Trying to switch back to Cox cable internet from crappy Centurylink dsl and I'm running into a bit of a problem, I called to activate my modem Cox says that it's registered and active on some other persons account.  I bought this modem myself brand new at Walmart, used it until about 6~7 months ago when we decided to try Centurylink and then it went into my desk drawer.  The customer service rep on the phone agreed that my SN was most likely used on a stolen modem and his only solution was of course to rent a modem from them.  What, if any, recourse do I have?  I'll be at the Cox store first thing in the morning but if I get the same answer is there at least a way I can get the modems SN blacklisted so at least the thief has to buy(or steal...) a new modem as well?  I'm at least a bit hopeful that they can do something, since it obviously can't be active if I'm standing there in person with the modem.

sounds like complete bullshit from their side and apathy all with the hopeful end result that you pay them an extra $10 a month for the rental.

They can ping your modem and check to see if it's yours, you just have to push the issue.

I don't see how that could happen given every modem has a unique MAC address unlees the manufacturer gave 2 modems the same address. As above, they just ping it.

Spoofable in software...

I once dated a girl who would drive around and hunt for open Wi-Fi networks and clone the cable modems she found.  She then used the cloned modems to get her own internet access.

But how would they have spoofed the MAC if it is a brand new unused modem, used for the very 1st time?

It's been years since I bought a cable modem, but aren't the serial number and MAC address on the box?

It's not a brand new unused modem.

It's an OLD modem the OP used for some period of time, and then disconnected for several months.

Plenty of time for access to spoofing.

OP, just get a new modem. Technology is moving fast enough your old one is likely lacking now and you'll get more out of your cable service with a new one.

The MAC address and serial number is written into the chip. The sticker on the outside just tells you what the chip numbers are.

Yes, I see, more covfefe please

Another possibility is that there is a screw up by Cox, and that the other "active" account is in fact OP's original account.  Perhaps he should ask them to check the name on the account to be sure (they won't tell him what that name is, but at least they can tell him that it isn't HIS name on the account).

Mike

It would be someone else spoofing HIS MAC, not his device spoofing someone else. MAC addresses are not that long, it's 3 bytes of manufacturer prefix and 3 bytes of device ID, it could have been randomly generated for all we know and ended up with the same device ID.

Stealing internet this way used to be a thing for a long while, I don't know all the mitigation they have in place these days (if any). But usually you would spoof the MAC of a paying customer in some other area so they wouldn't be on the same control subnet and it would just assume you were the other person with that real MAC, assign you an IP, and you'd be on your way. The firmware on the pirate device would often be hacked one for the MAC spoofing, but two to void of any speed caps and other features that get pushed from the config downloaded from the ISP. Just like stolen satellite TV, ISPs would catch on find ways to figure these devices out and shut them off. Banning MAC addresses on a per switch basis, as to not affect the real customer, etc.

Nevermind.

easy to find and kill but the guy in charge of that crap loved fucking with people so he would track them down and have legal send threatening letters
no idea how he did it i could track a piece of equipment to a house in about an hour

my guess in this situation is a sales rep is trying to get an addon sale to avoid getting fired for not selling enough crap

I’ve seen cloned MACs and duplicate MACs and even dupe SIDs. It can all happen even though odds are small.