@Carlos
I did not see any anywhere in the guide your explanation about MAC address being locked when connected the first time, nor that following the instructions will do what you explained. It may be implicit, but not actually pointed out. So basically, following the instructions is just doing things blindly, with no explanation of why has to be done this way or otherwise will happen.
Can you provide more specific instructions on what to do?
Typically this is related to what ISP device you are using to connect to the Internet. The Almond WAN configuration pieces relate to standard ISP connectivity. The ISP's are getting more granular about this connection. Mostly the large ISPs here utilize the same type of equipment. There has been a "shift" a bit to the ISPs providing a combination modem, router, firewall, switch and access point device that you rent from them and they control or manage. I personally prefer to have my own devices and just utilize my own personally purchased Motorola Modem. I have Verizon FIOS in another home and that is utilizing a combo modem/firewall/AP/Switch and router. Totally a different connection such that I bridged the Ethernet to the internet connection to use my own stuff.
Yup; Comcast can reset the Modem from their end. You shouldn't have to do much with the Almond but restart it.
Here is what a reset of you Motorola SB 6141 does and why it has a sticky MAC. Note that it is 3 (three) assignments of MAC addresses. One MAC is of the Motorola SB 6141 modem and another MAC is of the Ethernet device plugged in to the SB-6141 modem.
1 - First time it boots it does a TFTP connection to a Comcast server to pull down your speed tier and validate your Modem ID (or its own MAC).
2 - While restarting it checks with Comcast for newer firmware and validates that you are a Comcast customer.
3 - The speed tier and other stuff dropped to your modem. Its a similiar but different configuration than you firewall. (looks a bit like a Cisco router configuration)
4 - At this time it looks at the ethernet port and MAC from ethernet device and statically assigns said MAC to modem.
Your account with Comcast is configured with the device that you first plugged in. If you call Comcast technical they will first validate the connection; like you did with a laptop. They can see your modem and its connectivity (or not) from their end. Note that the modem does not utilize a crossover cable. (BTW I am on my third generation of Motorola modems now since around 2000 or so).
If you want to reset your modem with your laptop you can do that; work fast and do the following. You cannot break anything doing this.
1 - While on the laptop to modem connection go to
http://192.168.100.1 and go to the
http://192.168.100.1/cmConfig.htm page. See attached picture.
2 - Reset Motorola SB-6141 per attached picture
3 - Unplug the laptop connection from the modem
4 - plug in the Almond WAN connection to the Motorola SB 6141
5 - plug in the power to the Almond restarting it.
You should see the network LED light on the Almond blink initially, then it should get a DHCP address from the SB-6141 modem.
Once the WAN port network LED on the Almond starts to blink you will see the LCD GUI indicate an Internet connection.
Note that if you call Comcast they can see your modem and if there is an Ethernet device plugged into the Motorola. Have them reset the Modem from there end.
Tell them to do so. They will suggest a truck roll to repair the modem or replace it. There is nothing wrong with your Motorola Modem or your Almond.
BTW you want to keep that Motorola 6141 modem because:
DOCSIS 3.0 - Released August 2006, the specification was revised to significantly increase transmission speeds (this time both upstream and downstream) and introduce support for Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).
Cross-version compatibility has been maintained across all versions of DOCSIS, with the devices falling back to the highest supported version in common between both endpoints: cable modem and cable modem termination system (CMTS). For example, if one has a cable modem that only supports DOCSIS 1.0, and the system is running 2.0, the connection will be established at DOCSIS 1.0 speeds.
As of the end of 2011, the fastest deployments in North America are expected to be Shaw Cable's announced 250 Mbit/s download / 15 Mbit/s upload, which will be implemented in phases, and Videotron's 200 Mbit/s download / 30 Mbit/s upload service in Quebec City,[5] followed by existing 107 Mbit/s deployments in the USA. In 2010, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urged U.S. providers to make 100 Mbit/s a standard speed available to 100 million households before 2020.
DOCSIS 3.1 - Released October 2013, plans support capacities of at least 10 Gbit/s downstream and 1 Gbit/s upstream using 4096 QAM. The new specs will do away with 6 MHz and 8 MHz wide channel spacing and instead use smaller (20 kHz to 50 kHz wide) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) subcarriers; these can be bonded inside a block spectrum that could end up being about 200 MHz wide.
BTW here is a wireless speed test using the Comcast SB-6141 modem and the Almond Wireless AP and my laptop.
Here is another one using the network cable connected from the Comcast SB-6141 modem to the Almond to my laptop.
Note that the ping response times above are OK but not optimal.
Something like this would be better.
Note that I traveled there virtually there in June.