Re: Insight Broadband

[Chad Fendt <eldon_perry@yahoo.com>]

--- Bill Fehring <luci@billfehring.com> wrote:
> Chad, 
> 
> As far as I know, InsightBB's internet service is
> fairly consistent over
> the coverage area.  Getting this to work with linux
> though, is not a
> difficult thing to do at all but indeed there is a
> trick to it.
> I'm not sure what sort of networking background you
> have, but I will try
> to give you an "efficient" explanation.
> 
> As far as the cablemodem goes, it's simply an
> Ethernet bridge connected
> to a smarter-than-average Layer 2 network.  When you
> have a device (ex:
> a computer with a NIC) plugged into it, it of course
> has a unique MAC
> address right? Well, this is what insight uses for
> security of some
> degree.  They have a DHCP server that knows which of
> these MAC addresses
> are authorized, and which are not.  For the ones
> that are authorized, a
> public IP is assigned, along with the relevant
> gateway.  For the
> unauthorized devices, a private, non-routeable IP in
> addition to a
> pseudo-gateway type thing.  When you try to go to
> any website using a
> private IP on insight's network, you are redirected
> invariably to
> http://sas.r31.insightbb.com , which is a webserver
> that takes your 
> your 16-digit Insightbb.com account number and
> 12-digit registration
> code, and allows you to register the MAC address
> you're using.  They
> then tell you to reboot, because in windows, this
> will force a dhcp
> renew request, which will in turn result in
> receiving a public ip.
> More information is available on the "Device Change"
> process at 
> http://help.insightbb.com/account/device_change.html
> .
> 
> Please note though, that I have not tried this
> myself, as I am not an
> insight customer, and this theory of operation is
> something I just
> thought up after helping a few friends get their
> unix-like operating
> systems working with insight.  Presumably though,
> your plan of action is
> as follows:
> 
> 1. Connect the Linux machine to the cablemodem.
> 2. Run `dhcpcd eth0` to get a private IP on
> insight's network. (this is
> assuming that eth0 is the NIC connected to the
> cablemodem.
> 3. Fire up a browser (the newest version of Firebird
> is really nice have
> you tried it? ;-P) and go to
> http://sas.r31.insightbb.com
> 4. Run around your house screaming until you find
> your account number
> and registration code.
> 5. Enter in this information and click "Submit"
> 6. On the next screen, click replace to replace your
> old device's mac
> address (the windows box) with a new one (of the
> linux box)
> 7. On the website I'm getting this information from,
> http://help.insightbb.com/account/device_change.html
> it looks as if you
> may have to give it a name, though since you are
> REPLACING, that may not
> be the case.
> 8. Now the website says you have to reboot, which we
> all know is bull,
> run `dhcpcd -k eth0` to release the current ip
> address and `dhcpcd -n
> eth0` to renew the dhcp lease (and get a new,
> working IP address).
> 9. As you've probably discovered already, you get
> some very speedy 3
> megabit per second downloads on insight, try not to
> get busted by the
> RIAA ;)
> 
> Oh by the way, a little "gotcha" I've heard a few
> people mention.
> Supposedly, this device registration site uses
> Active-X controls or
> something.  If it seems to be not working in the
> browser of your choice,
> you may end up borrowing the NIC out of the linux
> box, putting it in
> your Windows machine only to do device registration
> in the worse excuse
> for a browser ever, IE.  After you're done, simply
> put the NIC back into
> the Linux machine and use dhcpcd.  Another solution
> would be (provided
> the Linux box was to be a router) get iptables and
> masquerading working
> real fast (hah) and just use IE on the windows box
> through the Linux
> router just as you will be after it's working.  Or,
> if you're really
> into it for some fun, try getting IE working under
> the latest build of
> wine.
> 
> I again remind everyone that I haven't tried this,
> I've had a long day,
> and I'm exhausted.  Feel free to correct me anything
> about this that may
> be wrong. (I realize that the previous statement is
> dangerous on a
> mailing list)
> 
> -Bill 

The problems I was initially having was that
Insight was not accepting my registration info.
I had the right info, but upon entering it
and hitting next I would get a page not found 
error from Insight.  I finally had do the 
registration from a windows machine and then move
the connection (not the NIC too) to the Linux box
and I can connect.  I still have with 
google.com and mail.yahoo.com that my previous
post talks about.  

Thanks for the explanation though.  I say Insight
seems to not be Linux friendly since they want you
to install their software (which is only available
for Windoze and Mac), instead of allowing you
to register your account, give them your MAC
and they give you an IP.
-Chad

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