Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum
As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Help me buy a modem

NightslyrNightslyr Registered User regular
in Help / Advice Forum
The long and the short of it is that I'm tired of paying my ISP a rental fee for the modem I'm currently using, and would like to buy one of my own. The problem is that I have no idea what to look for - brands, price, what various technical jargon may mean in product descriptions (I'm a software guy, not a hardware guy), etc. So, I'm looking for suggestions because I trust the community here to steer me in the right direction.

Thanks!

FF XIV: Q'vehn Tia

Posts

  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited September 2020
    I'd approach cable modems in this order:

    Arris Surfboard
    Motorola
    TP-Link

    Make sure it's the DOCSIS 3.0 version and has the appropriate channel count for your ISP (16x4 usually). Shoot for something between $50-150.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    This will vary a bit based on what your ISP uses. Which leads to what is typically the easiest path. Go look at your current rented cable modem and then search for that thing online. Buy it. Physically swap it and call up your ISP. They do a thing and then you're done.

    Depending on how horrible your cable company is, and all of them are some level of horrible, that "do a thing" can be excruciating. When I did this for my parents it was pretty easy. When I did it for myself with Verizon the install tech helped but mildly screwed up but called me to fix it right afterwards.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I use Wirecutter to narrow down brands and models, then make some individual choices from there. I have a less-sophisticated version of the Netgear modems recommended here:

    https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-cable-modem/

    Since we have a robust router already, I didn't need an integrated router; just a single-port modem to connect to it.

  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    yeah those motorola and netgear ones are pretty decent

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • ThundyrkatzThundyrkatz Registered User regular
    While I still encourage you to do this. Be prepared for your cable company to blame any problems with your connection on your owned modem going forward.

  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    Thundyrkatz wrote: »
    While I still encourage you to do this. Be prepared for your cable company to blame any problems with your connection on your owned modem going forward.

    Also be prepared for them to "make changes" at some point and advise you that your current modem will no longer be compatible with their service and that you'll need to buy a new one or if you'd like they'd be happy to rent you one.

  • NightslyrNightslyr Registered User regular
    Thanks for the help, all. It's nice having some idea of what/where to look :D

    FF XIV: Q'vehn Tia
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited September 2020
    And just to confirm, you know the box from the ISP is typically a modem and a router. So if you're replacing it, you'll need either another all-in-one or a separate router.

    Mugsley's link goes into detail on the bottom if you're not familiar.

    If you're good, then carry on!

    MichaelLC on
  • buggybuggersbuggybuggers Registered User regular
    Be sure to get a modem / router that has both 2.4ghz adn 5ghz wireless networks.

Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum