Jump to content

Internet noob- want to buy a router and modem


FijiPhil
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hey guys, I moved into my apartment a few weeks ago and not having internet is really a drag. Looks like I will be going with Comcast hi-speed, and I'd rather just buy a modem and router to avoid paying their monthly fee. (From what I understand ill spend about the same in a year of renting them, I might as well own it if its the same either way.)

 

So what should I get? I looked online but found so many differing opinions. People saying get a modem combo unit, people saying combo units are horrible etc.. my wife and I will use it for basic internet use and Netflix, but we don't do any online gaming if that matters.

 

I'd rather get advice from someone who knows rather than just guess and spend 120 bucks on something that is crap haha.. thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Motorola makes a decent modem (Best Buy carries them, you'll have to call Comcrap and give them the MAC Address and/or Serial # located on a sticker on the modem since you/re not using thiers)

I only use theirs because we have Triple Play and the phone modem also handles the internet as well (2 ports).

 

And I have had fantastic luck with Netgear routers (went through 3 Linksys units before I bought the Netgear) You could get away with Wireless N Gigabit (maybe Dual Band if the price is O.K). It's a nicer unit but if you ever upgrade your PC or other wireless devices, it's nice to have a router that can handle the traffic.

 

 

Hope this helps.

-N8

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing to think about

If you rent the modem and it breaks I think they will replace it

But if you buy one and it breaks you have to buy another one.

 

And when I say "breaks" I mean like lighting storm, power surge, nuclear fallout stuff like that.

 

 

Oh and Congrats on your marriage

Hope you and your wife have a long and happy life together. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing to think about

If you rent the modem and it breaks I think they will replace it

But if you buy one and it breaks you have to buy another one.

 

And when I say "breaks" I mean like lighting storm, power surge, nuclear fallout stuff like that.

 

 

Oh and Congrats on your marriage

Hope you and your wife have a long and happy life together. :)

 

Thanks for the advice guys. And thanks, Apate! It has been awesome so far.

 

How often do these things break? like are they about as good as any other electronic device, or are they known to be finnicky?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Motorola cable modems are popular and cheap. Just make sure to get one that is docsis 2.0 at least, you could spring for 3.0 if you are going to pay comcast for the extra speed. I hate almost all Homorola products in general, so I stick to Linksys... but in the case of cable modems, they're not bad.

 

Don't buy a combo unit, they're usually buggy.

 

I've been using my old school linksys setup for probably 8 years now, lol... custom firmware and hacks, but even if I didn't do that they'd still be rock solid.

 

-Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

yea the older linksys wrt54g is any of the open firmware in them are great but since cisco bought then they have gone down hill.

I have a lot of the older wrt54g out there soldering on year after year.

WRT54GS v2 FTW... had to upgrade cuz the WRT54G couldn't handle the load, even with DDWRT... haha.

 

-Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...