Comcast is having trouble with Internet service in the Bay Area. Problems began on August 2 and became widespread enough that Comcast was forced to admit it yesterday. Here’s a short article noting the problem but without any explanation from Comcast. The Comcast forum on BroadbandReports.com is the most active discussion I’ve found.
The problem involves the way Internet traffic is routed through the Comcast system. When my connection went down on Thursday night, I eventually discovered that a different device connected to the cable would acquire a different IP address – and work fine. So if you’re down today, you might be able to get back online by purchasing a different router or installing a new network card.
But my word, that’s not a solution. The reality is, you’re stuck until Comcast gets its act together. You have to hope that someone is sweating somewhere, trying to make things right.
Incidentally, it’s possible that Comcast is laying the groundwork for increasing speeds again. Comcast has promised a nationwide rollout of 6Mb download speeds, up from 4Mb, for the same price. Some parts of the country have already been upgraded.
