SG Broadband Community

Please post as much as you can about any problems you have with the new Comcast HSI software. I have been seeing some really scary stuff happen....I advise against installing it, but if you already have or if you just want to try to hack it apart, I could use your help. Comcast technicians have to install it and are forbidden to advise customers not to install it. There are obviously major major problems with it.

What I would like:

I want all the dirt you can dish on this stuff and please be as specific and detailed as you can.


Thanks.

Not gonna be able to help you here, since I'm not installing the software to begin with...

... why do you guys "have to" install it?

Good question I un-installed it and still see the "C" in the right corner where the MS world should be. And their links on the tool bar. So I know it's here it bits and pieces.

How many 98 boxes have you seen fragged by this stuff, Indy?

I feel sorry for them after they have installed it. But they should learn from there mistakes.

Learn from their mistakes?

That doesn't make any sense. Why is tech support forbidden from advising against it? What exactly is Comcast hiding? And what the hell is their problem that they don't bother testing or debuggin their software before releasing it to the general public? If things are THAT bad and suspicious then I'd seriously write a nice letter to the BBB and let them check into it. Sorry; but that's bull**** there.

>>What is Comcast hiding?<<

I don't know. Why don't you pick at the software some and find out for us?

As far as debugging and beta testing....well....I'm not going to criticize too much yet. It's not like they had much time to put it out there. My question is why is it even needed. There's this Webtop support agent it installs to supposedly facilitate troubleshooting. I've heard rumors of spyware, which is what I'm really interested in.

We all know the software sucks. I want to help get this thing fixed or at least get a moratorium on installs, but I have to have specifics.

Thanks.

I know that when I installed it to satisfy Comcasts request, and to get my MAC and E-mail info that 98se developed a few more bugs. Had a few more three finger solutes then expected (clt-alt-del), but instead of finding out what was wrong, I just formatted the hard drive and re-installed Windows.

OK folks - I sort of expected this as soon as I saw on the Comcast upgrade site that they were going to distribute their own software. I am scheduled to get the d... thing some time in the next week - I had no intention of installing it until more is known about it. Now I see my paranoia was correct.

Does anyone know what this sruff is supposed to do - why we are supposed to install it? Is it possible to access the inet & email without it, or are they using this as some kind of spyware, to track our activities? As opposed to what it is actually doing - which apparantly is messing up customers' computers big time.

How about somebody posting a list of problems observed and solutions found ( other than fdisk & re-install ) that is.

We need to get togather & nip this thing in the bud - if it looks like this IS spyware I plan to tell Comcast to come & get their cable modem.

Roy

[quote]Originally posted by RGromlich
OK folks - I sort of expected this as soon as I saw on the Comcast upgrade site that they were going to distribute their own software. I am scheduled to get the d... thing some time in the next week - I had no intention of installing it until more is known about it. Now I see my paranoia was correct.

Does anyone know what this sruff is supposed to do - why we are supposed to install it? Is it possible to access the inet & email without it, or are they using this as some kind of spyware, to track our activities? As opposed to what it is actually doing - which apparantly is messing up customers' computers big time.

How about somebody posting a list of problems observed and solutions found ( other than fdisk & re-install ) that is.

We need to get togather & nip this thing in the bud - if it looks like this IS spyware I plan to tell Comcast to come & get their cable modem.


You dont need to install anything on the cd from comcast. Use it as a coaster.

>>Does anyone know what this sruff is supposed to do - why we are supposed to install it? Is it possible to access the inet & email without it, or are they using this as some kind of spyware, to track our activities? As opposed to what it is actually doing - which apparantly is messing up customers' computers big time. <<

I suggest that you draft an email to customer service with these questions.

I installed it the other night after I got something in the mail.....luckily I backed up my registry before I installed it...somehow I knew it would F*** up my computer. After I installed it my comp would error out explorer (not IE BUT explorer) and mess up when I would click on Comcast HSI....I also think I found out the reason they had us install it...I check out all my VxD settings in registry and noticed that it changed a couple of the settings. it changed my rcvWindow to some number....373392 or something like that so I had to merge in all my old registry files......was a pain uninstalling everything I could find that it installed....all in all..it was a pain and worth nothing....it took me an hour to fix all the mistakes it made...NOT WORTH IT....the only reason I did it was to activate the email account so I didnt have to call up (still havent setup email and had it for 5 months). whatever you do dont install this...atleast I know Im not crazy. now I know my computer is not great...but I didnt expect this to happen. I think the whole purpose was to change our registry settings so it wouldnt be as fast and so the servers wouldnt be as bogged on their end? I really have no idea but Im pissed enough that Im calling tommorow.

anyway please feel free to print the restof the horror stories...Im done venting =)

Just for the record: The software is not needed to gain full access to your account, to my knowledge.

Hey somebody over in the dslreports forum loaded the software and used norton to log every change it made into a text file . Here's the link I'm sure you'll find it usefull http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark, ... ~mode=flat

re: Comcast booby-trap software

From what I am reading - including right here on the forum - Comcast is telling us that the new CD will configure our system(s) so we can access our eMail accounts and all of the other EXTRA features. ( I think a few of those EXTRA features are not being disclosed ).

Now, does anyone here know of anyone who has gotten eMail access WITHOUT installing the Comcast bomb? If so, can you please post the HOW of it?

I would be curious if someonme out there could find out all of the changes it makes to the system configuration - I used to have a utility which would track an install and report a list of all the changes made. I don't seem to have it any longer - I'll have to go search for it on the web.

Anyway -right now I am keeping my old dial-up ISP eMail account - which I can access through WebMail - until I/we know this Comcast issue is resolved.

Funny - you would think the cache tracking that got tagged for last week would scare them off, but I guess that is a foolish hop.

Roy

If the software is not needed don't use it. I don't know about Comcast, but Cox.net sent out a cd with some crap on it to "configure" your system, they also sent a booklet on how to manually do it, so obviously the software was not required. Most of the time this type of software is for the "average" pc user who doesn't know how to do it manually.

Cable_Dood, you're right---the software is totally unnecessary.
I still have not received my Comcast "package", but everything is working great. I will not use their email services....I just set up Outlook Express and never intend to go back to the Comcast.net website----what a joke. The website must have been designed by AOL.

spaceman

"The website must have been designed by AOL."

Kindly do not use language like that on this website - I mean, not even Comcast deserves such degradation!

Kip

Kip,
I apologize......jeez, don't know what got into to me.

OK, after much research, I discovered that the Comcast.net website was in fact designed by three members of the Jal, New Mexico junior high school drill team.



spaceman

damn a lot stuff in the reg. No way to undo that except.....clean install. I guess witht the tweaks from mnosteele it shouldn't be effecting our speed.

"Now, does anyone here know of anyone who has gotten eMail access WITHOUT installing the Comcast bomb? If so, can you please post the HOW of it?"

Open Outlook Express. In menu bar goto Tools, Accounts, Mail, Add Mail, then follow the wizard that pops up.

1. Pick a name for this account.
2. Put your email address in the box (whatever@comcast.net)
3. Incoming mail is a POP3
a. in incoming mail box put: mail.comcast.net
b. in SMTP box put: smtp.comcast.net
4. Type your comcast account name and your password, leave SPA unchecked.
5. Once this is done the wizard will end and you will be back at the Internet account window.
a. Select the account you just created and click on properties.
b. Click the Connection tab and check the box that says connect to this account using, then select your connection in the pulldown box (ie. Local Area Network)
6. Click ok and that should work.

I messed up BIG TIME when i installed it, luckily System Restore was on hand to reverse the problem.

Thanks for the info - that would suggest that Comcast.net will have SMTP and POP services available jsut like any other ISP site.

I would have tried that just on the off-chance that it would work.

I'll let youknow if it works as soon as I get my password from COmcast.

Roy

Originally posted by Quasimofo
"Now, does anyone here know of anyone who has gotten eMail access WITHOUT installing the Comcast bomb? If so, can you please post the HOW of it?"

Open Outlook Express. In menu bar goto Tools, Accounts, Mail, Add Mail, then follow the wizard that pops up.

1. Pick a name for this account.
2. Put your email address in the box (whatever@comcast.net)
3. Incoming mail is a POP3
a. in incoming mail box put: mail.comcast.net
b. in SMTP box put: smtp.comcast.net
4. Type your comcast account name and your password, leave SPA unchecked.
5. Once this is done the wizard will end and you will be back at the Internet account window.
a. Select the account you just created and click on properties.
b. Click the Connection tab and check the box that says connect to this account using, then select your connection in the pulldown box (ie. Local Area Network)
6. Click ok and that should work.

It DOES work. I did the exact same thing and have been checking my email on my new Comcast.net accout for well over a week now.

If you're like me and you have multiple email accounts, the only one you can do this with is the PRIMARY account, the one that's included in the email they keep sending you. It will give your username and a new password......THIS one you can change. You will be able to re-create any "sub-email" accounts soon.

When they sent me the new software I said "no way," even before I read of all the problems encountered with it. Just give me the settings, I'll do the rest, thank you, so I dug around and found the same settings that Quasimofo lists above. Do it. Screw the "new features," if I want those I'll figure out how to do that too.

Quasimofo, you beat me to the punch, nice post. You saved a lot of guys a lot of time and stress.

I installed the software, and I have not had any problems with it.

Manual Comcast Email Settings:

Type: POP3
Incoming Mail (POP3): mail.comcast.net
Outgoing Mail (SMTP): smtp.comcast.net
Username: yourname (as in: yourname@home.com)
Password: sent to you by regular mail (you can change this on Comcast's website w/o installing the crapware)
DO NOT use Secure Password Authentication

That's it. I configured mine to use MS Outlook Express just like I had for @Home.

-Kris

The software is built around Broadjump. If you don't know what broadjump is, I encourage you to visit their website: http://www.broadjump.com

Decide for yourself if this is something you want to be a part of and whether or not you want to participate by installing it.

Rest assured that the software is absolutely NOT required for full serviceability and support.


PS....Does anyone else find it ironic that Broadjump's slogan is "Overstep your boundaries...."?

I wish I went to these forums and did a little reading first. I was one of the foolish ones that installed the software. It was nothing but trouble. My connection slowed a little and everytime I logged into Comcast.net page doubleclick cookies ended up on my computer. Really annoying! I ended up restoring my system from a ghost image I made of the drive.