrote them down) when you first set up the router and changed them from the default settings. The browser is your window into the router’s operating system and allows you to login and set up the router using the internal configuration program. Find the area of the configuration program (usually a tab or hyper-link) where you can clone your MAC address and perform a clone to a new MAC address. Before you clone the MAC address, write the current MAC address down. This is so you can put it back to the original if you need to. Once the cloning of the MAC address is done, then you can try a release IP address and renew IP address in the router’s programming structure. This sends a release the lease to the Comcast DHCP and then renews with a new IP address. Suggest powering down the cable modem, router, and computer at this time. Then re-power everything back up and you should have a new IP address.

Now go back and check to see what your current IP address is and the speed at which you can upload and download from the Internet using the online modem speed test. Hopefully you are now running at light speed and no more WoW lag for the active gamer.

Good luck.

Contact Jim for your online business solutions. Professional Internet marketing services for your B2B or B2C business today. Get your website found online and start getting more customers now.

PS This particular problem I have personally seen, and have been able to rectify Internet connection speed issues using this technique. This may not be your particular problem, but it’s worth a try. This new IP address solution might also work for other high speed broadband ISP providers. Give it a try with your Internet Service Provider and let our readers know if it works for your DSL or Cable ISP company.

Verify Your Upload And Download Speeds From Your Internet Service Provider

Check Your ISP Internet Speed Connection. Are you curious to know how fast a connection you have through your Cable, DSL, or Dial Up connection? Well, there are numerous free services online that you simply go to their websites and select a location to connect to online and the program tells you how fast a connection you have to and from that web location.

Here are a couple of providers of this service.

Speakeasy.Net SPEED TEST
Performance.Toast.Net INTERNET PERFORMANCE AND SPEED TEST

What these tests are good for is determining the actual speed that you can really upload, download, and surf online when using your Cable, DSL, or Dial-up modem. Many of the ISP service providers claim that you can go at a certain speed, but now you know how to verify if what they say about your Internet connection is true. One note and suggestion: Try a couple of different website locations to make sure that the speed is not being slowed down by a slow website connection on the opposite end as opposed to the ISP’s Internet pipe throughput.

If your Cable or DSL Internet connection is not up to speed, you might try getting another IP address for yourself too.

Signed Jim

Professional Internet marketing services to help get your business found online.