Can't host a server over Comcast cable, is that legal?

[raccoonone]

I wanted to host a server, game, voice chat various stuff.

But when I read the Acceptable Usage Policy I found:

"Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to, using the Service, Customer Equipment, or the Comcast Equipment to: . . . run programs, equipment, or servers from the Premises that provide network content or any other services to anyone outside of your Premises LAN (Local Area Network), also commonly referred to as public services or servers. Examples of prohibited services and servers include, but are not limited to, e-mail, Web hosting, file sharing, and proxy services and servers;"

However the FCC states that:

"The Federal Communications Commission has declared that Americans are entitled to:

* Access Internet content of their choice;

* Run online applications and services of their choice;

* Connect their choice of devices; and

* Have fair competition among network, application, service and content providers."

Isn't a server an application of my choice?

[Movieman]

Run it. What they don't want you doing is running a web site that gets 3 million hits a day or a FTP that gets 24/7 usage..
or an app like MJ12 that beats the hell out of their BW..
But you can get away with it on a 8/24 basis..
Remember, greedy people get none, be realistic in your demands and you'll slip through the filters.
Or get FIOS and they are so hungry for market share they don't care what you do as long as you pay the bill every month!

[raccoonone]

Or get FIOS and they are so hungry for market share they don't care what you do as long as you pay the bill every month!

I would, but it's not offered where I live

[Canibuz]

Cox communications says the same thing that they'll suspend my account if they find suspicious activity... And I ran a FTP server for 6 months that ran 24/7 and I never had any suspension

[Serra]

They are in no way breaking the law. You are, in fact, able to go out and get yourself (unhindered) an Internet connection that allows you to host things. Your particular service does not allow you to do this (officially) because they would rather sell you a business account for such things. As an example, would a small dial-up service provider then be breaking the law because they don't support VoIP, even if it's a service you want? No. The FCC law is doing nothing but stating that you as an American are not prohibited in what you choose to do on the Internet (within their guidelines anyway), but if you CHOOSE to limit yourself by going with a limiting provider or service type, that's really your choice.

From there, my experience with ISPs has been that if they give anything other than lip service to that statement, they actually block you from serving out of ports 80 and 20/21. The fact that they don't indicates to me that they dont' really care what you do, but because they want to sell people who are running servers their business accounts they have to put that disclaimer into your residential service. As far as it goes, unless you start going over your personal bandwidth allocation drastically you shouldn't have a problem.

So don't worry about it too much.

[uOpt]

They say you are not allowed to run "web hosting", not "a website".

Spot the difference? Don't resell the space. Your own homepage is fine.

[raccoonone]

They say you are not allowed to run "web hosting", not "a website".

Spot the difference? Don't resell the space. Your own homepage is fine.

Oh ya, I didn't notice that.

[dig412]

They might filter some common ports though, i've had problem with my isp doing that.

[uOpt]

They might filter some common ports though, i've had problem with my isp doing that.

At least around here they don't.

[cadaveca]

Don't worry about it. As long as there is not enough traffic, it won't make a difference. The EULA for Comcast states that you cannot run a server or such that might compromise the performance of the network.

If a bunch of your neighbours complain about thier service being slow, however, then you got issues.

[Killnine]

I run a webserver on comcast.

However, dont expect much unless you have their UBER package. Comcast gives you something terrible like 256k upload, which is terrible. That means you can run a CS 1.6 server with 32 people or CS:S with like 12 people (and somewhat laggy). Webhosting....yeah, its slow.

[J-Mag]

I pull probably 200GB a week and I never hear anything from them. (not even counting streaming or other things like gaming, etc..)

[raccoonone]

I run a webserver on comcast.

However, dont expect much unless you have their UBER package. Comcast gives you something terrible like 256k upload, which is terrible. That means you can run a CS 1.6 server with 32 people or CS:S with like 12 people (and somewhat laggy). Webhosting....yeah, its slow.

I usually get 300-400 kb upload. I don't have any big plans, mostly I just want to mess around and learn about setting up an Apache server. Plus I don't want to pay $7 a month for my website, which gets almost zero traffic (mainly friends and stuff)

[Axylone]

Do you have a static IP? If you do, why would you pay the extra money to have one and then not run a website off of it? What other uses are there for a static IP?

[Charles Wirth]

They do block port 80 hosting (web) but you can run it off any other open port and setup the DNS forward to that new port number.

[raccoonone]

Do you have a static IP? If you do, why would you pay the extra money to have one and then not run a website off of it? What other uses are there for a static IP?

I don't have a static IP, it's dynamic.

[uOpt]

They do block port 80 hosting (web) but you can run it off any other open port and setup the DNS forward to that new port number.

DNS doesn't include port information. You would need a full-blown TCP-level proxy from another machine if hosting from port 80 is that important to you.

It shouldn't, I ran one of my websites from a port in the 8000 region for years. You register it with google and no problem. Some individuals behind stupid firewalls can't read it but you don't want those losers anyway.

Comcast does not block my port 80, and changing IP addresses are dealt with with dyndns (either the service or the software). My Commiecast address didn't change for years either.