do i need to clone my mac address for time warner cable internet

Does anyone know why MAC Address Clone is needed and what it does.

You can use the MAC address clone function to clone the MAC address of a computer if you used the computer before directly on the modem.

Some ISPs (mostly cable ISP) only allow customers to have one active internet connection at any time.

To do this they check for the MAC address, i.e.

If you first test your internet connection directly with your PC and then connect the router the router cannot get a working internet connection because the line is locked to the MAC address of the PC.

Now if you clone the MAC address of the PC on the router the router pretends to be the PC and the ISP will accept traffic again.

Usually, its enough to reset or power-cycle the modem to reset the lock again.

Sometimes you have to power down the modem for a couple of hours (e.g.

After a couple of hours of inactivity the ISP removes the lock again.

Sometimes you have to call the ISP to remove the lock, but thats not very often.

So basically, you usually dont need MAC address clone at all because you could achieve the same by resetting the modem or powering it down for a few minutes.

If you connect the router then to the modem the ISP learns the MAC address of the router and it gets working internet connection.

Of course keep in mind, that after that a computer directly connected to the modem wouldnt get an active internet connection unless you change the MAC address of the computer to the MAC address of the router).

You simply set the MAC address of the device previously connected and you get a working internet connection.

Does anyone know why MAC Address Clone is needed and what it does I agree with GV.

Do I Need To Clone My Mac Address For Time Warner Cable Internet