[ale] hoping against all hope to retain my sanity.

[Alex Carver]

On 2018-05-08 12:57, Sean via Ale wrote:
> I am trying to change from Comcast to AT&T.  Complicating matters is my
> router:  it has wandered off into la-la land and I can no longer reach
> its configuration pages. Typing 192.168.1.1 returns no such
> address!!!!!
> So I got a new router and its setup routine wants the ipv-4 address of
> ATT's modem/router.  AT&T reps claim they cannot give it to me because
> they (apparently) can not retrieve it!!!!
> What the hell?!
> ATT's black box appearently contains a modem that takes data off the
> incoming fiber line and then pushes that data over to an internal
> router, which sends tv signals to the cable box and gives me two empty
> ports -- one of which feeds my LAN.  When I contact tech support and
> ask for the ipv4 address I am told it is 192.168.1.254.  Clearly I am
> dealing with idiots.
> 
> Is there anyway I can pry loose the actual ipv4 address  via the
> command line?
> 
> HaHa! I found a way: http://bot.whatismyipaddress.com
> 
> And now I know.  Which just leaves the obvious question: Why is AT&T
> the ONLY isp that cannot tell its customers their ipv-4 addresses?  I
> assure you that if the FBI/NSA wanted to know what I was doing on the
> internet, AT&T would provide my ip address in a heartbeat. So why not
> to me?


AT&T can certainly tell you the IP address but you have to use very
clear and specific language with their Tier 1 support or you will get
nowhere.

However, the modem will tell you, too.  It's internal page is indeed
192.168.1.254 by default and on one of the status pages you'll see your
external IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.  If you have static IPs, that takes
more effort because Tier 1 doesn't actually know that and your static IP
block will be different from the IPv4 address assigned to the modem (I
get a /30 for my block and my modem isn't inside of that /30 at all).