What Software Do Cable Installers Place on Your PC?

[Phantasm66]

I found this rather interesting little piece over at slashdot ( http://slashdot.org ) :

What Software Do Cable Installers Place on Your PC?

Posted by Cliff on Monday October 28, @08:33AM
from the fishy-practices dept.
{e}N0S asks: "The cable guy came over to install a cable modem at my Dad's house. As I watched him do his stuff I noticed he was installing something called Broadjump Client Foundation. I know you don't need software for a cable modem to work so I asked if it was necessary. He said he had to do his list of things, and we had to sign that he did his list of things, otherwise he couldn't leave it with us to use. Since I can always remove the software, I agreed, but I noticed while he was flipping through the install, he was clicking 'agree' on every EULA that came up. Doing a search on Google for 'Broadjump Client Foundation' comes up with some pretty scary stuff as far as what it does, like: 'Builds a database of subscriber demographics and buying behaviors to help evolve and refine marketing efforts.' Now, how does this affect us? Neither myself or anyone in my family agreed to the software; the cable guy did. And is there anyway to get cable companies to stop doing this as I can imagine since the cable company is a monopoly in this town, that the percentage of people who still have this software on their computers is pretty high."

source: http://ask.slashdot.org/askslashdot/02/10/26/2311244.shtml?tid=172

see also: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...roadjump+client+foundation&btnG=Google+Search




Certainly, when I had the NTL guys over to fix ANOTHER cable modem, I saw the dude rather secretively install a couple of things which I promptly drive imaged away ( www.powerquest.com/driveimage ) as soon as he left....

I DO WONDER what a lot of these companies are not telling us. I was certainly able to uncover that my machine was using a transparent proxy server for http access, so are they running a log there? Watching my every move?

I certainly have defences against port scanners and so forth but I guess the cable company could still scan me and find out what services I am running in the way of http, ftp and so forth.... I wonder what else they know...

 

[poertner_1274]

This is kind of disturbing. I'll have to keep an eye on this when I get my broadband soon. Doesn't it bother you that people try to pull this crap off without you knowing it? It sure irritates me

 

[Phantasm66]

Yeah watch what he does.... maybe you should get Drive Image before in advance and image your machine first before he comes.... software is not needed for the cable modem connection, so any software on there is for registeration purposes (don't have to pay some boy / girl £4 per hour to take your details on the phone) and for whatever crap other crap they fancy. Its certainly not needed as far as I can see.....

 

[StormBringer]

The cable company here makes you let them install the modem and charge you $25, besides having to pay $250 for the hardware(which has to be purchased from them, plus you sign a two year contract). I'm not sure what software they install but I will find out soon...hopefully. They are supposedly finishing the connections for this area and will have it here "soon"

I'm wondering why I have to pay someone less qualified than I am to install a modem and configure the settings, maybe it is so they can put some of that crap you mentioned onto the machine...

 

[Phantasm66]

Originally posted by StormBringer
I'm wondering why I have to pay someone less qualified than I am to install a modem and configure the settings, maybe it is so they can put some of that crap you mentioned onto the machine...

Indeed. One time a guy charged me £50 to come and cut a cable with some pliers, connect on a splitter and then connect the splitter back to the cable modem and the TV box again. It took him all of about 3.5 minutes....

 

[StormBringer]

Originally posted by Phantasm66
Indeed. One time a guy charged me £50 to come and cut a cable with some pliers, connect on a splitter and then connect the splitter back to the cable modem and the TV box again. It took him all of about 3.5 minutes....

They used to pull that crap here if you wanted more than one cable TV connection in your house because it was illegal to use a splitter. So they came out and installed a splitter and charged you around $50 for the visit and a few extra $/month for the second connection. Good thing someone decided to do away with that.

 

[Phantasm66]

Hehehhe the advert for NTL over here says that the dude will be glad to stay and help you with your new connection.... I don't think this fellow could have and he couldn't get out faster....

I really wish I got paid £50 for 3.5 minutes work... Even a hooker does not get that....

 

[Vehementi]

Hehehe...

What an interesting little thread. I've never really wondered about this, until now...

What about such things as the software for DSL modems? Might that be spyware?

 

[Elcarion]

You shouldn't need software for a cable modem or DSL modem to work properly. Time Warner Road Runner used to require a client to connect but not any more. There may be a few other providers out there that require a customer client but I doubt that it's very common.
In some areas you can purchase your cable modem from someone other than the cable company and save some money over leasing/buying. You can get free self-installation with some companies as well. I didn't let the guy load anything on my computer when he came by the house.
For the record, I got free install with two guys onsite from Time Warner. One guy ran the cable and the other was there to configure the PC. Since I had a NIC in the computer already the second guy just checked that the connection was working. He allowed me to configure my own email, etc...he even gave me a NIC he brought to install! Today the only thing they offer free is self-installation, but at least they offer it!

 

[Elcarion]

You can also remove spyware from your pc with a program called "Ad-aware". It's a available here: http://www.cnet.com/ .

BTW: It removes the spyware that Microsoft includes with IE...bet you didn't know that was there!

 

[vassil3427]

We have Earthlink cable, and I waited till they had a good deal to order it...They gave us the modem, installation all for free(of course if we ever cancel they want the modem back) They even gave us the first month free (It's only $41/m). I set it up, as for software, he gave me some, but you dont have to use it, all it does is integrate itself into Internet explorer so its customized for Earthlink customers....maybe there is some spyware in it...who knows ..but i didnt use it

And there still are some cable companies that you arent allowed to have more than one tv on the cable unless you pay for them to come out and hook it up and charge you extra a month, infact they do line tests occasionally, they test how much of a signal your residence is drawing from the line, and if its too much(meaning more than one tv) you can get in alot of trouble...I'm in Ohio(U.S.), and thankfully I have Time Warner and they dont do that, but the companies that do are Adelphia(i think) and some other one that I cant think of...

 

[SNGX1275]

This completely suprised me, my first (and only so far) expierence with cable modem/cable tv was with Fidelity Communications. I had them come out and set up telephone/cable modem/cable tv. The guys came out and gave me probably 75' of coax cable, a 3' CAT-5, and my modem (which has to be given back when I move). They asked if I had a NIC and I said yes, they said alright here you go and left. Modem still in the box. In the box was a cd with drivers if I was going to use the USB instead of CAT-5.
Thats all they did, didn't even ask about my computer past the NIC. I got to set everything up myself. I guess maybe some people would not be happy with them not hooking everything up for them, but it is pretty straight-forward to set up yourself.

 

[hdmk]

WHat you want is to get a "Self-Install" package, where you buy and install the hardware yourself. All the isp does is to activate the line.

The only thing I installed were the drivers for the modem (which came with the modem which I bought @(http://www.dslsource.co.uk), none of that other crap. :grinthumb

 

[poertner_1274]

Seems easy enough, I still can't believe they try and pawn off all that crap on you. If I saw that guy start installing programs I would probably have to kick his butt before he left my house. That is one thing I don't like, is people messing with my computer.

 

[conradguerrero]

Installing spyware should be illegal, especially since broadband is not free.