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Modem Help

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Gliderman8

Gliderman8

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I need to replace an outdated modem as it is not compatible with my level of internet speed. I recently upgraded to 250 Mbps. Currently I am getting approximately 30-50 max.
My needs are basic internet surfing as well as streaming for three TV’s. No Voip.
Should I get a modem/router as one unit or get a separate modem and a separate router?
Your thoughts and suggestions welcome as well as product to stay away from. By the way my isp is Comcast/Xfinity.
 
I did that three, four weeks ago. Did NOT use Comcrap, as I ain't paying them $10/mo rental and have something I cannot access like Frontier's was.

Look on Amazon, it will tell you in the item description speed AND if it's compatible with Comcrap, Frontier, or whatever.
 
I would rather buy than rent from Comcast. I have looked on Amazon but I thought it best to get recommendations from people who are more knowledgeable with this equipment.
 
Hi Elliot - I think you're asking if you should get a single modem/wifi unit, or two separate units?

When I upgraded speed (Charter/Spectrum) from 30 to 100 mbps, I was glad I had my own modem and separate wifi router. The modems Charter "approves" are inexpensive, and my wifi router already supported the faster speed. So I spent $39 for a new Hitron E3 modem, and kept my Belkin wifi router.

Hey - I'm an old "component" guy. None of those fancy-dancy single unit stereos for me and my buddies!

Sinatra Components.jpeg
 
Thanks Tom. Your living room looks great; there isn’t anything there that can be hacked or that requires a monthly subscription.
 
My only addition to that "Wall of Sound" is a Graphic Equalizer. Reel-to-Reel, amps, AM/FM tuner, 8-track, even a CRT Television.
Where's your turntable?
Oh, my

WiFi/Router is an Arris SBG6700-AC. Recommended brand...can't recall the dis-recommended brands off the top.
Mine has two Ethernet ports, have more than that to plug in, so I dug out an old Workgroup Switch and plugged that in.
 
Using a separate modem and Linksys Mesh router + a switch to give me some wired connections. It is a Linksys Velop intelligent home mesh WiFi router I have 2 base stations and you can have more if you have a larger home. The Mesh router covers the whole house with a single WiFi channel.

Works well

David
 
Thanks David
 
I'm with Tom: A component for each function. My setup (and most business clients I have) is to run coax to the set-top box for TV, from the provider's unit (Arris here, but that doesn't matter much), run a Cat-5/6 cable directly into a firewall computer with the provider's WiFi turned off and their modem set up as a simple bridge. The firewall (2 NIC's) gets it's "public" NIC IP addy from the provider's modem, via DHCP. Has the second NIC, on the "inside" LAN, assigned a Class-C LAN addy (192.168.xxx.xxx). That is wired to the switch/router inside, along with a WiFi router for our use: "Hidden" SSID and a key from Hades to access. The house is plumbed with at least one RJ-45 port to use in each room. In our case, using a a 24-port patch panel to connect all room drops to a 24-port Cisco switching router. All machines on the "inside" are manually assigned Class-C addresses with the firewall as their gateway. With this or a similar setup, all the provider (and the rest of the innerwebs) sees from their end is the provider's modem and if they can get through that (VERY unlikely), the firewall appliance. At any given time a client can be running from six to two dozen machines. At th' hovel only an average of seven or eight.

WiFi routers can range in cost and ...err... range. I put Buffalo WiFi units in commercial setups, good coverage, good R.O.I. An "El Cheapo" AirLink 802.11G here at th' hovel. Even that will stream video to Herself's iPad, no sweat.

For residential use, I like Linksys WiFi units. Easy to configure any way you want, through the GUI. Most all WiFi routers are running a Linux kernel. From the EXTREMELY expensive (but they're RED!) Watch Guard ones, to this lowly AirLink.
 
Thanks doc. I had already made the decision to go with separate units for modem and router as that makes the most sense to me. I've decided to put the purchase on hold for a little bit as other priorities have arisen.
You think you have a cheapo router?.... I've been using a TP-Link with an "N" designation. I bought the router on Amazon for less than $20!!!.
It's functioning with our three streaming TV's and three laptops but as you know it needs to be replaced soon.
 
Gliderman8 said:
Thanks doc. I had already made the decision to go with separate units for modem and router as that makes the most sense to me. I've decided to put the purchase on hold for a little bit as other priorities have arisen.
You think you have a cheapo router?.... I've been using a TP-Link with an "N" designation. I bought the router on Amazon for less than $20!!!.
It's functioning with our three streaming TV's and three laptops but as you know it needs to be replaced soon.
Click to expand...

Just make sure only one unit is wireless WiFi. Run into all sorts of issues if two units are WiFi, or so I have been told, like Modem with WiFi and Router with WiFi.
 
Thanks for the heads up. I’m looking at an Arris SB8200 which is strictly a modem.
 
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