Is it possible for a neighbor to split your cable internet?

[tomtendo]

I have Comcast cable (only Internet) and I am curious if a neighbor could actually split it and steal it?

About a week or so ago, our neighbors, who rent their house and are cuban or something, I noticed they were outside near the cable boxes underground. It's a plastic cover in the grass that leads to the cables of the houses. I saw them at night with a flash light snooping around in there doing something.. But didn't think too much about it at the time other than they better not snip my cord or something.

Is it possible they could of split my internet cable?

I've been talking to comcast a lot lately about slower speeds and timeouts at nights that ive never gotten before.

I have a tech coming out tomorrow to see if its my modem(SB4161), wiring... and gonna ask them about this.

 

[BadActor]

It's possible. If they tapped your drop to steal cable, it would weaken your signal and interfere with your internet. Or even if they were just looking and kinked the feed cable, it could cause problems.

 

[tomtendo]

It's possible. If they tapped your drop to steal cable, it would weaken your signal and interfere with your internet. Or even if they were just looking and kinked the feed cable, it could cause problems.

What you mean tapped my drop?

 

[BadActor]

If they put a splitter on the connection going to your house to run a cable to theirs.

 

[10tacle]

Yes, have that tech check the box and cable if he/she can. Those neighbors can be fined by the police if Comcast wants to press charges. They are really the ones getting screwed on lost revenue (stolen services). You just get stuck with having to be inconvenienced. If that happens to be the case and they are stealing, see if you can find out who the landlord is and notify that person. Maybe they'll be evicted. It happened to someone up the street from us.

 

[rgd1101]

All channels are now digital, you can't steal them without a cable box.
If you are having issue. contact comcast, they will have to sort it out.

 

[tomtendo]

All channels are now digital, you can't steal them without a cable box.
If you are having issue. contact comcast, they will have to sort it out.

I'm having issues with slow internet speeds and timeouts, ironically at night, when they seem to be home..

 

[BadActor]

They wouldn't be able to get internet service, but might be able to get cable TV. Depends on the provider. Also, if you have a wireless router, make sure you have it password protected. The tech that comes out should see if there are any damaged or loose cables, or anything out of the ordinary.

 

[rgd1101]

All channels are now digital, you can't steal them without a cable box.
If you are having issue. contact comcast, they will have to sort it out.

I'm having issues with slow internet speeds and timeouts, ironically at night, when they seem to be home..

Let just said there are illegal way to get them cable box. Still let the tech know they will have to check it.

 

[tomtendo]

Yes, have that tech check the box and cable if he/she can. Those neighbors can be fined by the police if Comcast wants to press charges. They are really the ones getting screwed on lost revenue (stolen services). You just get stuck with having to be inconvenienced. If that happens to be the case and they are stealing, see if you can find out who the landlord is and notify that person. Maybe they'll be evicted. It happened to someone up the street from us.

All channels are now digital, you can't steal them without a cable box.
If you are having issue. contact comcast, they will have to sort it out.

I'm having issues with slow internet speeds and timeouts, ironically at night, when they seem to be home..

Let just said there are illegal way to get them cable box. Still let the tech know they will have to check it.

Ya, but internet? Can they steal my internet? They would need to activate a modem right? But yeah, def. gonna have the tech looking outside.

 

[10tacle]

You can steal basic cable, but I don't know about stealing internet. You have to register your modem with the cable company or you'll get nothing.

I had Comcast and rented a modem before upgrading to buying my own one (this was when they made everyone change to DOCSIS 3.0 modems). I never had to register it. I just turned in my rented one and plugged up my new one and it automatically created the new IP. No Comcast splash page, nothing. They automatically took off the $7/month rental screw fee, so they knew a new modem was on that line. I'm pretty sure though they'd have contacted me if they saw two different cable modems for the same single account. Comcast constantly has sniffers out there.

 

[tomtendo]

They wouldn't be able to get internet service, but might be able to get cable TV. Depends on the provider. Also, if you have a wireless router, make sure you have it password protected. The tech that comes out should see if there are any damaged or loose cables, or anything out of the ordinary.

I have DIRECTV for TV, but I do get basic cable thru my community which is comcast. I just pay for my internet. I just found it weird and also odd timing that they were out at night (9 pm) snooping inside there..

 

[rgd1101]

All channels are now digital, you can't steal them without a cable box.
If you are having issue. contact comcast, they will have to sort it out.

All OTA channels are digital. Cable providers were not affected by the same mandate as it was deemed as optional based on the provider.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/advisory-analog-cable-television-subscribers

I think I read it a while back comcast make it all digital because it save them of bandwidth of supporting both.

 

[jsmithepa]

I think I read it a while back comcast make it all digital because it save them of bandwidth of supporting both.

But at the beginning they didn't encrypt the local channels, so with a QAM TV, one was able to watch those channels without a setop box, but by now I believe they should have encrypt them all.

OP, Just have Comcast check it out, they won't charge you anything and wouldn't want any illicit activities anyways.