NewsDoober
09-04-2009, 09:33 AM
http://xenophilius.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/comcastvirus.jpg?w=845&h=294
See, what this image shows is that I have my “Domain helper” service OFF, yet when I go to a site that does not exist, I get a Comcast Domain helper page.* That’s the tab on the left top that says “Sorry. Page not found.” It should say “Site not found. Here are some Advertisements.” … that seem related to what I’ve recently been searching on google?
How do I turn this OFF really? I mean so it is really, OFF? Forever? Well, I can just block search2.comcast.com in my firewall, but then Firefox will still no longer use Google as my redirector if I get a bad domain… I’d like to use Google. So I call Comcast customer service.
REP:* I’m not familiar with what you are talking about. (Looks up my info… Listens to me about the problem, about … transfers me to the Home Networking people.
Home Networking REP: … they look up my info … Listens to me about the problem, … transfer me to Tier 2 Home Networking
Tier 2 Home Networking REP: … “um, not quite sure what that is.” … Listens to me explain the problem. I give the Comcast opt out web site… person doesn’t have a web browser so can’t go there…. I explain again about DNS hijacking and the search page, search2.comcast.com …* wait on hold for a while… When the rep goes there, rep is told the page is there “to update my security to protect my privacy.” Hmmm.* Okay … more explaining about DNS hijacking … more waiting on hold… longer this time …
In XP, click Start | Run … Enter “cmd” … Type “ipconfig /flushdns” and hit enter.* Redirect remains.* Trying to change settings in Comcast User Settings… I get an error when I click edit on the Domain helper box.
I explain that I got the MAC address of my modem from a previous rep, and it worked great for a few days… now the MAC address is different for the modem?
I’m told I’ll have an email that tells me to click to correct my MAC Address. I sign in at http://www.comcast.net/ and check my mail. No such mail. Only two emails I have about this are the confirmation email and the success email.
I’m told to flush the DNS cache again then see if I can get to the opt out page and change the MAC address. No such option at the opt out page. Why did my modem’s MAC address work for a few days, then change?* Rep doesn’t know.* … 54 minutes later still on the phone … Rep tries turning the service on then back off. Wants to know what page I’m trying to reach. I explain that it is for any page that is not a real page.* She insists on a page. I make up www.hw3dd.com and explain that this takes me to http://search2.comcast.com/?cat=dnsr&con=ds&url=www.hw3dd.com …
Same thing happens in Internet Explorer. Rep says this is because Comcast.net is my home page. No, google.com is my home page. This is the page that comes up when I start Internet Explorer: www.google.com
Rep is now REALLY understanding the problem because I have explained it in many different ways.* If I misspell a web address, I’m taken to the Comcast search page, but other pages come up fine if I type them correctly.
Rep is going to escalate this issue. Service shows on rep’s end and on my end that I should not be getting redirected, but I still am. Both the rep and I agree that it doesn’t make any sense.* A ticket is being put in to try to correct it.
Time talking to Comcast customer service: 1 hr, 12 minutes.* 24 to 72 hrs expected resolution time.
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See, what this image shows is that I have my “Domain helper” service OFF, yet when I go to a site that does not exist, I get a Comcast Domain helper page.* That’s the tab on the left top that says “Sorry. Page not found.” It should say “Site not found. Here are some Advertisements.” … that seem related to what I’ve recently been searching on google?
How do I turn this OFF really? I mean so it is really, OFF? Forever? Well, I can just block search2.comcast.com in my firewall, but then Firefox will still no longer use Google as my redirector if I get a bad domain… I’d like to use Google. So I call Comcast customer service.
REP:* I’m not familiar with what you are talking about. (Looks up my info… Listens to me about the problem, about … transfers me to the Home Networking people.
Home Networking REP: … they look up my info … Listens to me about the problem, … transfer me to Tier 2 Home Networking
Tier 2 Home Networking REP: … “um, not quite sure what that is.” … Listens to me explain the problem. I give the Comcast opt out web site… person doesn’t have a web browser so can’t go there…. I explain again about DNS hijacking and the search page, search2.comcast.com …* wait on hold for a while… When the rep goes there, rep is told the page is there “to update my security to protect my privacy.” Hmmm.* Okay … more explaining about DNS hijacking … more waiting on hold… longer this time …
In XP, click Start | Run … Enter “cmd” … Type “ipconfig /flushdns” and hit enter.* Redirect remains.* Trying to change settings in Comcast User Settings… I get an error when I click edit on the Domain helper box.
I explain that I got the MAC address of my modem from a previous rep, and it worked great for a few days… now the MAC address is different for the modem?
I’m told I’ll have an email that tells me to click to correct my MAC Address. I sign in at http://www.comcast.net/ and check my mail. No such mail. Only two emails I have about this are the confirmation email and the success email.
I’m told to flush the DNS cache again then see if I can get to the opt out page and change the MAC address. No such option at the opt out page. Why did my modem’s MAC address work for a few days, then change?* Rep doesn’t know.* … 54 minutes later still on the phone … Rep tries turning the service on then back off. Wants to know what page I’m trying to reach. I explain that it is for any page that is not a real page.* She insists on a page. I make up www.hw3dd.com and explain that this takes me to http://search2.comcast.com/?cat=dnsr&con=ds&url=www.hw3dd.com …
Same thing happens in Internet Explorer. Rep says this is because Comcast.net is my home page. No, google.com is my home page. This is the page that comes up when I start Internet Explorer: www.google.com
Rep is now REALLY understanding the problem because I have explained it in many different ways.* If I misspell a web address, I’m taken to the Comcast search page, but other pages come up fine if I type them correctly.
Rep is going to escalate this issue. Service shows on rep’s end and on my end that I should not be getting redirected, but I still am. Both the rep and I agree that it doesn’t make any sense.* A ticket is being put in to try to correct it.
Time talking to Comcast customer service: 1 hr, 12 minutes.* 24 to 72 hrs expected resolution time.
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