OAKLAND COMMUNITY APARTMENTS BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICE
Housing Services has selected Comcast's Broadband Internet Service. This exciting service offers greater convenience and bandwidth!

Comcast installed cable modems for all apartments in the Oakland community. Please do not remove the cable modems for any reason.

A hub or switch is required if there are multiple computers sharing the Internet connection. Residents may provide their own hub or switch, (the Netgear 10/100 Fast Ethernet switch is recommended) they may be purchased at the campus Computer Store or any other computer supply store.

Please note that cable modems do not need to be returned to Housing Services in the fall or at the end of the academic year. Please do not remove the cable modem from your apartment for any reason, even if you are changing rooms.

For Technical Support issues related to Comcast Broadband Internet Service at Carnegie Mellon, please contact 1-800-824-2296.

All other Comcast inqueries should be directed to 1-800-COMCAST.

Please visit this website for updates and further information.


Documentation

Please Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or greater is required for these online forms. Download it for free here.

Steps to Service

To begin using Comcast High-Speed Internet, please read on:
  • You must be a resident of Cathedral Mansions, Fairfax Apartments, London Terrace Apartments, Neville Apartments, Saxony Apartments, or Webster Hall.
  • All computers in the room must have Ethernet cards installed (see below for details).
  • Verify that a cable modem has been installed in your room (it's a dark blue box connected to the TV cable). If there is no cable modem, contact Comcast at 1-800-824-2296.
  • If you have multiple computers in your apartment, you will need a hub. You may purchase a hub or switch (the Netgear 10/100 Fast Ethernet switch is recommended, and is available at the Computer Store.
  • You may need to purchase additional Ethernet cables to connect the computers to the hub. These are not provided by Housing Services. Several styles and lengths are available at the Computer Store.
  • Connect all of your equipment (ensure the cable modem and hub are turned on), connect an Ethernet cable from the modem to the uplink port on your hub or switch, and connect Ethernet cables from your hub to each computer. If only one computer is in the apartment, you can run the Ethernet cable from the modem directly to the computer.
  • For most operating systems (Windows and Macintosh OS X), the default network settings should get you connected. No special network settings are required. For assistance, contact 1-800-COMCAST. Please note that there is no network registration procedure required.
  • You will need to read and understand the Comcast Acceptable Use Policy and Comcast Terms of Service documents. You will then need to sign and return the Comcast Signature Page to Housing Services. Please note: Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or greater is required for the online forms. Download it for free here. You may also obtain these forms from Housing Services when you initially check in to your room.

To Get Help

For Broadband Service Technical Support, please contact Comcast at 1-800-824-2296.

If the problem cannot be resolved directly with Comcast, please contact Carnegie Mellon Telecom at 412-268-8500 for additional assistance.

Broadband Internet Basics

Housing Services purchases Broadband Internet service from an independent Internet Service Provider for its residents in Cathedral Mansions, Fairfax Apartments, London Terrace Apartments, Neville Apartments, Saxony Apartments, and Webster Hall as an alternative to analog dial up. Broadband Internet provides High-Speed Internet access to multiple computer users in the apartment, typically via cable modem or DSL. Our current ISP is Comcast, Inc, who provides cable modem connectivity at a minimum speed of 128kbps upstream/512kbps downstream. This speed is approximately 14 times faster than a 56k modem, and is comparable to campus network speeds.

Systems Supported - This service works on any computer with an Ethernet card and an operating system using TCP/IP. Comcast officially provides configuration support for all Windows and Macintosh O/S versions. They will also work on a “best effort” basis to support any machine you might wish to use on your cable modem.

To use Comcast's Internet Service you will need:

  • A standard 10BaseT or 10/100BaseTX Ethernet card installed in your computer
  • A standard Cat 5 Ethernet cable (with RJ-45 connectors)
  • An operating system that supports TCP/IP, such as Windows (98, 2000, NT, ME, or XP), Macintosh (8.1 or higher) or Unix/Linux
  • A cable modem is installed into your apartment each summer by Comcast. You do not need to pick one up from Housing Services
  • To connect multiple computers to the cable modem you will need a switch, router, or hub.

Equipment Information - In order to connect your computer to this service, you need a standard Ethernet card in your computer. Most new computers come with this card already installed. You will also need a standard Ethernet cable for each computer in your room; the length may vary depending on where your computer will be located in relation to the cable modem in the apartment. Ethernet cables can be purchased at the Campus Computer Store or other computer supply store.

A 10/100 switch or mini hub will be needed to share a cable modem between multiple computers and can be purchased at the Campus Computer Store or any other computer supply store. A 10/100 switch or mini hub will allow multiple computers to connect to the Internet service simultaneously. You may wish to purchase a 10/100 switch or mini hub if there will be several computers in your room. A 10/100 switch will provide better network performance, especially if you will be file sharing with your roommates.

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