Forum Discussion

diyan's avatar
diyan
New Contributor
8 years ago

Allow multiple MAC addresses to be bridged through my modem.

On an Arris SB6183, I appear to have a Max_CPE=1, so I cannot have more than one device talking to the modem at a time (all other traffic is filtered by the modem).

Until August 2017 (6 months ago), I was able to use two devices directly connected to the modem (each having obtained a separate IPv4 over DHCP from Cox).

My modem has not changed, nor has my internal network, nor the cabling (internal or external).

The value of max_cpe=1 was determined by me empirically, by mirroring traffic traversing the port where the modem is connected, capturing it and analyzing it. DHCP requests from my second device, are being sent to the modem, but it is dropping them (assumption), because no response comes back. Also, the addresses section of the modem's web gui (192.168.100.1/RgAddress.asp) shows only its own MAC and that of the one device which is working (i.e. receives public IP successfully). Previously, that section was showing the MACs of my two devices (both working fine for over a year) and oddly, the MAC of the switch to which the modem is connected (even though no locally-originated layer 3 traffic from that switch should have been going out on the port towards the modem).

Does anyone know if there has been official change in Cox policy about the number of allowed customer public devices?

By the way, I use the ultimate package and pay for unlimited data. Not being able to have router redundancy in my internal network because of the modem config, is very disappointing.

Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

  • BrianM's avatar
    BrianM
    Moderator
    8 years ago
    The ultimate level of service used to offer up to 3 IP address a long time ago, but we have not provided that for a very long time (I do not recall the exact date but it has been well over 6 months ago). All residential connections only allow for 1 IP from the modem at a time now. A Cox business connection would be needed for more than one IP address.

    Brian
    Cox Support Forum Moderator
  • diyan's avatar
    diyan
    New Contributor
    8 years ago

    Thank you Brian for the clarification. It was exactly 6 months ago that I used more than one IPv4 with this modem, on a residential connection. After that I switched to Cox Business, because residential started charging for excess data. This month I switched back to residential, because I get better speeds and no data cap at lower cost than Business.

    While I appreciate that Cox Residential policy dealing with number of CPE allowed has changed, telling me that I have to pay exactly twice what I pay now (per month) in order to get a second IP (and lose IPv6 in the process), is not really a viable alternative. Cox Business charged me $5 for the second static IPv4. While with Cox Residential, the alternative is to pay $150.

    On the open market, IPv4 go for about $10 per IP (one-time cost). I don't mind paying that to Cox Residential even every month. In my opinion, Cox only loses from that - it is an additional revenue stream, which only requires you to maintain an extra DHCP lease. The thing that costs money in a network is the bandwidth (infrastructure to maintain sufficient levels) and transit. I can use just as much bandwidth with one router as I can with two, so there is nothing for Cox to lose from this. Compared to the cumulative cost of bandwidth, the resources to maintain an extra DHCP record, amount to exactly nothing.

    If there is a way for me to make my case before a Cox network design team, I would like to do that.

    Thank you once again, Brian, for the swift response and your time.

  • rcgldr's avatar
    rcgldr
    New Contributor
    8 years ago

    I had the same thing happen, but only last week. Prior to that, my cable modem, a Motorola Super Surfer, showed Max_CPE = 2. I didn't have the ultimate package, but used to pay $6.95 / month for a second ip, until 2010, when I got a the 2nd ip for free as part of a bundled speed upgrade. Tier 2 support noted that MCA (multiple computer access) was removed from my account back in October, 2017, but Cox didn't make a change to my cable modem until sometime in the last week. The tier 2 support person stated that Cox was dropping MCA support. Tier 2 support couldn't explain why I never received a notification about Cox discontinuing this service.

    I don't know if the ultimate package is still supposed to include 3 ip's or not anymore.

    Since I had multiple ips working until last week (maybe just the last 2 or 3 days), the infrastructure is still there, and this is just a policy change.