Commscope

My FTTP was installed today and its working fine, when I checked the eero app i saw 4 connected devices three i recognised and one called Commscope which i didn't does anyone here know what it is?

Thanks in advance.

I'd suggest a Google of Commscope and see what they do, one thing is DOCSIS and WiFi devices, but I don't know why an Eero device should see one unless you have a device with a Commscope chip in it.

I have searched but am no wiser -

Now meets next
At CommScope we push the boundaries of communications technology to create the world’s most advanced networks. We design, manufacture, install and support the hardware infrastructure and software intelligence that enable our digital society to interact and thrive. Working with customers, we advance broadband, enterprise and wireless networks to power progress and create lasting connections.

Across the globe, our people and solutions are redefining connectivity, solving today’s challenges and driving the innovation that will meet the needs of what’s next.

https://www.commscope.com/

Who is your provider? Did the engineer do a speed test after installing?

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

My FTTP was installed today and its working fine, when I checked the eero app i saw 4 connected devices three i recognised and one called Commscope which i didn't does anyone here know what it is?

Do you have an ONT on the wall with the eero router plugged into it? Commscope is a massive company that makes a lot of electronics. It could easily be that. They also make a lot of the antenna panels you see on mobile phone masts.

Is it Openreach or an AltNet network? Thought it was TalkTalk….dunno.

If Openreach FTTP these days it will be either of Nokia (Alacatel) or Adtran box, nothing from CommScope/Arris that I’m aware of.

Think it’s only Netomnia/YouFibre that dish those Arris ONT-routers out on their network to some folks.

would it(the eero) even see it given that would be after the ont/ont router. ?

Think they’re all loved up with Qualcomm doing the heavy lifting in those things.

Edit: Sorry misread your post. Yep ONT is invisible.

Edited by Pheasant (Fri 06-Dec-24 15:24:45)

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yep ONT is invisible.

MAC address of ONT should be visible to router though. Whom owns the OUI ??

In reply to a post by jpm:

Who is your provider? Did the engineer do a speed test after installing?

TalkTalk

No he didn't do a speed test as far as i know, the engineer left before the ONT light turned green he said he would ring me in roughly 30 minutes and it would work which it did, i was a little confused as several videos i had watched said they would test it before leaving.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Is it Openreach or an AltNet network? Thought it was TalkTalk….dunno.

If Openreach FTTP these days it will be either of Nokia (Alacatel) or Adtran box, nothing from CommScope/Arris that I’m aware of.

Think it’s only Netomnia/YouFibre that dish those Arris ONT-routers out on their network to some folks.

Yes its TalkTalk this is the ONT - (not mine but the same)
https://preview.redd.it/moving-the-box-v0-4vukbxh7s6...

Do you have an ONT on the wall with the eero router plugged into it? Commscope is a massive company that makes a lot of electronics. It could easily be that. They also make a lot of the antenna panels you see on mobile phone masts.

Thanks that sounds like its the likely reason -

Yes its TalkTalk this is the ONT - (not mine but the same)
https://preview.redd.it/moving-the-box-v0-4vukbxh7s6...

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

Thanks that sounds like its the likely reason -

If not the ONT, something in the openreach FTTP network that TalkTalk use to connect to your home. (Other FTTP networks are around).

https://www.commscope.com/press-releases/2021/openre...

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

Do you have an ONT on the wall with the eero router plugged into it? Commscope is a massive company that makes a lot of electronics. It could easily be that. They also make a lot of the antenna panels you see on mobile phone masts.

Thanks that sounds like its the likely reason -

Yes its TalkTalk this is the ONT - (not mine but the same)
https://preview.redd.it/moving-the-box-v0-4vukbxh7s6...

Ok that is the standard OR ont. when you got the new service did you change the wireless passwords to the same as your new eero device....... Am wondering if its an old device connecting !

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Think they’re all loved up with Qualcomm doing the heavy lifting in those things.

Edit: Sorry misread your post. Yep ONT is invisible.

its not Valentine's day yet!!!!!!!!! 🤭😂🙈

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

Thanks that sounds like its the likely reason -

If not the ONT, something in the openreach FTTP network that TalkTalk use to connect to your home. (Other FTTP networks are around).

https://www.commscope.com/press-releases/2021/openre...

That's all passive stuff, joint enclosures and CBTs and that sort of thing. Nothing active - the only active thing would be the OLT and Openreach are using ECi (ancient), Huawei (deprecated now), Nokia (aka Alcatel) and Adtran kit here.

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Is it Openreach or an AltNet network? Thought it was TalkTalk….dunno.

If Openreach FTTP these days it will be either of Nokia (Alacatel) or Adtran box, nothing from CommScope/Arris that I’m aware of.

Think it’s only Netomnia/YouFibre that dish those Arris ONT-routers out on their network to some folks.

Yes its TalkTalk this is the ONT - (not mine but the same)
https://preview.redd.it/moving-the-box-v0-4vukbxh7s6...

Yep that's a classic Openreach-labelled but Adtran made ONT.

Sooooo that's not it.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

Thanks that sounds like its the likely reason -

If not the ONT, something in the openreach FTTP network that TalkTalk use to connect to your home. (Other FTTP networks are around).

https://www.commscope.com/press-releases/2021/openre...

That's all passive stuff, joint enclosures and CBTs and that sort of thing. Nothing active - the only active thing would be the OLT and Openreach are using ECi (ancient), Huawei (deprecated now), Nokia (aka Alcatel) and Adtran kit here.

I assume the ECI olts are the 300mbits limited ones ?

In reply to a post by Taras:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Think they’re all loved up with Qualcomm doing the heavy lifting in those things.

Edit: Sorry misread your post. Yep ONT is invisible.

its not Valentine's day yet!!!!!!!!! 🤭😂🙈

Hubba, Hubba. 😂

Just Qualcom SoC / WiFi etc chipsets inside Amazon's eero stuffs as far as I'm aware.

Yep

In reply to a post by Taras:

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

Do you have an ONT on the wall with the eero router plugged into it? Commscope is a massive company that makes a lot of electronics. It could easily be that. They also make a lot of the antenna panels you see on mobile phone masts.

Thanks that sounds like its the likely reason -

Yes its TalkTalk this is the ONT - (not mine but the same)
https://preview.redd.it/moving-the-box-v0-4vukbxh7s6...

Ok that is the standard OR ont. when you got the new service did you change the wireless passwords to the same as your new eero device....... Am wondering if its an old device connecting !

Yes i had to change it as the original one was too short i did use the same SSID

I have never seen this device in all the years i have been with TT

Some screen shots from the app -

It says activity 0 but i am sure it had a number yesterday

https://ibb.co/6g53QWB

Edited by Jack_Hackett (Fri 06-Dec-24 19:38:31)

is there any devices in the kitchen that are wifi compatible ?

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yep ONT is invisible.

MAC address of ONT should be visible to router though. Whom owns the OUI ??

Nope.

If I look up the details on the PPPoE client connection (live stats) on the MikroTik router here I can see the "Active AC name" and the "AC MAC address"

AC = Access Concentrator, presumably, which is the PPPoE server at the end of the connection. For my current EE Openreach-based FTTP connection it is:

Active AC Name = acc-aln15.ih
AC MAC Address = 14:7B:AC:14:40:0A

The reported OUI above, 14:7B:AC, belongs to Nokia....however not the ONT....

The MAC address of my Openreach ONT (a Nokia G-010G-T) begins with FC:B2:D6 -> which belongs to Cig Shanghai Co Ltd (according to my lookup source). So not even Nokia / Alcatel. (Side note: Nokia ONT's actual have ALCL (Alcatel) as the leading 4 digits in their serial number (visible on the barcoded labels). Similarly Adtran ONTs use "ADTN" in the leading digits. Ditto Huawei etc, etc). Anyway that MAC address is for the PON-side of matters for use between the OLT and the ONT.

So as far as my router is concerned the ONT is invisible or at least a transparent bridge.

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

Some screen shots from the app -

It says activity 0 but i am sure it had a number yesterday

https://ibb.co/6g53QWB

OK so it's sitting inside your own network. hanging off the WiFi...does it have/get an IP address? - the bottom half of your screenshot cut that off.

In reply to a post by Taras:

is there any devices in the kitchen that are wifi compatible ?

No.

Whats's the IP address and MAC address of the mystery Commscope device?

I may have found the answer this article mentions Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems does this mean Commscope make them and is this why i see Commscope in the eero app?

Sorry for the dumb questions and thanks for all your help.


CommScope’s new DOCSIS 3.1 & Wi-Fi 6 gateways, Amazon’s Eero goes Wi-Fi 6

https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/roundup-comm...

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

I may have found the answer this article mentions Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems does this mean Commscope make them and is this why i see Commscope in the eero app?

Sorry for the dumb questions and thanks for all your help.


CommScope’s new DOCSIS 3.1 & Wi-Fi 6 gateways, Amazon’s Eero goes Wi-Fi 6

https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/roundup-comm...

Yeah that article just mentions two completely independent products, the Commscope (Touchstone) TG9452 and DG9450 WiFi gateway device (basically WiFi capable routers to British readers) and the Amazon Eero products in the same page.

They are otherwise not related, in the slightest.

Commscope (actually under the Arris brand) do provide WiFi routers (Arris NVG578LX) to UK broadband users - YouFibre is one such provider. They've been discussed variously on TBB forums before.

Not TalkTalk over Opnreach FTTP however that I'm aware of.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

I may have found the answer this article mentions Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems does this mean Commscope make them and is this why i see Commscope in the eero app?

Sorry for the dumb questions and thanks for all your help.


CommScope’s new DOCSIS 3.1 & Wi-Fi 6 gateways, Amazon’s Eero goes Wi-Fi 6

https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/roundup-comm...

Yeah that article just mentions two completely independent products, the Commscope (Touchstone) TG9452 and DG9450 WiFi gateway device (basically WiFi capable routers to British readers) and the Amazon Eero products in the same page.

They are otherwise not related, in the slightest.

Commscope (actually under the Arris brand) do provide WiFi routers (Arris NVG578LX) to UK broadband users - YouFibre is one such provider. They've been discussed variously on TBB forums before.

Not TalkTalk over Opnreach FTTP however that I'm aware of.

Dam i was hoping i had found the answer.

I tried TT online chat earlier the operator didn't know what Commscope was (no surprise there) but they did explain how to block or pause it in the app, i have now paused it and everything seems to be working fine, i will keep an eye on the software update version numbers just in case it stops them for some reason, fingers crossed it'll be fine.

If you can find the MAC address of the Commscope client device then run it through a MAC-lookup site like this:

https://macaddress.io

See what it comes back with?

Is this Commscope device actually getting an IP address on your local network - can you ping it, or even reach it with a browser?

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

If you can find the MAC address of the Commscope client device then run it through a MAC-lookup site like this:

https://macaddress.io

See what it comes back with?

Is this Commscope device actually getting an IP address on your local network - can you ping it, or even reach it with a browser?

Vendor details
None

Block details
The MAC address does not belong to any registered block.

MAC address details

Is valid
true

Virtual Machine
Not detected

Transmission type
Unicast

Administration type
UAA

Applications
Not detected

Wireshark notes
No details

if Jack has an ip address he can also block it and then see what doesn't work anymore 😂. Jokes aside it will be a quick way find the device. depending on the router he could just mac adress block it as well

Edited by Taras (Sat 07-Dec-24 13:15:10)

Sound weirder than weird!!

What's the actual MAC address of this thing guv?

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Sound weirder than weird!!

What's the actual MAC address of this thing guv?

I ran it again and got different results 20:f3:75:b1:a9:a8

Yep reporting the vendor as Commscope (originally Arris):

https://macaddress.io/mac-address-lookup/wkW4q1Q8RK

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yep reporting the vendor as Commscope (originally Arris):

https://macaddress.io/mac-address-lookup/wkW4q1Q8RK

Thanks,

Company name - Commscope, does that mean its legit and i have nothing to worry about, why does it need to connect i have paused it and the internet is still working?

It’s legit. It exists. Question is what is it / does it matter? If I knew better I’d say it was a WiFi router, but as your router and mesh is eero it’s not that. A neighbour, dunno?

Is it being dished out an IP address from your network?

Might be an old wifi extender unit

…or some random IOT device (using an Arris WiFi chipset).

yep............which by blocking the mac or ip will mean somebody saying "why isn't this unit working"

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

It’s legit. It exists. Question is what is it / does it matter? If I knew better I’d say it was a WiFi router, but as your router and mesh is eero it’s not that. A neighbour, dunno?

Is it being dished out an IP address from your network?

Yes.

I unblocked it pinged it and got 4 responses i then blocked it and got 4 time outs, i think i am going to leaver it blocked and see if it causes any Issus all the other devices in the list in the app i recognise this is the only thing that i am not happy about.

thanks for all your help i have no doubt i will be back

yep............which by blocking the mac or ip will mean somebody saying "why isn't this unit working"

will that cause problems?

Edited by Jack_Hackett (Sat 07-Dec-24 15:39:30)

I checked stats and since late Thursday it has used 6.6Gb of data.

Edit to add -
I have filled in a support form at the eero site with luck they can tell me what is going on and it'll save others going through this in future.

Edited by Jack_Hackett (Sat 07-Dec-24 15:46:16)

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

yep............which by blocking the mac or ip will mean somebody saying "why isn't this unit working"

will that cause problems?

yes and no. As long as you remember you have blocked it. Yes it will make not work with the interent, but no it won't damage it.

In reply to a post by Taras:

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

yep............which by blocking the mac or ip will mean somebody saying "why isn't this unit working"

will that cause problems?

Yes it will make not work with the interent,

Sorry i am not sure what you mean.

Edited by Jack_Hackett (Sat 07-Dec-24 15:53:15)

6.6GB in two days eh?! 😬

When was the last time you changed your WiFi password? Might want to change it. Someone’s either having a drink from your internet or you’ve a streaming device or camera etc you’ve forgotten about.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

6.6GB in two days eh?! 😬

When was the last time you changed your WiFi password? Might want to change it. Someone’s either having a drink from your internet or you’ve a streaming device or camera etc you’ve forgotten about.

yep either do that or block it - and wait for somebody to mention it.. A cam on h.264 wouldn't do 6.6gb over a couple of days .

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

6.6GB in two days eh?! 😬

When was the last time you changed your WiFi password? Might want to change it. Someone’s either having a drink from your internet or you’ve a streaming device or camera etc you’ve forgotten about.

I had to change the password when i set the eero router up as the old password was too short so in theory the only thing that should be in the list are things i have re-set.

In reply to a post by Taras:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

6.6GB in two days eh?! 😬

When was the last time you changed your WiFi password? Might want to change it. Someone’s either having a drink from your internet or you’ve a streaming device or camera etc you’ve forgotten about.

yep either do that or block it - and wait for somebody to mention it.. A cam on h.264 wouldn't do 6.6gb over a couple of days .

I have aded screens of the three days i have been using FTTP as you can see its connecting every hour but its using a lot of data some hours not others i blocked it at around 13:00 today (Saturday) and as you can see it has stopped.

https://ibb.co/prDfCWB

https://ibb.co/vsxhZ2G

https://ibb.co/VV1dP2s

Its pulling down data, rather than pushing data out - so its a "consumer" device, rather than a camera etc which would be in the reverse direction.

Most of the data seems to be concentrated late at night and in the very early hours of the morning. Something updating itself...

In reply to a post by Taras:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

6.6GB in two days eh?! 😬

When was the last time you changed your WiFi password? Might want to change it. Someone’s either having a drink from your internet or you’ve a streaming device or camera etc you’ve forgotten about.

yep either do that or block it - and wait for somebody to mention it.. A cam on h.264 wouldn't do 6.6gb over a couple of days .

I've got cameras on high resolutions using 264 / 264+ that are pulling way more that (pro rata) - really it depends on how their resolution, frame rate and data rates are setup.

Do you have a TV set top box?

TalkTalk TV boxes are made by Vantiva which used to be called Technicolor/Thomson, and they bought Commscope's STB business.

https://www.vantiva.com/connected-home/video-solutio...

https://www.talktalk.co.uk/tv-fibre-broadband/tv-hub

Edited by jpm (Sat 07-Dec-24 17:26:11)

I think you may hit jackpot there @jpm 🎰😅

In reply to a post by jpm:

Do you have a TV set top box?

TalkTalk TV boxes are made by Vantiva which used to be called Technicolor/Thomson, and they bought Commscope's STB business.

https://www.vantiva.com/connected-home/video-solutio...

https://www.talktalk.co.uk/tv-fibre-broadband/tv-hub

Bingo.

I have a Freesat box which records and streams i tried to stream Netflix on it after reading your post and it failed with an internet connection error popping up i unblocked Commscope and it worked again.

Thanks for all your help

Edit to add -

Who manufactures freesat boxes?

As of 2024, Arris [ARRIS GLOBAL LTD] (Part of Commscope) Make the main boxes for Freesat

Current Model Numbers are UHD-X-**** these are smart boxes that can record multiply channels from the live TV broadcast and access via internet to Netflix, iPlayer. There are 4 boxes being sold, from No Hard Drive (for Recording) and 500gb/1tb/2tb so you can record live TV.

Edited by Jack_Hackett (Sat 07-Dec-24 18:28:11)

Ah well at least you know now. And you’re not being vampire drained by a neighbour 🧛‍♂️ Happy ending 😉

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Ah well at least you know now. And you’re not being vampire drained by a neighbour 🧛‍♂️ Happy ending 😉

Happy end to the day and i hope this may help others in the same boat in future.

Why couldn't they have named it CommScope - Freesat or something similar.

Yeah it’s just the way the OUI bit of the MAC address (ostensibly the manufacturer of the network interface only) has always been since day dot. Gets even more confusing when the rest of the box is made by someone else or is white labelled. Can really leave you scratching your head.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Can really leave you scratching your head.

We had a few of these tracking down odd branding from the outsourced network adaptor inside a product in days gone by.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yeah it’s just the way the OUI bit of the MAC address (ostensibly the manufacturer of the network interface only) has always been since day dot. Gets even more confusing when the rest of the box is made by someone else or is white labelled. Can really leave you scratching your head.

Again thanks to all members who have helped me in this thread, its been a while since i have visited regularly i am glad the site is still here and there are still members here who know their stuff.

At least it seems more friendly here now do you remember back in the day when Dusty, Adamant etc used to post regularly it was like the wild west on a weekend back in those days.

In reply to a post by Jack_Hackett:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yeah it’s just the way the OUI bit of the MAC address (ostensibly the manufacturer of the network interface only) has always been since day dot. Gets even more confusing when the rest of the box is made by someone else or is white labelled. Can really leave you scratching your head.

Again thanks to all members who have helped me in this thread, its been a while since i have visited regularly i am glad the site is still here and there are still members here who know their stuff.

At least it seems more friendly here now do you remember back in the day when Dusty, Adamant etc used to post regularly it was like the wild west on a weekend back in those days.

if you can, change the name of the device in eero, so that you know what it is. My Mobos come out as a different name to what they are etc. I'm glad it was one of your devices and not the neighbours ..... And yes Dusty just brought back memories

if you can, change the name of the device in eero, so that you know what it is. My Mobos come out as a different name to what they are etc. I'm glad it was one of your devices and not the neighbours ..... And yes Dusty just brought back memories

Thanks for the suggestion i doubt after today i will ever forget what Commscope means

hahaha. That said, when you add a device into your network, check it inside the router webpage to know what its called etc. I had a router update and all the name had changed ...........It caused undue panic

In reply to a post by Taras:

hahaha. That said, when you add a device into your network, check it inside the router webpage to know what its called etc. I had a router update and all the name had changed ...........It caused undue panic