r/HomeNetworking • u/DiscoSprinkles • 5h ago
Confused about ISP changeover.
So, I am not getting internet connection through my new ISP (we'll call them: ISP B).
I switched from ISP A to ISP B.
I chose the self installation, which I assume is where the tech comes out, does their stuff on the outside, then I hookup all the equipment myself on the inside. (That's what ISP B's installation video said at least).
With ISP A, I was using my own cable modem and router. I had no issues getting things set up 4 years ago, and internet has been working, but it was also really slow, and they massively raised the prices on me. I figure the slow speed is probably my (very) old equipment. But their price was ridiculously high now so I'll make the jump to ISP B.
Switch over to ISP B today. Tech comes by. They leave the new equipment at the door (a cable modem/router with a coax, power adapter, and a CAT 6 cable.
I unhook my old equipment. I hook up the modem/router with the coax, plug in the power. It powers on. After a minute or two I get a solid green internet light and a solid green wifi light. I use the info on the router and find the network, sign into it, but I have no internet.
Try the old coax (in case the new one is broken for some reason), unplug modem, wait for about a minute, plug back in, Get the green lights, try to sign back in, but still no internet.
Call ISP. They say they can't see the modem. She mentions something about sending a tech out to re-wire the house.
This makes no sense to me. Internet was working with ISP A. Did the tech not actually do anything outside? (Strangely, if I hook up my old equipment, I can still access everything normally (which I assume is my old ISP still), even though I cancelled ISP A to end yesterday and ISP B to start today.) Do I really need a whole separate wiring for a different ISP? I've never heard that before. Anywhere else I've lived it's just some changeover at the box where the outside internet comes into the house. Am I missing something, or has something changed regarding internet into a house over the last few years?
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u/Nik0BikO 4h ago
If both ISP's are Coax and you just plugged the new stuff into the same Coax port, you are probably still on ISP A's network. Yes, the tech likely did nothing and will have to come out. This is partly why self-installs shouldn't really be a thing.
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u/Temporary_Slide_3477 4h ago
They can't see the modem because you're still wired to the old ISP network.
Very odd you would have two coax lines from two different providers going to the same house, that's very uncommon, at least in the US.
Last time I did self install for coax based internet all the ISP did was remove the trap from my line in their main box thing, which they may have done, but since you chose self install it's up to you to figure out which incoming coax line is for the new ISP if it even exists, and switch your internal coax network over to that line. If you knew both ISPs used coax you shouldn't have chosen self install and let them deal with it, they may even need to run a new drop, yours might not even exist or have been damaged/unusable if it hasn't been used in years.
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u/aaronw22 4h ago
There are some areas that do have 2 coax networks. For example Astound (RCN) and Comcast duplicate some areas near Washington DC and yes that means we do have two coax lines to the house from poles.
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u/stephenmg1284 1h ago
Interesting, I've actually seen the big cable companies swap areas with each other because after a merger, Comcast has a pocket in a heavy Cox area.
But this is why OP should just name the providers and at least the region.
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u/MontrealInTexas 4h ago
I would just let the tech come check it out. There’s a good chance that they will not need to « re-wire the house »
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u/MountianGoats 4h ago
If you truly have two cable ISP, which is rare in the US, there may be a 2nd coax demarc location outside. If there is, you would just have to move the coax connection going into your house from ISP A’s box to ISP B’s box. This would allow you to use all your existing cabling in the house with the new provider.
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u/Background-Relief623 4h ago
Many ISPs, will leave their drop active. The one for ISP A is on. ISP should be on as well, but as a self install they will not connect their drop to your internal wiring. That's what the self install is for. You need to go to where ISP A connects to your internal wiring, hopefully that's a ground block, and connect your internal wiring to ISP B. On a good day it's moving one line from one block to another.
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u/QPC414 4h ago
Not enough information, name the ISPs and your metro area.
My theory
ISP A: lets call them Spectrum, is the franchise holder and owns the physucal plant.
ISP B: lets call them El Cheapo ISP operates like a CLEC DSL provider. El Cheapo uses Spectrum's infrastructure to give you thier internet. In order for their modem to connect, Spectrum has to provision it like any other modem, and configure it to provide connectivity to El Cheapo's network (VLAN etc).
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u/ilikeme1 1h ago
What ISP's are these? You can mention ISP names here. Two separate infrastructures or is it something like Earthlink that re-sells Spectrum or Xfinity service?
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u/b3542 4h ago
You haven’t provided enough relevant details