Nobody should be buying a DOCSIS 3.0 modem these days. They are obsolete and for some reason still being sold.
A decent DOCSIS 3.1 modem is at least $200. A Next Gen like S34 is at least $220. At least at the big blue big box store. And then you have to get your own wifi.
(However, that big blue store also will give you a 15% discount on any networking purchase if you recycle an old network device…I traded in an old modem but you should be able to find a switch or router at a thrift store and still come out ahead)
It pays for itself pretty quick (by not paying rental fees), but that doesn’t necessarily make it cheap.
I absolutely prefer using my own equipment, and do…but it’s also worth mentioning that in many markets, Xfinity removed data caps if you have a rented modem.
Yeah I recently switched from cable to fiber (finally available), and prior I was using an old as fuck modem/router that capped at 500Mbps. My internet at fastest was 380. I rarely transfer files over the network, so figured why bother? (I did have Gen1 Google Mesh though to cover dead spots). I had a bit of a shopping splurge when I got fiber. Nothing crazy, just an upgraded mesh and a switch (Why the fuck does Frontier provide an ONT with 8 ethernet ports but only one is active?)
At least in my case, my DOC IS 3.0 modem was having connectivity issues. My neighbor in another apartment had similar issues: dropped connections, slower than expected speeds, etc. Switching to DOCSIS 3.0 modems solved the problem. I guess Comcast upgraded their hardware and it wasn’t compatible with my modem anymore
Because docsis 3.0 standard is nearly 20 years old at this point and 3.1 is significantly faster. Docsis 3.1 is only 15, but 4 (which is still 8 years old) probably isn’t supported by your ISP yet. But the speed difference is quite noticeable. 3.0 will theoretically do 1gbps down, and 100-200 up, but 3.1 could do 10 down and 1gbps up. In the age of symmetrical fiber internet those upload speeds are dire. 3.1 realistically gets you a symmetrical gig connection.
I have a 3.1 modem but my ISP only has 3.0 speeds as far as I can tell. 1000/100 is their highest plan so the extra doesn’t really do anything.
My modem is 32x8 and I can see in the UI that only 4 of the 8 upload channels are actually bonded to reach that 100, which is half of the 200 that 3.0 can theoretically do.
I wouldn’t trust them to not randomly enable WiFi, but you can also use their modem but disable any built in WiFi on it & still use your own router. ISPs continue to try to bundle their modem & router, which gives them complete access to your home network. Some lucky people have found fiber providers that let them use their own SFP.
You can use your own. But at every single point they’re going to tell you that your brand new top of the line modem, is out of date and is probably the problem of any issue that you’re having. They try so hard to gaslight customers in believing that you need to use their white labeled equipment. They want you to use their stuff and pay the fees so they can resell the Wi-Fi, and they have full control over your device.
I have successfully avoided cable up to this point, but I did use my own modem back when I used DSL. It wasn’t advertised anywhere, but I just took the details from their modem and called support for the last bit I needed and used my own. It worked well, and I had my router be separate so I was able to just toss the modem when I got better service.
Yes, look on their website for compatible models, there’s a handful of affordable ones, many which perform better on higher tier connections too. Been using my own modems with Comcast for 25 years.
I’m on Spectrum and have tons of friends that always complain they’re shit. Spectrum itself isn’t shit, it’s the garbage equipment they set you up with.
Make sure whatever you get works well with IPv6. For whatever reason IPv4 can go out at random but their IPv6 has never failed me (in the Los Angeles area at least).
I bought my current one because IPv6 failed to provision on the one they gave me when I moved to a bigger apartment just two units away. I found some post on Reddit about the problem and it mentioned one that “ignores” the lack of IPv6 provisioning and does it anyway (I’m a programmer and IT geek but I don’t really understand cable/DOCSIS well).
If the modem they provided is just a modem and it works well, I don’t think there’s much reason to get rid of it. But personally if it’s an all-in-one box that has “bridge” mode I’d still run away and just go with my own modem.
You need to use their modem quite often, but you don’t need to use their router. They’re usually “all in one” modem/router things these days, but they’re legally required to provide you with a modem in bridge mode if you ask — at that point, an Ethernet cable attached to their modem is effectively attached to the Internet, and you can put your own hardware inside (firewall, Wifi router, etc.).
While you need to connect to their IP gateway, you don’t need to use their DNS services or anything but their IP gateway service.
I don’t think that’s true. Their techs may claim that, but you van buy compatible modems online and find a helpful phone support person to get the details you need. Read up a bit on it first because they’re not going to walk you through it.
Bridge mode disables the router in the modem; if you have an admin account on the modem you should be able to enable it yourself; otherwise you need to get your ISP to enable it. It will turn off all the firewall and WiFi features on the modem.
Get your own gateway. Don’t rent theirs.
You can buy cable modems cheap, too. No reason to use their crap at all.
“cheap” is a relative term.
Nobody should be buying a DOCSIS 3.0 modem these days. They are obsolete and for some reason still being sold.
A decent DOCSIS 3.1 modem is at least $200. A Next Gen like S34 is at least $220. At least at the big blue big box store. And then you have to get your own wifi.
(However, that big blue store also will give you a 15% discount on any networking purchase if you recycle an old network device…I traded in an old modem but you should be able to find a switch or router at a thrift store and still come out ahead)
It pays for itself pretty quick (by not paying rental fees), but that doesn’t necessarily make it cheap.
I absolutely prefer using my own equipment, and do…but it’s also worth mentioning that in many markets, Xfinity removed data caps if you have a rented modem.
Rental? How much is rental?
If a DOCSIS 3.0 modem still can’t be saturated by the tier of internet someone is paying for, what advantage would 3.1 have?
Not buying another modem when the ISP quietly upgrades the CMTS and makes more speed available in your neighborhood.
Yeah I recently switched from cable to fiber (finally available), and prior I was using an old as fuck modem/router that capped at 500Mbps. My internet at fastest was 380. I rarely transfer files over the network, so figured why bother? (I did have Gen1 Google Mesh though to cover dead spots). I had a bit of a shopping splurge when I got fiber. Nothing crazy, just an upgraded mesh and a switch (Why the fuck does Frontier provide an ONT with 8 ethernet ports but only one is active?)
At least in my case, my DOC IS 3.0 modem was having connectivity issues. My neighbor in another apartment had similar issues: dropped connections, slower than expected speeds, etc. Switching to DOCSIS 3.0 modems solved the problem. I guess Comcast upgraded their hardware and it wasn’t compatible with my modem anymore
I used docsis 3.0 and it worked just fine. So why not?
Because docsis 3.0 standard is nearly 20 years old at this point and 3.1 is significantly faster. Docsis 3.1 is only 15, but 4 (which is still 8 years old) probably isn’t supported by your ISP yet. But the speed difference is quite noticeable. 3.0 will theoretically do 1gbps down, and 100-200 up, but 3.1 could do 10 down and 1gbps up. In the age of symmetrical fiber internet those upload speeds are dire. 3.1 realistically gets you a symmetrical gig connection.
Ah, so 3.0 is fine if your internet still sucks. Got it.
Exactly. So it’s great for xfinity
Xfinity likely wouldn’t allow you to use it at this point. They’ve been pushing people toward 3.1 for a while now, and won’t register a new 3.0 modem.
I have a 3.1 modem but my ISP only has 3.0 speeds as far as I can tell. 1000/100 is their highest plan so the extra doesn’t really do anything.
My modem is 32x8 and I can see in the UI that only 4 of the 8 upload channels are actually bonded to reach that 100, which is half of the 200 that 3.0 can theoretically do.
I wouldn’t trust them to not randomly enable WiFi, but you can also use their modem but disable any built in WiFi on it & still use your own router. ISPs continue to try to bundle their modem & router, which gives them complete access to your home network. Some lucky people have found fiber providers that let them use their own SFP.
Can you use your own modem? I thought you had to use theirs?
In Europe that used to be the case, but that changed not that long ago. Now providers are legally obligated to allow you to get your own modem
You can use your own. But at every single point they’re going to tell you that your brand new top of the line modem, is out of date and is probably the problem of any issue that you’re having. They try so hard to gaslight customers in believing that you need to use their white labeled equipment. They want you to use their stuff and pay the fees so they can resell the Wi-Fi, and they have full control over your device.
No you can use your own modem with xfinity.
Use your own modem and open source long range router
Do you have a recommendation?
Asus Rog GT-AX6000 with Merlin OS looks interesting. Can check list of devices for OpenWRT also.
I have successfully avoided cable up to this point, but I did use my own modem back when I used DSL. It wasn’t advertised anywhere, but I just took the details from their modem and called support for the last bit I needed and used my own. It worked well, and I had my router be separate so I was able to just toss the modem when I got better service.
Yes, look on their website for compatible models, there’s a handful of affordable ones, many which perform better on higher tier connections too. Been using my own modems with Comcast for 25 years.
Well sheeit. What about Spectrum?
I’m on Spectrum and have tons of friends that always complain they’re shit. Spectrum itself isn’t shit, it’s the garbage equipment they set you up with.
Make sure whatever you get works well with IPv6. For whatever reason IPv4 can go out at random but their IPv6 has never failed me (in the Los Angeles area at least).
I have always had my own router, just not the modem.
And the only problem I have is intermittent outages, repeatedly increasing the price without my knowledge or consent, and high latency.
I bought my current one because IPv6 failed to provision on the one they gave me when I moved to a bigger apartment just two units away. I found some post on Reddit about the problem and it mentioned one that “ignores” the lack of IPv6 provisioning and does it anyway (I’m a programmer and IT geek but I don’t really understand cable/DOCSIS well).
If the modem they provided is just a modem and it works well, I don’t think there’s much reason to get rid of it. But personally if it’s an all-in-one box that has “bridge” mode I’d still run away and just go with my own modem.
Yes. Same thing, probably different models.
Probably even the same models as long as they’re using cable internet and not DSL.
You need to use their modem quite often, but you don’t need to use their router. They’re usually “all in one” modem/router things these days, but they’re legally required to provide you with a modem in bridge mode if you ask — at that point, an Ethernet cable attached to their modem is effectively attached to the Internet, and you can put your own hardware inside (firewall, Wifi router, etc.).
While you need to connect to their IP gateway, you don’t need to use their DNS services or anything but their IP gateway service.
I use my own modem and my own router with XFinity.
I don’t think that’s true. Their techs may claim that, but you van buy compatible modems online and find a helpful phone support person to get the details you need. Read up a bit on it first because they’re not going to walk you through it.
I have always had my own router. What is bridge mode? Can I do that?
Bridge mode disables the router in the modem; if you have an admin account on the modem you should be able to enable it yourself; otherwise you need to get your ISP to enable it. It will turn off all the firewall and WiFi features on the modem.
I’ll check that out, thanks