[NumsAmenniams]

I'm confucius. I signed up for DSL and they have not hooked it up yet- to my knowledge anyway. I have cable tv where I live and I plugged in my modem and cable cord and realized I get internet. I didn't think you automatically got internet with cable tv. I be dumb and stuff, but does this mean I inadvertently signed up for cable internet or does it always do this with a cable modem?

[Saispapedlimi]

No you don't get free internet with any cable system that I'm aware of. If they sent you a cable internet modem you are probably going to be billed for it. If you can afford it ,keep it. It's much faster then DSL. You don't need both.

[caseferter]

I had cable internet at my old place and then had it disconnected because I moved, but haven't had a chance yet to return the modem. So, tonight I was just screwing around and was curious if I hooked up the modem to my cable in my new place where I had signed up for just cable t.v. (a different cable provider) what would happen. That's when I found out I have internet, too. So, I wasn't sure if everyone who has cable t.v. automatically got internet as long as they have a cable modem or if they're something weird going on.

I'm supposed to get DSL in a day or 2. Actually, I liked DSL better. My cable internet was slower and it wasn't as reliable as DSL. I never had problems with DSL but when the weather was bad, my cable would always go out.

I'm just not sure why I have internet service at this moment.

[Necedofer]

That is surprising. Most cable providers lock out access based on the MAC address/serial number of the modem. Not a very secure cable provider if they allow that. On the other hand they may know it and you may get automatically billed for it. It is also surprising that your cable was slower then DSL. Cable is working correctly will be two to three times faster then DSL is.

[XarokLasa]

Yeah, that's why I was surprised I picked up internet. I don't know how another company could bill me for cable internet if it's a different company providing the cable t.v.? Wouldn't they be profiting off of the other company's cable? Or does it depend on the modem? I don't know how all this works.

Waaaaaay over my head. Anyway, I have to return the modem so it will be a moot point in a day or two.

Yeah, I had always heard cable internet was faster. I was surprised mine wasn't. I didn't have the fastest cable (there were a couple of levels of speed I think, and I had the less fast version).

[investmentonlinev2006x]

No you will get billed by the current provider that is giving you your tv. A cable modem is a cable modem. They all work the same. You can BUY them at Best Buy and not use the one that the cable company RENTS to you. So you still have to pay for the service. If you plugged up that modem to their network they may now consider you a Internet customer and have started the billing clock on you.

[n2Oddw8P]

oh, good to know.