Me want new IP address

August 13, 2006 8:18 AM

Can I easily and regularly change the network address of my Comcast provided IP?

I host online games (halo). Some freaks with no life have decided to disrupt the games I host, so I'd like to change my ip address so that I can't be easily id'ed by them.

I have Comcast broadband and I've tried disconnecting the modem or powering it off and restarting the computer, but the system never gets a new ip, just keeps the old one. Is there anyway around this?

Mac ox 10.3.9 system.

posted by anonpeon to computers & internet (12 comments total)

The IP you receive is chosen by Comcast. It probably isn't guranteed to be the same, but the lease is probably fairly long.
posted by odinsdream at 8:40 AM on August 13, 2006

Contact Comcast and ask them to change it. Tell them you've got people trying to hack you (close enough to true).
posted by kindall at 8:49 AM on August 13, 2006

When Googling "Comcast DHCP lease," this is the first result.
posted by Ryvar at 8:57 AM on August 13, 2006

(Which means you need to leave your modem off for at least two days in order to get a new IP address)
posted by Ryvar at 9:08 AM on August 13, 2006

If you do not have a static IP, and you probably don't if you don't have a business account or pay for a static IP, you can try to release and renew the DHCP. This will be specific to whatever hardware you are using (eg. your router).
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 10:05 AM on August 13, 2006

Speaking from experience, I ran a number of services (email, Web, ssh, etc) off a box hosted on my parents' Comcast connection for about 4-5 years. The IP address changed about two or three times during that period, and I can't think of any connection downtimes (due to us or them) longer than a few hours.

So I either second kindall's suggestion (but, uh, you may want to leave out the fact that you host game servers, or you'll get bitched at for ToS violations at the least) or suggest that you obtain some sort of firewall that lets you block packets from given IPs or IP blocks.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 10:51 AM on August 13, 2006

Changing the MAC address on your computer's network interface should cause you to get a new IP address from Comcast's DHCP server, but I've no experience with Macintoshes, so I can't tell you specifically how to do that.
posted by deadmessenger at 11:23 AM on August 13, 2006

Usually renewing the DHCP lease will get me a new IP from comcast (often with amusing results - the last time it renewed it gave me a *.mn.comcast.net host).

I've heard (rumor time!) that changing the MAC address you connect to Comcast with very often will trigger some sort of alert from their end. I have zero evidence either way though.
posted by devilsbrigade at 1:52 PM on August 13, 2006

Several times I've been able to change my IP Address from a cable ISP by changing my NIC's MAC address. It's really the only way to do it.
It should be fairly easy to change a router's MAC address and it's also very easy to spoof your NIC's mac address in windows.
posted by PowerCat at 6:13 PM on August 13, 2006

Get thee some hamachi and build yourself a VPN.
posted by Wild_Eep at 7:29 PM on August 13, 2006

Seconding the MAC address change. The only time I've ever gotten a new IP address is when I've had to replace my router for whatever reason (it died or I upgraded it). Now, how to change your MAC address on your Mac, don't know about that.
posted by jeversol at 3:49 PM on August 14, 2006

I'm pretty sure the correct answer here is "your terms of service don't permit you to host online games".

If you have a business account, then a) my bad, and b) call support and ask.
posted by baylink at 5:16 PM on August 14, 2006