Anyone ever encounter this? My cable modem shares an identical MAC address with another cable modem. My internet stopped working so I called xfinity and this is what I found out after many hours on the phone with tech support.

My modem was registed with my xfinity account after I purchased it new on July 2nd. No problems. I live in Colorado.

November 10 someone in Florida activates their Netgear cable modem with the same MAC address as mine, different model. Also with xfinity.

Because I have a second modem registered with xfinity, an old one that I replaced with the CM500 on July 2nd, the MAC address for my modem was booted out of my account and placed into the Florida account with their modem.

Xfinity is sending me one of their rentals to use to remody the issue, no charge. I am told that the MAC address can not be removed from the Florida account without their permission and the easiest solution is to give me another modem. It was removed from mine automatically because I had two modems in their system.

Xfinity recomends I get in touch with Netgear to have them do something for me if possible.

How can this happen for two modems to have the same MAC address? My suspiscion is that this Florida account is shady but I do not know how or why. Is that possible? Can Netgear do anything to provide my modem with a new unique MAC address or can I?

I am using Windows 10 if that is relevant.

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2 Netgear modems with the same MAC address