How to Obtain a New IP Address Through Comcast Cable
By Gwen Wark
For Comcast customers, IP addresses are not static. Your IP address is assigned by Comcast and is an essential part of routing your data from the computer to a website's server. Unfortunately, this connection can sometimes become slow or cause conflicts with different sites. When this happens, it it is possible to "roll" your IP address by forcing Comcast to assign you a new IP. These addresses are assigned based on your Media Access Control (MAC) address and are easily changeable using a router.
Step 1
Purchase and set up a router to control your Internet connection to the computer, if you do not already have one. A router is connected between the modem and the computer; instructions vary based on the type of router. The router can be used to control the Media Access Control address, which designates the assigned IP address.
Step 2
Enter your router's configuration screen by using your Internet browser and entering the router's home address into the navigation bar. You will need to navigate to this using a computer that is connected to the router, either wirelessly or by a cable. Each router has a different address on the network; these addresses all begin with 192.168. Check your manufacturer's instructions. Enter any administration passwords needed to access the router.
Step 3
Look for the area marked "Clone MAC address." It will be under the configuration screen and might be password-protected. Write down the current MAC address in case you need to restore it later, then select the option to clone the MAC address.
Step 4
Look for the option marked "Release" or "Renew" your IP address. This last step will assign a new IP address. Since the MAC address has been changed. Comcast will recognize the router as a new computer and then will assign a new IP address within its range of available IPs.
References
Tips
- Simply turning off the modem will not release the IP address. It takes several days of inactivity for Comcast to release the assigned IP.
Writer Bio
Gwen Wark is a freelance writer working from London, Dublin, and New York. She has been a published writer since 1998 with works appearing in both university and local publications. Her current writing projects include SEO, web copy, print and advertising features. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in history from Rutgers University.